COLOUR BLIND

CHAPTER 5

The doorbell rang at around past 10 am. One hour after I texted our house address to Ian.
I didn't expect him to figure out the directions without calling me but he did.
Ian stood with both his hands in the pockets of his trouser when I opened the door. He slid his grey eyes over me, making me conscious of my exposed upper body. I immediately regretted rushing out without putting on a shirt.
"Hey", he waved his right hand with his usual expressionless face.
" hey". I mumbled back.
"Can I come in?".
I stepped aside. " yes, of course, come inside ".
He bent down to take off the black converse on his feet but I stopped him.
" you don't have to, just come with me".
"Okay then".

Ian wore blue jeans and a denim jacket that exposed the white tank top beneath it.
Even though he was walking behind me, I could smell the perfume on him, scenting like a mixture of ginger and wood. I couldn't be precise about stuff like this but It was warm and boyish.
I had a sudden urge to ask him about the perfume he wore but hesitated after thinking what his reaction would be. Personally, if someone I'm not very close to asks me what perfume I'm using, I wouldn't feel very comfortable with that

" sit over there", I pointed to the bed and went to my mini wardrobe to pick out a shirt.
I could feel him peeking behind me but I didn't look back.
"Home alone?".
" yes, my dad and mom went to church".
I looked through some clothes before finding a suitable casual shirt.
"Siblings huh?".
I turned over to see that he was referring to the small portrait on the locker beside my bed.
" no, I have a sister but she's not around. That's my cousin 'spencer' ".
" where's he?".
I replied, "Dead, from cancer".
" I'm sorry about that ".
" no, it's fine. It's been 3 years already".
I dragged the shirt through my head and moved a little closer to where Ian sat.
" what should I offer you?".
"Nothing, I'm good ".
" Okay, where do we start from then?".
"Anywhere would do".
He leaned a little backwards and rested his palms on the bed allowing his weight to relax on his elbows while his legs crossed downwards.
" don't tell me you didn't come with any text or notebooks ?".
"I didn't ".
" then how do you intend to study without any of those?".
"I don't know", he said. His eyes fixed on me.
That was when I realized the Tee I'd worn stopped somewhere around my Tommy, exposing a little part of my navel and the white tights beneath my black shorts. I quickly dragged it down to normal length and walked back to the wardrobe to carry my school bag.
I returned with the bag and spilled it's content on the reading table, trying to figure out what we needed.
" what do we do Ian? there's just one chair".
He smirked, "share?"
"We can't possibly share a single sitter reading chair Ian ".
"I don't mind though".
I raised my eyes in disbelief wondering why he was acting strange today.
" don't worry, I'll get an extra chair for you".
"Why do you have a single sitter as your reading chair, don't you have pals coming over to study together?"
I didn't say anything for some minutes, maybe because I didn't know what to say.
How was I going to tell him that aside from my late cousin and kirah, he's the only outsider that has ever visited me in our house and the first who's a boy and not a member of our family?
"Why do you care to know", I snapped.
" Isn't it cool if I want to know more about a person who's presumably going to be my tutor for a while ?".
" for a while right?", I dropped my bag on the bed, beside him.
"Yes for a while, Or do you want it forever?
We can do that If you want".
" I want to go to my sister's room " I cut in.
"I'll be back in a moment".

I dashed out of the room and returned with another reading chair from ivy's room feeling proud of myself for taking one spare out of my sister's room key before she left for school.
" hey", I turned towards Ian.
" come over here".
I was about to sit down when he intruded.
"Don't you think the chairs are too far apart?".
What would you rather have me do?".
" fill in the gap"
"Like this?".
"No, like this", he pulled the other chair closer to the second making it look like one.
I watched him drag the chairs together. Feeling a little anxious about his clingy behaviour again.
If he ever acted like this to any of the girls in my class, they'll assume he was flirting.
" Are you going to keep standing?".
"No", I shrugged before joining him on the now double sitter.