PIERRA'S POV
Things between Andrew and I were going great. Being back at school meant we spent less time together as it was our last semester in university but we made it work. We spent as many nights as we could at each others rooms but when work and studies got too much we gave each other time apart. The best part was even amongst all the chaos of working towards graduation and furthering our careers, we still made time for each other and that to me was success.
I'd never had classes on Fridays but one of our lecturers had decided to change things up. It pissed me off but I put up with it as I only had a few more months, then I was done with him. I definitely should have re-thought my outfit before I left my house, but I was not planning on attending the Friday class anyway until I got a text that there was to be a quiz I couldn't miss. That's why I was waking to class freezing my ass off in a cropped bralette top, high waisted adidas pants and Vans sneakers. I looked good but was definitely under dressed. I would have passed by Andrews room to grab a hood but I was already running late.
I stopped by my favorite kiosk to grab my morning snack of crunchy corn. I could do without a sweater but definitely not my go to snack.
"Habari ya asubuhi? Nipee kawaida?"I requested handing off the money but the shopkeeper shook his head holding his palm up to reject it.
Good morning. Can I have the usual?
"Pole tumeishiwa. Hadi kesho. Yule kijana amenunua box mzima."He replied pointing to a hooded figure waking away and I was shocked.
I'm sorry we're out of stock, come back tomorrow. That boy just bought the whole box.
In all my years of buying the snack, the kiosk had never run out. I was not about to go to class without any so I hoped whoever bought it would be nice and sell me a few packets. I fastened my pace and tapped his shoulder to get his attention.
"Hey can I buy a packet from you please?"I requested and he turned around.
"Andrew?!"I called out surprised.
"Ivy? I thought you were already in class."He asked eyeing me.
"I'm running late but the bigger question is why did you buy a whole box of my favorite snack?"I asked and he looked at me sheepishly.
"Well I came down to pay for the extra packet you receive each morning but found out you hadn't passed by. I thought you were in too much of a hurry to stop for some so I was going to bring you one."He explained and my head reeled with all that new information.
"That's very sweet but also brings up a lot of questions, why did you buy the whole box and not just a few packets. Also what do you mean by paying for the extra packet I receive each morning, I thought that was just a bonus for buying from him for years?"I inquired and he shook his head.
"I didn't know how many packets you usually buy so I just got the whole box and nope, it was not out of the goodness of his heart, I've been paying for it."He informed me.
"But I've been receiving the extra packet all year. We've only been dating three months."I commented very confused and he shrugged.
"Weren't you running late for class?"Andrew asked and I looked at my watch.
"Crap yes, I'll take a few of these but this conversation is not over. I'm coming by after class so we can talk about this."I demanded grabbing a few packets from the box and putting them in my backpack.
"I'll be waiting."Andrew replied looking skeptical "Or I can walk you to class and we can talk about it in the way."He suggested.
"No I need to get my head in the right head space for a test and this seems like a talk worthy more than a five minute rushed walk to class."I said rejecting his idea.
"Then I'll be in my room when you're done. You look cold, here."He offered putting the box down and taking off his hoodie handing it to me.
It smelled spicy like him and I immediately shrugged it on.
"Thank Andre. See you later."I said giving him a quick hug.
"Good luck on the test."He said and I smiled before walking around him and rushing to class.
As much as I had told Andrew that I needed the space to think about the test all I could think about was the revelation he'd just dropped on my lap. I'd been receiving the snacks since the beginning of my final year and I thought the kiosk owner was just being nice. Now I was finding out that was not the case and Andrew had been paying for them. It wasn't much money but it did raise a big question. Why? We weren't even dating then, let alone friends or even acquaintances so why would he purchase the extra packet for me.
Andrew had told me that he'd liked me long before he asked me out so how further back did his feelings run. When did Andrew start developing feelings for me? That question was driving me crazy but I had to drop it when I got to my class and sat down for my quiz. When I saw the first question I had to push all thoughts of Andrew aside and focus on my test as it constituted fifteen percent of my final grade and that was a lot. Andrew would have to wait until I was done taking a step forward towards graduating.
