Chapter Twenty

Amaryllis Lexington

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"I had no idea you would be coming." I said after I got over my winking fantasies and he shrugged, pulling out his phone and airpods.

"I didn't want to, then I realized someone would be really sad and lonely if I didn't. I'm very considerate." Yeah, right. At least he wasn't mad at me and that made me really relieved. I hated apologies, either receiving them or offering them.

"Whoever that is must have a pretty difficult life. How can someone's option of companionship be you? Tragic." I knew he was referring to me, but I wouldn't be Amaryllis if I let that slide. He turned to face me, one of his brows raised. How could he do that so flawlessly? Sometimes, I still raise both brows in an attempt to raise one and I always end up looking like a joke.

"Hmm. Pray tell who you would have talked to on this camping trip. Maya who hates you? Allison who wants a truck to run you over? Maya's friends who stopped talking to you as soon as Maya ordered them to? Let's face it, darling, I'm your only option." The fact that he was actually right made angry and sad. Back in Halloway, I had my circle and I kept it as tight as possible. I was never in a situation where I wouldn't have anyone to talk to even if Rosa and Jade weren't in attendance.

"I happen to have my own friends, you know? Thank God for technology. I can call or facetime my friends wherever I get lonely." Good defence, Amaryllis. Sometimes you say reasonable stuff. He smiled, moving closer to me in a very disturbing manner.

"Amaryllis, physical contact beats any other form of communication any time and day. Some days, you don't need a friend because you want to talk but because you just want to be able to feel them around you." His voice was low and thick and it did bad things to my brain. I wanted to say something but nothing came out of my mouth.

"So, tell me, Amaryllis. Who would you have hung out with?" Finally regaining a little bit of my common sense, I pushed him away from me just enough to get some breathing and thinking space.

"I would have found someone. Your friends and I were starting to get really familiar with one another, you know. I managed to find out you guys are alike in a lot of ways, especially in the sensibility aspect. Y'all fall short." I said, sticking out my tongue and the idiot tried to pinch it again! What's it with pinching people's tongues?

"Yeah right. You can only hang out with my friends because they are my friends. You can't seem to take me away from the equation." I wonder how his head fits into his shirt with that size of ego. I was about to say something when his Korean friend cut in from behind. Rude much?

"Carl, who do you think Jennifer would go out with between David and I?" Seriously? Boys ask themselves this? Soon enough, all the boys had their heads in our space, trying to hold on to every word that fell from Carlson's mouth.

"Really, Lee? We both know it's David. This idiot has a way of getting all the girls." Carlson said and slapped the friend sitting on our row at the back of the head, and I assumed he was David. Who, in their right mind, would go out with him? I mean, he's gorgeous and all, but he has nothing but bubbles in his head.

"Actually, I think you're a little late to the party. I took her out on a date last night." David smirked and Lee collapsed in his chair, mock pain evident on his face. It was actually fun to watch how carefree their lives were as they all laughed at the misery of their friends. I found myself, once again, comparing boys' friendships with girls. Best believe, you won't see the light of day should you dare to go on a date with a boy your friend likes. All I did was offer Carlson a hug and I lost a sister.  What travesty!

"You should be burnt at a stake." I found myself saying and the boys laughed. That moment didn't pass without David doing a happy dance and the bus chose that moment to jerk forward causing him to lose his balance and fall face flat.

"That's what you get when you chase ladies that are off limits." One of the nameless five-O said and we all laughed. I guess God must have took a great deal of pity on me by making me seat with this people. I had to admit they were kinda fun.

"How did you get that to happen? Jennifer doesn't even respond to my texts! I even tried using a pick up line on her but she totally ignored me." Lee said and we all laughed. I felt his pain and it made me happy. Call me evil.

"Pick up lines are so nineteen-eighties. If you want to get a girl's attention, buy her food. Rule number on Amaryllis dating guide." Carlson gave me that 'you good for nothing' look and I shrugged. I'm unashamedly addicted to food and anyone who buys me food. It's a bonus if I find you attractive.

