Chapter 37 MIXED FEELINGS
Godiva POV
"How did you get here?" I asked Jerald, who was seated right beside me. I turned back in confusion, searching for the Nerd who was there earlier on, and I sighted him sitting where Jerald had been.
Sighting him, I turned back to Jerald, who was laughing hysterically. "Ewwwww, stop laughing, you sound like a horse," I said, feeling disgusted.
"You were trying to avoid me, and I didn't wanna help you do that," he said, laughing loudly. I was already feeling uncomfortable from the piercing glares we were getting from people.
I noticed a few people already staring at us. I knew girls who were crushing on him were already pissed at me, and many people had funny ideas about us running through their minds.
"Who... who says I was avoiding you?" I stammered, looking at the window, the opposite direction from his face.
"You don't need to lie, girl. I've studied you enough to know you're keeping your distance," he said, smiling hard. I was baffled at his level of confidence.
"Guess what!?" he asked, looking me right in the eye and smiling.
I kept mute for a second, watching how he basked in the moment and smiled so beautifully.
"Can’t you hear me?" he asked, a bit louder this time, making me jumpy. "I said, guess what," he repeated, a little frustrated this time around.
"I can't guess, just spill," I said, giving an attitude.
"Brace yourself, because I won't make your avoiding me an easy mission. I'll make it a difficult task for you, so good luck," he said as he threw his head on my shoulders.
"What the!" I exclaimed, puzzled. "What do you think you're doing?" I asked, turning to him and looking around to see if anyone saw us. Thankfully, others were either sleeping or frolicking, so no one was minding our business.
Heaving a sigh of relief, I turned back to him. "Get your head off my shoulders right now."
He ignored me for a while before gently taking his head off my shoulders. He stared at me for a few seconds, then replied in an unusually calm manner, "You used my shoulders, and now I'm gonna use yours."
After saying this, he threw his head back on my shoulders. I attempted telling him to get off, but I ended up stammering, and then kept mute.
Suddenly, my heart began pounding heavily as though there was a race happening in there. I didn't need a prophet to tell me what that irregular heartbeat meant, and that was something I had tried avoiding.
A big part of me was convinced it was purely lust. I was probably lusting over him because of his extreme and inappropriate show of care.
Still lost in my thoughts, I noticed him giving a satisfied side smile, which exposed his cute dimples.
"Don't fool yourself, I haven't pushed you off my shoulders only because I'm returning the favor," I said in an arrogant manner, adjusting my sitting posture.
"I guess favors are now capable of making your heart beat so fast," he teased, laughing aloud this time around.
I attempted pushing him off my shoulders jokingly without saying a word. I felt every bit of embarrassment. I wouldn’t have let him lay on my shoulders if I knew he could hear my heartbeat.
I didn't know what to do because I couldn't deny, neither could I accept it, because I knew his narcissistic self would somehow make everything about him.
I gave him a sarcastic smile and turned back, facing the window.
After a while of silence, Jerald fell asleep. Alas, I heaved a sigh of relief and simply rested my head on the backrest of the car seat without knowing when sleep caught me off guard again.
We were both woken up simultaneously a while later by Dina, who patted our shoulders aggressively and walked away.
Opening my eyes, I saw everyone getting off the bus. I knew we had arrived at the same restaurant we ate in when we were going to Shanghaii.
I was still trying to be fully awake when Jerald's voice rang, "Hurry up, let's move."
I had no idea he was still standing by the door, since he sprang up immediately Dina patted him like someone who was having a nightmare.
"Did I ever say I was interested in walking with you?" I retorted.
"Your mouth didn't, but your pounding heart did," Jerald replied, laughing hysterically.
Once more, I felt embarrassed. I knew he was going to taunt me with that. I tried my best to wear a mask so he wouldn't see through me. "You're sick in the head," I said, standing, facing him, then walked away, increasing my steps so he wouldn’t catch up.
Getting into the restaurant, we both headed for where Dina, Ben, and Hakeem were seated. I hated the idea of sitting anywhere near Hakeem, since he was like my nemesis, but I couldn't help it since Dina was there already.
It was as though Jerald read my thoughts. "I guess you don't wanna sit near Hakeem," he whispered in my ear as we walked toward them.
"Not just him, you also!" I replied aggressively.
"What's for lunch?" Jerald asked, sitting right beside Hakeem as they exchanged a handshake.
"I'm equally curious because I'm starving," Dina said, holding her stomach.
"Mi lady, don't you have anything to say to me?" Hakeem asked me yet again. "Just shut your trap," Dina barked angrily at him.
I felt my heart beating fast. Thinking about the kiss with Hakeem made me feel like throwing up. "Damn, brutal!" Jerald exclaimed, laughing.
We were served rice, steak, orange juice, and pizza at the restaurant. I picked a piece of pizza, grabbed my orange juice, and left the restaurant to sit and wait for the others in the bus.
I had a bad feeling. My mind was in a mess. I didn't know what it was, but the turn of events was about to get even crazier.
"What's your deal with Jerald?" a voice echoed behind me.