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I trudged up the stairs towards Andrews room feeling drained and exhausted, mostly mentally after four grueling hours of test after test. Turns out there were three tests that I had totally been unprepared for. Thankfully they weren't that hard so I was guaranteed a good grade since excellent was out of the question as they were surprise tests.
Letting myself into Andrew's room I found it empty but the shower running let me know where he was. I dropped my bag on the floor, took off my shoes before diving face first into his bed. Andrew had switched to lavender washing detergent because he liked how my sheets smelled so his pillow was now a mix of him and me which was the perfect combo to relax me. Five minutes later I felt relaxed enough to lift my face off his scent and take a look around his room.
The picture on Andrews monitor caught my attention and I sat up immediately getting out of bed to approach his desk. I propped myself on his seat and closely examined the photograph. It was a picture of me, that was no issue, Andrew had lots of photos of me. The problem was that the picture was three years old, since I clearly remembered throwing away that outfit the minute I got home. It had been a woolen sweater I did a promo on but hated it for being too itchy. It looked good but I had to throw it away so I never got the urge to wear it ever again. I didn't even post the pictures of me in that sweater so the question was where did Andrew get the photograph.
I backed from that tab and my eyes almost fell off their sockets from the surprise of what I saw next. Pictures upon pictures of me dating as far back and my first year in university. I'd definitely matured a lot from back then but it was no doubt that it was me. Most of the pictures were also taken from the same high angle. I got up from the chair and approached Andrews window to look outside. I clamped my hand over my mouth to hold on the gasp when I recognized the angle Andrew had been taking the photos from. He had watching and taking pictures of me for years.
The bathroom door opened so I turned around slowly to face a wet and naked Andrew with only a towel wrapped around his waist. Any other time I would have said something dirty but my head was preoccupied.
"Hi baby, I didn't hear you come in. How did the test go?"He asked walking to his wardrobe to grab some clothes.
My head was still struggling to wrap itself around what I'd just discovered so no sound was coming out of my open mouth.
Andrew finally got changed into a pair of shorts and t-shirt before turning around to face me.
"Why are you looking at me like you can't really see me? Are you okay? Was the test that hard? I'm sorry if it was, you'll do better next time."He encouraged walking towards me.
If he touched me I would unravel so I side stepped him and he looked at me with a frown.
"Okay now you're acting weird. What is it?"He asked and I finally found my voice.
"What's the meaning of this?"I asked pointing at his screen monitor that he hadn't noticed yet.
His eyes widened when he saw what I was pointing at and he immediately jumped at it shutting down his computer.
"I've already seen the pictures, don't bother hiding them so I ask again what is the meaning of all of that?"I restated my question trying to keep an open mind.
"Don't get mad Ivy. I can explain."He rushed out getting up to approach me but I stopped him with my arm.
"An explanation is what I'm asking for so we're on the same page so please sit back down. I want you to explain to me why you have my whole campus life documented in form of pictures in a folder on your computer that were clearly taken from your window right there."I ranted out pointing at the window in question.
Andrew looked troubled, his eyes darting back and forth probably thinking about how to start explaining himself. I hoped he didn't plan on lying or concocting some story because I would get really mad. I thought we were going to have a conversation about him buying the snacks for me but after seeing the pictures I realized the story was much longer and deeper than I realized.
"Well if we're really going to do this then please sit down. You look really intimidating standing like that."He requested.
I honoured his request but only because standing while thinking so hard was making me dizzy and I didn't want to pass out.
"I'm listening and don't lie or leave anything out. You have to cover the photos, the corn puff snacks and anything else you might be hiding from me."I declared crossing my arms over my chest.
"That's fair but I wasn't hiding anything from you. We were going to have this conversation sooner or later and I was going to tell you everything."He started and I nodded for him to continue."I already told you that I liked you long before I asked you out. What I left out was how long I'd liked you so here it is. Ivy, I've liked you from the moment I set my eyes on you four years ago when you walked into class with your brother."He admitted and my breathing stopped for a few seconds.
