Chapter Twenty-Four - Stupid Cupid
"You know I-----I have feelings for you, idiot!"
He stared at me void of emotion and then Hannah stood beside him, wrapping her arms around him like the sly snake she truly is. "Sorry Avery, but I love Hannah now."
Then I woke up.
Another nightmare again---with that darn woman's face. As if things weren't getting better, the nightmare gradually gets even worst and I won't be surprised if they got married and were laughing at my sorry ass.
I blinked, staring heavily at the turquoise ceilings with my breath slightly ragged. A sweat trickled my forehead and I was anything but a mess.
"You smell like sweat, Avery."
I glanced beside me to find Trixy standing in front of my bed, her head and arms propped to my mattress with those intent eyes. "Did you have a nightmare? Owie?"
"I guess," I heaved. I pondered about skipping school, then I realized that wasn't happening because my mother would say no, so I pulled myself out of bed.
. . .
"If you miss him but you're too shy to go talk to him, then text him," Kelly suggested, eyeing me with interest once she found me staring blankly at my own phone with its cursor waiting for me to type something.
I wasn't thinking about him! I wasn't. I was just waiting for Emily's morning greeting and that was all. Nothing else.
I sighed as I turned my phone shut, slipping it onto my pockets. Kelly proceeds to shove a slice of beef steak to her mouth, then makes a slight moan which I scrunched my nose at. She adds, meanwhile chewing. "----just say hi or something. Don't sound too clingy though or he'll know you miss him."
"I'm not," I frowned, stabbing my fork with the steak and took a small bite. It was good but I was preoccupied I couldn't enjoy it at all.
He's the one who texts me. Not the other way around.
It was always like that; him pestering me and sending texts with those emojis ((≧▽≦)(◕ᴗ◕✿) and I'd just reply cold heartedly. Tch. I'm such a loser.
"Or I could text him for you?" she grinned mischievously. "---I'm pretty good at mimicking you."
"No!"
She pulls out her tongue, eyeing me in distaste. "You're no fun Avery. Let's spice up your love life and you're not even willing to cooperate."
"Love life?!" Raizer's sensors lit off once she heard that word. Raizer was rather a gossip girl and is always telling stories that revolved around her nonstop. I swear I could've smacked Kelly for gaining her attention. She's a pain.
"Need some love advices hon?" Raizer leaned forward her seat, eyes twinkling in interest. "---I'm a love guru if you ask me. Men just flock to me and what can I say? I'm just irresistible."
Kelly snorts. "Yeah sure. You mean scaring the crap of those guys by acting like a stalker?"
"Excuse me?" Raizer squints her eyes, looking like someone pricked her well pampered skin. "---oh youu didn'ttttt Kelly! You're just jealous of me, aren't you? No one likes you cause you ain't a good catch hon."
I sucked the air in between my teeth. Not gonna lie, that was harsh. Kelly is really insecure with how she looks and how everyone around her has boyfriends while she hasn't and Raizer saying that—was a blow to her ego and face.
"No fighting," auntie lightly flicked Raizer's head as warning.
"She started it!"
"Nu uh."
"Did!"
They're acting like kids I tell you and it's not funny. I ignored them as I took another bite of my steak, although my mind was somewhere else..hoping that my phone would at least ring once.
. . .
"See ya Avery," my cousins waved at me with Trixy waving her gentle little fingers as they all stood by the doorway.
I nod as I lift my scarf up to my lips due to the cold weather. It was freezing and the forecast even stated to wear coats and scarfs in case it starts to snow. I like snow anyways; maybe it's because it's so cold that it makes your hands red or it gives a slight tingly feeling.
I looked above me, hoping that snow falls on my face but it doesn't. All that's there are dim, gloomy clouds. Then my eyes divert to the house next door.
"I need space."
I kicked my feet off, making my way across the pavement all by myself. It feels weird and empty when I'm all alone. I've gotten so used to having him walking with me while he always tries his best to say something—even if it didn't made any sense. He'd put on that cheeky grin while he pointed at the dog walking along the other side or when the car had some funky plate number.
