"Selena, I really don't want this feud between us to continue. Let's end it, hmm?" Nicholas said, cupping my cheeks. I only stared at him, confused.
"What do you mean? I thought you hated me?" I asked.
"No, of course not," he said, shaking his head. His hands travelled to the back of my neck, pulling me closer. My heart pounded against my chest, pulse quickened, and my stomach tied knots.
What was happening?
My eyes opened forcefully, as my heart raced. "It was a dream", I muttered, exhaling sharply.
Nicholas Carson tormented me even in my dreams?
I stretched for my phone on the bedside counter. Turning on the phone, I waited.
It seemed pretty early; the sky was bright blue and the sun was already blazing.
I double tapped on my phone screen to unlock it. I never used passwords, I'd only forget them anyway.
It was 7:00 a.m. I did wake up early.
My thoughts lingered on Nicholas's sudden shift in tone from our last meeting. I was confused, what was he up to? Not only did he finally agree to work with me, he also scheduled our first meeting.
Just when I was still deep in thought, I heard a knock. My mom stood at my door, holding a cup of tea.
"You're up so early, you must have slept off while thinking about Mike," mom teased, as she walked to my bed stand.
I groaned, feeling embarrassed.
"No, Mom, I just slept early last night. That's all," I said.
"You've been staring blankly at your phone. I could have guessed you were waiting for a call," mom teased again.
"Mom, stop!" I muttered, feeling flustered. I could even feel the heat in my cheeks because I was actually waiting for a call, but it wasn't one from Mike.
"You'd never admit anything, Selena. Here's your tea," she said, and placed the cup gently in my hands.
"Thanks, Mom." I mumbled, smiling at her. She nodded, and then walked out.
I stared at my reflection in the mirror in my room, wondering what I had with Nicholas and Mike.
I walked away from my car with my earbuds in, humming faintly. My drive to school today, was much better than the previous one.
I spotted Kylie and Mike near the cafeteria. Mike was leaning on a bench, his easy smile in place.
Kylie waved me over, I smiled at her and waved back.
"Oh, it's Miss Independent, you look gorgeous as always," Mike teased, when I stood in front of them.
I rolled my eyes, feigning annoyance.
"You flirt like it's a sport!" Kylie nudged at him.
I laughed softly, feeling the warmth of the attention I'd never admit I enjoyed.
"I'd take the compliment, thank you," I said to him, and he nodded.
"Are you both done now?" Kylie asked, then added, "Let's go," whisking me away from him.
As Kylie and I headed to class, I spotted Nicholas standing near the lecture hall for sophomores. His phone was glued to his hands.
Our eyes met, quick and sharp. My head went silent, and my heartbeat quickened.
"Don't be late to the library today," he said, and I nodded slightly.
No emotions.Back tocold again, I noticed.
Kylie stared at me, confused. I wasn't ready for any explanations, so I walked away from her.
Kylie and I both slipped into class before Professor Seth arrived.
I pretended to focus, but my mind drifted to Nicholas's reminder about our meeting. I wondered why he was suddenly interested in the project, and why he insisted on this ridiculous meeting at the library.
And why did he care if I was late or not?
"You've been sighing for the past ten minutes.
Writing a poem for someone?" Kylie teased. I glanced at her.
She was ridiculous.
It took everything in me to not come off as rude, or paranoid.
"I've barely survived this class, yet you think I'd be busy writing a poem for someone. You're just ridiculous, Kylie." I said to her, which made her laugh.
I was able to jot down something from Professor Seth's class, but I could only wish for it to come to an end already. Occasionally, I snuck out my phone under the desk, checking... just in case Nicholas texted.
He never did.
When the class ended and I was about getting up, Kylie pulled me back, glaring at me. I knew she knew something was up. It was crazy how she could easily decipher when something was wrong.
"Spill!" she said, her voice firm and final.
I couldn't save myself now, unfortunately.
"Nicholas met with Professor Seth before I did, and agreed to work with me," I started. I watched her jaw dropped wide open.
I continued, "But that's not all. He asked me to meet up with him at the library by 2 p.m today. Alone."
