Waiting For An Eclipse

Chapter 3.5

June 6, 2016 (cont.)

"Ah, you two sure are close."

I turned around to see Logan walking towards us. He pinched my right cheek and pulled Katrina's chair to join in on my table.

I was awkward in face to face actual conversations, but when it comes to texting, chatting, any conversation that doesn't involve talking, I was the most comfortable and most expressive person you'll ever communicate with.

And besides Katrina, the next person who I talk to a lot in text messages and online chatboxes is no other than Logan Thomas.

We were so comfortable with each other that saying I-love-you's come naturally, and that we made it clear that we were just twins from different wombs. Because of that, the awkwardness with him was totally gone even in face to fave scenarios.

Although we don't interact much, because Katrina hated Logan a lot. You see, she was the type of person who wants a piece of cake whole. She doesn't want you to slice even just one, unless she gives you. By then, she felt as if Logan was trying to steal me from her. But we cleared that up when I told Katrina that I'll choose her over Logan anytime.

That resentment became worse when she discovered that Logan has exactly the same birthdate. When I mean exactly, I mean the same day, month, and year. Of course, Katrina didn't want to share her birthday with someone she knew.

"We're not that close." I said, keeping the magazine inside my table and continued to eat my lunch.

"Yet." Nathan added with a smile. I just smiled at him back and turned to Logan who started playing and making twirls on my hair.

"I've missed you. How was Europe?" Logan asked.

"Awesome." I replied.

"So that time we met in the airport, you were home from Europe?" Nathan asked, taking the earbud out, suddenly his cheerfulness gone and turned into civil.

I nodded. Then he pointed to Logan and to me back and forth.

"Are you two dating?" He asked. For an outsider, it would seem that we were due to our small actions, and misunderstandings like this happened since last year when we started exchanging texts.

Even Katrina thought we were, after seeing Logan's I-love-you message.

"No." I answered at the same time Logan answered, "We're just sibs."

"Ahh. You two seems so close. I was supposed to ask Logan why he didn't tell me you are his girlfriend when I told him about you." Nathan said.

"Nah. Aura likes someone else, and I like someone else too. We just share secrets like bro and sis." Logan explained and winked. He knew who I liked.

"You didn't tell me Logan and Aiden were your cousins." I said, trying to change the topic so Nathan wouldn't ask who. I turned off the music in iPod and kept it along with my earphones.

"Right. You didn't ask." Nathan said, suddenly laughing.

"My mom and his dad are siblings. Mom's a year younger. Aiden's and Nate's dads are twins, so right now, Nate is living with Aiden's family." Logan explained.

Then Nathan asked me if Aiden and him looked the same. I thought for a moment and said the eyes were.

We didn't realize that a lot of our classmates gathered inside the classroom already only until the bell rang. Katrina and Alex were late, but the teacher wasn't around yet.

After the last class, Katrina and I sat on the bench near the playground where middle schoolers were playing while we wait for the school bus to arrive. We were dismissed a little early.

"You made me read the article in the magazine, because of what I told you about Nathan's mysterious desire for me to believe in horoscopes, didn't you?" I said as I gave her back the magazine.

"Yeah. I was actually really curious why he said it to you, so I searched it in the internet and saw the compatibility, but I didn't really believe it at first and knew that if I told you, you wouldn't really believe it either. But then last Sunday, I saw the magazine on sale since it was a back issue. You know that I'm interested in love and dating right? So I bought it and saw that."

I didn't say anything and stayed quiet. Katrina, being the talkative that she is, turned to me and asked.

"You know what, I think Nathan's interested in you."

I looked at her. "Yeah right. He's only interested, because I happen to be the only girl with a capricorn sign in class."

She shook her head. "No, I don't think so. Remember when you told me about Chloe? And how Nathan chose you over her? That was before he knew you were a capricorn, right?"

I opened my mouth to say something, anything that would deny Katrina's conclusion, but closed it again after realizing that there was nothing I could think about.

I fell silent as Katrina went on and on about it. I turned my gaze into the boys playing basketball in the outdoor court, just right beside the playground. Some of my classmates were playing, and Nathan happened to catch my attention first.

He was sweating in that white long sleeves. His necktie and coat were now gone. From the look on his face, you knew he was enjoying the game. He suddenly turned to our direction and caught me looking at him. I was about to avert my gaze when he smiled and waved at me.

I turned to look behind but no one was there. I looked at him again; he was pointing me. I pointed at myself. He nodded, so I smiled and waved at him back at the same time someone passed him the ball unknowingly, making me laugh.

"Rory! You're not listening to me." Katrina said, nudging me. I turned to look at her.

"You, him. That exchange just now..
Doesn't it tell you that he's really interested in you? Are you?"

I didn't answer her questions. The boys playing basketball stopped as the school bus parked right on the outdoor court.

I stood up to walk to the school bus. Katrina stood also but she stopped me, knowing that we don't need to rush.

"What will you do if he confesses? Because it seems like he won't care if everyone knows he likes you."

"Look, we're not even sure he does, okay?"

"You really weren't listening to me a while ago. I said, I'm sure he does, because I never see him talk to any girl but you."

"Look, it's still the first day. Naturally, a new student would talk only to classmates he knew. I am indeed just the only girl he ever talked to, because I'm the only girl he knew. Don't misunderstand."

I shrugged and turned to walk to the school bus, but she stopped me again.

"Fine. Then what if... What if he does and tells you, what will you do?"

I thought for a moment. Then I told Katrina what I was thinking.

"I don't know."

Katrina was about to open her mouth again, but I stopped her.

"But I do know that I like someone else right now."

Besides, we're not even sure if he does, so why stress about it. Also, we just met. How can he take interest on me just like that? I'm not even that pretty compared to my other girl classmates.

I'm just normal.

. . .

- - -

I didn't bother read the next paragraphs and just scanned them. They weren't interesting anymore and were all about Mom's business when she got home.

I closed the notebook and went to my new school.

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