Chapter 41: The Promise

Melissa's POV.

When I got home from school that day, I couldn't hold back from telling Susan everything that happened at school. Strangely, Susan has a completely different view, and she claimed that Lex would have been the one who was seriously hurt in the whole thing.

I tried to remind her about what he did to Landon's face, but she insisted I couldn't judge by hearing only one person's side of the story and being close to one party.

I thought that maybe it was going to be smart to hear from Lex and know exactly what was going on, as I hoped deeply within me that I was not part of the reasons they were falling apart like that. Even though I hated Lex, I just didn't want to be involved in anything not related to my scholarship.

I rejoined the school social media group and got Lex's number from one of the female students' chats, and I texted him directly from it.

I wasn't sure if he was going to respond or not, but I went to the Hanger's Groove to wait for him, concluding that if he didn't show up, I'd just go home and know that I tried.

I had waited at the table for over an hour, and I told myself that if he didn't show up in the next 50 minutes, I was going to leave. I was already counting to 25 minutes when someone hit a fist on the table I was seated at.

He wore a pair of jeans, a super neat white t-shirt and a black jacket that made him look like a superstar. God, he looked handsome, truly handsome. No wonder all the girls worship at his feet.

Maybe I was just noticing that now that he's not wearing a uniform.

"I cannot believe I came all the way out here to see you. What is the meaning of this?" His voice was a little too loud for the space, and I glare at him angrily.

"Read the room, Lex," I said to him as he slowly glanced around; the few people seated on different tables were already staring at us.

"This is not a library; you do not expect me to whisper."

Even though he sounded rude, his voice was a lot calmer than before, and I didn't mind as I pointed at the chair, asking him to sit.

He hesitated for some seconds, not moving his gaze from me, but I wasn't looking in this direction as I stared directly at the chair for him to take it.

When he finally sat down, he folded his arms around his chest as he leaned back on the chair, staring at me.

"I know you do not believe that I could be calling you out here to talk, but I truly do have something to tell you," I said, trying to find the right tool to say what I wanted to say.

"You better do have something worth my time because this is too ridiculous. If you told me it was you, I wouldn't bother myself being out here; you know that, right?"

"Do you really want to continue this way? I mean, you act tough and ruthless, but I feel like you do not want things to be like this. Why can't you just admit that you want to fix things and get things fixed with your friend Landon instead of acting as though you truly want to fight?"

"And who are you to say what I do and do not want? Look, if you called me out here to beg my abstinence from you and your boyfriend, I have already decided to do that. I would not bother you and Landon anymore, and you could do whatever you want; I do not care."

He said they were standing up briskly from the chair. It felt too much for one who said he doesn't care.

"Landon and I are not dating. At first he lied to the nurse about it so that he could make them give me extra attention because you guys are some gods in that school who attract special attention, and then he told me again that he lied to you about it because he felt like it was going to make you angry and pissed off. I don't know the fight between the both of you, but can you please stop using me as bait? It makes me feel guilty and restless, especially when you're fighting in front of me."

At this point I was just voicing everything in my mind that I didn't even notice when he sat back down.

"Why are you having this conversation with me when you should be talking to Landon since he started it all?"

"Look, Lex, I do not know your story, but I feel like what Landon said to you was super cruel, and he should never have said that to you, but he said you also did hurt him in the same manner, but he's willing to let go. I just want to take it, and please consider fixing this."

"Why? I thought it would make you feel better to see me and my friends fighting since you hate me so much."

I scoffed, already feeling hot under my thick black overall jacket, which I wore to cover my cheap clothes.

"Well, yes, I do hate you, Lex, for everything you did to me and specifically for making me lose my virginity, but it doesn't mean I want to hurt you or punish you anyway. I just want you out of my space, but that seems like a very difficult thing for you to do, right?"

"I could try," he muttered.

"Promise you'll fix things with Landon and stay away from me?" I asked, stretching out my hand across to him on the table. He was supposed to take my hand and make the promise.

He delayed for some seconds before taking my hands slowly. "Fixing things with Landon is something I want so badly right now but.…"

He suddenly stopped talking, staring at me too intensely right now as if he was reading my thoughts through the intense eye contact.

"But what, Lex?" I asked, trying to pull my hand away from his, yet he held so tight, and I didn't stand a chance.