Allison
“Allison, are you going to keep ignoring me forever?” Colby’s voice cut through the air, his words tinged with frustration.
I felt a twinge of guilt as I turned to face him. His eyes, usually bright and warm, now seemed dull and hurt. I sighed, my shoulders sagging under the weight of my regret.
“Colby, I…” I trailed off, unsure of how to explain the reason for my petty action-because he’d confessed to having feelings for me? The fact that his face looks like he didn’t even say a thing about his feelings yesterday at the field.
Colby’s frown deepened, his arms crossing over his chest. “Will you keep ignoring me, Allison? For real?” His tone was laced with concern, but I could sense the underlying hurt.
I looked down, my eyes fixing on the shoes as I scrambled to find the right words.
“I know I messed up yesterday, Allison. I’m sorry. I was wrong to…” he paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. “Can we just… can we just go back to being just friends?” he asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
My expression softened, his eyes searching mine. “Friends?” he asked, his hand extending towards me.
“Friends!” I nodded, taking his hand in mine.
As we stood there, hands clasped, I felt glad that everything was settled between us. Maybe, just maybe, we could put the past behind us and move forward.
“Well, my dear friend, how about we grab something to eat at the canteen?” Colby asked, casually draping his arm over my shoulder.
I laughed, and he grinned, leading me down the hallway. As we walked, I glanced back, my eyes scanning the crowd until they landed on Jayden.
My heart skipped a beat as I took in the sight of him holding hands with Yvonne. They were smiling, laughing, and walking in the opposite direction, completely carefree.
I couldn’t help but feel a pang in my chest, and before I knew it, I’d let out a deep sigh. Was this… jealousy? I pushed the thought aside, not wanting to dwell on it.
Colby noticed my gaze and raised an eyebrow. “Why are you staring at him like that?” he asked, his tone curious.
I laughed nervously, trying to brush it off. “What do you mean?”
He chuckled. “You were staring at Jayden like you wanted to be the one by his side instead of my sister, Yvonne.”
“Hmm. And is it wrong?” I asked, rolling my eyes. “He is my brother, nothing’s bad, right?”
He simply nodded, and we continued on to the canteen, grabbed some food, and sat down together. As we ate, I tried to shake off the feeling that had settled in my chest, but it lingered, refusing to be ignored. Now, I wished I was the one with Jayden-holding his hand, talking to him, laughing with-
My thoughts, however, ended when Colby’s voice reverberated through my ears.
“Can I ask you a question?” he asked.
I looked at him and saw a hint of curiosity in his eyes. What does he want to ask now? I could only hope it was something that could put us in another awkward and tight spot. I mean, we just got back together in less than one hour.
“Mm, what’s that?” I replied, taking a bite of my food.
“Can you date somebody like your stepbrother?” he asked immediately.
I choked on my food, coughing violently. He quickly jumped up to get me water, patting my back reassuringly. “You should have taken it easy, I’m sorry.”
I took a sip of the water, still feeling a bit shaken. “No, it’s fine.”
He got back to his seat, and seeing his gaze lingered on me, I saw that his eyes were still searching for an answer.
“So, do you want to answer the question, or should we just… ignore that I even asked?” He smiled sheepishly.
I hesitated, feeling a growing sense of discomfort. “What… what do you mean? Date someone like my stepbrother… in looks or attitude… or everything?”
Colby leaned in, his voice taking on a flirtatious tone. “Would you date somebody like your stepbrother?” he asked again, his eyes locked intensely on mine. “In everything.”
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, sensing that there was something more to Colby’s question. Something that made me feel like I was missing a crucial piece of information.
I sipped another cup of water, trying to calm my nerves. As I dropped the bottle down, I turned to him with a hint of mischief. “What about you, Colby? Can you date somebody like my sister?”
Colby’s expression froze, his brow furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?” he asked, his voice laced with caution.
“Can you date somebody like my older sister, Sally?” I pressed on, my eyes locked on his.
He sighed deeply, looking away. “I’m sorry, but no, I can’t.”
“Why?” I asked, letting out a soft scoff. “Is she not… pretty enough, or is it because she’s mute. You can’t date someone that doesn’t talk or what?”
I raised an eyebrow, sensing that I’d touched a sensitive nerve, especially seeing how intensely quiet he was, plus the hardened glare he gave me.
Colby suddenly got up, slamming his palms against the table that made my eyes flutter and a few others glance at our side.
“You know what, just forget I even asked you that question,” he said, his jaw clenched up. “I should head to the field now; I have practice.”
With that, he left, and I let out a deep sigh. I could feel the coldness emanating from him as he walked away. I hope I’d not worse than intended because this is the very first time Colby is getting this mad at me.
But anyway, I turned my attention back to my food, relieved to have dodged Colby’s earlier question. But my solitude was short-lived, as I looked up to see Yvonne and Jayden walking towards me.
Were they really coming here? If no, Thank God, and if yes, why are they coming here? Feeling this twinge of annoyance, I decided to stand up, but it was too late. They’d already dropped their tray in front of me and sat down.
Yvonne flashed me a bright smile. “Hey, Allison.”
Hmm! And why’s this witch being this nice now? Sally could forgive her, but I, Allison Bells? Well, never!
I returned a small, crooked smile and continued eating, trying to maintain a neutral demeanor.
Jayden suddenly chimed in, “Hope we’re not disturbing you, little sister. We just came to join you since the other tables are full.”
“It’s alright,” I nodded. “I’m almost done.”
Done? Hell no! I didn’t certainly want to leave yet. I wanted to stay a bit more before this jealousy kills me before Jayden’s fucking me does.
As we ate, Yvonne kept smiling at Jayden, sharing whispered secrets and affectionate kisses. I felt my discomfort grow, trapped in this awkward tableau. I longed to escape, to stand up and leave, but I forced myself to remain seated, to stay more with… fucking Jayden.
As I glanced up, my eyes met Jayden’s. I couldn’t look away, transfixed by the intensity of his gaze. Yvonne, oblivious to the tension, continued sipping her soda.
Suddenly, he reached out and gently wiped my lips with his thumb. The touch sent shivers down my spine, my heart skipping a beat. I felt like I was drowning, unable to breathe. My skin tingled, every nerve alive with sensation.
Time seemed to freeze, the only sound the pounding of my heart in my chest. I was trapped, suspended in a moment of pure, unadulterated awareness.