Under the Stars

7. Trust

Chapter 7: Trust

Mia's POV

*****

Theo and I talked again the next day, and I was quick to realise that I actually enjoyed talking to him. His constant flirting annoyed me at first, but when I got used to it, I was finally able to look past it and see how smart and funny he truly was. 

On both of the times we talked, we didn't have much time to have a proper conversation, but even in the limited time we had, I was still able to learn so much about him. 

I could tell that not even he was aware of how much potential he had, and I hated that. It had always been rare for me to find someone to be able to hold an intellectual conversation with, but with Theo it was so natural. 

The thing that surprised me the most, however, was that talking to Theo made me forget about Jack and Jade's relationship. I hadn't realised it at first, but when I saw them together at school the next Monday I wasn't phased at all. 

"How come you're in such a good mood?" Sophie asked as she walked up to my locker, her face scrunching in confusion as she noticed the smile on my face which was crafted by my thoughts of my conversation with Theo. 

I could truly star to see the resemblance between him and Layla. I hadn't seen him yet, so I couldn't tell whether that resemblance was physical as well, but from what I could tell, it was certainly intellectually and socially. 

 It was crazy to think about. With other people, I was so shy and insecure, nearly fearing to even speak to them. With Theo and Layla, all of that disappeared. It was as if they managed to find a way to break my social anxiety from the very first words they even spoke to me, and I couldn't not think about that. 

"Nothing, just thinking about something," I replied, closing my locker door and walking towards the cafeteria with Sophie trailing next to me. 

As I passed by Jack and Jade, I sent them a small, friendly smile and a wave, which they both quickly returned, Jack's eyes linking to mine. 

One reason I was so grateful for Theo taking my mind off of the whole thing with Jack was the fact that I could finally feel comfortable around him again. Ever since I found out about him and Jade, I couldn't help but want to avoid him. I hated myself for liking somebody who was already in a relationship, and I knew that if I were to keep talking to him, I would have fallen for him harder. 

It was hard to miss the pained look Jack would give me every single time he tried to approach me and I walked away, or the times I would answer him dryly. I was losing him as a friend, and I certainly didn't want that. 

Looking at Sophie, I nearly collapsed on the floor with laughter as I took in her dumbfounded faces, as if she couldn't believe that I had actually made some form of contact with the couple. 

Ever since I told Sophie about my crush on Jack, she hadn't stopped apologising for bringing him and Jade together, no matter how many times I told her that it wasn't her fault. She could have never imagined that I could actually like him, especially since I hadn't liked someone in such a long time, chiefly those introduced to me by her. 

"Okay, what is up with you today? First I find you smiling like a dork, and now you just smiled at the person you've been avoiding all week," she said, still confused about it all, before her eyes widened suddenly as she halted in her steps and let out a loud gasp, stopping me with her. "Mia Bridget Everley, are you talking to somebody?" 

Sending her a small smile, I put one hand on her shoulder before gently replying to her question teasingly, as if I were talking to a small child. "Of course I am. I'm talking to you right now."