Silver lining [BOOK 2] | ✓

|3| Derek's offer

"So, what I am saying is, Dora-"

"Derek," I interrupted her, "It's Derek, Nora. Not Dora. How many times have I told you, call me Derek. Like everyone, not Dora. It's a girl's name. Not a boy's," I reasoned.

"Sure," She nodded seriously, "As I was saying, Dora-"

I sighed, resuming eating. She always did the opposite thing purposefully if you asked her to do a job. Knowing very well it irritated other people, she did it even more.

"-you can't say you are not excited to go back. You should be," She said excitedly, like it was her going back to Greywall instead of me.

"I am," I said defensively, "I really am glad to be going back to my hometown after two years, but it's been two years, Nora. I don't know how things will be there now. Ma came here last summer but made me promise I will go this time. It's been long since I have met Jake or Olivia."

"Dude, chill. I am going back to my family and friends after a year too. Last year, due to that Winter Gala we had here, we all stayed back and my sister was almost going to have my head off but this time I have to go. It will be alright," Kyle chided, wiping his fingers with a tissue, having finished with his burger.

"See? For the first time, I agree with this bastard," Nora ruffled his hair.

Kyle almost shrieked and backed away, scrapping his chair on the floor, "Don't touch my hair, fiend!"

"I get it, guys. But you know why I didn't go back," I replied hurriedly, "I-"

"It's because of that Reina chick, huh? You couldn't bear to face her and you know if you meet Jake, you have to meet her. So? It's been two years and now you can meet her," Nora shrugged, leaning back and drumming her fingers on the table.

"Can you be more forward?" Kyle gave her a deadpan look, "You know it's a sensitive topic for him. Lay off."

"I don't get the point, you see. Will he keep on running away forever? One day he has to go back," Nora said as a matter of fact, checking out her nails.

I cringed, "I will stay here and find a job and find some way to shift Ma here by next ten years."

It sounded stupid even to me as I spoke out loud.

"That's not the point, Dora. Even if you stay here and make babies in the future with a sexy bombshell, you are going to visit your mom and friends because all of them are based there. Don't utter such stupid things," She huffed, pulling her shades down to her eyes from the top of her head.

Kyle rolled his eyes, "What she is trying to say is, you will be fine. You will have your friends there, so it won't be a problem. Her boyfriend will be there too?"

"Of course yes," I nodded, "I don't have problems with him now, though. Or anyone. It's just facing her again and fearing that all the emotions I have been trying to suppress throughout these years might come rushing back," I explained.

"Oh, not might. You will," Nora said, smirking haughtily, "All those feelings will be back, Dora. It's inevitable."

"Nora, please," Kyle glared, "You are not making this any easier for him."

"Look Dora," She ignored him and leaned forward, opening her shades again, "When you see someone you wanted to bang earlier, feelings stuff will always be there. Afterall, it was an ex crush for a reason, darling. But, you can do better than her, always remember that. You will find someone better than her, sexier body and funnier than her. Plus, it will be just for few weeks. You have nothing to worry about," She said simply, unable to understand why I wasn't getting it.