Alec came back soon with his oxygen bag. But he wasn't using it.
He smiled having his seat beside her.
She moved away a bit.
"what?" he asked. "are you still mad at me?"
She was silent.
"come on." He moved closer and she moved farther.
He sighed tiredly.
Gracie still felt angry tho that he lied to her.
I mean, thinking about it over and over again... ugh.
They was an awkward silence for a while.
"but I thought you already agreed to have a pool party with only me?" he asked. She whipped her head to stare at him. But she didn't say anything.
Of course he surely understood her look.
They was another round of silence. She looked away.
She couldn't wait for the pizza to arrive so she could chew something.
At least her mouth would be busy, any moment from now, she could eat him alive.
He sighed and placed his arm on the headrest.
"Do you have a boyfriend?" he asked. Her eyes dilated in surprise and she turned to stare at him.
What sort of question is that? coming from a two day old friend? Or acquaintance whatever.
"wh... what do... I..." she didn't even know how to reply.
No. She didn't know how to feel about the question. And without that, she couldn't find the right words.
Crap!
"I like you." He said. She almost choked on nothing. Huh!
She eyed him briefly.
"y... you don't even know me." She muttered... but no. That wasn't what she wanted to say.
"it..." the door bell disrupted him.
She was greatful.
"the pizza." He said.
She just wanted to get up and at least move a little.
Instead of sitting like a log of naive wood.
"wait.. I'll just get it." She said. His expression showed that he wanted to finish what he was saying... But she didn't give him attention for that.
She got up and made for the door.
Gee. Did he just say he likes her?
But how? They just met!
He reminded her of a guy Emma had her go on a date with sometime ago.
Ugh!
She remember she had sleepless nights because of that.
But of course she knows better now.
But wasn't Emma persuading her to look for a hook up recently.
No... now that she knows Andre is here and he never abandoned her, she's gonna pursue him.
Even if he says he isn't ready.
It'd be better because she will fell at ease with him. I mean, she used to know him.
But hold on, she wouldn't never want him to know about her disease.
Who knows, he probably didn't get the chance to abandon her before. He might for real this time.
Ugh!
But Alec...
This was the first guy who actually knows about her illness and still said he likes her.
Just that...
Awwwwwnha aha aha what does she do!!!!
She got to the door and tried drawing it open but it wouldn't.
Huh?
She realised that was a button there.
She pressed it hesitantly. The door opened on It's own.
Huh. So that was it!
She faced the delivery person at once.
But just like she was struck with a thunder bolt, she froze...
Okay maybe she staggered to rush back in but... he already saw her.
Awwwwh!
"An... Ri... ri... ri Rick." She stuttered and faked a short confused laugh.
God!
Pizza! Pizza!! Pizza!!! She's is so stupid! She should have suspected it!
"Uh... hi." He muttered with a little surprised look.
"Heey..." she chuckled for real this time.
"so you're the uh... delivery guy?"
He gave a slight nod.
"Hi." She added. Huh? Wasn't he gonna smile a bit?
Maybe too much hi's already.
"you live here too?" he asked. She looked back inside.
"huh... no no no. I just came to see a frie... uh... someone." She muttered.
"okay. Please sign." He gave her a note.
Huh? Just like that?
She took the note and signed. He gave her a receipt and the carton of pizza.
"thanks."
"Don't mention." He said. She smiled and looked away.
What should she say next... uuuuuuuhhhhh....
"do you need me to come set the table?" she heard his voice. she stared at him at once.
he raised a brow... sarcastically she thinks.
"Huh?" she chuckled and waved her free hand briefly.
"no... no."
He finally smiled. They was silence for a short while.
"so uh..."
They both broke it at once. She smiled at that.
That was so cool.
"Go first." He told her. She nodded.
"we talked about... uh." She stared down at the pizza and then back at him.
"we talked about you coming over to read my books the other day."
"oh."
"did you forget?"
"uh..."
"eh... If you think It's inappropriate to come to my house, w... we can just hang out somewhere." She said. He smiled briefly.
"I haven't gotten an off these days."
"okay... when you are..." she suddenly felt something go round her waist. It was someone's hand.
She froze. What was going on?
"when he is what?" the soft breath in her ear. God! It was... Alec.
What was he... what was he...
"wha... what..."
"what? My girlfriend is shy.
Aha.
I was just wondering, what's taking you so long?" he asked and kissed her nape.
She froze.
Jeez! Jeez! Jeez! What was Alec doing?
The heck.
Rick turned to go immediately.
"eh... delivery guy, wait." Alec said. He halted and turned back to them.
"she hasn't finished what she was saying to you.
Babe... come on." He said and massaging her waist with his fingers.
Rick didn't even stare at any intimidating stuff he was doing to her.
"... I already know." He muttered. And without further ado, he started leaving.
Alec scoffed withdrawing his hand from her waist. He grabbed her arm and pulled her inside.
"what are you doing? What are you doooing?
Let... let me go!" the impact of her back hitting the wall could be felt on her last word.
She held the pizza with her both hands tightly.
"what is your shit!"
"you were flirting with a delivery guy?" he snapped. She took in a deep breath.
She was pretty sure bruises would appear on her again. Ugh! She tried to hard to always get rid of them.
But before one heals, another comes. So stressful.
"are you listening to me!
Why were you flirting with the delivery guy?" he asked. She scoffed. He was sounding possesive.
My gosh! Soooo annoying!
"I wasn't flirting with him okay... Even if I was, It's none of your goddamn business."
He covered the distance between them placing his right hand on the wall, a bit above her head.
"did you not hear me say I.... Like... You." He gritted.
Her brow furrowed in surprise. What a joke.