"Oh, so that's why you've been glancing at your phone all day. Waiting for his text?" Kylie teased, and that made me roll my eyes.
"You see, this is why I never bother to tell you anything," I said, feigning annoyance.
"What? It's a library date. It's not much of a big deal, you know," she teased again.
"It's not a date, it's just a project meeting?!" I muttered, cussing under my breath.
"Keep saying that until it actually becomes one," Kylie said with a grin.
Just then, I glanced at Kylie, her eyes had widened.
"You good?" I asked, watching her closely.
"No. Mike just texted me, he said he is in front of this lecture hall," she answered, hissing.
I really didn't understand why Kylie always wanted her brother and I to never cross paths, he's not a bad guy. I think?
I stood up, pulled Kylie off her seat, and then we exited the hall together.
"Oh, it's my favorite freshman. Are you heading somewhere to make hearts flutter, just like you did mine?" Mike teased with a grin.
"I did say you flirted like it was a sport, but now I'm guessing it's your major. Isn't it?" Kylie asked.
I couldn't wrap my fingers on the exact emotions she had, anger or annoyance. Or both?
"Only when the audience looks so good," Mike chuckled, leaning closer to me.
Kylie rolled her eyes at him, and excused herself to "save her sanity", leaving just Mike and I together.
I cleared my throat, and then crossed my arms.
"Don't you have class?" I asked, curious.
"Skipped," he said, with a smirk.
I really hated it when men knew they were fine. Mike knew he was fine, and he always used it to his advantage.
"Sophomores are something else. Y'all skip classes for fun," I said, and he laughed.
"So where are you headed? maybe I could tag along?"
"To meet Nicholas at the library, and no, you can't." I watched as the smile on his face disappeared when I mentioned Nicholas's name.
"Right, just don't let him bore you to death," Mike said, as he gently squeezed my shoulder, and walked away.
Okay, what was that? There was no way Mike was jealous.
I shook my head "no", and shrugged my thoughts about him away.
I walked into the library clutching my notes, while trying to calm down the nervous energy I felt in my chest.
Nicholas couldn't be that bad; this was a public place, after all.
My eyes scanned the place; the books, some dusty, reminding me of the history we studied in Literature. Then I spotted him, he was already seated by the window; in a dark hoodie, with a black headphone around his neck, and a pen spinning around his fingers.
He looked up as I approached him, his eyes steady, never leaving mine.
I cleared my throat, staring at him. "You're here early," I said, my voice, soft.
He ignored me.
Then he gestured at the chair beside him. "You can sit."
"Professor Seth wanted me to give this to you," he said, and stretched out a printed outline. As I reached for it, my fingers brushed with his briefly, yet neither of us moved at first.
I cleared my throat awkwardly, and pulled my hand away.
Nicholas broke the silence, his voice lower this time. "I'm glad you didn't drop the project."
My eyes met his gaze, my mouth, silent. I was unsure of what to say. For a second, he didn't look cold at all. He seemed, different?
"You're... welcome," I replied.
This time there was a pause, not cold, but something uncertain.
He went on to speak about the project, and how we were to follow the outline Professor Seth had given. And added that I was to go on and make my researches, and together we'd review it.
So he wanted us to continue having meetings like this?
"That's all for today. I'd see you some other time." Nicholas said, finally.
"Sure, thank you."
When I was home, I brought out my diary.
Yes, I knew it was childish, but I had a diary where wrote down things once in a while.
I wrote about how Mike flirted with me, and how Nicholas confused me. Mike was quite easy to understand, he was a playboy. He flirted with every girl like it was the air he breathed, but Nicholas? I couldn't say for sure what he wanted.
Just then, my mom came into my room, and handed me a plate of Nigerian tomato pasta.
"Eat before your thoughts eat you!" she teased, I couldn't help but smile.
I was grateful for her comfort.
"Thank you, Mom," I said. She nodded, smiled, and walked out.
Alone again, I reread Nicholas's text. I sighed, unsure of what was going on.
What exactly were your plans, Nicholas?