"Little wonder you've been chasing me around and staring at me with heart eyes ever since I put some chocolate in your locker. With the amount of chocolate I've gotten you, I'm starting to wonder why we aren't married right now." Say what now? He assaulted me with food. How can you assault a lady with something so sacred?

"I can give you three solid reasons why we aren't and why we would never even if you bought me all of Taco Bell and McDonald's put together." I retorted and his friends went all 'Oooohhh'.  My kind of people, y'all.

"I'm all yours. Oops, I meant all ears." He said and winked. Shut up, you stupid galloping heart of mine. Do not be tempted by this deceptive action.

"Firstly, you did not buy me food, you brutalized me with food. Secondly, you are totally not my type, and lastly, I don't think people like you end up getting married 'cause God is far too kind to allow anyone else end up with you." Mic. Drop! His friends howled in laughter and I felt the spotlight fall on me. Why, thank you everyone. Autographs will be given after the awards.

"Of course, I'm not your type, Lexington. I'm far too much of a dream for you." There goes his overbearing ego. His friends laughed and teased him for a bit, praising me and rapidly making me hate them less.

Soon, the conversations died out as everyone started fiddling with their phones. I couldn't text any of my friends because they would be in class, so I just alternated between playing choices and episodes till I had no keys left. I debated between buying some keys, then I decided against it. I would rather spend my money on food than on games, even though I had more money than I knew what to do with it. Not to be proud or anything.

"Guys." Jayden broke the silence around us, but I think I was the only one who heard him because others were using earphones. So he went ahead and smacked them all on the head.

"What's your problem, Jay?" That accent made a mini orchestra play in my head. It's like his accent gets better every time he talks and unfortunately, British accents are my weakness!

"I need your help. What does a girl mean when she responds your text with ellipses?" They all looked confused. Heck, even I was confused.

"Ask David. He's the girl expert." Lee said with a dark undertone that made us all chuckle. Poor boy isn't over the fact that he lost to David. David took the phone from Lee and his former confused look became even more confused, then his eyes landed on me.

"She's a girl. Ask her." David said and Carlson burst into laughter. He laughed so hard, I became utterly confused. No one said something remotely funny. His friends started to look really concerned.

"Are you alright, man?" Their nameless friend said and Carlson nodded, trying to catch his breath. When his gaze met mine, he burst into another fit of laughter and I felt a murderous urge. I knew he was laughing at me and that just made me want to remove his teeth and eyeballs.

"A girl? Amaryllis, a girl? Well, she facially looks like one, but everything else? Nah. I bet she doesn't even understand what it means to text another gender." That's it. I'm killing him. I lunged for him and grabbed him by the neck, causing a little scene.

"Aren't you such a desperate little darling? If you wanted to touch me that bad, all you had to do was ask." My grip on his neck tightened, but it wasn't tight enough to actually hinder his oxygen supply.

"I'm going to kill you, Hawthrone, and nothing will happen." If he felt endangered or threatened, he didn't show. Actually, the smirk on his face told he was enjoying this far too much, so I let him go. It wasn't until I let him go that I saw that people had actually been taking pictures and shooting videos of us. I glared at them and they pocketed their phones.

"Why'd you stop? I was actually enjoying the feel of your hands." The sadomasochistic idiot grinned and I shook my head, trying to calm myself and refrain from jumping him again.

"You know, sometimes I wonder why some people are just annoying and irritating, then I realized that not everyone can be born awesome. We've got to have people like you watching from the sidelines and wishing you had just a little bit of the wisdom we have." His widened in the slightest bit, but he regained composure quickly.

"I don't mind watching you from the sidelines, Amari. You're quite the sight, y'know." And there goes my heart. I could barely contain the beat of my heart and I was scared he would be able to hear just how fast it was beating.

"A very pathetic sight." Of course, he wouldn't be Carlson Hawthorne if he didn't ruin beautiful moments.