CONFLICTED

Chapter 52| Fanboy

ah, my head hurts.

"No, I haven't." I told him in distress. "I... I'm still thinking about it."

"Hurry up and make a decision. The 'right' decision. I'll be back on Friday so we can talk better."

I nodded even though he couldn't see me and he hung up after saying goodbye. I suddenly thought of Tracy and the kiss we shared. Somehow, her face got replaced with Anna's and she was looking pale and shocked that I would release the video to hurt her. I spent three months moving on from what I did. It now occured to me that I was back to where I started the minute Anna regained consciousness.

"I'm fucked." I whispered to myself and very much meant it.

____________

Annabelle

"Sure. It's a free world, ain't it?" I remarked with a warm smile.

He smiled too, showing his upper dentition and placed the tray on the table before gently lowering himself on the seat and left his crutch resting against the table. His right leg was covered in a cast, I noticed.

There were several empty seats available so he must want to keep me company. He had a cool dark complexion that was appealing to the eyes and long eyelashes that got me envious. Everything about him was enthralling and he had a somewhat gentle look that reminded me of a calm sea.

"Um," he started uneasily, "you're not eating?"

"Oh, nurse–" shit, I don't know her name. "a nurse has gone to get me food. I'm just waiting on her."

He exhaled in relief and pushed his tray to the side. "I'll wait for yours to arrive then."

weirdo. I hoped he's not here to flirt.

Perhaps, I shouldn't have invited him to a seat. I was only trying to be polite and I certainly wasn't looking forward to some small talk with a stranger, goodlooking or not. When I looked his way again, he was blatantly staring at me. I saw the bottle of drink on his tray and stopped myself from breaking it on his head. I was really trying my best to turn a new leaf.

"Anything the problem?" I forced through my clenched teeth and he seemed to catch up on his act because he looked down on the table.

"Sorry."

that's what I thought.

The cafe was too scanty and quiet. A man in the balcony was making a muffled phone call and there were two other people, one occupied with her phone and the other occasionally stopping what he was doing on his tab to take a sip from his drink.

"I just can't help feeling that I know you from somewhere." he piped again.

"Well," I sniggered, "I don't know you from anywhere so..."

so try something else, creep.

"Maybe it's a mix-up. I just thought I've seen you somewhere before... Never mind. By the way, my name's Bassey."

With a big smile, he extended his hand and I looked at it warily. He wasn't expecting me to touch that... thing, was he? At the look of disgust I gave it, he slowly took his hand back and I heaved a sigh of relief.