Strings

Chapter 6: Secrets

I've been waiting in this cafe for fifteen minutes, where the hell is Chloe? She's the one who text me saying to meet here at seven where the hell is she? I'm just about to stand up and leave when I see her enter, her eyes are scanning the building until we make eye contact. I can see her eyes narrow as she marched towards me.

"Hey Chloe. Listen about earlier-" SMACK! The redhead's hand makes clean contact with my cheek and I immediately bring my hand up to the now stinging surface as a tear falls from my right eye, the contact from the bitch slap had stung my face so much that it made my eye tear up... great.

"Okay I deserved that." "Yes you did." The older girl quickly interjects, I take my seat and I gesture for her to do so too, she does thankfully. "Okay so... I just wanted to apologise for what I said, it was out of line and everything, I was mad at Crystal and I said those harsh words because of it. I wanted to give you back the money you left behind in the auditorium because there's no way you'll still want to continue lessons after what happened... and I don't blame you."

I push Chloe's money over to her side of the table and she glances down at it for a moment before pushing it. An over to me. The redhead leans forward a bit and leans her arms on the table. "Look, I don't really like you. I'll admit at first I thought you were this really cool, mysterious alt girl who was really sarcastic and kind of a badass... but after today? You're just like everyone else. You judge me before you know me. You judge me based on what other people say without knowing the full story. I want to continue lessons with you- I mean Aubrey wanted us to have an actual instrument if we're going to be in battle of the bands so I volunteered to learn one- but anyways since I want to continue lessons because of the competition we'll need to meet up everyday for it instead of just the weekends. So keep the money and I'll meet you in the auditorium again at.... five tomorrow."

Without a second thought Chloe got up and was leaving the cafe, it took me literally two minutes to process everything she said, when my sluggish brain eventually caught up I picked up the two hundred dollars off the table and fled to try and find Chloe. I spotted her further up the quad and I decided to run after her (not by best idea) when I eventually caught up I tapped her on the shoulder and she turned around waiting impatiently for me to speak as I caught my breath.

"Hey umm- I wanted- to- ask- what- the whole- story was- I mean- you don't- want me to- judge you- so- I figured why not tell me- I mean- I can be pretty understanding."

Chloe scoffed at me and crossed her arms as she looked down at me with a disgusted expression and tipped her hip to the side. "You really think after everything you said about me earlier you think I'm just going to trust you with something this personal?!" Okay she has a point there, I shyly lowered my head as I shook it and she sighed and said "That's what I thought." Chloe turned around to walk off again but I grab her shoulder and she quickly snaps her head around to me. "What now?"

I awkwardly rub my arm as I avoid eye contact with her. "Well I just wanted to know- I mean since you gave me money for lessons and everything- maybe you'd like to start your first lesson now?- I mean it was supposed to have happened earlier but I was a dick which I am really sorry for." Chloe looks at me again and lets out an annoyed "Fine!" through gritted teeth. "But only because you admitted to being a dickhead." That earns a small laugh from me and when I see that she isn't doing the same in return, and the look on her face is pretty expressionless I clear my throat and lead the way.

We are walking through campus and when I hear the first clap of thunder it's only then do I notice Chloe is in a light t shirt and sweatpants whilst I have jeans and a heavy hoodie on me. She doesn't seem to mind the thunder until the first raindrop hits her nose and then suddenly the sky sends water pounding down on top of us from all directions. "Here put this on!" I say to Chloe who is getting more and more wet by the second, the two of us are standing in the rain and I'm trying to convince her to put on a hoodie- my hoodie, but she rejects it again and again. "Chlo just put it on!" I yell and she takes it quickly pulling it over her arms and zipping it up and pulling up the good. I was only in my flannel now but I didn't care and without thinking I grabbed her hand and we began running through campus, I was dragging her along as fast as I could but we were still getting soaked through. Once we got to Baker Hall we quickly scrambled inside.