Chapter Forty Two

Chelsea's POV
So Torin is now a matchmaker. Wow. I still can not believe he is setting me up with someone. That is crazy.
Less than a month ago, we were practically at each other's throats, and now, now he is slowly infiltrating himself into my friend group, which is totally crazy. I still can not believe it.
A part of me, a very little part though, still suspects that this is an assassination scheme. I mean, no body gets this nice overnight. Unless they like you to the extent that they want you for themselves, or they hate you and have a scheme to anchor your downfall. Do far, apart from his flirty nature, Torin doesn't seem to be in any of the categories.
At first I thought he liked me, and was doing that thing where guys pick on girls they like cause they can not comprehend what they feel towards her, especially because since we became 'friends', he can not seem to switch off his flirty button. But I saw him get comfy with Kayla and act the same way, so I ruled him out of that box and immediately got scared cause that only meant he wanted revenge for something.
But right now, I am beginning to doubt every logic that points to him wanting to hurt me, cause so far, he has had my back.
"Chels!" Kayla shouts while running down the hallway, towards my locker. I pick out my book for the next class and drop it in my bag before shutting my locker.
"What's up Kay?" I ask. "You sort of ditched me at the library." I say in an accusing tone.
She briefly look away in guilt and steps closer to me, whispering. "You were with Torin and he makes me nervous." She says shyly.
"Why?" I ask with a chuckle.
"Because he is steamy hurt and he makes me hot all over when he flirts with me." She says in frustration.
"But you do know that is just how he is with his friends right?"
"I know." She groans. "My brain knows. But my heart, my heart does not. At all. It can not comprehend why a hot guy would flirt with me as a friendly gesture." She complains.
"Aww. Poor baby." I coo. "We need to get you a man." I say rubbing her back to console her. She gives me a look and rolls her eyes.
"Says the girl who is as single as they come." She jokes.
"Well at least I have a date." I say under my breath and she stops in her tracks.
"You have a what?!" She exclaims.
"I have a date with someone." I say looking everywhere but her face. "Tonight." I add.
"Oh my gosh!" She squeals. "Who is it? Do I know him? Does he go here?" She keeps bombarding me with question.
When I first met Kayla, she was almost like Torin. Nice, yes, but she was quiet, broody, and always in her head. It was like she wanted to be anywhere but around us.
But I infiltrated her bubble without bursting it, and now, here we are, with her getting super excited cause I have a date.
When she notices my silence, her mood dampens a bit.
"Is it Torin?" She asks with a nervous smile.
"Hell no." I answer a little too quickly and I see the relief that washes over her face.
"Then who is it?" She asks giddy.
"A friend of Torin's. He says we have met before, but I can not remember meeting any of Torin's friends." I say.
"Maybe you met him without Torin being there and you came up in their discussions." She suggests and I nod thoughtfully.
I try to think of guys I have met recently, but none come to mind, so I just brush it off and decide to follow my guts and trust Torin. The worst that could happen is the date being a flop and I warn Torin to never set me up again.
"That aside, do you know what this means?" She asks with a giggle.
"That I am going out with a stranger?" I ask.
"Yeah, that, and...." she drags. "Makeover!" She exclaims. "Well, makeover and shopping, but we can have them done in one place."
"Urghh. Nooooo." I complain. I am not a makeover person. At all. "I do not want to. What if it ends up being a waste of time?"
"Then you would look good strutting out of that date." She says with sass.
"I don't strut." I deadpan.
"Well, you do now." She says, dragging me into our class.
****
"Hey babies." My mum says as I, Jasper and James walk in.
"Hey mum." I walk up to her and give her a kiss on the cheek.
"Hi momma." John and Jasper say at once and they look at each other and burst into laughter.
My mum and I just shake our heads at them.
Lately, they have been bonding better. Mostly because they both do not have a bunch of things to do.
Before here, they were both busy with one activity or the other, and sometimes, I am grateful for the bankruptcy, cause it brought us, even more, closer as a family.
"Why are you home early mum?" I ask her once we are alone in the kitchen.
"I never left." She says.
"What? Are you okay?" I ask, worried.
"Yeah. Today is just my day off." She says with a shrug.
"Oh... okay." That makes sense. For a minute, I thought she had fallen ill.
"So, mum..." I stall.
"Yeah?"
"I have a date tonight," I say.
"Finally!" She exclaims and I look at her confused. "Oh, honey, you are a beautiful girl and I was starting to wonder when you would start dating again. That crusty ex of yours had his time and we were all ready for you to move on. Your love, life is like a real-life telenovela for us." She says.
"You all are crazy." I say, shaking my head and laughing. I love that my family wanted that for me. The freedom to be ourselves without hiding anything is what always makes me grateful for them.
"Anyway..." I say, getting over the fact that my family sees my love life as a form of entertainment. "I am going to take my bath, head over to the mall with Kayla, and get ready over there." I say, heading up the stairs.
"Great. I will get the popcorn ready for when you get back with the juicy ditz." She says excitedly and I shake my head.