BETTER

Chapter 27

Blake

I was shocked to hear Ana's confession, I wasn't expecting her to say something like that. I was happy but sad as well.

She told me she has feelings for me but it is because of those very feelings that she wants to stay away from me. She thinks I'm too good for her but most importantly she is still not over Sam yet, it's like he's still holding her back and I hate it.

Nevertheless I had no choice but to comply with her, she has been through so much already, I don't want to make things any more harder for her, if space is what she needs then I'll give her just that.

I walk around inside the mall, hopping from one shop to the other just to find the perfect gift for Ethan. Ana insisted on coming with me so that she can help me like she promised to but I didn't want to make things anymore awkward between us so I declined her offer.

Just when I was about to enter a bookstore my phone rang and I fished it out of my pocket to see it was my mom calling me.

"Hey mom" I answered pressing the phone to my ear "Hello dear, it's so nice to hear your voice after such a long time" she says from the other end and I just roll my eyes, my mother can be a little too dramatic sometimes.

"Mom we met a few weeks ago, remember? Anyways, how are you and how's dad doing?" I asked.

"Oh I'm fine and so is your dad. I'm telling you, you'll understand my situation when you become a parent yourself, days become weeks for us and weeks become months when you're not able to see your baby infront of your eyes" she replied and I just sighed, I love my parents but I'm not in the mood to talk right now.

"Well I can assure you I don't intend to become a parent now that you've told me how hard it is to be one" I say and hear a small gasp from the other end, I just chuckle.

"Blake don't you dare think about not giving me grandchildren in the future, you're my only son" she says a little too dramatically.

"Mom can we please not talk about all this, it's making me feel uneasy" I say feeling slightly irritated.

"Okay okay, I just called you to ask if you'll be coming over for Christmas? It's in a few weeks and we want you here, we're planning something special this year" she says in a delightful tone.

"Ofcourse ma, where else would I spend my Christmas if not with you guys?" I say feeling excited at the thought of spending time with my parents, sure my mom could be a little dramatic at times but she and dad mean the world to me and as their only child I mean the world to them as well I guess.

"Great, you're gonna love it" she says excitedly on the other end and before I could ask her about the big special plan she's talking about the line gets disconnected, I look at the screen and see my phone turning off. Shit. I must've forgot to charge it.

Keeping the phone back into the pocket of my jean I head to the book store and buy a few classic hardcover books for Ethan, he loves them and I'm sure he'll be happy with these.

On my way to the exit I bump into someone and thud "Ouch. Watch it will you?" a girl's voice rang in my ears and I looked down to see a girl bending down to pick up the books that fell down from her hands because of me.

"I'm so sorry" I apologise bending down to help her, as I pick up the one book that was still left on the ground I couldn't help but ask her about it.

"So you like Hemingway?" I ask in amusement and her cheeks redden slightly.

"Yes I do, is there something wrong in liking him?" she asks looking up at me with her warm brown eyes and I shake my head.

"Not at all, this novel in fact is one of my favorites" I say holding up her copy of The Old Man And The Sea.

Her eyes widen slightly before asking "Really? So many people find it boring and not worth reading.

"That's because they never understand the deeper meaning in it, Hemingway's use of symbolism in this novel is some next level shit, not everyone understands it" I say and apologise immediately for cursing infront of her.

"It's alright, I'm glad I found someone who is able to understand what good literature is" she says with a wave of her hand.

"Likewise" I say with a smile and she smiles back at me.

"I'm Kate by the way" she says extending her hand towards me for a handshake "Blake" I say giving her the novel back and shaking her hand.

She seems like a sweet girl who's a literature nerd I thought to myself "Nice to meet you Blake the literature nerd" she says smiling.

"You know I was thinking the same thing about you, you're a nerd as well" I reply with a smirk, we talk for sometime about Hemingway and his life, exchange phone numbers before going our seperate ways. Turns out she studies in our university as well but I don't think I've seen her before, but then again it's only been a few weeks since I've joined this uni and Ana has more or less occupied my mind and my time in the few weeks that I've been here.

Maybe it's time for some change since Ana wants to stay away from me at all costs, for now at least. Making new friends doesn't seem like a bad idea.