The Nine and a Love (ON HIATUS)

21.

The world around them stop existing with only the two of them looking at each other- Nathan looked at her in shocked while Evelyn looked at him with blurry eyes. Nathan was speechless at her sudden confession. With each second of silence passing, Evelyn was slowly breaking inside. And somehow she knew the answer by looking at his shocked expression. But she wants to hear it from his own mouth and get over with it.

"I like you, Nathan," She confessed again.

"You must be drunk, Evelyn. Let me take you back to college." Nathan said ignoring her confession.

"I'm not drunk. I'm sober." Evelyn deadpanned. "Tell me, Nathan. Do you like me?" She asked. She knew she's rushing things and caught up at the moment but she need to let it out and get over it as quickly as possible.

"We're friends, of course, I like you," Nathan said trying to be casual.

"Don't bring excuse of being friends. You know exactly what I mean. If you don't like me, just say it." Evelyn said trying her best not to break in front of him like a helpless woman or show him how much damage he was gradually causing inside her. 

Nathan slowly withdrew his hand from her wrist and took a deep breath before looking straight into her eyes. "I like you, Evelyn but not in the way you do to me," He tells her in a quiet tone.

"I'm sorry, please don't like me. You deserves someone better," He said.

Tears rolled down her cheeks but then she quickly wiped it away and with a broken heart, she turned away from him. Nathan gulped down hard and fisted both his hands as he watched her running away from him. 

"I'm sorry, Evelyn. I'm sorry," He whispered under his sigh.

*

Evelyn didn't attend her classes for the rest of the weekdays and stayed at her Grandma's place. She lied to her friends about being on sick leave for the week. She was just not ready to face him. It still hurts her like a fresh cut from a sharp blade whenever she thinks of the moment happened days back. She knows she's taking her time getting over it but she can't help it. She thought that she could easily get over it but it was hard. She didn't know that she could be this sensitive. 

Never in her life has she thought that she was capable of falling for someone but she did, unexpectedly. And she knew she acted upon it too soon but she don't have any regret in doing so- just that, she's still hurt.

"Eve, dear, are you alright?" Eugenie asked softly as she gracefully entered inside her room. Evelyn straightened up from her bed and smile at her Nana.

"I'm alright," She said with a sad smile.

"Who is that guy that broke your heart?" Eugenie asked as she sat beside her and cupped her cheek.

"No one," Evelyn answered under her chuckle and lied to her Nana. 

"I've been a teen once, honey. I've been through every phase of my youth." Eugenie said softly. "C'mon, spit it out and let your heart at ease- mmhhh," She cooed softly and smile warmly. Evelyn looked at her with watery eyes before hugging her tightly. 

"Nana, I confessed a guy," She said under her sniffled before slowly pulling away from her Nana. "But he doesn't feel the same for me." She said quietly and wiped her tears away. "But his actions and words-" She paused and thought about the moments where Nathan would tease her and also show concerns about her. "I guess I was just imagining things," She continued and quickly shook off her thought.

"What does your heart say, dear?" Eugenie asked softly.

"I don't know," She said under her sigh. "I want to hate him but I don't want to hate him also. I want to shout at him for making me feel this way but this is not his fault, it was my fault to take things to the other way. He was just being playful and concern as a friend." She sniffled.