The S.U.N. and The Peter Pan Project

Chapter 37

When I told the boys that I wanted some alone time and that I was going to have lunch outside, their faces fell.

“Come on Fav Coz! Is it about Reynolds?!” Tom’s tone was laced with anger.

“What’s about me?” Tim’s voice startled the four of us.

“Nothing…” I mumbled.

“It didn’t sound like nothing to me, Cook, spit it out.” He argued.

“I’m pissed off at you right now, Reynolds, so leave me alone…”

“No, you’re not.” He stated calmly.

“Hmm, yes I am…” I narrowed my eyes at him to make my point clear.

“You have to admit that it was funny, though.” He said grinning.

“It was not.”

“Was too…”

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

“Children, do you mind pursuing your little game in the lunch room? Daddy is starving…”

Nate and Tom chuckled at that.

I was just tired.

“Stop playing with me, Tim.” I finally snapped.

 “What do you mean?” His confusion was genuine and I felt bad when I saw how hurt he suddenly looked but I had to put a stop to his annoying behavior.

“One minute you pretend to be flirting with me, the next you embarrass me, or you ignore me altogether… What do you want from me?”

“I-I…”

“Maya, it’s not the moment, nor the place…” Nate wrapped his hand around my shoulders and dragged me to the lunch room.

“What if it was the perfect moment for me?! “I snapped.

“Trust me when I say that Tim isn’t playing with you…” He whispered. “However, I do understand why you find his behavior confusing… But you need to keep in mind that he’s lived on his own since he was thirteen. That, for years, people have been pointing their finger at him, the betrothed who wasn’t capable of taming his Linker. He lost everything, Maya. His family, his team, his status at school… Everything. But, he never gave up. He always turned up on time at school and at footie practice, giving it his best day after day.” He paused and pulled my chin up until our eyes met. “Besides, let’s be honest there, you’re as scared of what you feel for him as he is of what he feels for you…”

“I don’t freaking embarrass him all the time, though…” I answered.

“No, but you’ve never openly admitted you liked him either…” His eyebrows moved up as if to prove a point.

“Neither did he…” I muttered.

He tilted his head to the side slightly.

“What?! Wanting in my pants doesn’t mean he likes me!” I huffed.

“Sweetie… Call me when you stop acting like a twelve-year-old…” He said coldly before pushing the door of the lunch room open and disappearing inside.

I sighed.

Maybe Nate is right… But Tim is so annoying. I just want nice Tim all the time.

Think about him though… You keep denying that you like him so maybe he’s feeling exactly like you, lost and insecure…

Lost and insecure?! Tim!? Yeah, right!