Chapter 28
I left the school angrily not bothering to wait for Cade. I was so pissed and mad that i forgot i didn’t come with my car.
Remind me never to accept a lift from anyone again.
Had i declined the offer of a lift then i would have been in my cat right now and not walking down breathlessly down the road.
I trekked down the road, muttering prohibitive curses as i kept swishing along the streets.
It would take me about thirty minutes to get home on foot and i didn’t consider taking any bus since i didn’t have cash on me, plus i hated buses.
“Hop in”Alex said smiling at me.
Wait…… Alex?
My eyeballs popped out of it’s socket as i stared at him in horror.
“What the fuck are you doing here!”I yelled. Oh i forgot he attends the same school as me just a few yards away.
“It’s nice to see you too Olivia”He smirked.
“Hey, if you’re here to taunt me then you’ve chosen the wrong time cause I’m in no mood to talk or argue right now”I said and spun on my heels, walking away. I could hear his car following me from behind but i dared not to turn. I kept walking down the road without even acknowledging him.
I didn’t hear the sound of his car anymore, he must have left.
I sighed and let out a breath of relief until I’m swept off my feet and i find myself on Alex’s shoulder.
“Hey drop me you moron!”I screamed but he wasn’t listening. He pulled the door to the passengers seat open and placed me down on it before closing the door. He walked around the car to the driver’s seat and settled down on it, turning on the engine.
“This is kidnapping, let me out!”I yelled.
“You had all the time to run out of the car when i left for the driver’s seat…… admit it babe, you’re just playing hard to get, if you really didn’t wanna drive with me, you’d have come down the second i put you in the car, all you did was scream”He told me as he steered the vehicle homewards.
I didn’t bother exchanging words with him because i knew he was right. The drive was in silence until he decided to break it with his stupid voice.
“So…… why didn’t you wait for your boyfriend?”He asked.
“Boyfriend? are you nuts? which boyfriend?”I asked.
“The one staying with us, Your homeless boyfriend”He told me.
“Um…. Alex, i hope you also know that you’re homeless”I told him.
“Homeless? I’m not homeless baby, i have a home but I’m only staying with you temporarily” He said.
“Same as Cade, he also has a home, why do you have a problem with Cade?”I questioned.
“That’s none of your business, I’ve told you he isn’t a good guy” He said.
“See who’s talking, the bad boy himself, he’s very much a better guy than you”I scoffed.
“No, I’m better than him in every way possible”He said in defense with his eyes fixed on the road.
“What makes you think you’re a good guy Alex?”I asked.
“I never said i am a good guy, I only said I’m better than him”He bragged.
“Oh so you admit you’re a bad guy?”I questioned.
“I didn’t admit to that but i know for sure that I’m better than that dickhead”He told me.
“You see, that’s the problem you have, you always think you’re better than others, what did the poor guy do to you?”I questioned.
“I don’t think I’m better than everyone, i know I’m not a good guy and I’m a player and a jerk but i fo have feelings Olivia and don’t say things you aren’t sure of, stop trying to defend people that you really don’t know much about”He said. For some unknown reason, I don’t say anything back to him.
The rest of the drive was in an awkward silence. I could trade anything to have annoying and jerky Alex back than to have this cold rude boy here.
We pulled up to the driveway and then i got out without saying a word to him. I walked into the house and headed for the stairs.
“Where are your manners Olivia Henderson?”I muttered to myself and then just as i was about to turn and go back to Alex, i slipped and tumbled down the stairs.
Why does it look so good in movies. Girl falls and hero catches her right on time.
Oh i forgot…… there’s no hero in this drama of mine, just an arrogant asshole who is walking towards me. He walked past me without even acknowledging my present state.
“How much more of an……”I’m cut off by Alex who places he bag on the shelf and then comes back to where I’m lying on the floor. He sweeps me off the floor and helps me to stand. I steady myself
Oh.
“Um…. thanks”I told him and he turn around, grabbing his bag from the shelf.
“Alex” I call out to him and he stops on his track.
“Thanks for the ride”I told him and i could feel him smiling even though i wasn’t seeing his face.
He walked upstairs to his room and i stood there smiling stupidly.
Maybe he isn’t much of an asshole like i had thought.
***
“Hey Liv”Cade greeted as he walked in.
“Hey”i said dryly as i took a spoonful of ice cream into my mouth.
“Why didn’t you wait for me? I was looking for you everywhere”He complained.
“Um…. I’m sorry, i was too pissed to…… um…. wait”I told him as he sat down beside me.
“What happened, i heard you and Zoey got into a fight”He said.
Oh. I forgot how fast rumours spread in my school.
“Yeah…… we um…… we kinda…. I don’t wanna talk about it”I told him.
“It’s okay if you don’t wanna talk about it, i understand, but please let me know next time you’re leaving”He said.
“Sure…. i will”I said.
“Good, by the way…… who brought you home?”He asked.
“I did”Alex’s voice rang behind us. We turned to see Alex walking down the stairs, approaching us. “Do you have any problem with that?”He said rudely as he sat beside me, way too close. I shifted a bit, feeling uncomfortable with the contact of my bodies.NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.
