𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝

Chapter 16 - Mess and Games

"The very essence of romance is uncertainty."
― Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest and Other Plays

Alice

    There is silence for a few seconds. I can only imagine how surprised he must be to see me there. No one else has arrived yet, so it's just us and his confused stare on me, asking me silent questions.

    – I've never seen you play before, he finally says.

    I smile slightly, sitting on the nearest chair and crossing my legs. His eyes follow my movements with patience as I take my time to answer.

    – That's because I don't play, I explain. I'm not going to lie to you and embarrass myself by pretending to like something I don't care about...

    I mark a pause. Should I really tell him the truth ? I mean, it's stupid really. How do I just explain that I walked all the way here only to be in the same room as him ? He now knows that I've always had a crush on him, and doesn't seem to mind, but that's a bit much.

    – I woke up early and needed a place to study. I thought this room was empty, I lie. I'll just leave you to it.

    Orion seems amused, leaning his head to the side while slowly approaching me, until he's standing almost above me, staring down at me with a smile. Apparently, he's figured out I'm bullshiting him. It was worth the try.

    – Is that so ? Why didn't you just go to your floor to study there ?

    I shrug, because he has a point. Perhaps I should just tell him the truth. I finally give up when I realize how amused he seems to be by my trouble, ready to admit that I'm somehow just a creepy stalker.

    – Alright, I give in, rolling my eyes. You win. I wanted to hang out with you a bit more. I don't know what last night was about but... I liked it.

    This erases the smile from his face. I don't know what to say or do, perhaps I should develop or maybe let him digest what I just said ? Panicked by his lack of reaction, I keep going.

    – I know it's weird. We were not even that close but I felt like something happened but perhaps it was the alcohol and I just sound very weird and I should maybe just go now that I'm thinking about it...

    With that, I stand and start heading towards the door, mentally insulting myself for bringing my ass in there. What was going on inside my brain ?

    As I start walking, I'm stopped in my movement by Orion's hand grabbing mine. He holds me back, forcing me to turn towards him. My face is red with embarrassment, so I don't say anything ; I've said more than enough.

    – Alice, you were sitting on my lap for the whole evening, we danced together and then slept in the same bed. I wouldn't call you crazy for thinking that something happened, because it did.

    I can't help but be surprised. Orion has never really been interested in me. I had thought that he would blame his actions from yesterday on the alcohol, even though he wasn't that drunk, but this man keeps on surprising me.

    Because he just proved that I'm not crazy. Something really did change between us. I don't know what or why. But in the past weeks, it's as if our whole relationship dynamic, which was, we could say, nonexistent, had completely transformed with little to no explanation.

    All we did was see each other in a library - twice now - and organize a party together. Is it what it takes for a man to notice you ? I should study and party more, perhaps.