I frown, my lips digging further into a scowl. Beat it. I don't miss him.
I've always wanted him to leave me alone. By doing that, my life would go back into its dry, glum, and boring state. I should be celebrating right now. After six months, he finally lets me be. I can finally mind my own business..I can do whatever I want...I..
Don't even finish that sentence.
. . .
"Hey Hannah!"
"Good morning Tom!" Hannah beamed in her annoying, nasal pitch tone whilst she wrapped her arms around him, followed by a chirpy grin.
I clicked my tongue, looking at them in annoyance. Oh please. Do they know that they're blinding people with their pda (public display of affection)? It's disgusting and revolting to the eyes.
My nose further scrunched when he smiled at her and she leans forward, whispering something to his ear and he chuckles. Psh. That smile is so fake. It's not even reaching his eyes. Does that girl even know anything besides being such a flirtatious hag?
She pisses me off. They piss me off. Can't they see that people are watching them like a pair of a hawk's eyes? They're not in some movie where they're the only people in it and the world revolves around them like they're some main character and we're all the background characters. Decency please.
"Is someone jealous?" someone whispers in my ears.
I shudder, then flickered my gaze to Emily chuckling with an amused expression. It makes me frown even more when she looks like she's enjoying it.
I crossed my arms, looking away. "I'm not jealous. In fact, I am angry; can't they see that it's disgusting when couples do those "pda" in front of others? I swear they'd probably eat their faces next if I was being psychic."
"Someone's jelly," she wagged her eyebrows, murmuring in a sing along tone. "---oh Avery, my poor, poor friend. Go and claim your man...unless you want him to be taken."
I scowl. "Shut up, will you? I am not jealous. How about you focus on your romance with Lance than mine? That kid is a sucker for you. At least make his wishes come true like a little kid yearning for Santa's presents."
"I-I don't have feelings for Lance!" she screeched, her cheeks slightly red. "---he's a kid for Pete's sake! I'd go to jail!"
I chortled. "Touché. Your parents won't probably bail you out of jail once you're caught mwahahahahhahaha."
"Rude," she pulled her tongue out. "---you're just so hissy because Tom's hanging out with Hannah instead of you."
I blinked in ignorance, pouting my lips. "I don't know what you mean. I'm perfectly fine. It's you who's making up things. You've got a thing for him or what?"
"Seriously, did you guys fight again? What is it about this time?" she creased her temple in concern. "—cause I don't like my friends fighting and I don't want to take sides."
"We're not fighting," I waved her off by the hand. "---if anything, he's free to be with anyone. Just because he's my friend, doesn't mean that he has be always by my side 24/7, you know?"
She sighed, dropping her shoulders low. She doesn't even believe me. but won't say another thing since I won't fess up to anything. "Okay. Well, if you need help you can tell me."
"Well thanks for the offer."
She flashes me a small smile, then takes the empty seat in front of me. She seats backwards---meaning instead of sitting facing front, she's instead facing me with her legs sprawled on the handle of the wooden chair. She rests her chin on top of the back rest.
"I watched the show you told me to watch and I couldn't sleep for the rest of the night," she shudders at the thought, her mind replaying the events. "---thanks for the nightmares, Avery."
I smirked. "My pleasure."
"Seriously, like you told me it was funny and light heartedly—until that freaky face showed up and did a jump scare," she frowned, her lips crinkling to a purse. "---I swear jump scares are so sly. Horror movies rely mostly on jump scares and the story isn't even as scary."
"I know right?" I smiled, leaning forward with my palm under my chin. She gets me. "---it's getting so repetitive I don't even flinch when a jump scare pops up."
"Oh yeah, by the way, how are your cousins?" she diverted the subject casually.
"They're fine," I briefly replied. There's nothing interesting about them—well that's a lie since they are all so raucous, but that's another story. "---Raizer and Kelly are at it again."
Emily grins. "Your cousins are interesting you know? I'd like to meet them and who knows, maybe I'll really get along with them."
"Well someday," I waved her off. "---they're odd and I worry they might freak you out. You'll probably be driven into insanity."
