LAW OF ATTRACTION

CHAPTER 9 : 'YOU ARE MY FIRE...'

The songs mentioned in this chapter are: 'Today was a fairytale' by Taylor Swift, 

'Higher' by The Score,

and 'I want it that way' by The Backstreet Boys.

I encourage you to listen to them to set the scene ;)

I plug in my headphones, and I let myself get immersed in the lyrics and melody coming out from the small earbuds. Rapidly, the world outside fades away, blocked out, well at least, the other people and the loud atmosphere in the bus, as I stare out the windows, focusing more on the trees in the distance than the crews of students slowly getting onto the buses.

Today we are going on a school trip, and everyone is excited, talking, laughing... But I'm sitting here alone – as it's often the case – because Lisa is sitting with another friend of her and Judy is with Wes; I can hear her on the other side of the bus, giggling at whatever he is saying. Though it doesn't really matter because I'm used to it and I have my loyal best friend with me: music. 'Today was a fairytale' by Taylor Swift starts playing, and my mind naturally drifts away to that Saturday in the park, to that rainy day, to my stunt at the supermarket, to all that has happened in the past month... to Alex... My heart rate follows the rhythm of the song as I contemplate my thoughts. Alex and I have drawn closer, even though in the last two weeks we haven't seen each other a lot. We haven't had a lot of time to work on our project because of a big amount of homework and tests, and the next report is not due until a while. Yet the more we work together, the more we get along. I can't help the smile tickling my lips, which I bite on with my teeth through my considerations. Alex has really surprised me, in a good way, and I find myself really eager for these moments with him.

"Stop biting your lip, Miss Clumsy Cookie." I jump, when someone – well, Alex, who else would tell me that?! – puts his bag on the seat next to me.

"This seat is taken?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

I look around the bus to see if all the other seats are taken, but no, there is still plenty of room in the bus. He could have sat with his friends, yet he's chosen to sit next to me?! My heart picks up a pace no more in sync with the music, which I only hear distantly now, and I'm left speechless. I'm not used to this, though I manage to say, "Yes, er... I mean no... well you can sit here if you want." I smile shyly.

He sits down, and I wonder if my answer would have changed anything anyway. I mean, he looks so chill, yet so imposing with his legs wrapped in ripped jeans and stretched out, and his penetrating gaze observing me. I don't think anyone would dare to ask him to move away.

His presence becomes even more unsettling when he leans over me. I lose my breath as a million questions about what he is doing cross my mind, yet at the same time, it is turning more and more blank with the closeness. His hand brushes my ear, leaving a trail of goosebumps just below, and his gaze is on mine, creating the same goose-pimples inside my stomach. I stare back into those hypnotizing eyes, trying to find out what's inside his head, but I only get lost in the light brown sparks mixing with the dark intense shades. I barely acknowledge his fingers grabbing one of my headphones, but I'm well aware of the few tiny inches remaining between our faces, as he takes the earbud the farthest from him. It may only last a couple of seconds, but when he moves back to his seat, the breath I draw in is as deep as if I have stopped my breath during an eternity.

Alex grabs casually my MP4 player from my hands and smirks, while I'm still staring at him with big eyes.

"Taylor Swift?! Why I'm not surprised?!" he cocks an eyebrow, looking at the screen.