CHAPTER 16
The first time I had a crush was when I was in freshman. The thought of having a campus crush similar to the book boyfriends that I have excites me. There’s this classmate I had in one of the advanced classes that I took. He was tall at an early age. I learned that he’s part of the campus band and was a junior. It shocked my system that this guy was older than me. Age doesn’t matter so I continued on making him my inspiration.
Like any other girl on the planet, I stalked my crush on his social media account. He was part of Yankee, a band of juniors and seniors formed in our school, making him famous. He almost had all of the social media that exists on this planet. That time, I was distracted. I even had a reading slump and the only cure I had was to read stories about bands.
One time in school, we had an activity wherein every sophomore will be a part of a senior group. That time, it’s been more than a year since I had a crush on him. And I was one of the luckiest women in the school to become part of Fiver’s group. His name was Fiver, the most famous senior in the school. He wasn’t objectively the most famous, but he’s the only one that shines through my mind.
The activity was egg hunting. Basically, we’re going to look for eggs on campus. The more eggs we find, the more points we got. Duds in the egg hunting were the worst. We picked an egg where we got to sing a song.
Fiver asked us. “Suggest a song, guys!” My other groupmates don’t know that many songs or they were shy about it. I don’t know what struck my system when I answered.
“Soft Blue Skies.”
Fiver smiled. He easily recognized the song. Of course, he knew that song. The song that he composed for his crush when he was a freshman. He only sang it when he became part of the band. Fiver liked my suggestion and we all sing his song.
“I didn’t know you listen to us. They said campus bands were cringy,” he said when we got a moment to talk to each other. Everyone was busy at that time with the awarding. His face and body were too close to mine. I can’t breathe properly and even made it more difficult by talking to me.
It’s a challenge for me to talk to people. And if my crush would talk to me, I think I’ll be the worst. I breathe in and out. We’re just going to talk. We’re not flirting. And he won’t flirt with me since he has a crush on somebody else on this campus. That somebody else could be a supermodel or the famous woman in the school Nina Samsons.
“I liked it the first time I listened to it…” I trailed. I couldn’t think of words to say. “Also, bands on campuses aren’t cringy. They’re a form of art.”
He widely smiled at me. I knew that time he had something to tell me. I knew he won’t be confessing. How would a person like a nobody like me? But I knew before our group was being called the third place in the game, he had something to tell me.
I had something to tell him as well, but I can’t confess to people. I don’t want my heart to break into pieces. I can’t flirt with someone. I had to strive for my studies. And my feelings for him were kept until the day he graduates. I never heard from him since then.
…
Gelo placed all of the grocery bags on their dining table. He walked toward me and sat comfortably on their couch. “So what do you want to know about my relationship history, Cath?”
Oh my—I wasn’t prying about his relationship status or history. It’s Nana who asked me a lot of questions. Staying in their house bored the hell out of me. He can’t blame me for asking nonsense questions.
“It’s Nana!” I glanced at Nana who was smiling at us. What’s funny about the embarrassment that I got because of her? “I mean we’re talking about life and I decided to ask about you. Is it that bad to ask?” I tried to remain confident. I shouldn’t be bothered by him. By the way, his eyebrows twitch, the way he slides to the couch, the way he stared at me. And it’s normal in this country to ask about girlfriends and boyfriends.
“Chill, Cath. I wasn’t mad. I was just asking what the two of you are talking about. To answer your question, I hadn’t had a girlfriend since the day I was born. Did my answer satisfy you?”
Was it a relief that he didn’t have a girlfriend or not because he said I looked tense? Why would I look tense in the first place? “Do I look tense to you? I’m completely…” I forgot the word! I need the word! “Okay.”
“Okay. I thought you were tense earlier. It’s not a problem that you asked the question. We’re friends, remember?”
“Yes.” He moved his body closer to me. His cologne filled my lungs. “We’re friends.”
“Let me leave the two of you here.” Nana stood up and left us. It’s more awkward than it’s only me and Gelo who stayed on their couch.
“Since we’re friends and you asked me the same question, I want to know if you have a boyfriend.”
Easy. A person like me doesn’t happen to look like entering a freaking fling. “I don’t have a boyfriend. I never had a boyfriend. And as of now, I don’t have plans to have a boyfriend. Is my answer clear enough?”
“Why? Why don’t you have plans to enter relationships?”
I shrugged. I don’t know the answer as well. “I don’t know. I had a crush on a person but I never planned to flirt with him. Relationships weren’t my thing. Dating wasn’t an option in my life. How about you?” He was attractive, caring, and lovely. How come Angelo doesn’t have any flings at all?
“Like you, I don’t think about that. I’ve been exposed to the life of werewolves all my life. I wasn’t part of a pack so I don’t socialize enough. I don’t attend community parties. And children of betas won’t even look at me.”
“Because your family’s ordinary.”
“Yup. You got my point there.”
No one talked after that. I volunteered to stand up. “I had to go home now. I plan to finish the novel that I’m currently reading. So, see you tomorrow.”
“See you.” He winked at me and it withered my soul.