The whole class was silent, except for the rhythmic tick-tock of the clock. I re-read my paper for the fifth time. It was okay.
I turned to look at the others, most of them were still writing, we had ten more minutes till the class ended and I still haven't been able to talk to Xavier.
I'll meet him immediately the class ended,
but what if he disappears like he always does.
I can't take the chance...
" Xavier.." I tried whispering but of course he didn't answer.
"Xavier Asshole Cage, I know you can hear me." I whispered and saw the corner of his lips raise in a half smile, he still didn't answer me.
" He can hear you. He just doesn't wanna answer." Frida Alonzo whispers, she was seated between me and Xavier.
I rolled my eyes.
*****
After Mrs fisher dismissed us, i decided to follow him.
" Wait," I called and he stops.
Wow ok.
" Let's not talk here." He says, turning to face me.
" Um... okay?"
" 6:40, behind the cafeteria, don't be late, Miss Millers." He says, his eyes scanning my face and lingering a bit on my lips.
" Okay." I said and he snapped back to reality.
" Fuck!" He cursed before turning to leave.
6:40?
That was immediately after dinner.
Great.
Ninety minutes later, I was on my way to.... behind the cafeteria.
" Good luck." Sid says, she had escorted me downstairs.
" Thanks." I replied, walking away.
For some reason, it felt like someone was watching me but when I turned to check, I didn't find anything unusual.
As I walked through the gates and approached the cafeteria, I sighted Tyler Banks talking to someone that kinda looks familiar... curious, I walked closer and,
" Hi Paris!" I greeted, it was Paris Johnson.
" Oh hey, Coco." She smiled.
Tyler's face was red, he was blushing.
" W..wats up Cocs." He says, shyly.
" Tyler. I didn't know you knew Paris." I say.
" Pookie bear, I thought you told her?" Paris said to Tyler.
Pookie bear?!
" We..we just met! Yesterday, I didn't.." Tyler said
I tried to hold back a laugh.
Paris just looked between me and Tyler, confused.
" Well, I'll leave you guys to it. Bye." I waved at both of them and left with a chuckle.
How cute!
As I neared the cafeteria the feeling got stronger, I turned again, nothing. Maybe I'm just imagining things.
I reached the back but couldn't find Xavier.
It was already thirty past seven.
The sun had set and darkness took over, chill breeze blowing gently.
Fuck this, fuck him, I'm not going to wait all night.
Suddenly, I heard the creak of a twig followed by the all too familiar scent of....him.
" Finally, the great Xavier Cage decides to grace me with his presence, WOW." I exclaimed, turned back, and faced him, he looked rough.
With his back leaning against the wall and an almost finished cigarette in his left hand, he stood.
His clothes were wrinkled and a little messy, his hair disheveled.
Was he okay? Did he get hurt? He doesn't look like he's hurt..
" Talk." He simply said, his voice very husky and his eyes not leaving mine.
I chuckled, " of course, I wasn't expecting an apology." I mumbled.
" I was....busy." he says and my mind immediately conjured up different scenarios of what kept him busy, all of them involving another girl.
I cringed.
" I don't have all night, miss Millers." He said.
Right
" Were you the one who....who deleted the video? I mean....it seems you're the one but.....well since you're the only one who knew about it and now....I just...I'm not sure but if—"
" I did it." He says, cutting off my rambling. He threw the now exhausted cigarette on the ground.
" You did?" I asked, I was grateful, but now the question was,
" Why?."
" Why?" He asks me back.
" I- I mean thank you. But why?" I asked again.
He chuckled softly, his voice resonating all around me and i felt my heart skip.
" You're....a strange little girl, aren't you." He says.
I'm not little!
" Cut it out, Xavier. You hate me. You absolutely detest my very existence, you said so yourself." I said, my eyes stung with tears that threatened to spill.
Why TF does what he thinks about me bother me so much?
" I did say that." He says, his fists clenched.
" Then..why would you help me?." I asked.
" Hmmm.. maybe I want something in return." He said.
Yep. There it is.
" What do you want?"
" Be my girlfriend." He says.
WHAT?!
" What?!" I shouted, shocked, I did not see that coming.
***
I should be ecstatic, over the moon, overjoyed and yeah maybe a teeny little part of me was but.
I hated him, right?.
"I'm sorry, did I hear you wrong?." I asked.
" I wouldn't be surprised if you did, little girl, you're quite—"
" Okay, one, don't you dare finish that sentence and, two, I am not little!" I say, stomping my feet a bit.
He smirked,
" you are."
"I would not date your ass Xavier even if you were the last person on earth. " I said.
"Hold on. What do you think I mean, miss Millers?." He says, bending a little so his head was the same level as mine.
"What do you mean what do I think you mean, what do you mean?." Maybe he was shocked that I was refusing, he had the whole Mt olives throwing themselves at him this must be a first.
" I'm not really asking you to be my girlfriend. I don't do relationships." He says.
"With your sweet and charming personality? Shocker!" I said with a smile. He just blinks, confused, doesn't he get the joke?
" You're going to act as my girlfriend in front of people." He spoke.
" I'm not going to do that." I say
" You will."
" No, I won't."
" You don't have a fucking say in this, little girl. You owe me." He said.
I looked away. I can't do this..
" How sure am I that the whole thing is gone." I ask, kicking a little pebble with my foot.
" You have my word, and she won't bother you again." He says.
" She better not." I say, looking up at him he tilted his head a bit.
" Like I'll believe anything you say." I snorted.
" Well, that's up to you. " He answered with a shrug.
" How long? " I ask.
" Three weeks tops. "
" Tops?! "
" Fine, two weeks." He says.
" Why are you even doing this in the first place? " I ask.
" Thats none of your business. " He says.
" Uh..if I'm going to be your pretend girlfriend, I think it's very much my business." I said.
He thought for a while before saying,
" Maybe I want to make someone jealous."
Classic.
He looked at me, expecting an answer.
" I have my conditions." I spoke.
" Great, we'll talk about everything tomorrow." He says, standing straight from the wall he'd been leaning on.
" This is really happening..." I mumbled as he walked away, his figure becoming smaller and smaller until it gets lost in the darkness.
" I can't believe I agreed to that." I say to myself.
*********
" It's really simple when you get the hang of it," Paris tried to explain the topic to me as we walked back to our dorm that evening after Mr Pierce's class.
" Easy for you to say, you're not the one who has to work the whole topic in one week." I say.
" Fair." She laughed.
" So, you and Tyler.." I just had to ask.
" What about us." She smiled shyly.
" Oh my gosh, Paris Johnson, are you blushing?" I asked, covering my mouth.
" I'm not... he's cute and all, so.." she said, softly.
" Okay, girl." I said folding my arms.
" Yasssss.. and don't get me started on the sex..oh my goddddd.." she says, putting an arm around my neck.
" Nope. I do not wanna hear it." I said, closing my ears.
" Like, gawwwd..my boy Tyler ain't playing. Last night, we..."
" Lalaalalalala." I started chanting, she laughed loudly.