***Chapter Twenty-Four***
This is one time I’m glad my classes finish earlier than everyone else’s. I had told no one what Drew proposed to me. Let alone that I agreed to his proposal. It was easier to sneak some clothes and go back over to Drew’s dorm without being noticed. I’m sure he meant nothing behind it. I believe he truly didn’t want to be alone, and I don’t blame Dre for not wanting to get sick. However, I’m the last person he should be asking. With my feelings involved, this may be a bit much for me. Why can’t I say no to him?
Making it back to his dorm, before I walked in, I could hear the strumming of what sounds like a guitar. Opening his door slowly, I peaked my head in to see Drew sitting on his bed with a guitar in hand. There was also a piece of paper and pencil accompanying him as well. It took me by surprise because I didn’t know he played the guitar. There were so many things I didn’t know, but this is the most shocking. He sounded like he’s good at it too.
I closed the door behind me as Drew looked up. His smile grew when he realized it was me. He continued to strum, but he flipped the paper he was writing on over. Obviously, he was hiding something he didn’t want me to see. That made me even more curious. Drew should know better than to hide things from me at this point. I’m a snooper.
Smiling, I set my books on his desk before walking over to his bed. “You play guitar?” I asked, more excited than I should have been.
He nods happily. “Sometimes, I write music too, you know.” His smirk has become second nature to me. It’s beautiful.
My eyes widened. “What do you sing? You surprise me so much.” I admit.
That potent laugh escapes his lips as his hand grabs mine. He helps me climb onto his bed on the opposite side as he plays for me. I close my eyes to take in the sounds, feeling this soothing sensation take over me. Drew was pretty good, and it’s clear to me he was writing a song. What about, I have no clue but couldn’t wait to hear it? If his simple strumming sounded this good, then I could only imagine with words. What other talents was he holding out?
Once his strumming stops, I open my eyes to see his beautiful, smiling face. For a moment, we just stared at each other. It made me quite nervous. The look on his face I couldn’t quite get a read on. Is he upset? Happy? Sad? It’s hard to tell what he’s thinking right now, but before he could say something, he coughs. It may be bad to say thank god he’s sick, but thank god. I’m not ready for whatever the hell that was going to turn into.
Drinking his water, I hug my knees out of nervousness. “How you feeling? Did the *drugs* help?” I joke with him about the whole drug issue.
Drew rolls his eyes, but smirks again. “Yes, truthfully, I feel better than I did two days ago,” he admits. “Though I think I’ll feel even better with you keeping me company.” He winks and I melt.
My cheeks immediately flushed as I bury my face in my knees. Why was he always doing this to me? Was it some kind of way to control me? Does he know about my feelings for him so he uses it against me? It made little sense why he seemingly always flirted with me. Especially when he has a girlfriend. Is Andrew Tate a player? It’ll make more sense why Julie got so upset over my hat. If Drew is prone to flirting with girls all the time, I’d be insecure, too.
Is that the case, though? I could read too much into this. I never pegged him to be a player of any sort. I barely even seen him talk to girls back at home apart from Julie. Then what is it that’s making him gun for me? This should be something I wanted to happen. Yet here I was, worrying about why? I never been good enough before. What makes me so intriguing now?
“Do you play?” His voice rings through my ears.
Lifting my head, I look at him, confused. “What?”
“Do you play any instruments?” He asked me again.
I snicker at his silly questions. “Are you nuts? I’m not that talented.” I laugh.
He shrugged. “What does Annabelle do then? It has to be something special.”
It’s nice that he thought that, but I did nothing special. I wasn’t a musician; I wasn’t a dancer, I could barely skate. The only thing that I’m pretty good at is writing made up stories. Anyone could do that! I didn’t see it as a true talent. Just something I did because I like to escape reality. It calms me.
“Well, I, umm, major in creative writing.” I say, “I like to write novels.”
His eyes perked up. “Oh, are you a romance writer? I enjoy a good one every now and again.”
Laughing, I shake my head. “Um, I’m more into sci-fi, thriller writing.”
“I’ll make sure I’m the first one to buy your book when it’s out,” he makes a mental note. “Can I read something one day?”
I purse my lips, leaning back on the wall. “Depends. Can I hear you sing?”
He said he could, and I wanted to hear it with my own ears. It may not be a good idea since it’ll probably make me like him more. I was supposed to be getting over him, but every time he reels me back in. He doesn’t even have to try. All I have to do is ask him more questions and I’m swooned. Hearing him sing would set me over the edge. That’ll be one more thing to add to the already long list of reasons I liked him. We didn’t need it getting any longer.
Strumming some more, Drew nods. “I think you got yourself a deal, Annabelle.” He agrees with me. “Just when I’m not sick.”
“Oh, come on. I bet you’ll still sound good,” I try to encourage him to do it now.
But to no avail. “Trust me, besides, I have somewhere else I want to take you.” He says, stunning me.
Thinking for a minute, I process what he says before speaking out loud. “Drew…why do you always want to take me places?” I’ve asked a similar question before, but it just wasn’t adding up to me.
He looked at me, perplexed. “What do you mean?” He questioned back.
I didn’t want to make things weird. It just never made sense to me. Shouldn’t he want to take Julie places? They were the ones dating. He should show her all these things, not me. Sure, we were friends, but I couldn’t shake this feeling something else was going on. My mind couldn’t pinpoint what exactly. Drew is such a mystery that everything he does seems strange to me. I’m not used to this attention he’s showering me with since I never got this at home.
Still, I shouldn’t be jumping to conclusions. I’m positive that he and Julie have a strong relationship. There’s no way someone like me could ever come in between them. Their relationship was pure, romantic. Ours was this platonic mess, with one person madly in love with the other. Wanting my feelings to be reciprocated clouded my judgement. It had me reading too deeply into things that weren’t necessary. I needed to get a grip.
I gripped at my knees before speaking. “Sorry, I know I get annoying with these questions.” I needed to stop.
He chuckled, setting his guitar aside. “You could never annoy me, Annabelle,” he reassured me. “I like that you ask me things.”
My eyes shot at him, surprised. “You do?”
“Yeah, it lets me know you care and want to know me. Like truly know me.” He smiles, but suddenly his demeanor changes. “But there are certain things I can’t answer at the moment.”
That bummed me out. I wanted to know every little thing about him and he wouldn’t answer me. My questions tend to get personal, but that’s only because I want to learn. I need to learn what kind of person he is. It’ll determine so much for me. Answer so many questions I have for myself. It’s not like I could force him to tell me things. That he’s going to do on his own. I’m just going to be patient.
His fingers run through his hair as his green eyes become dark. “Can I be honest?” He asked, as I nod. “I see the way you look at me, like I’m some sort of messiah, but you shouldn’t. I’m anything but perfect.”
I gulped. He noticed that? “We all have imperfections,” I say.
He chuckles menacingly. “Yes, we do, but not like my imperfections.” Sighing, he takes a deep breath to relax himself. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
I’m not sure if that was a good thing or not. “Um, Drew, is that something I should look forward to?” I wonder.
“That’s for you to decide, Annabelle.”