STORIES TOLD, STORIES LIVED

Chapter 12

ARINA'S P.O.V

"I've called you a hundred times yesterday but you didn't answer!" Alessia's echoed voice filled my room this morning.

"I know you're calling... But I couldn't answer yet. Bunk is too small. There is no privacy there."

"And how can you now call me?"

"Because we're at the hotel in Pittsburgh. It's too cold outside. James decided to book some rooms."

I opened my room curtain. The sun didn't fully shine but enough to feel that little warm touch on my skin. I stayed by the window, seeing people tried to scoop the thick snow out of the street.

"So, here we are. Riley is what?" Alessia asked again.

"He's... Gosh, this is so wrong, Less. I'm not sure what's happening here, really, but I think he's up to something. He tries to talk to me. But when we have time for that, he'll just-"

"Walk away? He likes you."

"I knew it." I rolled my eyes. "I knew talking to you wasn't the right decision."

"But hey, we got proof! He tries to talk to you but he can't!"

"What's that suppose to mean, Alessia?" I screamed back.

"Now tell me, do you feel the same way? The urge to talk to him, but the second you have that space, you swallow everything back again?"

"What's that-"

"Answer my question~" She groaned even louder.

"Okay! Yes, yes it happens."

"Do you like him? Like crushing on him? Ha, never mind, as if I still needed to ask that."

"The point, please?" I bit my nails.

"The point is, Arina darling, I don't see any difference with what happens to him."

Bam. It's a thunder. I hated it so much when Alessia gave a long boring speech like this. But I hated it double times when I knew she's right. Damn it, why should it sound right? But again, how could he possibly like me? That's ridiculous. Riley had all girls in the world. Even our crew girls were so beautiful and kind and amazing, so what's the odd of him to end up liking me instead?

"I'm listening to silence note here..." Alessia groaned, that typical sound she made when she got bored.

"I'm processing." I mumbled.

"No need to process that. It's truth."

"First of all, it's not the truth." I threw the outfit of my choice that I was going to wear today onto the bed. "And second, if it's the truth, I still need to process it."

"Shouldn't the process whatsoever be easier? You're dying crying when they released a new song. You stole the entire building's wifi connection only to rewatch those same tour videos from two years ago. Now you're there. With him. Giving you signals and hints. Girl, what did I teach you?"

"Nothing?" I sighed. "You taught me nothing."

"I taught you to love yourself. Take note during classes, please." Alessia played that lecture role again.

"Dang, I miss you."

"I know." She laughed hard. "I miss you too. Unfortunately there are still months."

"Yeah..."

A knock on my door interrupted our call. I told Alessia it might be James telling we should James. She agreed to end the call.