"I was there in the library, what about you?"
"Me? I just came for some work. By the time I was done it was late."
Right now Alec and I were walking on the road. The gang was miraculously no where to be seen. And even though I thought Alec had his car, he didn't. It turns out he doesn't live that far off from here so he came without a car. He walked. Just like me.
"You haven't encountered the gang here?" I asked him still walking side by side.
He had his hands in the pocket of his pants as he shook his head, "I've heard of them. But I haven't come across them."
I sighed closing my eyes, "I guess I am the lucky one."
Alec couldn't help but laugh. He opened his mouth to say something else but he was cut short by my phone.
I stopped walking for a while to look down at the screen. I was getting call from my....mom.
Alec stopped turning a little back to look at me. I put my phone down and went to join him. He looked at me confused, "Don't you need to take that?"
Do I? I don't think so. When I called her she wasn't there. And now I was pissed at everyone. Mom. Xavier. For god sake everyone.
"Who is it?" Alec asked when it continued ringing.
"It's no one." I silenced my phone. But not even a minute later it came back to life. The ringtone blaring in the silence.
I was about to silence it again when it was snatched away from me. I looked up surprised to find Alec staring at my phone screen.
"Hey! It's no manners to snatch someone's phone away." I complaint trying to reach out to my phone.
"It's from your mom, princess. Why don't you take it?" He said, ignoring my previous comment fully.
I stopped. My hands still in the air before I looked down sully. I brought my hands back down and glared at Alec. I still had that book with me that Mrs Granger gave me.
He raised his hands up in surrender, "I don't know why you don't want to talk to her. But I am picking the call up and I think you should talk to her."
I shook my head at him aggressively, "Don't. I don't want to talk to her. I am pissed at her."
He looked at me as if I had gone crazy. I gave him the same look back.
What was wrong with this guy? It's my mom. I can talk to her, be mad at her whenever I want.
When his expression didn't change at all, it drove me mad, "Stop looking at me like that!"
"Like what?" He asked-- his expression still the same.
I pointed his face, "That look. Like I am crazy."
"You are." He muttered.
"What did you say?" I squinted my eyes at him.
"I said call your mom back." He looked me in the eyes and said with force. The phone which was ringing a while back was silent again. It was as silent as ever. While Alec's eyes never left mine.
I felt uncomfortable so I looked around and cleared my throat, "Why do you care?"
He was silent. And his breathing which was uneven a while ago was back to normal. I raised my eyes to find him lost in his thoughts.
"Alec?" I called out to him.
He nodded his head at me but his eyes. They were still staring at some distance. And I could find traces of hurt on his face. Did I hurt him? My god, I didn't intend on doing that at all.
Why is he hurt?
I was about to snap my fingers in front of his face but before I could do so he spoke,
"Why do I care, you ask." He whispered still staring into oblivion before snapping his eyes back to me. My breathing hitched as I noticed hurt evident not only on his face but in his eyes,
"I care because I know how it is to not have someone to care for you. No one cares if you are late or if you had anything to eat. No one cares if you are mad at them."
I was surprised for a moment to hear this come out of his mouth. Whenever I met Alec he was always smiling and laughing that it never hit me that he was this sad. That he didn't have anyone. Wait,
"Your mom," I whispered.
Alec nodded his head sadly. Now looking down at road. It was actually hurting me to see him like this. He was always so cheery that this didn't feel like....Alec.
"It was an accident. I lost her in an accident." He whispered.
I couldn't help but be quiet for a while.
"I am so sorry." I whispered back. Taking a few steps towards him I put my hand on his shoulder. He looked at my hand before looking back at me. I nodded at him before giving him a reassuring squeeze.
A smile appeared on his face. And I couldn't help but be happy,
"So...I think you should call her and let her know." He said handing my phone back to me.
I took it from him. Still staring at the phone.
Atleast she cared to call back unlike Xavier who doesn't even care.
Slowly I dialled my mom's number,
"Hello?"
"Liya! Oh my god baby girl, are you alright?!"
°°°°
I was in a better mood now that I talked to my mom. I told her about everything. Including the gang, Alec and even Xavier. There was only till a point that I can cover up for him. She needed to know about him. Especially this thing.
Of course she seemed disappointed in Xavier but she didn't show it to me. She just ended the call by asking Alec to take me home safely.
"I thought you said it wasn't far off." Alec said walking beside me. I knew he was referring to my home.
"It isn't." I laughed.
"You sure? I feel like we have been walking for an eternity now."
As soon as he said that there was a rumbling sound. We both looked up and surely the sky was covered with dark clouds,
"It's going to rain." Alec said a little fascinated.
I knew why he was fascinated. It never actually rained here. It was just the weather that got bad but the rain, that was a new sight.
"Yeah." I said still looking up. Then snapping my head at his face I said, "We better get going."
He shook his head laughing, "Come on, it rarely rains. We better enjoy it to the fullest when it does."
"You mean you wanna play?"
"I am sure that is what I meant." He grinned at me.
Playing in the rain? It sounds fun. When was the last time I played in the rain? I don't even remember. I have been so engrossed with Xavier and my feelings for him that I have been neglecting small happiness of life.
"Sure." I grinned back at him.
Surely after a minute just as the rumbling sound increased the first drop of rain poured on me,
"I felt it! I felt it!" I jumped excitedly.
