ஃ✿ Chapter 3 ✿ஃ
I looked outside of my window this morning… it was raining. I thought about you again. Everything around me in this world reminds me of you right now… even the rain, which has nothing to do with you. Dominique told me to meet him again at the same spot we've met for the first time. I don't know if I should be hating or loving this guy. He's just too… devilish. Jadrien you weren't anywhere near devil… but I wonder if I could find you in him…
School on rainy days… some people say it's sad, but nobody knows how sadness really feels. I walked to school thinking about you again… not until I heard footsteps following me. I turned around to find him. Cedrick… Wearing his uniform improperly as usual.
“You're here!” I was shocked.
“Don't talk to me” he said as he passed me by. Apparently he didn't get over yesterday's scene. I followed him.
“Hey, don't rush… I'm sorry about yesterday” I told him calmly. “It's totally normal for people to make mistakes… and thinking that we were a couple was one mistake”
I heard no reply. I looked at the back of him while he completely ignored me. I froze in my place, not wanting to annoy him anymore… I wondered what would it be like if that was you who was treating me so coldly. Will I be as sad to see Cedrick treating me like that? Of course not… I'll be much sadder. I was hoping he'd turn around… you'd turn around for me, wouldn’t you?
He stopped walking suddenly, and there was a long pause.
“You're coming or what?” he mumbled so quietly, not bothering to turn around. To tell you the truth, I was amazed! My mood turned upside down. I was thrilled, so I happily went walking by his side. “Not too close” he said, pushing me further away from him. Still, I was more than happy. Am I seeing a part of Cedrick's soft side?
We reached school after our silent walk. He disappeared as soon as we got there, that proved that he's still ashamed of being seen with me. How one walk to school with Cedrick made me this happy? I think I was seriously falling for him. I wonder if that's ok with you, Jadrien. I participated in English for the very first time! I was so thrilled that I didn't give a damn if my answer was right or wrong. I can't even remember the question. My teacher was like “You seem awfully happy, Leela… keep it up”
I was so happy that I wanted to see Cedrick again. I suddenly remembered Dominique during recess. I completely forgot that he wanted to see me during recess. I wondered if he's still waiting… I thought I could go check up on him. I rushed to the abandoned garden behind the gym, where we met for the first time. I thought he wouldn't be there… but there he was. “I knew you'd show up” he pushed his hair away from his eyes, like he always did.
“I almost forgot about you” I bent, trying to catch my breaths. “I hope I didn't keep you waiting for too long”
“Actually… I almost forgot about you too” he giggled. “I was waiting for my other friend”
I was confused. I tried to figure out what he meant by ‘other friend’. I heard footsteps approaching somewhere behind me. I was too confused to wonder who it was. Since Dominique's a freshman, his friend is gotta be a freshman as well… right…? Do I know any freshmen…?
“Hey Cedrick! Over here” Dominique called out, and I was frozen!
It couldn't be the Cedrick I know. How many Cedricks are in Jocelyn high? But it was the Cedrick I know. He was surprised to see me just as I was surprised to see him!
That was the longest pause I ever been in. We just stood there staring at each other. Cedrick was looking at me and Dominique was looking at Cedrick… and I just can't decide to look at whom. Do they know each other…?
“Awkward” I giggled, looking at Cedrick.
“You two… know each other?” Dominique confusingly asked. “You met before?”
Cedrick was on silent mode. Nobody knew what to say. It was truly an awkward moment. “I met him two days ago” I tried to explain.
“Oh yeah! Cedrick told me about a childish doofus stopped a fight between him and some guy from gym class” Dominique looked stunned. “Cedrick, so the childish doofus was… Leela?”
That was terribly rude of them… Cedrick, for mentioning me to Dominique as a ‘childish doofus’ and Dominique, for repeating it to my face like it's ok. “What the hell are you inviting people to our hideout?” Cedrick angrily hissed at Dominique.
“Hey hey… before you start pointing your finger, she came here on her own” Dominique made a point. “I just met her yesterday, I swear”
“Umm… boys” I tried to interrupted. “It's gonna start raining again… we can't stick around here”
“Good” Cedrick said. “I was about to leave anyway…”
“Cedrick! Don't leave… I'm sorry” Dominique followed him. “I had no idea you hated her…”
“Cedrick doesn't hate me” I said, tagging along with them.
“He certainly doesn't like you, look at him” Dominique rudely said to me. “Cedrick… you're still coming to my house tonight, right?”
Cedrick turned halfway around. “… I'll think about it” he told Dominique so calmly. Then he kept on walking forward.
The rain started to pour down on us. Cedrick disappeared as he walked away from us. I looked at Dominique’s expressions looking so worried and uncomfortable as he looked at Cedrick walking away, but then he gave me a dirty look.
“What?!” I raised my eyebrow at him. “I'm not at fault… besides, what was that about?”
“What was what about?”
“You looked like you were desperate for Cedrick's attention… I mean… ‘you're still coming to my house tonight, right?’ hehe” I mocked him jokingly. “You sounded like my nephew”
“Shut up, doofus” he pissed off annoyingly, I didn't mean to offend him to badly. He started looking away and sighing. “Let's find a place to talk…”
We went up against the wall and sat down. There was a small roof above us, so it was a dry spot. I was kinda concerned about Dominique's reaction when I jokingly mocked him. I had no idea he was that sensitive. “So… what did you wanna talk about?” I asked as I got comfy.
“Do you think Cedrick's angry at me?” he curved up his lips giving me a sad expression. “I can't stand to see him mad at me”
“He's not mad at you…” I was confused, but tried to get ahold of the conversation. “What is it with you and Cedrick anyway?”
“I'll have you know, we have been friends since we were in diapers” he gave me a proud pause, pushing his chest up forward. “We're best friends forever”
“And why aren't you enrolled at the same school as your best-friend-forever…?”
“'Cause I didn't pass the stinking entrance exam, happy?” he gushed angrily… looking embarrassed from that fact. “That's the whole reason why I decided to come here everyday”
“'Cause you wanted to be enrolled here?” I confusingly asked.
“'Cause I wanna see Cedrick…”
There was a pause. I was kinda feeling jealous of Dominique for being friends with Cedrick… that's like the hardest job in the world. Being able to hang out with a guy as angelic as Cedrick is too good to be true… probably not possible, I can't imagine Cedrick laughing or chuckling from any joke. If you were with me right now… I won't have to worry about hanging out with Cedrick. I wouldn’t be jealous of Dominique too.
I wish you were here, Jadrien. How's life in heaven…?