“Um…. no…. i was just asking”Cade stammered. For a bad boy like Cade, he seems to be intimidated by Alex.
“Good”Alex said and took the remote from the table, changing the channel.
“Um…. I’ll be…… in my room”Cade said, standing up. I nodded my head in agreement and then he left. I stood up from the couch too and turned around heading for the kitchen but i was halted by Alex’s deep voice.
“Stay”I didn’t listen and continued with my movement until he added “Please” I don’t know what came over me at that moment but i turned around to face him. He had a smug smile on his face as he patted the space beside him for me to seat.
“Liv”He whispered to only my hearing. I shook my head slightly and then went over to where he’s seated. I sat down beside him, making sure to leave a good amount of distance between us.
“What is it?”I questioned.
“Why do you hate me?”He asked out of the blue.
“Pardon?”I rolled my eyes.
“What i mean is, why don’t you like me?” He questioned.
“Like you? you want me to like you?”I asked.
“Not in that kind of way…… i mean…. we can do so much better than fighting all the time, we can actually be friends given that we are so much alike and crazy”He said.
“You and I? Friends?”I burst out laughing.
“Yeah…. we can rather be friends than fighting all the time, u think it’ll pay us more than these constant childish fights”He said and i stifled a laugh.
“Are you sick?”I said, checking his temperature.
“I’m not joking here Liv”He said calmly.
“Neither am I, is this seriously coming from you? you call it childish fights but you’re actually the main cause of our fights”I laughed.
“Then why don’t we start afresh and be friends?”He asked and i laughed again. Louder this time.
“Friends? you must be insane for thinking I’ll wanna be friends with you after everything you’ve done to me, don’t try to mistake my niceness these past few days for anything”I told him.
“You’ve equally done a lot to me, way worse than I’ve done to you…… why can’t we put all these aside and just be friends?”He said with a stern voice.
“Alex if this is a prank of some sort or a conspiracy against me, I’ll chop off your balls”I threatened.
“I’m not pranking you Liv, I’m tired of these games, i think i’m done playing these games”He said.
“What games?”I questioned.
“This pranking and fighting all the time game, it’s becoming lame and boring, we could build a good and strong friendship rather than to be fighting all the time”He said with a serious tone.
“Who are you? where have you kept Alex?”I asked suspiciously.
“Please Liv, I’m serious here, think about it, we are adults and we should think about more mature and reasonable things than to be fighting all the time”He said.
“And why do you suddenly want to be friends with me, i thought you hate me”I questioned.
“Trust me i do hate you, but not you as i person, i hate your attitude anf character, your annoying insults and……”
“Wow…. great way of starting a friendship”I mocked humorously.
“I’m…. um…. i didn’t mean it that way, i just…… can we just be friends?”He asked.
“What makes you think that I’ll wanna be friends with you after all the terrible things you’ve done”I said.
“What if i say I’m sorry? will that fix it?”He asked.
“Sorry only solves 5% of problems”I told him.
“On a scale of 100%, i think our problems are 10%, we can forgive each other and during the course of our friendship we can earn the remaining five percent of forgiveness” He said.
“Why does this conversation feel so weird and unlike us?”I asked.
“Because it’s a step to maturity, why don’t we just forget the past and move on, you don’t have to worry about me hitting on you because it’s the last thing I’ll ever do” His words bore holes into my skin.
“Okay……”
“Friends?”He questioned, smiling.
“Friends”I smiled back at him.
This. is. awkward.
After discussing about a few things, we ate dinner and went back to our individual bedrooms. For some strange reason i felt so relaxed, knowing that all the differences between us had been put aside but it was still weird and awkward that we were being friendly.
I could imagine the shock that would be on everyone’s faces once they see us getting along with each other.
After several thoughts crossing my mind. I finally fell asleep.
***
It’s been three days. In the last three days i tried my best to avoid Zoey. Avoid her? She wasn’t even in class, i hardly saw her. She also stopped coming to our usual hanging spot.
I saw her two days ago in the company of Avery and some other girls. She acted like she didn’t see me and i couldn’t care less. I was done putting up with people’s shit.
I and Alex’s relationship has also taken a turn for the better in these past three days. Though it still seemed foreign and new. I actually enjoyed it. He was putting so much effort in making this friendship stuff work and u couldn’t be more glad. Though we still had our little arguments but that’s just what they are. Little.
Cade had left two days ago and the atmosphere seemed to change after that. There was no longer grumpy and mean Alex who frowned at Cade’s appearance, always trying to taunt the poor guy.
I woke up to the intoxicating smell of pancakes. I got up from the bed and neatly tidied it before going into the bathroom to quickly brush my teeth.
I left my room, heading down to the kitchen. As i got to the kitchen, i saw Alex standing in front of the cooker, making pancakes. He was covered in flour and i couldn’t help but laugh at his movements. He actually looked good with my mother’s apron around him. Sweaty ruffled hair that made him so adorable.
Argh. Did i just say Alex is adorable?
Crazy things has been going on in that dumb head of mine for the past few days.