Whispers Of The Heart

Chapter 11

She fought back a smile, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she returned her focus to the math problem before her.

She had always struggled with math, even when we were children. I remembered the countless times I had helped her, patiently explaining concepts until they finally clicked. One time she got so fed up she threw the math book, accidentally hitting me. We were only 12 then.

We were inseparable. But now she was just someone seeking help, while I was the person trying to keep my emotions in check.

"All done!" she declared, handing me her book, a hint of pride in her voice as she watched me begin to check her work.

But as I focused on the math problem before me, I felt her chair move closer, her presence now almost tangible beside me. I could sense her gaze lingering on the page, her breath warm against me as she leaned in to get a better look.

Dont do that.

For a moment, I tore my gaze away from the numbers on the page to look at her.
I noticed the scent of strawberries in her hair but quickly refocused, reminding myself to stay on task. I tore my gaze away from her, my mind reeling as I struggled to regain my composure.

I checked her work, relieved to find that she had done well. "Well done," I said, handing her back her book, silently willing her to create some distance between us.

"Finally!" she exclaimed, closing her book with a loud thud.

We had been stuck on the same math problem for what felt like hours, her frustration mounting with each failed attempt. But now, she had grasped the concept, and it was time to call it a day.

Unfortunately.

Shut up.

I cleared my throat "The exam is next week, so it'll be good if you study tonight," I said, packing my book into my bag.

Emery paused, her gaze flickering with surprise as if she couldn't quite believe I was still speaking to her. After a moment of contemplation, she replied in a casual tone, "I will. Not tonight though, I'm going to a party with Justin and his friends."

She played with her pink pencil, staring at it, seemingly lost in her own thoughts.

I felt a surge of jealousy coursing through me . She would be attending with Justin, and it felt like a punch to the gut, witnessing her devote her time and attention to someone who, in my eyes, didn't deserve her.

Justin was notorious for his string of flings with girls throughout the school, and the thought of him being with Emery now filled me with rage. I couldn't shake the fear that he might just be playing with her feelings, using her like he had done with so many others.

But Every time I saw them together at school, it ignited a pang of jealousy within me. The way she smiled, laughed, and kissed him—it all felt like a cruel reminder of what I could never have.

She's mine.

I silenced the thought.

As I watched her, I tried to suppress the bitterness, but it bubbled up within me "Maybe if you weren't going out with him, you wouldn't be failing math," I blurted out before I could stop myself, the bitterness seeping into my tone.