Fall

Chapter 4: "I like you too"

Elena meandered through the hallways desperately craving for a reply. This was never something to fret, Justin has always found it amusing to skip classes for satisfy his own pleasure. Yet, at that moment when Kylie made an appearance, she couldn’t help herself from going through her imagination of what trouble he had gotten himself into.

The line was dead. Again.

“I’ll see you tonight El.” Ryan's touch made her vision snap back to him away from her screen. All she could ever do was smile, hide that concern and prepare for the upcoming interesting evening. Sure as hell Ryan didn’t ask her to help him with math to get better. He was a good student aside from the fact that Mrs. Walsh had a cougar crush on him.

At the sight of him recede withdrawing his presence behind the exit door, a small door bumping sound caught her attention. The janitor’s room was locked up when she turned to say goodbye.

“What have you done?!” Unmistakably that was Ursula speaking. Tiptoeing to the source, Elena rested her back on the wall curious enough to eavesdrop.

“I just taught him a lesson.” And that was Kylie replying. This has got to do with Justin, she thought.

“But you know your brother, he's dangerous. When he hates someone he hurts him bad. I've dated him, I know.”

“Please don't remind me of that. Plus, he deserves it.”

“Kylie, Justin hurt both of us. Just forget it, and move on. You don’t have to make everyone learn their lesson every time they make a mistake.”

“You’re kidding me right? If you are a coward, I’m not. It’ll teach him to mess with me.”

At those words, the burst of adrenaline Elena couldn’t keep down, made her yank the door open at the girls with fuming eyes.

“Where is Justin?” She gritted her teeth calming down before she would whack them bare hands.

“He’s probably home…” Ursula murmured repentantly.

~

The hair dryer and the spirally brush swept one last time over her dark blond locks and were gently posed on the bedside table. The strawberry left for special occasions lip-gloss smoothed against her lips trailing behind it thick lines of soft red.

Spraying one last time her Channel 5 bottle over the bare skin of her neck, Elena made her way to the door at the sound of knocking. Her phone was already tugged over her bed on silent profile, she didn’t need distraction right now. Justin was probably fine. He wasn’t home, he didn’t answer her phonecalls, his man pride was most definitely messed with, which will lead him into sleeping with more girls; all in the purpose to fulfill his ego by hurting them and leaving them naked calling his name with no answer.

“Hey babe.” Ryan spoke casually.

His blond damp hair fell in loose waves over his eyes covering his forehead. A smile spread on both of their lips when their eyes met, it felt like it was the first time they shared eye contact. Elena drifted her gaze to the ground and stepped back clearing the way inside.

“So! Nice perfume. Attractive” He spread on that cheeky smile again. He sat on the couch and patted for his friend to sit next to him. “You look really nice.”

“Um.. thanks.” She gathered her books silently praying she didn’t look too chic for a study date. Yet then again, Ryan wore his white chemise and low waist baggy jeans. These were the outfits he didn’t wear but on rare occasions, she convinced herself.