"Are you sure you don't want me to take you to the medical room? I can stay behind for a while."
I shook my head at Luke letting him know that I was completely fine and he can go back to take his classes. I slung my arms around Evie's shoulders and made a proud face,
"I have my best friend taking care of me so you really don't have to worry."
Luke looked unsure before he sighed and nodded his head at me finally hugging me before saying a quick goodbye. As soon as he was out I looked at Evie smiling at her.
She looked a little mad as she said, "You had such a great opportunity to spend time with Luke, why would you ditch him?"
"I just didn't want him to be late because of me."
She rolled her eyes, "Why do you have to be such a saint?"
I laughed at her reaction.
I am not being a saint. I am just feeling....happy? Because Xavier just did something for me. With me. He ate his lunch with me on the floor. Surely it was silent. Neither of us felt comfortable enough to make a conversation in front of our dates but still it felt good. He didn't talk much but atleast he sat there with me in front of our dates.
I wonder what is going on in his mind?
Suddenly being so concerned and caring towards me. I wanted to know what is running in his mind. I wasn't lying when I said that Xavier confuses me. I meant exactly these things he says and do to confuse me. But it doesn't really matter now...not until he is still dating Olivia.
Even though Olivia is good and kind towards me and everyone else I just can't get myself to be the same towards her. I can't get myself to like her no matter what. Cause in the end it was my man she was hanging around with. And no matter what I can't shake it off that even though she took a stand for me that day she was there too. If she really cared for me that much why would she be there to give the auditions? Man, why didn't I think of it before?
"I'll take her." Someone said from behind us.
With Evie's help we both turned around to find Xavier standing there. The cafeteria was almost empty since everyone had classes to go to. The guys left too after assuring them that I was alright. That Evie was enough to help me out. That it wasn't so bad afterall.
But maybe not everyone left.
He came towards us and taking my arms away from Evie's he wrapped them around his shoulders. Almost all of my weight was on him as he wrapped his hands around my waist to keep me supported. He was bending a little due to our height differences.
I couldn't help but snap my eyes up to find him already looking down at me. His hazel eyes were looking at me the way they never have. I felt myself gulp before averting them and trying to take my weight off him by stepping away from him. He only tightened his grip as he brought me closer.
"Liya?" Evie looked at me in a questioning way. I knew what she meant. She was asking me if I wanted her to leave me with Xavier.
Xavier answered her, "I have to have a talk with her."
But it was Evie we are talking about. She shushed him and again looked at me for an answer. I could feel Xavier breathing heavily beside me. I felt like laughing at his reaction but I controlled myself. I looked at her nodding my head letting her know that it'll be fine.
She nodded back before once again giving Xavier a look,"You better be on your good behaviour or else watch your back."
Once she was gone I felt Xavier letting out a deep breath he was holding, "Has she been this scary from the start?"
I laughed shaking my head.
"Come on. Let's get you to the medical room." Xavier said in a deep voice as he helped me walk.
I giggled. I don't know what was funnier? That Xavier was walking slower than me because he was bending down a little or that I was ready to walk faster even though I was the one with a sprained ankle.
Xavier noticed it too because he mumbled something under his breath before rising up to his full height and picking me up in a bridal style.
"What are you doing? Put me down!" I said with my eyes wide.
"What? I told you I was taking you to the medical room, didn't I?" He said innocently.
"You never mentioned carrying me like this!"
He rolled his eyes, "Come on, I am too tall for you. It will take us an eternity that way. But like this? We'll reach their in time."
I opened my mouth to argue but closed it because he was right. If I want to just get away from this as soon as possible it was better this way.
"What about Olivia?" I couldn't help but be concerned.
"What about her?" He asked looking straight ahead as he carried me down the corridors. People were still getting to their classes as they stopped to look at us.
Why are we the centre of attention all the time?
"What will she think if she saw us like this?" I answered his previous question.
He still looked ahead as he walked. His eyes squinted a little as he thought of something to say, "Nothing."
"What do you mean nothing? She is your girlfriend Xavier." I said looking at him a little unbelievably.
He clenched his jaw making his jawline seem sharper, "She is. But I have my own priorities Liya."
I fell quiet as soon as he said those words. Priorities he say? Am I his priority? Since when did he consider me a priority?
I tightened my arms around the back of his neck as he continued walking. Slower than before. But taking long strides. I was serious when I said I wanted to know what was going on in Xavier's mind. And right now, all he was doing and saying was making it difficult for me to not ask.
I didn't look him in the eyes as I said, "A certain incident told me you didn't care for me."
I could feel his eyes on me as I tried to look in the front and not him. He was silent for a while before I heard him stifling a laugh. I snapped my head at him with my mouth gape open,
"What?" I asked.
He tried to control his smile as he looked down at me. His eyes a little soft at the corner. If possible I swear I could see some adoration too. But I want to believe that it was hallucination. I am not giving myself any false hope,
"I finally found out one thing you don't know about me." He said going back to look in the front satisfied.
