Don't Hesitate

Chapter VI

Six

My feet are planted firmly on the lush grass.

I didn't dare move. I never knew someone else other than me would be visiting the garden. What I want to know though, was why.

If I turned away, the stranger would surely notice my presence. Although, i'm surprised he hasn't heard my heart violently beating in my chest.

What was he doing here? His back was faced towards me.

He was wearing the school's uniform, which made me relax a little bit, knowing he wasn't a creep who skulked in the gardens looking for victims. He didn't have that aura around him. Surely this garden wasn't a place to be having sexual encounters. Was it? I scrunched up my face. Hopefully not. But he did look like he was waiting for somebody.

He seemed happy; whistling a soft tune that sounded like it came from a children's TV show, and he had his hands in his pockets, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet.

After seconds that seemed like hours, he gave a heavy sigh and sagged his shoulders, as if disappointed. He then started to make his way towards the exit-- towards me, his head hung low while walking.

The first thing I saw when he looked up to face me were his eyes. Past his light brown hair that flopped over his forehead were his warm, brown eyes that widened in surprise. We both notice that we were surprisingly close to each other that I could see my mouth was slightly open through his eyes. My eyes widen more as I quickly close my mouth shut, jolting back a little from the person who was causing my evident nervousness.

Although our first encounter was full of surprises, what came next I was definitely not prepared for.

He smiled, and I was a goner.

"Good work today, guys." Mr. Levasseur calls out as the students were already filing out of the room.

I'm one of the last people to leave, the reason being is because I was so immersed on finishing my building project I didn't hear the bell ring to indicate lunch. Mr. Levasseur also kept me behind for a few minutes discussing my project. He's a nice man but drawls out his words like a leaking faucet. To top it off, his voice makes me sleepy.

As I bid my quick goodbye and left the room, it felt as if a sudden weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. I sigh as I hiked bag up my shoulders, making my way quickly through the hall to open my locker.

I hastily get my lunch and necessities for the next classes, keeping both my arms occupied. I slam my locker shut with more force than I intended, causing me to stumble back and juggle all the contents I had in my arms.

I was about to fall flat on my butt.

Surprisingly, a pair of steady hands supported me and kept me and my other things from falling. I blush and start to shove things in my bag, muffling an incoherent sorry, keeping my head down. I still feel uncomfortable interacting with people after Alassandra and the others made a fool of me.

"You need to be more careful," a stern voice behind me says. All of a sudden, the weight that had been lifted off my shoulders just a minute ago came crashing back down, harder and heavier. This time in my chest.

"Alex," I breathed. Turning to face him, but my head still hung to the ground. Without giving him time to speak, I muttered a thank you and started heading down the hallways again.

"W-wait!" He sputters. My head sprang up when I felt his hand grab hold of my small wrist. I turn to look at him, his handsome face held dejection. It hurt my chest even more so I walked back to him again, pulling my wrist away from his grasp when we were already standing face to face. The sudden action made him break his gaze away from my face.

After what seemed to be a long period of him rubbing the back of his neck and me looking at my feet, he finally broke the silence.

"Congratulations," he says. I look back up at him to see a small smile on his face.

"For what?" I ask incredulously-- oblivious to what he was referring to.

He laughs at my reaction, tossing his head to the side and running his fingers through his light brown waves-- something he usually does when he laughs. And an overwhelming amount of feelings flood into my chest.

I miss his laugh. I miss him. It hurt to see him look ever so wonderful and perfect after he left me... and us. It hurt how he can go on ignoring me for months at a time to looking me in the eye and laughing, like how it was when we were together. It hurt how he came out of one of the hardest times in my life without a scratch, while I had to drag myself out.

He didn't notice my sadness as he answers my question. He was never good with knowing my feelings, anyways. "For making it to Monsterrat!" He exclaims, awe laced within his voice and eyes.

"Mrs. Mercier told me. Seriously, that's amazing... They're one of the best!" He trails, then rubs the back of his neck once more. "I'm really... really happy for you." He states seriously, eyes locked on mine.

"Did you apply there too?" I blurt out, not knowing what made me ask that. I didn't know what to do so I looked to the side and played with my hair.

He laughs again, lighter this time. Having a familiar sound that used to make my body feel warm now made me feel distant and foreign.

"I would have never made it if I tried." He sighs. "But there are other schools that have good architecture departments."

"You're really talented yourself... I bet you would have made it." I say, breaking my concentration away from what I was doing with my hair to meet his eyes. I was telling the truth. I knew how good his drawings and designs were.

He looked sad, his smile not meeting his eyes. He suddenly took one step closer, making the distance between us significantly small.

I knew this feeling all too well. The one rising in my chest. Before he could say or do anything else, I finally took off without a word, practically sprinting for the garden.

I sat on a bench as I cooled myself down from the long sprint. I heard him calling out my name as it bounced off the walls of the big, empty hallways. But I couldn't look back. If I did, I would probably have... fallen for him all over again. I let my guard down for a second while I was with him.

But it won't happen anymore, I tell myself.

I only had time to eat an apple I had brought with me because of the events that happened today, much to my dismay.

The rest of my classes went fairly quickly, and I only saw Alex today passing between classes once.

He met my eyes for a brief moment but thought nothing of it, going back to talking and laughing away with Brady Wells and his friends before anyone notices.

I was grateful for it, but his actions somehow gnawed away at my heart. I didn't need to worry about him in my life right now. How can someone be amazing and caring and perfect and then turn cold and act as if they never knew you? It amazes me.

I was practically bouncing in my car on the way home, wanting to make myself a nice meal and eat ice cream and forget everything that happened today.

I thank God that Lucy taught me how to cook during the times she was at the house, reminiscing all the times we baked and cooked together.

My thoughts to my pleasant memories suddenly disperse as my phone rings.

"We need to talk," Elizabeth says, right when I answers the call.

"Okay.." I hesitate, not liking where this was going. What more could they want from me?

"Luis is here too, so come to the house as quickly as you can." With that, she ends the call. Leaving me with an air of tension all to myself.

"Not looking forward to going home now," I mutter, wondering why I can never get a break.