Chapter 20
I looked up at the Arts building, wondering what Abi and Laura were doing. Probably in class, I supposed. It was a free period for the Sciences, which was why the advert had been fixed during this time, but now that it was over and done with, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my time.
I felt the strange urge to talk to someone. Which was pretty ironic because I had been presented with that opportunity just five minutes ago but I hadn’t grabbed it. Maybe because I had not wanted to talk at the time. Or maybe it just wasn’t Dare I wanted to talk to.
Who then?
I missed Omar profoundly in that moment. Where was he? Did he miss me? Did he think of me as much as I did him? He could be anywhere in the world right now, far out of my reach and I didn’t know if meeting him again in this life was possible. If only there was a way for me to find him, or get in touch with him, at least.
I wanted to tell him everything. About my new family, about school, about how hard it was fitting in with the people here, about how I’d wanted to fold when the students made fun of me -he’d definitely be pissed I’d entertained that thought-, about Zoe, about everything. I had a phone now, and it was set up and all even though I didn’t really use it. If only we had those before we were separated.
With one last look of longing at Abi’s building, I turned around, walking towards mine. I’d probably read a book or something. I hadn’t written in forever, hadn’t been settled enough to, but I planned on changing that soon.
An obstruction in the form of a body, appeared directly in front of me, stopping me from going forward.
I moved to the right. They moved with me. I moved to the left. They moved with me. That was when I looked up.
Axel.
“Hey, Cg. ” he angled his head, “Are you lost, babygirl? ”
When I continued to stare at him blankly, he explained, “Massimo Torricelli….. 365 days?… Cause you looked lost for a second there…” he gave up, “You’ve never seen the movie, have you? ”
I shook my head slowly.
“Good. Let it remain that way. ” he pursed his lips, “I don’t like how it ended. Plus, the sex scenes were a bit too rushed to me. ”
What was he even saying?
“Where are you going? ”
“To class. ” I replied and that put my head back on the right track. I should be heading to class, not letting Axel Arthur distract me, as he had proven several times -most of those times including him not even so much as glancing in my direction, but that had never stopped me from being distracted, of course- that he so effortlessly could.
“Why? ” he frowned at me like I had sprouted a second head, “We have free periods. ”
“I know that. ”
“So what on earth are you going to class for? ” he looked so confused, like the idea was completely ridiculous, that I found myself suppressing a laugh.
“Just because we’re not having lectures at the moment doesn’t mean I can’t be in class, Axel. ”
He froze completely, his eyes lighting up, “That’s the first time you’re calling my name and I like it very much coming from you. ”
Him and his words. I couldn’t with them. Talking with him was nice, I had to admit, but it wasn’t a smart thing to do especially when I was trying to stay away from him.
I sidestepped him again, and he sidestepped along with me. His legs flexed as he moved, the sinewy muscles stretching before relaxing. My eyes trailed up, taking in the pronounced dusting of dark hair on his legs, passed his almost indecent shorts -yes, guys’ shorts could be indecent and my mind would not be changed-, passed his light T-shirt, now soaked with sweat from his body, then came to rest on his smiling face.
“Why are you smiling? ” I sighed.
“‘Cause there’s so much to smile about. ” he answered smoothly.
The positive statement gave me a quick flashback to that day at the library with the mystery girl. I was yet to find out who she was. Maybe I’d go there soon, stay and wait for her to appear out of nowhere?
“Come run with me. ” Axel said out of nowhere.
“Run with you? ” I repeated and he nodded. “Are you high? It’s a miracle I haven’t melted already. ”This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.
“Come on, it’s not that hot. ”
“It is and I’m not running anyway. ” I folded my arms.
“Why? ” he mimicked me, crossing his hands too. It was getting hard to not smile by the second.
“Well, for one, I’m wearing my school uniform-”
“I can give you my shorts. ”
I deflated. “What? ”
He pulled at the band of his shorts, causing the material to snap against his skin, “I could take it off for you if you want. ”
“You wouldn’t. ” I narrowed my eyes.
And apparently I knew better than to challenge Axel because he wedged his thumbs into the band of his shorts on both sides and made to drag it down. My mouth fell open and my eyes bugged out when he exposed a silver of skin, but I couldn’t move.
He stopped all of a sudden, grinning, “Oh my God, the look on your face. ” he removed his hands from his shorts, “Relax. I would never strip publicly. Not for free, anyway. You’re going to pay to see this body, Cg. ”
“I-” I was utterly and completely speechless. It was then, in that moment when I couldn’t find my voice, that I realized the suffocating loneliness I’d been feeling, had disappeared. Probably to the same place the words in my vocabulary had gone, but I wouldn’t know for sure.