Alec laughed shaking his head, "You are so childish," he stopped in between before looking at me with wide eyes, "I felt it too!"
"Who's the childish one now, huh?" I asked with a smug expression.
A large grin appeared on his face before I could see him realize something,
"I know a better place to be right now than here! Come on." He said excitedly, taking my hand in his he pulled me with him as we ran down the road. The rain was getting heavier and heavier.
"My book!" I stopped in between gasping. I almost forgot about my book! It will get drenched!
Alec stopped looking at me and then the book before he cursed.
I looked around for anyway to keep it dry. I couldn't find anything! We were still away from home and it wasn't my book! Mrs Granger trusted me by giving this book!
Damn it.
I don't know what to do!
Alec took the book from me and hid it under the jacket he was wearing. He zipped it up till the top so that the book was secure inside,
"It won't do much. But it will atleast help the book from soaking water." He yelled over the loud noise of the pouring rain.
I nodded my head at him, thankful to him. But for how long was it going to be safe there?
"Don't worry, we'll put it under a shade or something and I'll put my jacket on it, if it is necessary."
"Thank you so much Alec!"
He shook his head, "It's nothing, now come on."
He took my hand again and we both made a run to wherever he wanted to take me. I laughed the whole way as the rain made us drench. I tilted my head up and closed my eyes while I felt the pattern of the rain on my skin. It was beautiful.
I stopped making Alec stop with me too. He turned around to raise his eyebrows in question. His hair were all wet due to the rain and they were stuck to his forehead. But his eyes, they were as blue as ever.
I tugged him with me to the centre of the road where there was a short patch where the rainwater was collected.
"What are you doing?" Alec asked laughing.
I looked around for any cars. There weren't any. Great!
I let go of Alec's hand and stepping forward I jumped into the water which came to ankle. I jumped up and down like a crazy and laughed my ass off.
I used all the energy in me to kick the water all around me while dancing in that little pool. Alec stood at a distance laughing at me.
I pouted at him before dancing my way towards him. He looked at me confused before shaking his head in denial--laughing
"Have fun, Alec!" I laughed pulling him with me.
He lost control over his body and slipped, making him sit in the pool of water. I couldn't help but laugh at his face. He was shook. He couldn't believe that he just slipped.
The rain was still as heavy as before, pouring down on both of us. Alec asked for my hand to help him but I refused to him to which he splashed me with water.
I tried to stop him but he won't stop. Finally, I decided to give him my hand. He put his hands into mine only to make me fall beside him.
This time it was me who sat there with an open mouth and shock, while he laughed heartily,
"Welcome to the club!" He laughed.
"That's not what you do!" I took a handful of water and splashed him in the face.
The water went into his mouth making him cough and throwing it all out. I held onto my stomach while laughing.
He still continued coughing. Maybe I went a little overboard. He was bent away from him so I bent a little towards him,
"Alec? Are you alright?" I asked concerned.
He turned around slowly. There was a smirk on his face. I opened my mouth in confusion. But it all happened so slowly that I can't even remember how he managed to put the water inside my mouth.
"Gotcha." He laughed while I coughed and spat the water out. Now I knew how he felt. The water from the road was for sure not gonna taste like some chocolate.
Alec got up and offering me his hand he helped me pull up. The force made me stand up and collide with Alec's chest. My head was now against his heart. I could hear his heart beating wildly. Slowly, I pulled my head back and looked up to find him already looking down at me with his ocean blue eyes.
With this rain it was difficult to look up at him without being able to close my eyes. But I managed to keep them open enough.
He reached out and tugged a strand of my hair behind my ear. My head automatically turned sideways when I felt his hand touch a soft spot on my neck.
Is this wrong? Is it wrong to feel anything right now? To feel these feeling I was getting right now.
Alec looked at me one more time as if unsure before slowly closing the distance between us. I was frozen in my spot. Still not able to comprehend it. Comprehend my feelings.
I don't know. I want to believe they are not real. But my heart, it was feeling something. I don't know what it was. But am I allowed to feel anything for anyone other than Xavier?
Xavier.
It was as if I was snapped back into my senses. Just as Alec was about to close the last distance between us, I stepped away from him. I cannot. What am I doing? What am I doing to Xavier? I cannot do this to him.
He trust me. I cannot break his trust so easily. That too with his friend. How could I even let myself to give in? Why did I even feel anything.
"I cannot. I am so sorry." I said looking down at my feet which were still in the water.
I could see Alec running his hands through his hair before clearing his throat, "No. No. It's totally fine. It's my fault. I lost control. I should have been more cautious."
I raised my eyes slowly to look at him. I could see he was feeling guilty but at the same time I could see he was upset.
I felt sorry looking at him this way. We were both so happy just a moment ago. How did it become so awkward suddenly?
I didn't want it to be like this. I didn't like this. I want it to be back to normal. So I put a smile back on my face and stepping forward I slapped his arms slightly,
"Hey you, are you planning on ditching me? Come on. Show me that place of yours."
He stayed still for a minute before the expression on his face changed to that of a smile. He held his hand out to me yet again,
"Shall we?" He grinned down at me.
I put my hands into his. Yet again.
"Yes!" I said nodding my head at him excitedly and giggling.
___