The Dare (boyxboy)

Chapter 4

Grocery day, I mentally noted as I walked out of my house.

I sighed as I locked my front door, heading out, deciding that maybe walking to the grocery store would be a good change. A little after a few minutes, I heard someone jogging up to me. I scowled when I realised who it was.

"Hey," Nick said as he slowed down and started to walk next to me.

I didn't dignify his greeting with a response. He seemed to have gone silent for a minute before I heard a loud sigh. "So, where are you going?"

"None of your business, so fuck off," I said coldly.

"Okay, fair enough," he said slowly to himself. "So, would you mind if I walked with you?"

I groaned as I glanced at him. "What do you want, Nick?"

"Nothing," he said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

I raised my eyebrows. "Really?" I asked sceptically.

Nick sighed and nodded. "I just am walking to where you are going."

"To the grocery store?" I asked again. He grinned at me widely. I rolled my eyes when I realised that I just told him where I was going. "Oh, haha, very mature, Nick."

Nick simply raised his hands over his head. "I didn't ask you, you just told me."

"Go away," I said curtly, looking away from him. He dropped his hands to his sides but he didn't heed to my words. Instead, he became silent and he ended up tailing me to the grocery store.

***

I didn't know what to do with this guy next to me. He insisted on following me even though I was more than uncomfortable around him. He didn't seem to care. I kept on shooting him wary glances every time I pushed my trolley further to the front, wondering when it was he was going to shove me inside it.

It was hard to think of him as someone good after all these times. Just because he came around to apologise didn't mean I could easily forgive him. I sighed as I grabbed onto the milk and placed it in my trolley. I shot him another wary glance before I pushed the cart forward.

"I'm not going to attack you, you know," Nick said after a while, breaking the silence between us. I simply ignored him again even though I shook my head mentally. I know I shouldn't believe him. It wasn't in our genes to just suddenly get along well. It wasn't going to change—this thing between us wasn't going to change just because he wanted to.

And then what would happen if he got bored of me?

Enemies all over again?

I didn't want to go through that anymore. I didn't want to get my hopes up and let him crash it to the ground the next minute. He nodded at my silence as he followed me around until I ended up at the cashier. Looking at the price on the screen, I frowned when I realised I didn't have enough money.

"Uhm," I said as I ran my fingers through my hair. Before I could do anything else, Nick took out the extra notes I needed and gave it to the cashier. My cheeks reddened as I looked at him, frowning. "You shouldn't have done that."

"Why not?" he asked, smiling as he took the first two bags. I watched him alarmed before I took the other two and followed him out of the store.

"Give those back," I said quickly. He stopped walking before he looked at me in the eyes.

"I can help you."

"I don't need your help," I hissed. His lips thinned and for a moment, I thought he was about to blow up at me. But when he just turned around and continued to walk away, heading to where I lived—I couldn't help but to feel something warm wash up inside of me. I furrowed my eyebrows deep as I followed him, watching him carefully if he was about to charge at me all of a sudden.

But he didn't.

Once we reached my house, he placed the grocery bags in front of the door and took a step back. He smiled at me as cautiously as he could. "Here," he said as he pointed at the bags leaning against the door. I frowned at him wondering what he wanted as a gratitude.

"If you want a kiss, you can forget it," I said as his eyebrows shot upwards. A few seconds passed before he grinned. I was taken aback at how free that smile looked on his face.

"No," he said as he shook his head. "Unless you want to give me one."

I took a step back in caution. He noticed my retreat and dropped his grin.

"Sorry," he said quickly. "Too soon for jokes."

"Thanks," I said after a while, turning around to unlock my front door. I heard him shuffling on his feet before he sighed.

"I—I know I can't make things change between us right away," he said slowly. "And I know I don't deserve a second chance. But—if you'll let me, I want to make things right."

"It's too late," I said hastily as I pushed open the door and walked in. He didn't even get the chance to say anything else as I dragged my plastic bags inside and looked at him one last time. "It's too late, Nick. There's no forgiveness for those who don't change."

"I can change," he said as he took a step forward. "I can change, Zen."

I stared at him, wondering for a moment if this person in front of me really was telling the truth. But I was too scared, too scarred to care. So, I shook my head. "Sorry, I don't believe you." I closed the front door to his face, taking in a deep breath as I leaned my forehead against it.

I felt the warmness slowly turning into caution. I didn't know what Nick was up to—but he had to work his way up to me if he wanted to even begin this—whatever it was. With that, I grabbed the plastic bags and hauled them to the kitchen, confusion and caution blaring into me like a silent horn.

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