Learning to Love | ✓

Chapter 9

[JULIAN]

I checked my watch for the time as I walked down the driveway. It was a little past four pm.

"Thank goodness," I sighed in relief. It wasn't too early to meet up with Zeus but it's not as if I've been checking the time. Okay, maybe I am jittery. I've been craving to see him since forever. I admitted to myself clenching the straps of my knapsack. Zeus' jacket was well dry cleaned and neatly folded inside. I'd rather die than let him guess what I ever did with it.

At reaching the nearest bus stop I hailed a cab. The park wasn't too far away, three blocks at much. The excitement of seeing Zeus probably overshadowed the doubts all this would because I could swear my heart skipped a beat when the cab came to a stop. I looked out the window just to be sure it was the right park. It was. The neatly tamed tulips at the entrance were enough proof. I paid the driver and got off. I clenched the straps of my knapsack securely. I bit my lip nervously. What if he didn't wasn't here yet, what if he wasn't coming—

"Focus," I murmured to myself walking down the part.

I liked the warm scenery of the park I liked how cliché the children looked coming down on slides or swinging on swings. The grasses were cut short and didn't fill sticky with dew under the sole of my sneakers. It didn't take long to find Zeus. I mean he was one in a million with his hair. He was sitting on a park bench with a laptop sitting on his lap and his hair was in an unsuccessful bun that was falling apart on top of his head. Before I could decide how to approach him he looked straight up at me and smiled. My face warmed up as I looked down. How did he do it? How did he affect me by just smiling like that?

"Um, hey," I said walking up to him. My nervous eyes still on the floor

"Hey," Zeus said closing his laptop before placing it on top of a closed briefcase lying on the grass.

"I..." I trailed, blushing. Why couldn't I come up with anything to say? Why was it so difficult to talk to him?

"Here," Zeus said patting the empty space beside him on the park bench. I hesitated before hurrying over to sit on the space beside him, holding my knapsack to my chest. I didn't want to set it on the grass. I didn't trust my hands. They may betray me and try to do what I've been imagining for weeks.

I blushed furiously as Zeus took my hand in his, making slow circles over my knuckles. The grip I still managed to have on my knapsack with the other hand loosened and the knapsack rolled down to the grass. I peeped up at Zeus Ignoring the fact that I had just dropped my knapsack.

"It's quiet here," Zeus commented to no one in particular. I nodded looking down at our entwined hands again, not daring to move afraid he'd take his hand away.

"I know a spot. We could get there in my car," Zeus suggested.

"What do you think?" he asked, turning to me, his green eyes shining with boyish excitement.

"Sure," I mused then blushed. What was wrong with me? Why couldn't I talk normally?

Zeus beamed at me before getting up and then squatting on the grass to put his laptop into the suitcase and arrange a few more things. It was taking a bit more time than I expected it to. It's not that I mind, at least I was getting to properly look at him without him noticing. God, that sounded like some serious stalker shit. I thought as my face warmed up.

I still looked at him anyway, stalker shit or no stalker shit. He had nice brown Aztec joggers on with a nice long-sleeved silk shirt. The way it clung to his body when the wind blew gave me a good reason to assume he wasn't wearing anything underneath.

Zeus suddenly got up with his suitcase in hand. He looked at me with a smirk and his brows raised in question. I blushed and averted my gaze to the grass. I must have been staring.