Warmth ✔

Chapter 18

"You will stay away from Lucy," Matt tells me in a warning tone.

"What if I don't?" I ask in a challenging tone.

"Then I will tell Alarick what happened."

"No, you won't," I say slowly.

"Do I look like I'm lying to you?" He questions as he crosses his arms. He looks serious.

"Are you my friend or Alarick's?"

"I'm your friend and I want you to be safe."

"And you think that I'll be safe only if I stay away from Lucy?"

"Yes."

After assessing the situation, I tell him calmly, "If you want to tell Alarick what happened then go ahead. He should know that I helped Lucy and that I trust her."

Without waiting for Matt's response, I turn around and go to my room.

I open my bedroom door and immediately lie on the bed. I stare at the ceiling, deep in thought. So, when my cellphone starts ringing, it startles me. I pull it out of my pocket and glance at the screen. It's Alarick.

I press the "answer" option and hold the phone to my ear.

"Hey," he says.

"Hi."

"Is everything alright?" He asks.

"Yeah, everything's alright," I lie as my argument with Matt clouds my mind. I can't believe that Matt would go against me. We are supposed to be friends. We are supposed to have each other's back and not rat each other out.

"You don't sound alright."

"That's because I'm on my period," I lie again.

"No, you're not."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because you're not whining in pain, which girls normally do when they are on their period. You're far too calm and collected for someone on their period. Something's bothering you but it's not something physical, it's more on the emotional front."

After his speech, a long silence follows on my part.

"Chriselda, you there?" Alarick's voice breaks my train of thoughts.

"Wow," I say. "You just read me like an open book."

He laughs. But the atmosphere becomes tense as he asks seriously, "So, what's bothering you?"

"I had an argument with Matt."

"Regarding?"

Regarding Lucy, I want to say but I stop myself. I can't make myself tell him everything. I can imagine the look of disappointment on his face when he will come to know the truth. Also, I don't want to go back and forth with him regarding Lucy.

"Listen, if you don't want to tell me then it's fine," Alarick says when I fail to respond him. "Everything will be sorted out, don't worry."

"Yeah."

After a pause, he says, "It's feels weird talking​ to you on the phone when you're just 5 minutes away."

"Why did you call me?" I enquire.

"I wanted to hear your voice."

I chuckle. "That is so cheezy." I feel as if I'm in a rom-com movie.

"It's not cheezy, it's the truth. Anyway, I was wondering whether we could​ meet today."

"Why?"

"Can't mates meet each other?" He questions in a jovial mood.

I laugh. "Yes, we can."

"I'll be there within 5 minutes."

"Okay."

"See you soon," he says with a teasing glint in his voice.

I laugh. "Yeah."

After ending the call, my happy mood changes into a serious one. I leave my room and head downstairs. When I enter the living room, I find Matt giving Darius an exaggerated version of the events that lead to the execution of Kate's molesters. I'm not at all surprised to know that Matt is presenting Lucy in a bad light.

"If Matt's words are true about Lucy, then he and I met different people," I tell Darius. "Darius, Lucy is not how Matt is describing her to be."

"You trust her too much," Matt remarks displeasingly.

"And you suspect her way too much," I return. I sigh. "I can't do this with you again and again. If you don't want to trust her then don't. But let me tell you, nothing you do or say will make me change my mind about her. I trust her." After a pause, I say, "I came here to tell you that Alarick is coming to meet me now. So, if you want to tell him everything that happened then go ahead. I won't stop you."

Just then there's a knock at the front door. After Darius opens the door, Alarick steps in.