All Around Us

Chapter Twelve

I still can't believe I kissed Christian yesterday. It was nice but I'm not to happy that it happened.

When I stepped in the school corridor people started cheering as if a celebrity had walked in the school. They kept making noise but I ignored it thinking it was meant for someone else. It was only when one started chanting my name I realised that I was the centre of attraction.

Confusion ran through me and I even checked the clock thinking they were applauding my punctuality again, but that's when I noticed some girls looking at me in an envious way. I hadn't connected the dots so I simply went to seat down still thinking that people were just being weired.

People had their eyes on me the whole time so I started feeling uneasy so I asked to be excused to go the bathroom.

'Am I dreaming?' I asked myself looking at the mirror. It didn't feel like a dream, it was real because the detailing was to precise . A girl who was in one of the cubicles called out my name and asked me to check my phone as she had sent me a link. Creepy as much.

I froze when I opened the link showing a video of Christian and I making out in the car. "Wait"...he had this planned out? "Probably," she replied adding there was only one way to find out. I left the bathroom starting to panick and as I walked past the changing rooms I heard Christians voice speaking.

I stopped to listen and he continued to say "I did it, she was easy" right before the other guys started cheering him on. "Huh?" I said to myself already washed up in tears. How could he do this to me?, I trusted him. The school bell rung moments after, signaling the end of school and immediately I rushed back to my car.

When I got home dad was not at work for some reason. It was when he said "liss come explain this video" I knew that it had went far. "Dad I can explain," I quickly responded asking permission to give my side of the story.

Christian had done it this time, I was certain not to forgive him easily and I did exactly that. The thought and the feeling of guilt kept growing and I got to a point where I couldn't shut my eyes. And that's when l realised stressing over this wasn't going to make the video disappear so I made some popcorn and started watching movies till i passed out.
This is not as embarrassing so I guess I could go to school today. “ I should own up to what I did.” I said, trying to motivate my not-so-clever self.

This incident gave me friends, because people seemed to like it when you did something shady. As I signed up for book club, I thought about how this was probably the only club that prick wouldn’t come to. I mean he was smart, but not the type that was into reading books.

When I went for my first day, I found him there too. I left that club immediately and went for volleyball instead, but he was there as well.
_Uuugh_, couldn’t this boy just stay out of my life for once?

A text message came in and it read ‘Hey, it’s Christian. Look I didn't do this’. I just rolled my eyes and deleted the message. Who else could have done it then? He was the _only_ other person there. Dad warned me and I should have listened,despite the way I felt towards him at the time.

School ended and I went back home. When I was pulling into the driveway I spotted Christian’s car already parked there. I got out of the car and started heading to the house, all the while wondering what on earth he was doing here.

As I reached for the door handle someone on the inside beat me to it, and I came face to face with dad and Christian talking and laughing in the doorway.

Wait a minute- what? These two were _laughing_ together... was this some kind of a twisted dream?

I tried to head back to the car when dad noticed me and spoke up and said “Liss, wait.”

But oh no, I wasn’t having any of it. If Christian was here then I had to leave. I got back in my car and pulled out of the driveway. Christian must have immediately done the same because when I looked in my rear-view mirror I saw his car right behind mine.

I thought about increasing my speed but then I realised that I would be taunting death that way so I pulled over next to a nearby park.

I got out and started to walk away quickly from the car and Christian jumped out of his and started to follow me.

“Get away from me Christian, I don’t want to talk to you.” I said without looking at him as I continued to walk. “Liss please... just give me a chance to explain.” He begged.

I stopped and looked at him and for the first time, I saw genuine vulnerability in his pleading eyes. I thought for a moment before eventually saying “Fine. You have sixty seconds... don’t waste them.”

His expression turned to relief and he immediately started explaining that someone had somehow accessed the security tape from the place they were parked that night.

I initially wanted to keep from forgiving him too easily but I couldn’t help the surge of relief that coursed through me when I realised that he hadn’t betrayed me. I wasn’t going to let him see that he was forgiven yet though.

Christian's POV
I hated when she gave me the silent treatment... and yet she seemed more beautiful to me when she was quiet.

I had to speak to her, but what would I say? “Hey Lisa...” ”Yes?” she responds. “I’m sorry. I never meant for this to happen, honestly.
“It's okay.” she responded simply, but I could see that she was not yet ready to forgive me. “Okay, let's meet on Saturday. I have something for you.”

Liss looked at me carefully, almost as if trying to figure out what my real intentions were. Then after a moment she sighed and agreed.