Steal my Heart.

36

Levi is nice. He is sweet and even says good things to me. But he isn't Alastair. He will never be. Alastair has become the standard I compare other guys to, and somehow, no one ever comes next to him. He has become so important in such a small duration of time.

I think of all this as I come home. I was somehow expecting him to make amends. But why will he? Instead, I should be surprised he wasn't sucking that girl's face off. I've wasted enough time. He isn't someone worth crying over, I tell myself. I don't know how much I believe in my own words.

I come home and flop on my bed, too occupied with thoughts about a hazel eyed boy, thoughts which refuse to go away.

•••

Next is Sports day. It will mostly be cheering and watching. I perch a pair of sunglasses on my head and ride my scooter till school.

Alastair is nowhere to be seen again. My sunglasses now sit on my nose and I look over the ground. The events have started and the bleachers are packed. Though I know nothing about sports, I'm starting to love watching them.

The participants start gearing up for the Hurdles race. Sitting at the Help Desk provides me a nice front view. Looking over near the starting line, I see Alastair as well. I didn't know he was a runner. Well, I also didn't know he was a jerk.

All the players get in the starting position and I look at Alastair. His biceps flex with each movement and his eyes are focussed solely on the track. His long legs look great bended below him.

The bullet is fired and all the athletes start running. Another guy is leading but my gaze is fixed on Alastair. He jumps over all the hurdles and it's wonderful to watch him. The audience is cheering like crazy but I can only watch, anxious and in awe.

Nearing the end, he takes over and crosses the finishing line with flourish. All the girls go crazy and I find myself clapping as well. That was amazing.

People on the ground swarm around him and congratulate him. He aknowledges everyone before his eyes meet mine. They're twinkling today; there's no sign of any rage or guilt that was present before. I look away and out of curiousity, when I look at him again, he is still watching me, amusement writ on his face.

Slowly, he makes his way towards me. My heart beats faster and I find myself drowning in his eyes. The sun has caught his hair, and the strands seem to shine. How does he look so good? Holy fuck, he's gorgeous even in sweat and mud.

"How can I help you?" I ask him when he is right in front of me. The relationship between us is highly professional now.
"By healing my pain." He says and I am at a loss for words when he points towards his knee.
"I injured myself." He says, now that he managed to catch me offguard.

"Please sit." I say and get up from my chair which he occupies.
I kneel down in front of him and survey the wound. It's bad. I touch it with a cotton swab and he yelps like a baby.
"Shit, I'm sorry." I mutter.
"I was just joking." He says with a grin and I want to smack him. The same old trick.

"It hurts." He says and I roll my eyes. Did I ask him if it does? But since we're speaking in double meanings here, why not?
"Physical wounds are nothing compared to emotional ones. The ones you cannot see hurt more than any other scar." I say as I apply an antiseptic on his knee.

"Emotional wounds can also be self inflicted, due to misunderstandings, when one person assumes about something that has nothing to do with them." He says and I look up at him so quick, I thought my neck would've snapped.

"No. Inner scars are given when a person is led on, given false hopes and made to feel good; only to see it all come crashing down." I snap and hurt crosses his features before I throw the cotton swab I was holding down and stomp away. I don't want to cry in front of him.

"Grace!" He calls out but I keep walking away, something I should've done when he called out my name the very first time. It would have saved me a lot of heartache.

Alastair's Point of View

Earlier this morning, I had visited uncle Tom. He was my mother's younger brother, the man she had entrusted me to in Seattle when she knew she couldn't take care of a rebellious son.

Unlike my parents though, he loves me. And he is the only family I have over here. He had the solution to all of my problems. So when I turned up at his house looking distraught, he took me in for coffee. I would've stayed at his house itself if he didn't have people living on rent. And also if I wasn't so damn stubborn.

"So, how is she?" He asks, handing me a cup.
Gracie's face plays before my eyes and I smile. "Beautiful."

"Looks can be decieving Alastair. Don't make the same mistake again." He says and I shake my head.
"She changed my definition of beautiful. She doesn't make heads turn and she most definitely isn't a model. She makes me want to be a better person. She is calm, gentle, soothing. She is beautiful, but in a much deeper way, not just in looks." I say and I realize how thoroughly whipped I am.

"Then what are you waiting for? Go get her." He says and I give him the look.
He sighs. "Let go of the past Alastair. Just because you made a few mistakes before, doesn't mean that you don't deserve happiness. The most deserving of love are those who need it the most. She's good for you, from what I've heard. Don't you want to be a better person? Don't you want someone to pull you into the light?" He says and I shut my eyes.

He is right. I need to go get her. If I'm not worthy of her now, I can be someone different, someone capable of her. I just need a chance. The realization hits me like a storm. I've been a fool.

So today when I started my conquest to win her back, it was too late. She was already too pained, too hurt to come back to me. But you wait and watch Grace, I'll make you my girl.