Our Own Angels

Chapter 11

After school, the three of us head home to get changed. Cleo persuaded me to go to the mall with her and Matt. For the past few weeks, I've only been hanging out with Silas. So, going to the mall will give us time to catch up. The six classes that we have don't count. I only have three classes with Cleo and four with Matt. Lunch is the only real time where we can talk. I put my hair up in a high ponytail and change into a hoodie and leggings. I head downstairs and sit in the kitchen island as I wait for them to arrive. Alice places a plate of white chocolate chip cookies in front of me and my mouth starts to salivate.

"Thank you." I say as I grab two cookies at once. She smiles. I bite into the soft and warm dessert as Alice screams, "Eli! There are cookies here!" I hear fast footsteps above us, running through the hall and down the stairs.

"Cookies!" He screams. When he reaches the table, he stares at the cookies. He pouts. His excitement disappears like the two cookies in my hands.

"There not chocolate chip..." He whines.

"Last time I made them, they were chocolate chip. This time, I had to make you sister's favorite." Alice explains. Eli sighs but take four cookies up to his room anyways. Alice and I both laugh. A cookie or two later, Cleo and Matt arrive together. We head out the door and drive to the mall. We have a little karaoke session as we drive. Just like the summer time. Oh how I miss the time when the three of us hung out almost everyday. At the pool, the beach, the park, at our houses, we always hung out together everyday. I sort of blame myself for not being able to hang out with them. I feel like such a bad friend. When I met Silas, and once our tutoring sessions started, I always had an excuse why I couldn't hang out with them. I never thought that I would be that person that leaves their friends for a boy. The worst part is that the boy is not even my boyfriend! When we arrive at the mall, we decide to get food first. The three of us scan the different restaurants. I couldn't help but notice Cleo standing closer to Matt than usual.

"Ooo, let's get chinese food!" Cleo points to a restaurant with a panda on its sign. Matt and I agree and we get in line with her. Once we grab our food we find a table and sit down. Matt and Cleo sit on one side and I sit on the other.

"Sooo Ro, how are your sessions with Mr. Bad Boy going?" Matt asks. He slurps a spoon full noodles into his mouth.

"They're going well I guess. He's starting to pass his classes now." I respond. There is awkward tension. I don't know why it feels so stuffy. The way that Cleo and Matt are looking at each other nervously makes it seem like they're hiding something.

"Well that's good. Are you guys getting closer?" Cleo wiggles her eyebrows at me.

"I mean I guess. He's not hating me anymore." I stab a piece of chicken with my fork and bite into it.

"That's for sure." Matt smiles. He looks at Cleo and back up at me.

"Huh?"

"We pay attention Ro. At school, I see the way he looks at you. I see the way you look at him. It's kind of obvious." Matt explains. I'm genuinely confused. Do I look at Silas in a different way? Enough to get people to notice?

"How does he look at me?" I want to know. I stop eating. Matt nudges Cleo to tell me. She holds up a finger at me to show that she's still chewing her rice.

"You don't notice because he looks at you whenever you're not looking. In class, he ends up staring at you at random times. Like when I was presenting my Anatomy project in front of the class, he was only looking at you. Not in a creepy way though. He looks at you in a longing sort of way. It's cute." I start to blush. Silas stares at me in school. If Cleo and Matt notice, then everyone else probably notices as well.