Love Lies A' Bleeding

Chapter 5: A Walk to Remember

Sunday came and went. The next time I woke up, it was already Monday. I didn’t catch my dad coming home at night and I didn’t see him leaving in the morning, either. The food I had cooked all went to the freezer, and would stay there until someone, who wasn’t me, realize it was there.

But I didn’t have time to ponder on much things since my school was always inaccessible due to the hundreds of cars that try to fit themselves in the puniest of roads during Monday mornings. I knew I had to be extra quick.

But despite my efforts, it was already a quarter to eight before the first school bell rang, signaling to first period, when I arrived at school. I only had fifteen minutes to reach the Junior Section A classroom. So I admit, I wasn’t near my usual self when somebody bumped into me on my way to first period. I really hate Mondays.

“He—eey!” I had to scream, because my stuffs were already rolling down the stairs from the second floor to the first, and I was so sure that my adviser wouldn’t hear of it as an excuse.

“Whoa, sorry.” I heard a man’s voice say. He surely wasn’t in a hurry, because he sounded like the calmest human being living on earth.

“Let me help you,” he added.

I wanted him to help me of course, but my pride had gotten in the way. It always did. “No, thanks, but I can manage.”

“I insist.”

It was when I looked up at the person who was causing me so much trouble. “Noah?”

“The last time I checked, yes, my name is Noah.”

It brought a smile to my face, my insides fluttering.

“So, you’re not angry at me anymore?” he asked.

I tried to screw up my face as if what he just said didn’t even exist in the dictionary.

“Last Saturday night, at Martin’s party,” he explained.

“Oh,” was all I could say. I didn’t have any idea why Noah’s presence always made me forget what I was supposed to be saying, or doing.

“Well, listen, about last Saturday night, I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have—”

But before he could continue, I said, “Don’t say it. It’s no big deal.”

“No big deal?” He laughed. “You walked out on me, and you’re saying it’s no big deal? I don’t think so.”

“I didn’t walk out on you,” I tried to reason. “I just…. I had to go home.”

Suddenly, I felt my face heat up as I remembered the kiss.

“You’re blushing,” he noticed.

“What? No!” I quickly turned my face away.

“Right. And now you’re lying.”

I never blushed this way in front of Henry and never did I feel like someone cut my tongue. But still, I managed to look back at Noah. I looked at him straight in the eye. I knew it was a risk, but I had to try. “I’m not blushing,” I insisted.

“Really, Queen. You’re so hard to figure out,” he remarked, looking back at me with the same intensity. “You’re not like any girl I’ve met.”

“Are you serious? Tell me. What romantic movie have you been watching lately?” I said, a lame attempt for humor.

He made a face as if the idea didn’t cross his mind until I said it. “Are you really asking me that?”

It was when something within me flipped. Yes. At this moment I blushed, I grinned, I flipped all at once, and I didn’t care. It was hard to explain.