All about love

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

            On this fine Saturday morning, I found out that I got twelve missed calls from Chloe. She must be furious of what I did to Nathan last night. After Thomas and I fought, I went straight to bed but I do feel guilty for Nate.

            “Good morning sunshine,” a low, raspy voice greeted me.

            “What the—” I sat up on my bed and saw Nate. He is half-naked, in my bedroom. There’s a half-naked boy in my room. I screamed, and not in a good way. “What are you doing in my room half-naked, did you take advantage of me?” I barked, and screamed louder.

            “No, no I would never do that!” Nate covered my mouth. He laughed. “Last night when you ran out, you came home after midnight. Mrs. Wilson told me I could spend the night, I thought I would catch you awake but you were deeply asleep.”

            “About last night, I feel really guilty that I ditched you. I am so sorry. It’s just that Thomas and I—”

            “Ella, its fine, really.” He sighed, “But you know, I can’t help but to think that you used me as an excuse to have a date last night…” Nate trailed off.

            “Was it obvious?”

            “It’s obvious to me; you and Thomas have a thing. I can tell.” Nate didn’t let me talk. “I’m an easy person to talk to; you should have just asked me. You shouldn’t have lead me on.”

            I nodded. I was speechless; I didn’t mean to use Nate as an excuse. And I certainly didn’t know that I would hurt his feelings.

            “Friends?” I reached out to shake his hand, instead he pulled me close and kissed my forehead.

            “Friends,” “Even if we’re not together, I will always care for you.” He pulled out a shirt and covered his half-naked body. “As of now, I’ve got places to be.” Nate opened my bedroom door; he turned around and kissed my forehead. “See you at school sunshine.”

            It took me by surprise that Nate handled the situation well, he wasn’t angry or jealous. After he left, my stomach turned into a knot—they were definitely not butterflies, they were maggots, slowly eating my flesh; guilt.

            “Aw boo-hoo, your pretty boyfriend just dumped you didn’t he?” Donna laughed as she walked in my room. “Was it a one night stand? Or did nothing happen at all?” What a bitch.

            “What’s your problem, Donna? All I’ve ever given you is respect. Please don’t ruin my day.”

            “What’s my problem?” Donna rolled her eyes, “well isn’t it obvious? It’s you. Ever since you came bad things started to happen; my father left, so did the rest of our inheritance and my mother have never been the same. I loved it in Manhattan but you just had to ruin it all.”

            As much as I hate to admit, she’s right. Aunt Linda and Uncle Morgan were together for eighteen years but they were never married. Aunt Linda is a retired supermodel; hence her thin figure and jaw-dropping face structure. Morgan is a businessman, they’re practically a millionaire. When I first moved in, we lived in a penthouse in Manhattan. However, since Morgan left we moved to a more affordable home here in Manchester, it’s a massive two story house with a huge front and backyard.

My cousins Anne and Donna have always disliked me, way before I hit Thomas on his face this afternoon. He is idolized like a God; the girls are gaga over him. We used to be the best of friends—my only friend—until he started acting weird and being a rebel. Thomas spent a lot of time in my house, hanging out with my cousins but I didn’t pay attention to what he did, because I don’t care … I don’t care.

            I sat on the porch, admiring the freshly cut grass and the smell of hotdogs being cooked in my neighbour’s yard. I hear heavy footsteps; it’s Thomas. He sat beside me, holding a pack of ice on his jaw. He looked at me and tried to smile, his lips curving awkwardly to the side.

“Why are you still here?”

“Aunt Linda asked me to stay, since it was late and I have a…injury.” Injury my ass! My punch was totally harmless. He’s a man, he should be able to take a punch from a girl.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t tell your aunt.”

            “I’m sorry I punched you in the face,” I said, “although I'm not sorry I despise you. Your excessive pride over your good looks aggravates me.” I rolled my eyes.

            He chuckled. “Its fine Ella, it didn’t hurt much but I had it coming,” he says.

            “It didn’t?” I ask, “Should I do it again, so it would hurt more?” I said, pressing my knuckles together. He didn’t move or say anything, it seemed like Thomas wanted me to hit him again.

            “Thomas, I was kidding.” I laughed.

            “Oh,” he replied, looking at his icepack. “So, you think I’m good looking huh?” Thomas smiled, showing his perfect teeth.

It slipped out of my mind that I called Thomas “good looking”. My cheeks felt hot, my heart skipped a beat. I didn’t mean to call him handsome, although he is obviously attractive.

“I still hate you,” I said, so low only I could hear it.

I had forgotten that I hated Thomas, and somehow my punch knocked some sense into him. He’s gotten easy to talk to, and he is surprisingly nicer. There is definitely still good in him under all of the bad layers; just like an onion. I’m determined to carefully peel them away, and finally see the real Thomas again.

There was an awkward silence. I stand up, pretending to brush dirt off my pants. “I should go,” I tried to run but Thomas grabbed me by the wrists.

            “No,” Thomas lifts his head up to look at me, his eyes were icy blue. “You’re different, Grace, you’re not like the other girls.”

            “That’s because you don’t scare me,” I said, as I pulled my hand away.

Thomas stood up, hands in his pockets. “Yes, I know.” He paused. “I remember the first day we met; your cousins were talking crap about you. And then you came through the door, greeting all of us with a big smile on your face. I knew in that moment, that you were different.” He bit his lips together. “The truth is … You frighten me Grace, because I don’t know what to do when you’re around,” He sighed, “yet I can’t stay away from you.”

            I was shocked, my cheeks were hot. “I’m confused.” I said. No, it can’t be. I refuse to think that Thomas felt of me that way all along. Nope.

            “I think I might be ... I think I am in love with you.” Thomas confessed.

            “Why?” I asked.

            “I told you I love you and you ask me why?”

            “Out of all the people in the world, why do you have to be in love with me? What about Anne? They would be furious if they find out…”

            He leaned closer and whispered in my ear, “It’s you I want.” “I fell in love with you the day I met you, but I realized it too late.”

             I like the way he walks with his hands in his pockets, the way he becomes quiet when he’s thinking, the soft fall of his black hair down to his pale skin and blue eyes. I fell in love with the way his lip curves when he smiles.

I wanted to tell him, I wanted to tell Thomas that I like him. I just can’t decide if it’s love or hate, so I try to tell myself that I hate him. Under this mask that I wear, the role that I play as the girl who hates him—my feelings for him is truly strong.