Chapter 19

I was exhausted and grumpy as I counted down the minutes before Biology's lunch bell rings. It's been one week and a half ever since we kissed; it's been a week and a half since I saw Gabriel. That pledge to meet me tomorrow was obviously a lie. I'm not sure why I'm so depressed about it; the guy is hot, older than me, and most likely has a lengthy list of ladies vying for his attention, yet he selects an eighteen-year-old female.
I think to myself, sadly, that he likely has a girlfriend, and my mood immediately deflates. It may have been a joke, or someone could have challenged him to kiss me. I feel like a jerk for offering up my first kiss so casually, to a dude who didn't even return the kiss. I didn't give anything away since he crashed his lips into mine. When the bell sounds, I grin at Kelvin and Kayla as they turn to stare at me from the table adjacent to ours, shaking my brain free of the thoughts that appear to be at the front of my mind. We had been paired up for a group assignment the day before and now are sitting at various workstations.
"Hey, would you like to come by my house later and start the project with me?" I inquire, my elbow poking Kaden. He stands up and swings his bag over his shoulder, sighing. "If I have to." Unladylike, I snort. "Yes, you must if you really want a decent grade." "Grasshopper, don't give me cheek." I glare at him as he twirls his finger across my face. "Piss off," says the narrator. I murmur to myself as I take my books off the table and stuff them into my bag. "I'm not a grasshopper, I'm a ninja. I have abilities! " "Uh huh, sure," I smack his arm in response when he waves me away.
As I exit the classroom, I bid Kaden farewell as he strolls off to wherever. Kelvin pulls me apart in the corridor as Kayla dashes away, claiming she'll join me in the restaurant. I turn around to see Kelvin peering in the same direction as Kaden. "I don't believe you should spend too much time with Kaden." He frowns, his arms crossed. "Seriously? He's my biology classmate." I'm deadpanning.
It's not the first time Kelvin has cautioned me to keep away from male population, so I'm not surprised by his actions. Chris, Dag, and Kelvin, in particular, take their responsibility of frightening away all the lads extremely seriously. It irritates me greatly at times. "But, outside of class, I'm not so sure. You do spend far more time with him, and all I'm saying is that he's not a pleasant person to be around. Rory, you do not know him well enough." "He's a friend of mine." I mutter, my books clutched to my breast. "Once you get to understand Kaden, he's a nice guy." "Just...be careful, okay?" says the narrator. Kelvin sighs and, when I assent, wraps his arm over my shoulders and leads me to the cafeteria.
***
As Kaden close the door, I come in and drop my keys in the oak dish on the next table. I toss my luggage onto the sofa and turn to face him, my arms raised theatrically. "Greetings, fellow ninja! Welcome to my modest house!" As he corrects me, he chuckles, amusement in his crystal blue eyes. "Master."
Before heading upstairs to get my laptop, I roll my eyes. I rush down the stairs and see him seated on the couch, pulling out his books. I pull out my own laptop and place it on the side table before staring at him with purpose. "Let's get this done!" I'm lying on my back just on hardwood floor, half of my body was on the soft carpet, two hours later. Before getting up and gazing at Kaden, I moan and massage my eyes. I snatched the pencil just behind his ear and stared at it for a moment before looking up at him. "You're a thief! For the past hour, I've been hunting for this."
He snatches it from me and opening the jacket of my science book and presenting it to me along with the same pencil. I mutter an apology while violently blushing, then look down at my textbook. My head is beginning to hurt at about this point, and all I want to do is sleep. "Would you like to finish the remainder some other time –" "Sure, I'll see you at school." Before gathering his belongings, Kaden hurries. With a hand on my chest, I gape at him. "Reid, you've infuriated me. Is it possible that I'm not entertaining enough? Are you unsatisfied with the world of science?"
As I throw a pillow at him, he responds with a half-shrug and ducks. He strokes my hair while smirking before standing and taking up his luggage. I lead him out the door while making preparations for our next meeting to continue working on this project. He turns round and massages the behind his neck before walking out the door. I waited for him to talk while I stare at him hopefully. "Um...I overheard what Kelvin said about me after Biology,". I cross my arms as I lean against the door frame. "And? Did you hear what I said?" He gives a nod. "Amanda, I'm not the fantastic person you think I am. Kelvin is absolutely correct."
"But you are, you just deny it to yourself. Look, I wasn't just speaking it just so that Kelvin gets off my back when I claimed you're my buddy and a decent guy. I meant it when I said it. Kaden, I'm not someone to believe in rumors." He gives me a rare smile, one that I don't see very frequently. The expression in his eye tells me that my statements mean a great deal to him. I giggle as he pulls me away, mumbling about just how he is really not softy, while extending my arms out for a hug. I watched him cross the road as we say our goodbyes before returning inside and locking the door.
Before taking up the bowls of food and transferring them to the kitchen, I turn off my laptop and clean the surroundings. So, what are you going to prepare for dinner? I believe. As I look at the stack of numerous catalogs from diners establishments conveniently arranged on the kitchen counter, the notion of ordering takeout appeals to me. Knocking noises on my patio door, which opens out to a tiny deck outdoors and links to a garden, interrupt my thoughts. Because there is a dense forest just behind the buildings, these gardens are surrounded by a wall. My heart thumps violently on my rib cage, and an unsettling sensation grows inside me as I consider who or what is outside. My eyes widen as I carefully pull the slats up to reveal Gabriel standing there. I pull the door open after unlocking it. "How did you get inside my garden in the first place?" I inquire, attempting to control my breathing. His emerald eyes, which I had missed, have darkened and are now roving over my form. As he stood there in his naval shirt and grey sweatpants, with trainers on his feet, I welcome him in. He has a five-o'clock shadow and appears exhausted, as if he hasn't had enough sleep or has been up late working. Or was it possible that he was alongside his girlfriend the entire time?
"Please accept my apologies if I terrified you. Have you have a meal?" With a bag of McDonald's takeaway food in his hand, he inquires. Both the tone of his voice as well as the sight of Dominos make me swoon. Whatever the case may be, I stood there and gaze at him, my face expressionless. How can he return after nearly two weeks, when I'm beginning to believe I'll never see him again? It was strange how much my heart ached and how much I missed him. I'm not sure if these feelings are natural or if I'm utterly insane. He drops the bag and frowns at me, perplexed. "What's the matter?" With a shake of my head, I scoff. "Please get out of here."
When he pushes his foot in between doorway and makes his way inside my flat, I fight to lock the door. He lays the bag of food on a close counter then turning to me and pulling me towards him, his eyes burning. "Can you tell me what happened?" He's on the verge of growling. I wriggle free from his grip and reopen the door, keeping it open and motioning for him to exit. He goes ahead, and I sigh, knowing that eventually he'll leave me to wallow in regret for letting a stranger kissed me that had no interest in continuing what it was that we were doing.