Not Your Regular

Chapter Ten

Steve's POV

After washing the dishes, Bryan himself went to clean up and later we both went for lectures.
By 2pm we were done with lectures, but Bryan had a music class and so he left.

I got up and started packing my bag so I could go to my room. As I did that, something else came to my mind. I thought I should really confirm if Linda was my drug to healing or it just happened when she was there. I picked up my phone and dialed her number. I had gotten her contact from Byran that morning.

"Hello", I heard that voice say across the line. The soft toned voice that had the power to warm a person's heart.

"Hello Linda", I replied hoping she would recognize my voice.

She didn't as the next question that followed was,
"May I know who this is?"

A little disappointed she didn't recognize my voice over the phone, I replied my tone showing  my displeasure.
"It's Steve. Steve Jones. The guy you like stalking."

"Stop it Steve. We both know I'm not stalking you. In fact I can call you the stalker because I'm a million percent sure I didn't give you my digits.", she replied laughing.

"Okay okay, let's rule out the stalking part."
I felt myself smiling genuinely again. Damn, it was this girl.

"I believe you didn't just call me to tell me I'm your stalker, even though I'm not. So what's up?"

"I called to ask if you're free. I finished my lectures not quite long ago. Bryan has a music class so he left and I kinda need someone to talk to."

"Lucky you. I finished my classes around 12, but I went to the library from there to do an assignment. Your call came in immediately I wrote the last word.", she paused to catch a breath then continued. "What do you want to do?"

"How about we take another walk?", I asked.

"Not bad. You can meet me in front of the library.", she said and cut the call.

Quickly, I picked up my bag and dashed off to the library. Just as she said, I met her in front of the library. After a few contemplations, we ended up walking to the river side again. We talked for long, once again loosing track of time, we didn't even notice we were hungry until our stomachs rumbled. It was only then we got up to eat.

"Linda", I started as she put the first spoon of tender meat into her mouth.
Filling her mouth with the contents of the spoon, she looked up at me. So I continued,
"I found out that talking to you helps to relieve me of my pains and heart ache. More like you initiate some sort of healing process."

She looked at me with eyes that told me she didn't seem to understand what I was saying. I explained further.

"Linda, what I'm trying to say is, whenever you and I talk, it feels like a counselling session that helps me manage and finally get rid of troubles", I said looking into her eyes and hoping she understood this time.

"Does that mean I am some kind of help?", she asked staring back at me.

"Maybe, yes. What I feel is, if I keep talking to you, in no time, I would get over the death of Susan and Susan herself. I think I would be able to live a completely normal life", I replied.

Smiling she said,
"Funny isn't it, I'm not even a  psychologist yet, I'm still in the making and I can be of help to someone. I am glad"

She didn't stop smiling and soon I started smiling too.
"So what do you say? Am I free to call you anytime I feel I need help or someone to talk to?", I asked her, eating some part of my food.

"Of course, you have my permission.", she said happily as she continued eating.

That's how it started, I would call Linda whenever I was less busy or whenever I felt uneasy or unhappy. We talked and we talked more.
By the end of the semester, I was well over Susan and her death. I kept only to happy memories, I was healed. My life was a new kind of normal and it was all thanks to Linda.

Linda's POV

I was surprised when I received Steve's call. That was the last thing I was expecting at that moment.
As soon as I was done with class, I went straight to the library to complete an assignment that was due the next day. Just as I wrote the last sentence, his call came in.
He came to meet me at the library and we ended up going for a walk towards the river again.
We ate lunch together later that day. It was there he told me I was some sort of help to his healing.
I agreed to keep helping him, excited by the fact that although I wasn't a psychologist yet, I still was help.

True to his words, I felt I was indeed a lot of help to him. We talked more and the more we talked, the better he got. It was no surprise that at the end of the semester he was back to normal, or should I say a new normal.
He got over Susan easily and he mingled with people even more easily. He created a whole new life for himself and he was happy. We were all happy too, myself, Bryan, Grace and Jason. No worries, no problem.

Exams were over and it was time to go home.
Grace and I secretly planned a picnic. We didn't want the boys to know because if they did they would only cause more trouble than help. It was a week after everyone of us were done with second semester exams. It was more like a celebratory picnic for all we had gone through and overcome in just one semester.

It was a Saturday afternoon. I went to Grace's house as we had planned for the food preparations and all.
Bang bang. I knocked on her door, after the second knock she opened up.

"Hey babe. Good afternoon", she greeted giving me a warm hug and a peck on the cheek.

"Good afternoon", I said returning her hug and peck.

"I've been expecting you. Have you told Jason?", she asked walking to the kitchen while I followed behind her.

"Yeah, what of Bryan and Steve?"

"I told them too, I said I wanted to buy them dinner before we go home", she replied handing me a glass of water.

I lifted up the glass and muttered thank you as I drank the water.
We started cooking immediately. Grace was a good cook, but I was a better cook. Although Bryan was better than both of us combined, we had to do without him today.

"Where did you and Steve go last night, after we left you guys at the cafeteria?", she asked as she was cutting the veggies.

"Nowhere. We left almost immediately after you guys did. Steve said he was tired and wanted to sleep", I replied casually.

This wasn't the first time we talked about outings, so I wasn't surprised. Grace and I had grown closer over time, coupled with the fact that to Bryan, after Steve, his next closest friend was me. Grace and I got along so well, good thing was I enjoyed her company a lot. She was gradually becoming my lady best friend. No one would know she was two years ahead of me. Whenever I needed a lady to talk to, her house was the first place I went to.

"That's strange", she stopped cutting and looking at me she continued,
"Jason said Steve came into the room late yesterday night."

"Hmm, really?", I replied, but deep down I was worried.

"Maybe he just wanted to be alone", she said.

"Maybe", I shook my head and kept turning the food on the fire.
I kept quiet for the rest of the cooking, wondering why Steve would have avoided me the night before.

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