Love Pretends -Summers Brothers

CHAPTER 35 A CHANCE

Xiennah's POV

Ashe and I became friends again. Last night on the cave, I thought he would do something nasty. I knew I have trust issues especially on men. But no one could blame me since I experienced a lot of terrible things with them. Anyways, when I woke up in that cave, he told me he just changed my clothes. I got a high fever back then and he took care of me. He stayed up late last night making sure the fire wouldn't die out since I'm freezing cold. But as a result, he became sick too. So to compensate for what he did to me last night, I decided to stay at his place today to take care of him. He was fast asleep in his room while I cooked some soup and prepared his medicine. I already set everything on his bed side table but he was still asleep. I was so bored I decided to look around his place until I entered a room filled with pictures of different places I assumed he visited. A collection of old model cameras were arranged in a huge glass cabinet. I never have thought that photography was one of his hobbies. Interesting... I went back to him and saw him staring at his food, smiling. "You look like a fool smiling alone." "I never have thought you knew how to cook," he said teasing. "Of course. I'm a good chef." "I'm not so convinced," he said raising an eyebrow. Was he mocking me? "Okay then. I'll just throw all these in a bin." I was about to remove the food from his bed side table when he stopped me. "Hey, I'm just kidding sweetheart. Thanks anyway. And shall we eat?" "Nah... I'm good." He smiled as he took a sip of the soup. He looked cute and innocent wearing his white shirt and pyjamas with his messy hair and sleepy eyes. Wait! What am I talking about? I mean yeah he's cute but so what? It's not that I'm attracted to him whatsoever. I stared at him as he started eating. He looked so weak but he's obviously doing his best to eat by himself. "I can help you. Give me the spoon, I'll feed you." "Really?" He looked surprise but he smiled eventually handing the spoon towards me. Wait! What the heck am I saying?! I just blurted those words out of nowhere. It's not that I'm worried for him. "Just kidding," I blurted out faking a laugh. He looked disappointed and that made me felt guilty all of a sudden. "Okay, then." He said as he resumed eating. He suddenly sneezed and he almost spilled the soup. He set the soup aside and was about to take his medicine when I stopped him. "You'll not finish your soup?" "No. I'm done. Thanks." I took the medicine away and sat beside him. "I'll feed you," I took the bowl and was about to feed him when he refused. "No need. I said I'm done." "No. You'll finish this up." "But..." "No buts Ashe," I said as I touched his neck. He's burning hot! "I think we need to go to the hospital." "No, j-just f-feed me," he said shyly looking away. Awe! He's so adorable! He's like a kid. I pinched his cheeks. "Ouch! What's that for?" he complained massaging the area I pinched. "Nothing. Okay, eat." "Okay boss. In one condition..." "What?" "Xiennah, be my girlfriend." I was surprised but I acted as if what he said didn't affect me at all. He was drinking water when I suddenly said, "Yes". He coughed out the water out of surprised. His face was epic! Maybe he wasn't really expecting that. "What did you say?" "From now on, I'm your girlfriend." "Really?" He looked so happy. "So, we're officially a couple? Is that it Xiennah?" "What're you talking about? I'm a girl and I'm your friend. So girlfriend as in friendship, no romantic love no kissing no dating but just pure friendship," I said trying to look serious. He looked stun for a minute before realization hit him. "You're making my fever worse," he muttered and covered himself with a blanket while my laughs filled his room. "Hey! I'm just kidding sweetheart," mimicking him awhile ago. "That's not funny!" He shouted. I took the blanket away from him. "Hey!" He complained. "For me it's funny," I said laughing. "Come here." He suddenly grabbed me and pinned me on the bed. He positioned himself on top of me. We looked at each other for a moment. I don't know but I felt my heart suddenly beats hard as if a knife was pierced through it. I was stunned as if I was mesmerized by his eyes. As if it was telling me something I couldn't decipher. He looked teary-eyed all of a sudden. "I miss you. I miss you damn much." "What do you mean?" A tear fell from his eyes. "Nothing..." He kissed my forehead. "I'm just happy you're here with me. If only I can tell you..." "What do you mean Ashe? Tell me what?" He caressed my face. "If only it could be that simple..." "I'm confused. Is there something you're hiding from me?" But his face looked blank as he moved away from me and went out the room.

