searching for a fallen star

Chapter 3: Don't talk to strangers, let alone agree to date one

Apparently agreeing to a complete stranger's date is strange. I know it is. Especially after all that hype at school about "stranger danger". 

Don't talk to strangers, let alone agree to date one.

But alas, there's a little thing called instinct that happens to stand in the way of common sense. (Plus I suck at common sense anyway).  And I'm not saying "date strangers", because that would definitely not be the best piece of advice you've ever heard.

What I am saying is, I don't think Oliver is a complete stranger. 

It's not so much his 'dark and sexy' aura, or his deep black eyes or anything. It's more like... the impression he leaves on me. Like a unique footprint planted somewhere in the long distant past; or a black grain of sand among a trillion yellow grains. 

He is special... somehow... or, was special anyway. 

But I can't remember. The memories dangle themselves just beyond my reach, and it is pure torture. 

I give a frustrated groan. 

"Woah, calm down schoolgirl." 

Oliver smirks as I glare at him. Secretly, I'm glad that flirty Oliver is back because broken Oliver scares me a little. Broken Oliver reminds me too much of... him. 

I feel a jolt as the train begins moving. After telling him that my brain felt like a car with deflated tires, he instantly (and unexpectedly) linked arms with me, declaring that "we" were going "home". At that moment, he seemed so happy - wearing this wide, goofy grin of his - that I barely had the heart to tell him that we were not a "we" yet, and that I didn't really have a home. Not anymore.

I slap myself mentally.

Get a grip Anna.

"Hey, you okay?" 

His voice snaps me back to the present, and tentatively, I give a nod. I can tell by the slight creases in his eyebrows that he knows that I'm lying; that I'm not okay, but he doesn't press the issue and just nods back. Then, he shrugs.

"Okay then." A lazy smile slides onto his lips as he leans back against the seat.

"So, tell me school-" 

"Don't call me that." I warn him. I adopt a scowl but deep down, I give a sigh of relief at the subject change.

"Call you what, schoolgirl?" He leans forward, so close that I can feel his breath tickling my neck. Suddenly, I have trouble remembering my own name.

Holy shoot. 

Don't blush. Don't blush. Don'tblushdon'tblush -

I blush.

Damn.

He leans back again, wearing a smirk of triumph at having successfully derailed me from my senses. "So, tell me schoolgirl, after you have your power nap, where do you want to go?"

I give him a blank look, still slightly dazed.

"The date?"

Oh right. Of course.

I manage a shrug. "I don't really mind." And I don't. Truth is, I've never been on a date, if you don't count the time I went out with a guy because he promised me free food. Hey, that was after I specifically told him I wasn't interested.

Oh, and I am most definitely not going to think about... him.

I must have zoned out, because Oliver starts poking my shoulder. I slap his finger away and glower at him.

"I really don't really mind." I say. Then realising that he probably just didn't have any preferences either, I decide to take the initiative. "How about dinner and a movie?" I shrug. Better go with the safe choice. 

He stares at me disbelievingly. "Wow Anna. That is so original."

I cross my arms, a smile playing at my lips as I note that he called me 'Anna' this time. "If you don't like my ideas," I say, "then why don't you choose."

He narrows his eyes slightly, accepting my silent challenge. "Fine then. I will." He shrugs, then proceeds to ignore me by turning his head away.

So now we're back to indifferent Oliver. Seriously, this guy has so many alter egos I have trouble keeping up with them all.

Shaking my head, I turn to the window and watch blurry masses of green flee by. A tube of sunlight shines through the green like a lone torch in the dark. 

I turn back to Oliver who still seems set on ignoring me. I sigh. "Just give me a tap on the shoulder when you're ready to stop sulking like a baby." 

He raises his eyebrow at my feeble insult. 

I shrug at him. Hey, I gave it my best shot.

He simply stares at me, as if debating whether to continue giving me the silent treatment or not. Finally, he taps me on the shoulder.

"I'm ready to stop sulking like a baby." he says in an all-too-serious tone. 

I struggle to suppress a smile. 

Knowing that talking will be the only way to stop my lips from twitching upwards, I say, "So, baby. What are your thoughts on an original date?" 

"Wow, we haven't even been on our first date yet and you're already calling me 'baby'?" Oliver is wearing his smirk again.

I feel my cheeks and ears burning. "I didn't mean it like that!"

Suddenly, Oliver's shoulders are shaking and I realise that he's laughing. At me. I don't generally appreciate people laughing at me, but his is a surprisingly pleasant sound - a rugged, raspy melody - and I find myself yearning to hear more of that laughter, even if it means that I should make a fool of myself more often.

"And to answer your previous question," he says, his voice still slightly raspy from laughing. "It's a surprise."

I groan. Great. Just keep Anna in the dark, you know. I'm sure she doesn't mind. 

Like hell I don't. 

If there's one thing you should know about me, it's that I absolutely hate surprises.

Oliver winks at me, poking me in the cheek. 

"Don't worry Anna. You'll like this date. The best date you'll have ever had." he declares, smiling cheekily at me.

I can't help but smile at his boyish manner. "Too bad this will be my first date ever, Oliver. Sorry to disappoint."

"Yeah. Right, of course." He casts me another smile, but this one doesn't quite reach his eyes.

Wait, surely he can't be upset over what I just said... 

The train rattles loudly, filling the uneasy silence between us. Sighing, I shuffle discontently in my seat.

It is sure going to be a very tiring task keeping up with the one hundred and one personalities of Oliver. Yet I find myself wanting to keep up. I find myself wanting to know and wanting to find out who exactly the real Oliver is.