Forget Her Not

3 | we're not going out

"No, thanks." he says coolly. "I'm going home."

He nods goodbye to his other friends and makes his way to the door. It is only because my gaze is still so intently focused on him, that I notice him sneaking a glance at me before he slams the door shut. Then I am left with the sight of his retreating back, and the sun transforming his hair into a mocha halo.

The girl in the cute plaid skirt loops an arm through Brenda's, saying something to her with a tinkering laugh. Kyle laughs loudly at this too, and the atmosphere lifts as he tousles the coconut hair of the tall Asian boy beside him.

I dump the contents of the pot plant into the bin. I wash my hands before heading over to the table by the window to wipe it down. Another waitress takes their order and serves them their drinks. I do not pay much attention to Liam's friends after this, but I do notice that they leave about half an hour later instead of opting to study here like the majority of other students.

Kyle catches my eye as they are going and shoots me a wide smile. The cute Asian boy who I have not met before, looks over at me in acknowledgement. This makes me duck my head down and turn away. The rest of the shift is slow, so I have time to talk to Sheila as we both dawdle behind the counter.

"I don't know how to stop." I admit quietly.

I am worried by the extent that I am still invested in him. Worried because I still care. Worried by how none of it has seemed to have faded much at all.

"Arden, it doesn't work like that." Shelia replies.

She pauses for a moment to rearrange the pot plants again. They look a little unbalanced now that one of them is gone, sitting in a row of four instead of a neat five.

"You can't stop love. It's not something that you can turn on and off."

"What if I never get over him?"

Sheila actually rolls her eyes.

"Arden, you'll be fine. It's just first love, young love. You just need to meet more people. Find a new hobby or something."

I manage to crack a smile.

Sheila smiles back and says, "Take care of yourself first, though. You look tired."

"I will." I promise easily.

Liam somehow appears even more distant the next day. He nods a greeting before he sits down, but otherwise ignores me. He is careful to keep himself and his books to his side of the table, abiding by the invisible line drawn between us. There is nothing odd about this though. This is his usual behaviour, the extent to which our interactions go to now. What is odd, is that today he also blows off other people who try to speak to him. I would have analysed this a great deal more, except my headache has gotten even worse overnight and it is a struggle to merely keep awake. I let a curtain of my hair drop in between us.

I end up propping my chin up in my left hand and falling asleep in the middle of class. The bell rings shrilly at the end of the period. I jolt awake. This is when I catch Liam looking at me. Well, that is before he jerks his head back and gets up, picking his books up and tucking in his chair.

He pauses for a brief moment in front of my desk and makes eye contact with me for another moment. Then he strides off quickly without so much as a goodbye.

I have another afternoon shift at Coffee House on Saturday. Sheila is not here this time, because she has considerably less hours than I do. I am manning the cash register alone when Delilah walks in.

"Hello," she greets, all pearly smiled and sweet. "I saw that you guys are recruiting, and I want to apply for the waitressing job."

Delilah Bays is even more beautiful closeup. She carries herself knowing that she is gorgeous too, with her snowy glowing skin and waves of coppery golden hair. I am taken aback for a moment just looking at her.