Hate Me Love Me

27| The Mother's Story ♥

֍҉֍҉♥҉֍҉֍

"Love look's not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged cupid painted blind." --- William Shakespeare.

֍҉֍҉♥҉֍҉֍

He's looking at me and I know it.

'He's looking at you,' Madison giggles.

'Staring. Gazing. Shamelessly,' Lola pipes in.

'He looks... oh god, look for yourself. I'm no facial expression interpreter.'

'Valerie. His expression lo-... Holy shit!' Lola suddenly stiffens and Madison looks behind me, her lips sucked in like she's a five-year-old proving that she can keep a secret.

'Chroma,' that sleek, deep sound makes me straighten my back and put my spoon down.

'Hey,' he sounds nervous, and I'm aware of a few people looking at us in the cafeteria as I turn to face his tall, dark figure.

Crisp, tailored, dark purple uniform, hands in his pockets, perfectly styled hair, and he's slightly biting his lips with a corner tilted up.

I feel breathless.

After everything he said...

'What's up?' I ask.

'I was, uh, wondering if you'd sit with us?'

Oh, my god.

'I'm staying with Madison and Lola,' I reply, finality dancing in the corners of my words.

Madison and her girlfriend, Lola, are the first people to show me some sort of kindness in this school, other than Jayden, and there's no way I'm leaving them for a guy that caused everything in the first place, even though he had a reason for it.

His face turns slightly red, but he says 'Can I sit with you here, then?'

One glance at Madison and Lola shows that they're against the idea.

'Uhm' I'm supposed to give him a chance, but they're my friends...

Suddenly, Madison and Lola stand up, come around the table and sit on either side of me like guards.

Lola nods at the seat in front and I don't miss the relief that pours on his face as he takes a seat right in front of me, Vincent and Sebastian coming out of nowhere and sitting on either sides of him.

My mind suddenly goes to the number of bouquets in my backyard. Alaric's been sending over all sorts of flowers and my aunt has been happily planting them in the garden. But there's no more space left. I asked the neighbour if she wanted any but she just stared back at me.

I pick up my spoon and continue eating my blueberry yogurt.

A careful glance around the room shows that Clementine is out of sight, and Quentin is sitting with a bunch of girls from the dance club. I push my glasses higher up my nose uncomfortably, and risk looking at him.

His eyes follow my spoon, scooping yogurt into my mouth, and stays there for a few seconds till his eyes meet mine. He noticeably gulps.

'Are you hungry?' I ask curiously.

'Hungry...' his voice is so far away, like he's talking to somebody who isn't here, and then Vincent smacks the back of his head.

A few things happen at once. Alaric and Vincent indulge in the most intense glaring match, teeth baring, silent promises of a fight afterwards. Madison's juice spurts out of her mouth and she coughs a little before rushing over to the other side of the table with napkins, even though only a few spots are on Sebastian's shirt. Lola falls out of her chair with laughter.