"What? What is it?" I asked.
He looked down at me smirking, "You can't tell when I am lying."
"That is not true! I know when you are lying... Your ears turn red." I said getting loud to make a point.
He tilted head to one side before stopping outside the medical room. He seemed confused and unsure as he said, "No they don't."
"Yes they do."
"They do?"
"Yeah."
He looked around at the closed door but didn't make so much as a move to go inside yet.
"Then I wonder why you couldn tell that I was lying." He said softly.
I felt the air leave my lungs as I looked at him. The coldness in his eyes was still there but it was warmer than before. And in that moment he seemed more beautiful to me than Luke.
He said he was lying. He lied that he didn't care about me. Why didn't I notice? Was I too far away from him? I don't know. But I could tell that he was telling the truth right now. Because I was close enough to him to look at his ears not turning red.
"You care?" I asked just in case.
"Why would I be here?" He replied smilingly.
I felt like running away from him and pinch myself hard. I couldn't believe this was the Xavier I knew. The same stone, cold hearted Xavier who never gave me so much as a smile. But here he was not only smiling but telling me that he cares for me!
For how long have I waited for this day!
I wanted him to say more. I wanted to listen to him speak but we were cut short when the grey metallic door to our side opened and there stood the man in his early 30's looking at the both of us with sharp eyes.
He shook his head murmuring something incoherently under his breath, "This isn't a place for your makeout session."
I couldn't help but choke onto my own saliva at his words.
"We just came here to get her some relief spray." Xavier said making his way towards the room.
The man looked at the both of us skeptically before stepping a little aside giving the both of us some room to enter.
"What happened?" He asked entering behind us as Xavier put me down on one of the beds which was covered in white sheets.
"She twisted her ankle." Xavier replied for me.
The doctor nodded his head before coming and inspecting my ankle which was resting on the other side of the bed. He did the same thing as Luke before he heard me scream in pain. He went back to his table which was in the corner and took out a bottle from the basket that was sitting on top of the table.
"It's not that bad." He said softly while uncapping it and spraying my ankle, "You'll be good to walk by tomorrow I think. At the max two days."
"Tomorrow? I thought you said it wasn't that bad." Xavier shook his head in denial.
The doctor looked at me, "Who is he? Am I supposed to answer him?"
I couldn't help but laugh as Xavier looked infuriated to hear that, "Yes, you are supposed to answer me. I am the one who brought her here."
The doctor sighed at Xavier's rambling and turned his head finally, "It takes weeks...even months to heal a sprained ankle. Tomorrow is nothing in front of that. You should be glad it's not that bad."
Xavier kept quiet before nodding his head at him. The doctor turned to look at me, "You can rest here until the school ends." I smiled gratefully at him. He cleared his throat, "if you don't mind...I'll be back in a few minutes."
I told him that it was fine so he went out closing the door behind him. I looked at Xavier who still stood there looking at the closed door before turning to me again,
"You can leave too. I'll be fine." I reassured him.
He put his hands in his pockets as he came and stood in front of me, "I'll stay."
"You don't have to."
He shrugged his shoulder before coming and sitting beside me as I removed my legs from the bed and let them dangle in the air. As we both sat there side by side I couldn't help but think...is it really because of my sprained ankle that Xavier is acting this way? Or is it because of Luke? I really don't know the reason for him reacting this way.
I felt comfortable as I let my feet dangle in the air. I felt warm with Xavier beside me. I wonder how he feels with me?
I remembered something as I glanced sideways, "You wanted to talk." I said remembering him telling Evie.
He sighed looking down, "Yeah."
I looked down and tried to see what he was looking at, "What is it?"
He kept shuffling his legs, "I was thinking,"
He fell silent before turning his head towards me. I looked at him in a questioning way wanting him to go on further. He breathed out through his mouth before closing his eyes,
"Since we both are dating. I don't think it is right for us to fight anymore...Let's try to get along."
As soon as he finished he opened his eyes to look at me expectantly. I stared at him. Not doing anything. Not even breathing. Because I felt like laughing at his words which said... it is not right for us to fight anymore.
Like I was the one who fought with him? I was the one who kept pushing him back until making him give up on me? It was all him. He was the one who picked up the fights and not me.
And let's try to get along? Why didn't he try that when we didn't have this deal?
But it was still a progress, wasn't it? Rather than yelling at each other, glaring at each other all the time. He would finally see me as a normal person for once. Maybe for once he won't feel the need to have feelings for me because of the contract. It would be all natural. Even if it is for Olivia.
"Sure." I replied to him playing with the end of my top.
"Let's give it a month. Either I fall for Olivia or you fall for Luke." He said loud enough for only me to hear.
"Or we both fall for each other." I completed the rest of his sentence when he didn't.
He ran his hazel eyes down my face to my lips before nodding his head, "Or we both fall for each other. Either way. Just one month."
___