"i listened to you say you like me isn't me saying yes.
I never said yes."
"I don't care.
Gracie I've liked you since the first day I heard you talk.
You're brilliant, smart, intelligent. Just what I want in a woman.
So I'm telling you now.
Besides, what can a delivery guy give you huh?
I can give you anything you like. You hear that?
I think you're wise." He said.
She was silent just staring at him.
Any more second she spends with him, she might just fall sick.
But she was in his house, she had to be cautious of what she says to him.
She just silently stared at him.
His eyes suddenly went to her lips... Maybe he was feeling remorseful already for yelling at her.
"y-your lips' dry." He muttered.
Was that it?
She was gonna touch her lips if not for the pizza in her hand.
"let me. Wet it for you."
She scowled at him. What does that mean? "what are you..."
He raised his other hand to her face and brushed his thumb against her lower lip.
What was he doing?
And just when she opened her mouth to talk again, he brushed his lips against hers.
Her grip tightened on the pizza.
His eyes were opened watching her, and so was she.
It was damn awkward.
He smirked and closed his eyes moving his lips on hers.
Jeez... what was he doiiiiing?
How was she gonna stop him with pizza in hand?
She tried turning her face away but he held her head properly against the wall and kissed her to his satisfaction.
She finally gave up the fight.
After a few seconds, he stopped.
She frowned and stepped on his foot.
"you pervert!"
He didn't even seem to feel anything.
"do you know that if I wasn't a friend, this could be counted as a sexual harassment!" she said.
He smiled.
"so because you are a friend, it doesn't count?" he raised a brow and nodded lightly. Then he did the unthinkable.
He placed his hand on her chest and squeezed her left boob.
She gasped and tried to squirm away from him.
"Alec stop! stop it!" she yelled.
"so, does this count?"
She was so done. She let the pizza fall and pushed him away so hard.
He suddenly had this look and she wondered what he was up to now.
She had to leave! He is a pervert!
"I... can't breath." He muttered.
"I don't care." She walked to the door and pressed the button.
It opened and she walked out of it.
Damn it!
*
She virtually left everything she came with at his place.
She'd have to walk home for sure, no bag, no phone, she couldn't order a cab.
No money at hand to even board a cab.
Damn that dude! She hope he dies of suffocation.
As she she walked to wherever she came from, she swung her hand here and there unconsciously.
Every time she tries to forget what just happens, she just couldn't.
It keeps replaying.
If Emma hears this, She's gonna ask her why she didn't play along and get rid of that v card.
But it took her his long to now realise that Emma was so full of cheap crap.
Ugh!
They weren't alike the least, so she better stops listening to her.
She did they right thing by leaving.
An idea suddenly struck her..when she gets to the high way, She's gonna board a cab to her mum's eatery.
When she gets there, She's gonna take money from her mum to pay.
She sighed and quickened her pace.
A while later as she walked, the sound of a bike could be heard faintly on the lonely road.
But soon, the sound was just almost close behind her.
She turned back. Maybe the person could give her a ride to the high way.
But the person was putting on exactly... exactly what Andre wore when he came a while ago.
It was him. Her saviour.
Ohhhhhawwwwwwn!
She had faith that something could come up before she gets to the high way.
But what was he still doing in this area. Shouldn't he have gone a while ago?
She jumped into the middle of road.
When he came closer to her, he halted the bike.
She sighed in relief.
He took off the helmet. It was really him.
He looked a bit surprised to see her.
She hurried to his side immediately.
"thank God It's you." She muttered and pouted pitifully.
"what are you doing here?" he asked.
"I... i..."
Oh no... she can't tell him about that Alec guy.
She cant!
"uhhhh... I.. just wanna get something from the high way." She said.
"and... you're...?" he briefly nodded negatively showing that he didn't buy that.
Uh... of course, who would??
"you're walking to the high way, couldn't order a cab?
You boy friend, doesn't have a car?"
"what... no." She moved closer to him more.
"... I mean he isn't my boyfriend.
If I had a boyfriend, I would never have thought about hanging out with you!" she said.
He was silent for a while. Maybe he didn't believe her.
"I just met you, but I know you ain't a flirt." He said. She bit her lip smiling.
Awwwn!
"I'll drop you at the high way then. Hop on." He said giving her another helmet.
Huh? Won't he ask her the reason why she was walking to the high way? since he didn't buy what she earlier said.
Or he just doesn't care? Tiss!
She took the helmet from him.
She walked behind him and got on the sit behind him.
"uh... what are you still doing here.
Shouldn't you have left a while ago?" she asked wearing the helmet.
"uh... in this area, I had a couple of deliveries aside yours." He said. She nodded.
"mn. You're working hard" she muttered.
He started the bike again. She took in a deep breath.
She hadn't always liked bike riding, but this would do.
She's just gonna hold on to him.
*
She placed her hand on his shirt collar and held on to it.
He scoff. What's she doing?
"you are going to choke me that way." He muttered.
"oh... I can manage" she said.
Oh well, it wasn't about her.
"If you keep this up, we'll both die then." He muttered.
"are you afraid to die?" she asked. He was silent for a while.
What kind of question was that?
"I'm not scared, but I don't want to die yet."
"what is the difference?" she muttered with a chuckle.
He started driving without reply.
Actually, he really isn't afraid to die but... now just wasn't his time.
He still had a lot of things to archive before dying.
"answer me?" she whispered.
"you know what, thinking about it now, there is no difference.
My bad." He muttered.
Just when he thought she was gonna stop talking.
"fine... I'm going to hold you now.
You said to it yourself." She said. He didn't reply.
She took her hands off his neck and... Maybe hesitantly let them pass under his arms.
She held on to his waist.
TBC