I was left alone with Xavier as usual. Our parents were sitting in the living room chatting about each and everything they could think of. Politics? Sports? Weather? They got it all covered.
As for me? I have been trying hard to talk to Xavier about that night. The night when he came to get me but never actually met me. I wanted to hear it from him. But since I couldn't ask it in front of our parents I waited out for this moment. And I finally got it.
We were both sitting on the couch a little far away from our parents. He was sitting there pinching the bridge of his nose. His eyes closed.
I cleared my throat, "Xavier?"
He didn't make any movement but hummed in response.
I looked down at my hands for a moment which were laying on my thighs, "About that night,"
Before I could even complete my sentence his eyes shot wide open looking at me panicked before getting up. He took hold of my hands and helped me get up,
"I haven't shown you my room, have I?" He asked smiling at me.
I was still looking at him dazed. I shook my head slightly in denial.
"Since you showed me your room, I must too." He looked at me charmingly.
"I guess so?" I said unsure.
Is he really willing to show me his room? After all these year? Is he for real? Has he really changed that much? Wait a minute...or is it to keep me from asking him about that night?
"Come on then, I'll show you." He pulled me with him while going upstairs.
"Xavier...."
"God, how can I forget about your ankle." He said suddenly and was about to lift me up in a bridal style when I stopped him putting my hands in front of him.
"I-I can climb."
"You sure?" He asked concerned.
"Yes!" My voice came out to be meek as I stepped away from him and climbed the stairs before him. He looked at me impressively before joining me.
He stopped outside his room turning around to look at me for a while. I stood there waiting for him to open the door as he seemed unsure.
He saw me open my mouth to say something because suddenly all the uncertainty vanished from his face as he opened the door and invited me in.
I couldn't help but chuckle a little at his reaction.
Slowly I entered into his room and looked around. Now, I don't know what I was expecting really. So when I saw a grey room with a bed in the middle with its head touching one of the walls, the only thought that came to my mind was...he actually keeps his room clean and tidy. There was a chest drawer against the other wall. And on top of that were some photo frames.
But those were not the only thing which caught my attention. My attention was solely on one of the walls with a board and drawings pinned to it.
I turned towards Xavier a little surprised, "You draw?"
He put his hands behind the back of his head, "Sometimes."
I started making my way towards his drawings. I wanted to have a closer look. Xavier walked along side with me.
I stopped and noticed each drawing pinned with different coloured pins. I started looking at each and every photo slowly.
"They are so good!" I couldn't help but announce it. If possible I could announce it to the whole world right now. Xavier Reed knows how to draw some good stuff! Who knew a guy with sharp tongue and attitude was tender with a pencil.
My eyes ran over his work. They were drawings of some random animals. Cars. And people. But not random people. Very known people. In one picture he had drawn Alec and Nathaniel making a goofy face. While in other he drew a couple looking into each others eyes. My eyes moved to another one of his drawing but before I could even take a proper look Xavier took it off and hid it behind himself. Then taking a few long strides he put the drawing away in one of the drawers .
I folded my arms at him, "Why didn't you let me see it?"
He rolled his eyes, "It's not completed. I don't want people to watch my unfinished work."
I didn't say anything to that. What am I even supposed to say? He let me see his work and know that he liked to draw...wasn't that enough?
"But how did I not know that you were this good at drawing." I asked unbelievably.
He came and stood in front of me. Looking down at me through mischievous hazel eyes of his, "There are many things you don't know about me."
"But-" he shushed me by putting his finger on my lips.
"You know the Xavier I show you very well."
The Xavier he shows me? Are there any more personality to him than he shows?
"Which one am I talking to?" I asked through between his fingers on my lips.
He looked up thinking for a while before grinning down at me again, "The good one...All you have seen until now was my bad side. You can call it worse too. But that changes now. It's time that I let you on my good side." He winked at me.
His good side? There is a good side to Xavier too? I thought it was dead a long time ago. But I am excited to know his good side. I think I know what his good side is like. He is caring, kind, and even considerate. So not like the Xavier I have come to know in these past few years.
"I am excited." I said as he removed his fingers from my lips.
My eyes momentarily flew to the chest drawer behind him. My gaze fixed on a particular frame. It seemed so familiar.
I stepped away from Xavier and walked towards the photo frame which seemed like a magnet. Pulling me in. The closer I got the more I became sure.
Finally I stood there in front of it. The two kids smiling and looking at the camera. One of them had his arms wrapped around the other.
The same kids whose photo I had in my room. It was Xavier's and mine. When we were six. The only photo we have together.
I couldn't help but look at it in awe. Xavier has it too, I can't believe. This whole time he kept it with him. In his room.
I felt happy deep within. There were so many things that I was finding out about Xavier. All the things letting me know that I am right on not giving up on him. Making me fall deeper for him.
"You have it too." I felt myself say when I saw Xavier coming and standing beside me from the corner of my eyes.
"Yeah. How can I not? You were my bestfriend, pancake." He said looking at the photo with me.
We both gazed at it for a while. Thinking about our friendship back then and so much has changed since then.
"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked him still looking at the photo.
"Tell you what?" He asked without turning his head.
"That you came that night."
There. I said it. Finally. Now Xavier can't run away from it as he has been.
He sighed, "What good would it have done anyway? You were with Alec."
I shrugged my shoulders--still not looking at him, "So I was with Alec? You should have taken me."
"You seemed happy."
I fell quiet. I seemed happy? Because I was. In a long time I felt like myself. And it was because of Alec. He was there when nobody was there.
And now he told me he likes me. And I don't know how to feel. Surely I feel comfortable around him. And I like him too...But I love Xavier.
"You should have told me the next day." I rolled my eyes. Even though I knew he couldn't see me.
"Why?" Xavier suddenly turned to me. Searching my eyes, "What's the point? It wouldn't have made any difference whatsoever."
I finally turned to him with my mouth open. Unbelievable, "Wouldn't have made a difference? Are you serious? It is the only fucking thing that brought us here. In this circumstance! If you would have told me, I wouldn't have been mad. If I wasn't mad then I wouldn't have slapped you. You wouldn't have yanked me out and then we wouldn't have made any deal! Hence no Olivia! No Luke! No drama!"
By the time I was finished he was looking at me wide eyed, "It made a difference. Shit." He muttered before closing his eyes.
"It did."
He opened them again looking at me expectedly, "But then we wouldn't be here. I would have been still a jerk to you like always. And you wouldn't have met Luke."
He doesn't understand, does he? It wasn't Luke I wanted. It was him! For god's sake...God literally provide guys with a lot less common sense.
"Come on." Xavier said trying to cheer me up, "Everything happens for a reason. Are you glad that you know now?"
I nodded my head at him letting him know I was very much happy. I was happy that it was even before all of this that he actually cared. I actually had my confidence boost upto to like a hundred times.
To put it simply...he wasn't completely a gone case afterall.
His good side?
I looked at him and couldn't help but think....if I can fall for his bad side...then I can only imagine how hard I will fall for his good side.
His eyes found mine before they turned soft at the corners as he smiled at me. A genuine smile.
___