What Andrew was telling me was that his feelings for me lasted as long as mine did. But that didn't explain the pictures or why it took him so long to ask me out.
"You were so much smaller back then but with the most beautiful eyes, a gorgeous body and a smile that could drive any many to his knees, especially a nineteen year old freshman like me. I had every intention of asking you out after class that is until your brother threatened us all immediately you walked out of class. He said anyone to ask you out would get his ass kicked. We didn't believe him so a guy dared challenge him and he spent the next month eating out of a tube after getting his face smashed in. Your brother was bigger than me back then, still is so I kept my distance. My mom had worked her butt off to get me into university and I was not going to mess it up over a girl. My crush on you didn't die but I looked forward to those classes you attended with us. When I moved into this building, I saw you walk down the street so I pulled my camera out and took a photo and that was the beginning of my stalking. I didn't know any other way of being close to you so I just admired you from a far hidden behind my lens."He explained and even though it was all so much, I related to him because I'd basically done the same thing.
"What about the snacks?"I asked wanting to cover all the basis before I reacted.
"I noticed your fondness for them and I wanted to do something nice for you without you knowing it was me. It was our last year and I wanted to do something different so I paid for the extra packet."He answered and I nodded.
"So let me get this straight. You've had a crush on me since first year, have been taking secret photos of me and saving them plus you've been paying for my snacks all year?"I questioned and he nodded with a scared look on his face."Is there anything else I need to know before I respond to all this?"
"I've also been taking screenshots of all your Instagram posts. Those are on my phone but other than that there's nothing else, I think."He responded.
I took a few minutes to think about everything Andrew had just told me. Was I supposed to confess that I'd shared feelings for him too now that his were already out there?
"Ivy please say something, your scaring me. I know this makes me look like a creepy stalker but I promise you it was all innocent. No one else has the pictures besides me as they are only for my eyes."He expounded further looking scared.
I realized then that I had to put the poor man out of his misery.
"I don't think you're a stalker. Sure anyone else would see it that way but not me because even though not to this extreme I was doing the same thing in a way."I confessed and Andrew looked at me with a confused expression on his face.
"What do you mean?"He asked leaning forward towards me.
I wanted to crawl onto his lap and kiss him after all he had confessed to me but I knew we had to finish the conversation first so I held myself back.
"I've had a crush on you too since first year."I admitted and his eyes widened in surprise but he didn't say anything so I continued. "I didn't act upon it since to me you were out of my league and didn't return my feelings. Bishop and I stopped attending each others classes after first year but I kept coming to that one class to see you. I sat in that same spot because when I opened the window I could see your reflection on it."I concluded and Andrew burst out laughing.
It was not the reaction I had been expecting but it was better than anger. Sure he had done so much worse but we were both just doing what we thought best to be close to each other without actually being close to each other.
"Why are you laughing?"I asked and Andrew shook his head struggling to compose himself.
Andrew got off the seat and sat next to me on the bed pulling me to his lap and hugging me tight. I hugged him back confused why he was still laughing. Had I broken him or something?
Once his laughing died down he pulled away, cupped my face before smacking a loud kiss to my closed lips taking me by surprise.
"So you're telling me that we've both had crushes on each other since first year?"He questioned and I nodded.
"Fuck, this is such a surprise. I thought that you didn't like our class that's why you were always starting out the window, yet all that time you were looking at me and were actually coming to that class because of me."He pointed out.
"You're just repeating what I said."I informed him and he just laughed kissing me again.
"Does this mean we're good?"He asked and I took a minute to think about it.
We were both creepy stalkers to the other, no wonder we were perfect for each other.
"Yeah I'm disappointed we lost so much time liking each other from a distance but I believe everything happens for a reason so we're good."I replied looping my hands around his neck and getting comfortable on his lap.
"Good because I have one more confession to make."He started and I looked at him skeptically.
"Go on.."
"I got a tattoo a while ago and its about you."He admitted shyly and my jaw fell open once more.
Andrew was definitely full of surprises. More than I actually thought he did.
😱😱