It's been a week and Ashe was always there for me. He's always tagging along, making sure to piss the hell out of me. Yeah, it's been a great week. I thought my life was back to usual, back to being a loner, judge by everybody. That's my usual life. For me, being judge by all was just a normal thing. I got used to it. But Ashe made it much more complicated. Just imagine a campus heartthrob was tagging along with me, "a bitch and a whore" according to everybody. Well, I didn't give a damn. It's just that I was worried for Ashe. Yeah, truth be told, I was starting to like him. As for Chole, I still love him. I rarely saw him. There were times I did, but we just pretended we didn't know each other. I was just confused that there were times I caught him staring at me, as if he wanted to say something. I wanted to talk to him. After all, I still love him. But Ashe would always go against it. Besides, he's always with Rhaine so I might better back off.

I was at my usual place, the only tree in the foot ball field, reading a book when someone suddenly covered my eyes. "Cut it out, Ashe!" "Wow! How did you know?!" He looked so amazed. I rolled my eyes at him. "No one would do such a childish and silly act but you." I said still reading. "At least I'm cute." "You're not." He suddenly took a picture of me. "Cut it out Ashe!" I slapped his head. "You're such a sadist!" He complained massaging his head. "Delete that!" "No way! You looked cute here!" "I already know that." "You believed me?! I'm just kidding!" "You!" I was about to slap him again when he kissed me suddenly. It was just a smack but I was stunned. I was about to complain when he interrupted me. "I'll kiss you again if you say another word." "You just can't..." And he kissed me again. Arghhh!!! I was about to punch him when he pushed me down and moved on top of me. I was about to kick him when he whispered something. "He's looking. I liked the look on his face so play along with me, will you?" I was tempted to look at him but Ashe held my face. "Don't." "Why should I play along with you? Besides, I don't care what you're up to, much less if it's related to him!" "Really? I heard he's going out with Rhaine. They're already a couple." Is that true? I wanted to ask him but I don't want to look pitiful. I felt hurt. I thought she loves Ashe? "See, you're crying." "No, I'm not." "Yes you are." He said wiping my tears. He's right. I'm crying... Shit! I wanted to move on, but how?! Ashe looked at me, understanding visible in his eyes. He touched my forehead with his while looking straight at me. "You deserve someone better, not a jerk like him. Yeah, I'm a jerk too. But know this, I can change for you." He kissed my forehead. "Just give me a chance, please." "But I love him." "I'll make you fall for me. You'll eventually forget all about him. And by the time you learned to love me, I'll make sure to make you the happiest girl. I'll love you more than you'll ever love me, and that's a promise." "Promises were made to be broken." "Sure it does. But it'll be unfair in my part that you already judge me without giving me a chance. We'll never know if we don't dare try." "Can I really trust you?" "What do you think?" He caressed my face, staring gently at me. "Ashe, I wanted to move on! I'm tired! I'm always pretending that I'm fine when I'm not. I always acted as if I don't give a damn when the truth was he's all I'm thinking about! Every time he's around, I always pretended as if he's nothing but in reality, I wanted to ran to him and hug him and tell him how much I miss him and how much he means to me. I have so many things I wanted to tell him but I couldn't! And you know what's worst, it was when I thought he also loves me but I just assumed everything. He didn't. All this time, it was one-sided. And it hurts. A lot..." I cried and cried as I hugged Ashe. I knew we were in an awkward position. I was lying flat on the ground and he was on top of me... but who cares? I wanted to cry everything out. I've been suppressing this feeling for weeks now and I couldn't hold it much longer. "You're too pretty to love that asshole." He kissed my forehead. "You don't need to cry buckets of tears just because of someone so undeserving, someone like him." He kissed my nose. "But damn he's so lucky to have you but he just took you for granted. If only I were in his place, I would never ever replace you because for me, no one was better than you. Xiennah, that's how much I love you." He kissed me on the lips. "Ashe..." "I'm different Xiennah. I might not be perfect. We might get into fights in the future, but I'll never break your heart." I laughed sarcastically. "My heart was already broken." "I know, but I'll fix it. I'll fill the gaps there," he said pointing at my chest. "So please, Xiennah give me a chance. Just one chance and I'll prove to you how much I love you." "You really do love me huh." "Don't look too surprise. You're just too focused on the wrong thing that you missed the right one." He said smiling sadly at me.