Escape | Updated Weekly

9

"Eve!" Chloe practically ran to the back of the class room and sat down next to me. "I was calling you all of last night you never picked up. Not even a text back" she started grabbing her laptop out of her bag furiously fighting with the charger cable. "I mean... It must have been a good date to ignore your best friend like that but don't do that to me again. I need details". I had almost forgotten that Lyle had stolen my phone. I eventually had told the guys about it last night, Tom and Mac agreed to confront Lyle today to get it back of him. Mac promising he wouldn't take it too far this time, Tom basically being his supervisor to ensure he keeps that promise.

So I explained to Chloe what had happened. "What a vile creature" she said and got her phone out scrolling to Lyle's name, she text him.

"Don't speak to me again" 

And then blocked his number.

"I can't believe you and Mac run of to the beach together" she continued as she put her phone down, opening her laptop up now and tapping away at her assignment. "We didn't run of" I replied looking at my own assignment which I had been stuck on. Writers block this early into the course was never a good sign.

"Well you both got in the car and left and didn't tell anyone where you was going. That's pretty much running of" I rolled my eyes "I couldn't.... I didn't have my phone". She turned to my fully.

"You like him"

"Who?"

"Mac"

"Pffffft"

Was she serious? I genuinely couldn't tell. I didn't dare look at her, she had a way of staring into people's souls until they start blabbering like an idiot. 

"So you're telling me that this guy helped you out twice, let you wear his clothes, introduced you to his family, is an amazing older brother, your words not mine, and then swept you of to a romantic spontaneous trip to the beach and you felt nothing for him?"

"It wasn't romantic"

Her eyes widened as if that was all of the information she needed. "Oh my God" she squealed "You did feel something" I looked around hoping Chloe's  enthusiasm wasn't attracting anyone else's attention.  I briefly thought of all the events that happened the day before. If I was being honest, yes at one point I did find I had some attraction towards Mac, but I simply put it down to the fact my date had gone awful, it could have been any guy and I might have felt the same. There wasn't enough data to back up how I had felt in that moment. Dating wasn't even on my list of things to do anyway, I really wasn't pondering the question. "you know.. I heard he's never had a girlfriend" Chloe quietened her voice now. "What are you on about?" she glanced over at me. "Mac. He's never had a girlfriend. Obviously he's been involved with girls, by the sounds of it he's had the experience, but not once has he ever had an official girlfriend". It was amazing the way she could find out information about people. Sometimes I think she took the wrong major and should have been studying to be a detective or spy or something like that. 

"Why does that even matter?" I asked finally having an idea spark into my brain allowing me to get on with my work. Chloe shrugged "I don't know. Maybe it's a red flag, maybe not". A red flag? She think it's a red flag for never having had a relationship? We're only between the ages of 18 and 19 and she thinks that it's odd? I couldn't imagine anybody our age wanting to settle down so early. 

Thankfully for the rest of lesson she dropped the subject and we sat in silence as we both threw ourselves into our assignments. During my free period I went to go meet Tom in his rehearsal room. When I got there he was in the room alone staring hard at some music sheets. He looked up when he heard the door open. "Hey you" he said jumping up to give me a hug. He grabbed his coat and pulled my phone out of his pocket. They actually got it back! "All in one piece and no fights happened". I was relieved, My phone was turned of and wasn't damaged in anyway. I wondered why Lyle even took it. Maybe he was hoping I would ask for it back myself and try to take another shot at me. Whatever the reason I didn't care. I had it back now and hopefully he would get the picture this time and leave me the hell alone.

"So you and Mac had fun yesterday" Tom said teasingly sitting back down. I sighed "Why is everyone on about this?" he held up his hands in defence. "I'm not saying anything" he quickly replied offering for me to sit on the sofa on the right hand side of the room. As soon as I did he peered over the top of his sheet music. "Besides... I already grilled Mac about it". My heart beat faster. Oh God. What had Mac said? I couldn't show Tom that I was eager to know what Mac was saying. I knew he was testing me to see if I would care or not. 

"Fair enough" I tried my best to say it cooly. Unfortunately for me, Tom just knew me too well. "I'm only messing with you Eve. He just explained what happened and that you guys hang out afterwards. I like that you're getting along with everyone". I let out a breath that I hadn't even realised I was holding. 

The others burst through the door talking and laughing between them, Mac strolled in last. I hadn't seen him this morning as he was the first one to be up and leave the house. He'd worn one of his chequered flannels unbuttoned with a white T-shirt underneath. He looked straight at  me with a small grin on his face. I had to look away trying to hide the blush that I could feel forming in my cheeks. I suddenly didn't know how to act. I felt like I was sitting out of place or acting weird. The more I tried to avoid talking to him the weirder I got, but then if I did talk to him the more giddy I felt.

I don't know why I suddenly started feeling this way, or why he made me so nervous. He had some strange hold over me after only just a day of hanging out. I tried to shake it of. I was being ridiculous. 

Throughout the rehearsal every time I glanced at him I caught him looking at me, quickly looking away when he realised I had seen him. Was he feeling nervous around me too? I prayed to God this feeling wouldn't stick around for long. The last thing I needed, was for Chloe to be right.