Catch Me

Chapter 3

After the awkward movie night with Stefan, things got back to normal. Well, almost. Annabelle and Stefan hung out together as usual, talked about the same things as usual. But Annabelle couldn´t get Stefan´s words out of her mind. His little confession confused her more than she would have thought – she knew that their friendship was somewhat different and complicated since he felt a whole lot different about her than she did about him. She didn´t mind as long as he didn´t push the issue but ever since that night, the thought wouldn´t leave her mind: could there be more to their relationship? Could she bring herself to feel something more for him? Did she even have to do that? From time to time – ever since she met him in high school and now in her third year in college, Annabelle contemplated her feelings for Stefan and in some situations found that she did feel something more than what only an ordinary friendship would require. She felt that way at times when they really connected; but even when she would see another girl all over him! At those times, she felt rather ridiculous. But even if she really was in love with him, what then? Would their friendship survive? That thought terrified her the most. She thought about this constantly, but most frequently she was mulling it over when she happened to be with Stefan. She would be thinking about the slightest possibility of “them”, at the same time, she would be staring at him. Most of the time, he caught her doing it and when he did, he would smile at her knowingly as if he knew exactly what she was thinking about.

Today when she was supposed to study for her advanced Italian class, images of Stefan inevitably invaded her thoughts. How could he do this to her? Ugh, she really needed to focus. She had an exam from that class the following day; she loved the language – by a weird coincidence, it was Stefan´s mother language, though he was taking French which was her mother language. They both moved to the States years ago, she from France and he from Italy.

She had been studying for hours now but not a single phrase would register in her mind.

When her phone rang, she welcomed the distraction.

“Hello?” she answered without looking at the caller ID.

“Buonasera, cara.”

Annabelle groaned. Stefan was the one calling her.

“I mean, seriously? You think I haven´t been staring at the books for half of the day and now you´re calling me and speaking in Italian?” she said, irritation creeping into her voice. For some reason, she was ticked off.

“Easy there, Belle. I didn´t want to upset you. I was just calling to see how you are doing,” he said softly, chuckling a bit.

Annabelle relaxed a bit and smiled. Every time he called her Belle, it seemed to melt all the walls she built around herself to protect herself from him. But who was she kidding?! He had already got under her skin.

“I´m relatively good, though I haven´t been able to focus for a while now.” And it´s happening just because of you! She didn´t say the last of that though it was on the tip of her tongue.

“Want to come over and help me?” she said, suggestively. She had never flirted with him.

“I would love to but Emily just came over to help her with her Italian. She´s in you class, right?” he asked.

Annabelle found it hard to speak for a minute. Emily? Emily Woods??? Has he gone insane? Letting the world´s dumbest and – unfortunately – at the same time the most gorgeous girl in their school? And as she knew it, Stefan hat to know it too. That´s why she was so astonished.

Somehow, she found her voice again.

“Yeah, she is. Um, listen. I´ve got to go. I still have to look over the essay questions. See you on campus tomorrow,” she said hurriedly, eager to get off the phone.

“Sure. Good luck on the exam. See ya,” Stefan said cheerfully.

Annabelle clicked the phone shut. How could be this happening? Stefan having a study date with Emily Woods? The man really needed a brain wash.

While her mind was occupied with thoughts of Stefan and Emily being together, she didn´t even recall his words of “the chase”. The game had begun.