"That's quite an exaggeration," she pouted, flicking her finger to some imaginary dust. "---I'm sure they're fun, loving people. My cousins are boring on the other hand. They just prefer shoving their faces with their phones and I'm left awkwardly idling on my seat, torn between minding my own business or striking up a casual conversation."
I motioned to open my mouth when I hear a chair squeak from beside me. It took me a lot of self-control not to look and lock eyes with him.
He's pretending I don't even exist so why should I acknowledge his presence? Am I salty? No. Petty? Maybe. That's all I was willing to admit; saying more to that would be exploiting myself to things I don't even want to know.
"Hi Tom!" Emily beamed maliciously.
"Hey Emily," he replied, less enthusiastic and more of uncertain. Tch. Is that how he treats her after latching onto Hannah the hag or how he greeted her with so much energy. Is he that embarrassed to talk to Emily now?
He pisses me off. I clicked my tongue to my distaste, giving out glares to the people playing volleyball outside through the windows. Do they even stop playing that sport? It's cold outside and they're always unfazed like they're in some sports story or something. I know it's not their fault but I was looking for excuses to be mad about.
I mean should I blame myself? No.
I ignored the two chattering like wind just grazing through my ears. It's none of my business anyway. I'm just a shadow here imposing on their talk and why should I listen to a single bit? Pressing my earbuds further to my ears, I louden the volume of the music until my ears would've bleed and my head was throbbing by the bass. I tried to suppress my winch by biting my lip and not to mention, it was Chop Chuy by System of Up.
The screams were rather fantastic. It perfectly describes my state currently; how I want to scream at something, how I want put all my anger on something—rather beat myself up.
"AVERY!"
A faint voice calls out, but I brushed it off as some background noise my mind was making up. Someone calling my name? Nonsense.
Then I felt some warm hand clasp on my shoulder and vehemently shook me like I was having a seizure which ended up with me snapping my direction to the source of those damned hands who grasped me.
I'll kick your as----
"Buzz buzz .....buzz...buzz.. "
I couldn't hear him obviously. The music was pounding on my head and all I could focus was the screams vibrating my eardrums. I took off one ear bud and glared at him with a seething gaze.
"Oskar! Why the hell did you shake me that hard anyway?!" I hissed, growling.
He grinned, putting up a peace sign like some kid who thought it was alright to feed the pet fish to the cat and tried to make amends by trying to gain pity. "You weren't listening."
"Obviously I wouldn't be when I have my earphones on," I snarky replied.
"Sheesh. You're moody today. Something the matter?" he scrunched his temple, eyeing me closely. I pushed his face far from me since I could feel his breath fan my skin and I don't like people who breathe on me.
"I am like this," I calmly replied, pressing pause on my playlist. "---so what do you want? If it's about work, then let's talk about it when it's time for work."
"It's about our project. It's almost due date and we only made small progress."
"Whose fault was that?" I snapped, then realized what I did was insensitive. Being in such a hissy mood made me a douchebag which made my judgment shallow and snappy.
I soften, heaving a sigh. "Sorry. I didn't mean that."
"No, no it's okay," he reassured me, putting his hands in front of his chest. "---it's true anyway."
"Then lets it do it later," I murmur absentmindedly. I stole a glance at Emily who was still talking to Tom and while I've only known her for quite a while, I could tell she's listening attentively to our conversation like she's multitasking.
"Your house?" he clarified.
"It's kinda loud there. My cousins are home."
"Then mine it is then," he flashed me a smile.
"But it's-----"
I mean I don't think that was the right choice. I'm not welcome in that household anymore, given what I said and how I screamed at his own mother. I wasn't about to go in there; it's like inviting myself to a chamber I know I won't ever get out.
Plus, his family isn't probably at good terms and while it's been two weeks since that happened, I haven't asked if things toned down since it's his own business to keep or tell.
"It's final," he says firmly.
It takes me a second to give in. I sigh, dropping my shoulders in vain. "Fine."
Then he leans forward, his body towering over me and his lips neared my ears. He whispers. "Tom's ignoring you and been hanging out with Hannah for a week now. Aren't you jealous?"