Fall For You (EDITING + UPDATING)

(13)

When I get to campus, I immediately search for Alex in the crowds of people. It's been a while since I've seen him. The last time I saw him was Saturday when he stormed out of my room. That was 4 days ago.

It's now almost mid morning Wednesday, so he'd just be getting out of Literature, unless he cut class.

Right, as if. Cutting class doesn't seem to be in Alex's list of things to do.

I turn to walk into the building to get to the Literature classroom, so I can meet him on his way out, but I catch a glimpse of familiar brown hair. Swinging back around on my heel, I spot Alex. He's returned back to his normal wardrobe. Wearing his plaid shirt and a pair of denim shorts, he's done playing dress up.

I groan internally at who's with him. 

Matilda. The daughter of my mother's new boyfriend. My replacement. The perfect daughter. The valedictorian of her high school. The straight A student. The kind girl next door.

She's everything that I'm not.

Her blonde hair is tied back in a braid and she's wearing a college campus t-shirt tucked into her skirt.  

She's certainly doing a great job representing college pride. I wonder if my mother put her up to it or if she genuinely loves showcasing the school, either way, it's annoying.

The pair are sitting at one of the tables outside the 1919 cafe. Takeaway cardboard coffee cups sit in front of each of them. I wonder how long they've been there and when they even met.

I walk up behind them and say, "Look who it is."

I've surprised him, he turns around and quickly says "Hi Gemma." before quickly turning his attention back to Matilda. She has her head down, drawing on the table with her finger.

"Are you alright?" Alex asks with concern.

"Yeah. I'm okay." She says offering him a kind smile. What she really means is, my father is dating Gemma's mother and I don't want you to know.

"It's good to see you, Matilda." No it isn't.

Alex turns around, looking at me with a face filled with confusion. "You two know each other?"

"Yeah. We do." I answer his question.

"We should get to class." Matilda says to Alex hurriedly, quickly standing from the table. She grabs her coffee cup.

"Yeah, we should" Alex nods in agreement. As he stands, she grabs his arm pulling him gently to get him away from me quicker. Seems like she doesn't want her new friend to know that our parents are dating.

"Alex, wait." I say and he turns around, I've gotten his attention.

"How was your weekend?" I ask with a smirk. Alex's eyes widen. He doesn't want his new angelic friend to know that he went out drinking and partying.

"Good. Well I'll see you around." Alex calls over his shoulder as he and Matilda walk away. He pulls them inside the building through the main door. I let them go, my need to see him to annoy him disappearing.