Something New (A Chris Evans Story)

Chapter Fourteen

"That was-"

"That was-"

"-perfect-"

"- a mistake," I whispered, interrupting him and shaking my head. "I shouldn't have done that." I turned away from him, unable to look him in the eye. "I have no idea what came over me; I'm sorry for leading you on like that."

"What?"

Hearing his voice break like that, I spun around to see Chris' usually liquid-blue eyes first widen, and then harden while gazing directly at me. The disapproval and hurt that glistened in his eyes pierced my heart.

It almost shattered as he shook his head and let out a harsh laugh. "Well, I hope you find what you're looking for."

Before I could say anything, he had walked out the door, leaving me with a massive internal conflict.

I shook myself out of my stupor, trudged up to my bathroom and mechanically started to get ready for bed. I couldn't look at myself in the mirror because my smeared lipstick was a reminder of the kiss. I quickly wiped off my makeup, took out my contacts, and splashed cold water on my face- taking a shallow, shaky breath.

I hope you find what you're looking for.

I placed my folded saree in the back of the dresser and placed my jewelry at the bottom of the jewelry box. I was terrified to look at them again; terrified that they may remind me of Chris and ignite incomprehensible feelings about him. That was definitely not something I needed when I had to go to the hospital early the next morning.

I hope you find what you're looking for. That one phrase that Chris spat at me haunted me the entire night as these new and strange feelings wouldn't leave me alone.

I woke up at the crack of dawn, groggy from tossing and turning all night. I grabbed my phone and sent Chris a quick text to wish him a safe flight. He responded with just a 'thanks.'

That was not an auspicious start to my day, let alone my week. Seeing pairs of couples kissing almost made me want to vomit, and did me no favors to forget Chris. At one moment, when I was getting suture kits from the supply closet, my lips started tingling randomly.

I touched my lips in confusion, only able to think about him. What the hell?

My attending physician then reprimanded me for spending too much time in the supply closet. Damn it, why "why does he keep intruding on my thoughts, even though he's halfway across the world?"

"Hi," I told the secretary at the front desk, "I'm here to see Shanna Evans." I signed in, walked through the empty hallways of the school – all the children were in the cafeteria.

I entered the teacher's lounge, which was strangely empty, save for one other person; it was a woman, whose caramel skin glowed, making me envious – I had finished an overnight shift at the hospital and looked like shit. She was bent over a binder filled with laminated papers.

"Excuse me," I interrupted quietly, "do you know where I could find Shanna Evans?"

"'Hi!" she exclaimed loudly enough to startle me, as she looked at me with welcoming brown eyes. "She should be coming in soon; the kids were just let out for lunch. Please, sit down!" She patted the seat next to her.

I tentatively put down the bag of take-out containers. "What are you working on?" I said, trying to break the awkward silence.

"Just some lesson plans on the newest astronomy discoveries!" She pushed the binder towards me, and I started to browse through the pages.