This Time

Chapter seventeen

It's been 9 months since I moved to Texas. I started started school and yeah I'm a loner at school. School here is so different here. People like mind their own businesses and they only hang with their own group of friends. Like if you try to talk to them or sit with them at lunch, they'll just ignore you and pretend that you're invisible. Most of my time is spent in the library when I don't have classes. My only friend in the school is the school librarian, Ashmita. She's really young, i think she's in her early 30s? She moved to Texas from Sri Lanka 17 years ago with her family.

Ben visits me like twice a month. He calls and texts me everyday. He's really sweet and nice and I'm starting to have feelings for him. My feelings for him are getting stronger and stronger everyday. I get very excited every time he visits. I think about him a lot when I'm not doing anything.

I went back home to my mum and Andrew once. It was the most horrible thing ever. Mum moved in with Andrew and when I visited, I had to stay in hunter's room because there wasn't any other room. I cried so much. I went to hunter's grave everyday for a week while I stayed there. I met hunter's mum at his grave once. We chatted and cried. I asked her why did she leave and she told me because Andrew was cheating on her with 4 other women and she couldn't stand it anymore. My hatred for Andrew went from 1 billion to infinity.

On the 7th day of my arrival, my mum announced that she was pregnant. I don't know why but I got really mad and I came back to Texas.

My mum calls me sometimes and we chat a little. She send money over every month for my spendings.

Emily and I don't talk as much as before now maybe it's because we have nothing to talk about. James and her recently broke up. James is actually gay and has been having on and off relationship with this dude. He dated Emily because he didn't want anymore to find out that he was gay. Him and his boyfriend came out during prom and they even kissed in front of everyone. Poor Em.

Ben is visiting today and I'm super excited. I woke up very early this morning. I had a quick shower and picked a cute navy blue sundress. I put on some light makeup and wore matching ballet flats.

I checked the time, it was 9:30am and there was still another hour till Ben arrives so I grabbed a book from my book shelf and started reading.

The door bell rang, it must be Ben so I yelled "I'll get it" and I walked in fast paces to get the door, when I opened the door, Ben was standing there with daisies in his hand.

"Ben!" I said excitedly and hugged him tight and let go.

He gave a goofy smile and handed me the daisies "this is for you"

*

After breakfast we hung around at the mall and watched a movie. We watched deliver us from evil and I swear, I am never ever going to watch another horror movie in my life. I got scared while watching the movie so I grabbed Ben hand and throughout the whole movie, we were just holding hands.

*

"Hmmm, you make the best roast chicken ever Olive!" Ben said to my grandma while chewing his food.

"That's the reason why I married her" my grandpa joked and everyone laughed.

"And why did you marry Babi?" I asked.

"Because he's the only person that likes my chicken" and everyone started laughing.

"So Ben, what are you planning to attend uni?" My grandpa asked.

"Oh um" Ben swallowed his food "I'm planning to study at NYU"

"That's great. What are you majoring?"