Intrigue

Chapter 23

Chapter - Malcolm's POV

The week and a half that followed the first time Sean and I went on a date the first time passed by in a blur, partially because I spent most of my time feeling anxious, or angry at him. We'd managed to resolve our issues, and both of us could see that we were in the wrong. Sean seemed to be keeping more of his distance since the day we had made up, whilst at the garage where I worked. I was meant to be meeting him on Monday, his turn to take me out to make up for what he'd done, according to him. I was going to tell him that I was aware that I'd overreacted slightly, but left him to it. I'd tell him on Monday.

He messaged me first thing on Monday morning, at 7am. I was awake, since I had to go to a lecture at 9am, but was still laying in bed.

Good morning, my lovely. Shall I pick you up at 7:30 this evening?

I smiled at the text. Good morning. Anytime is fine with me, I'm all yours, I answered.

He answered immediately, Yes, you are, and ditto.

I looked at the message in confusion. It was stuff like this which made me all confused about Sean. One moment he'd say something like this, and the next he would disassociate himself from any kind of relationship we had. It was confusing and frustrating, but I couldn't bring myself to ask him about it again, or to actually make the decision to stop seeing him.

When he realised I wasn't going to reply, Sean messaged again. So, 7:30pm next to your house, sweetheart. I'll pick you up xxx

Thank you, see you then, I answered, as if to compensate for his use of the word 'sweetheart' and the kisses he'd sent.

Have a good day at uni. P.S., it won't hurt for you to send me a kiss every once in a while. He added a wink at the end.

I chuckled in spite of my frustration. I prefer to show affection physically than via text message.

Is that a promise? Sean asked.

Yes, I answered. I got up to start preparing for the lecture. My phone vibrated once again and I glanced at it.

Cannot wait xxx

I exhaled in a mixture of anticipation and nervousness for the upcoming evening, and didn't bother replying. I walked to the kitchen, where I found Ella sitting at the table before her lessons began. I said hello, and went off to university soon after. Since the start time for lectures was at 9am, I knew the classroom would be free, and so, at 8:30am I was already sitting in my usual chair, waiting for the time to pass. I heard the door creak open minutes later, and I looked up from my laptop. Alice was standing at the door, looking at me almost sheepishly. I hadn't seen her since that evening at the pub. I smiled at her. She smiled back, almost reluctantly.

"Good morning," I said to her. She walked in and sat down next to me, taking in my blue sweater and dark jeans. She was wearing a hoodie and ripped jeans, and her hair was curly and all over the place like it usually is.

"Hey," she said to me, looking at me warily. "Are you okay?"

I hadn't told her I'd made up with Sean. I'd only spoken to her after I'd left the bar in shock, and only because she herself had called and messaged me. I wasn't angry at her, not at all, but it was embarrassing that I'd brought a date to a night out and left after having a fight with him forty minutes later.

"I'm okay," I answered.

She studied my face for any information. "And did you speak to..." she trailed off, as if not sure whether she should say his name or not.

"Yeah. It's fine," I replied to her.

"And did you make up?" she continued inquiring, obviously worried.

"Yeah, after a fight. Sorry, I should have told you," I said.

Alice exhaled in relief, and stood up to hug me. I didn't move from my seat. "I'm so glad," she told me. She stopped mid-hug. "I got so worried about all of it. I didn't know how I could help."

"It's okay, Alice," I hugged her back, and she sat down. "It turns out I overreacted a bit. And Sean ended up apologising properly."

She laughed now. "I bet," she answered me, giving me a suggestive wink which I ignored. Her face straightened. "I'm sorry, Malcolm. I don't want you to think that I instigated something myself that night."

I scoffed. "I know that. I never once blamed you. My opinion is that Sean was still flirting with you, even if it was just a bit," I said. It was something he himself had admitted to, but which I shouldn't let affect me.

Alice narrowed her eyes in confusion. "I don't know. Maybe." She sighed as she looked at me. "Is this going to be a problem? That he's bi, not gay?"

I looked back at her thoughtfully. "I don't know, I hope not. I need to learn to trust him," I said. "But what's there to trust, if I know that we're not exclusive? We're not a couple. So what's even the point?"

"I think you need to speak to him about this. Do you know if he's seeing anyone else?" Alice asked.

I shook my head. "He says he isn't. He keeps on hinting that he's not afraid of committing... this morning he even said that he's all mine... but then he says that he needs more time and that he doesn't think we should discuss about us being a couple from now." I exhaled, relieved that I was finally venting my frustration.

Alice watched me, biting her fingernails. "I got that feeling when I spoke to him too. But he also made it obvious that he's very much into you. I don't think it's casual for him," she said, and I looked at her curiously, wondering what he'd said to her.

"I know he's into me. The chemistry is amazing," I told her, and she raised her eyebrow. "What?" I asked.

"I mean, I could tell that the two of you were very much into each other when I saw you together at the bar. And I thought that if I hadn't known you were gay before, I definitely did then."

I felt a blush creep to my cheeks at the memory of Alice seeing Sean and I in a full-on kiss when she arrived at the bar. Yet in spite of my embarrassment, I laughed and said, "Oh, that's actually nothing."

Alice laughed and opened her mouth to reply, when another student walked in. She smiled briefly at me and turned back to me. "I don't think I want to know what you do under the sheets, Malcolm," she whispered.

I laughed as well, the disconcerting moment gone. "If you must know, it's not just under the sheets," I whispered back to her. Her eyes widened.

"I don't want to know! Anyway, speak to him. He adores you," she said in a low voice, and turned her attention to her laptop, as two more students filed in.