ஃ✿ Chapter 5 ✿ஃ

ஃ✿ Chapter 5 ✿ஃ

I tried hard squeezing my brain just to remember Angel’s face. I was pretty sure he had dark brown hair, but that’s just it, the rest is blurry. I don’t even know if he’s a freshman, he was wearing his gym clothes. But I’m pretty sure he’s not a senior; he wouldn’t have picked a fight with a freshman like Cedrick if he was.

The weekend passed by so fast that I found myself walking to school on a random morning. I haven’t heard from Dominique at all. I’m starting to think that me and him could be friends, and that way, Cedrick will be my friend as well. I was also dying to meet up with Serena’s new crush, Angel. It’s amazing how she could bounce back like that after breaking up with her boyfriend. I wish I could be more like her… but no, I don’t want to be more like her. I should stick to loving just you, Jadrien.

I passed by the tennis court, hoping I’d get a glance at Angel. I thought ‘maybe if he’s cute, he can be the new Cedrick’ but I cancelled that thought so fast, hoping you won’t think I’m total loser. The court was crowded with boys practicing and playing, making it hard for me to find a guy with dark brown hair like the blurry Angel image I had in mind.

“Hey you…” a guy from somewhere behind me freaked me out. It was Dominique.

“Dominique! What are you doing here? Are you allowed to wander here in my school’s property?” I sounded like scolding him.

“Shut up you old hag… the tennis court and its surroundings are public facilities” he shoved me lightly on the head, making me feel like an idiot. “I wanna talk to you about Cedrick…”

I came to notice that Dominique always does that serious face when he starts talking about Cedrick… just like last time when he thought that Cedrick was upset with him. I was hoping it was nothing serious. “He told me how you’ve met each other…” he said aggressively.

“Ok…?” I wanted him to get to his point. “Did he say anything else?”

“He said that you’ve started chasing him ever since then” he gave me a more serious look, starting to give me chills. “So I thought I should ask… do you fancy him?”

That question was an arrow aimed directly at me, should I avoid it or shall I die? I giggled, trying to avoid answering his unnecessarily scary question. “Fancy… isn’t that like the british version of ‘like’ or so…”

He gave me a killer evil look. “You can tell me if you like him, don’t be scared… I wont hurt you” he said, making me even more nervous and scared. Dominique looked so serious about the subject. Should I go with the ‘yeah I like Cedrick’ or the ‘No, no feelings here’…?

“Are you gonna give me an answer soon? I have school too, ya know” he groused, more like ‘pissed off’ badly.

“I think I do…” I mumbled so lightly, hoping that he won’t hear my answer.

Unfortunately, he heard my answer. “You think you do?” he raised an eyebrow. “So you DO love Cedrick!”

He said it too loud and disturbingly, I instantly turned as red as my shoes. He was like pointing his finger at me and blaming me for liking a guy like Cedrick. I seriously felt like it was a crime. Dominique looked so angry and pissed off… maybe it had something to do with my truthful answer, or maybe he’s just in a bad mood and wants to take out his anger on poor Leela… I hope…

“Why are you angry?” I defensively asked, trying to lower my shame-O-meter. “Is it wrong to slightly be attracted to Cedrick or something?”

He didn’t reply. He just took a deep breath and said “I don’t want you bothering Cedrick anymore…”

I was shocked. I quickly figured out that Cedrick had a conversation about me with Dominique. Why else would Dominique say something hurtful like that. “Did Cedrick say that I was bothering him…?” I asked.

“Just stay away from him” he promoted his main idea. “If you even think about making him fall for you, I won’t forgive you”

I completely froze. The atmosphere around us turned black. Was he threatening me just now?

“Dominique… are you OK?” I asked. “You weirder than the usual today”

He just left… leaving me utterly confused and scared. I got a bit worried… Dominique seemed to really care for Cedrick, making me even more jealous. I don’t know if Cedrick really told him that I was annoying, but I had to hear it from Cedrick himself. I went to look for Cedrick later on, in our school’s main building. I thought I’d find him rushing to his class, but he was ahead of me. He was having rice balls in his classroom on his desk. I didn’t know if I should walk in, with my senior uniform. But I thought that he’d get angry anyways, so I walked in.

“Cedrick” I smiled at him. “May I have a word with you?”

He choked on a rice ball and starting coughing it out. I knew he’s get super angry, and apparently surprised. Everybody was staring, so he immediately dragged me out of his classroom.

“I need an advice on how to get rid of you for good” he angrily said. “What do you want?”

“Umm… I wanted to…” I hesitated to tell him about Dominique’s strange behavior. I tried to make up a question before he’d start punching me.

“Whatever you want… can it wait till recess?” he sighed. “I’ll be at the gym… stop by”

My mood turned upside down. Cedrick actually demanded me to meet him at the school’s gym. I was thrilled and surprised! I totally considered it as a date.

“It’s not a date though…” he spoiled my day dreams.

“Of course not” I smiled widely at him. But in my head, it’s a romantic candle-dinner date.

I slept through the first three periods, saving my energy to meet Cedrick at the gym. I still couldn’t believe it! As soon as the recess bell rang, I ran to the gym, leaving my lunch and books behind. I got to the gym so happily, I opened the door with excitement… but Cedrick wasn’t there.

I heard footsteps approaching behind me, it was Cedrick… and he seemed to just got here. “Wow… calm down… I told you it’s not a date”

I was embarrassed but I didn’t care. It was a ‘Leela and Cedrick’ moment I’m gonna have, nothing else mattered. Cedrick was in his gym clothes, which he looked as twice as gorgeous in. I had to gain control of my excitement.

“Ok… what was it you wanted to ask me?” he raised his beautiful eyebrows.

“Umm… Dominique told me this morning… that you said that I’m annoying” I blushed from my question. Hoping he’d say ‘no you’re not annoying, Dominique was lying’ or something like that. But Cedrick just froze, trying to recall the night he spent with Dominique.

“I said you were a joke… but I never said you were annoying” he crossed his arms, still trying to remember what he said.

I was happy. First he invited me to meet him at this very gym, and now he’s saying that he didn’t say that I’m annoying, but a joke. I love him!

“Let’s have a seat” he suggested and went to rest himself on the little stage we had inside the gym.

“Cedrick… I thought I should ask” I gulped before asking him. “How do you describe your relationship with Dominique?”

“Dominique…?” he looked at the ceiling, wondering how to answer. “We’re really close… like brothers, we do almost everything together, apart from studying”

“He seemed to really care for you”

“Yeah I care for him too” he smiled politely at me, causing me to blush. Cedrick looked really beautiful. I could tell that he was in a good mood. He looked so peaceful and calm, unlike the previous days.

Jealous… yeah I’m jealous. Dominique created a bound with Cedrick that is so strong and beautiful. My bound with you wasn’t like their bound at all… this makes me miss you even more and jealous of Dominique even more…

Jadrien… I wish Cedrick was you…