Gawking at the outrageous amount of food set on the small table, my eyes were then torn away to Edward pulling out one of the chairs for me. If happiness was a shade of blue, then that was his eyes at that moment, seemingly proud of doing what he just did.
"Are you excited?" He added, not meaning to ask as he bit on a burger. No, I was more surprised than excited, and not even in a good way, I wanted to say. He went too out of the way, doing something like this, especially for someone like me. Unbeknownst to me over why he was doing all this and his intentions behind the nice masquerade, because if they were good, I wasn't the deserving person for it.
"So, are you going to join or keep looking at me? I mean both are good opt-" He intruded, and that just added to my already flushed expression.
"I think that's too much." I shook my head, not even wanting to bother arguing. "I don't even have enough money right now to split-"
"Who said anything about paying back? I told you I wanted to make it up."
"That's still too much, Edward," I noted, my tone coming off whiney. I shakily took a seat, to compose myself, ignoring everything that surrounded the table parameters, as well as Edward's intense gaze.
He didn't hesitate to give me a weird look before taking a big bite of the spiced rice. Not speaking anything as he ate, I nibbled on one of the chips not knowing what to do. After a few, I was filled but the expression he cast on me in response, was one of disapproval.
"Jesus, you have no idea what you're missing out on," he said, after gulping the bite.
"Well, I'm glad you're enjoying,"
"Michelle!" We were interrupted by a light squeal. I jumped slightly in my chair at the intrusion, feeling like being caught red-handed for doing something bad.
I turned around to find Marilyn, exhausted, trying to catch her breath. Drake stood next to us calmly, a startled expression on his face at us and our small feast.
"That's some pretty lit date going on here." He chuckled, joining Edward.
I confusingly looked at him for his choice of words, not very pleased with them.
"Where have you been? I searched for you everywhere," Marilyn half whispered, taking a seat beside me. "I legit thought you ran away from this place. Not that I would've blamed if you ever would though."
"Oh, I'm sorry really. You could've texted me," I guiltily apologised.
"I did text you a couple of times, but you didn't seem to respond. Turned out you were having a really good time with another friend," She acknowledged.
"We didn't have anything else to do." I shrugged, not knowing what else to say and I swore I could've felt Edward sporting his annoying smile at that point.
"Yeah. We had a pretty great time though. Better than yours." He laughed lightly.
"You're right actually. That teacher sucks. I'd rather ditch the class next time," Drake added midway eating through the leftovers.
Marilyn didn't speak for the rest of the time. It did make me feel uncomfortable to doubt whether she was annoyed or disappointed, I couldn't quite predict. Drake and Edward on the other hand seemed to have been lost in an animated conversation, exchanging spliffs and stuff.
I took the time while Edward seemed distracted to check him out secretly, probably in hopes to find what was it that made him associate himself with someone like me. His leg was folded across his other, as he nervously tapped his other foot. He was, as usual, casually smoking a cigarette, a serious emotion lining his face. His electric eyes roamed nowhere but me as he caught me staring.
I nervously looked away, making myself busy with something better so I retrieved my phone to check up on a few texts.
And there was a message from him of course. I suppressed my uninvited expressions at the text as I clicked it open.
You didn't touch the food and now everyone else is eating it :(
I accidentally let out a small laugh at the text -- scratch that, funny -- and attracted Edward's eyes again, finding him sigh back in disappointment.
It was hard to look away, but I had to.
It was our second meeting and a first rendezvous, and I was already starting to act all flattered which was so wrong, in so many ways. I broke up with him not so long ago, there was no way I could move on so quickly. I had been traumatised by my taste in men, I wasn't ready for another one.
The break had just started, and we all went our separate ways without a word, except for me and Marilyn. I felt like I was excluding her from my hangouts and I owed her something. She didn't say a word since she came here, sort of ticked off by my distance. Her eyes remained glued to her phone screen as we simply just walked.
"Is there something on your mind?" I asked, nonchalantly, trying to spark something from the mundane atmosphere between us.
"Not really," she said dismissively, otherwise looking up at me. I breathed out a sigh.
"Why do you seem so upset?" I couldn't help but ask.
"I'm not upset," She begun. "Just tired a bit."
"You know you can always be honest with me."
"I know you're concerned about my off mood but it's not anything related to you. Trust me," She assured with half a smile, not a very smiling smile.
"Okay. You don't want to talk about it..." I tried presuming. "I guess?"
"I don't know if I should," She caught me by surprise.
"That's up to you. But I'm all ears."
"Just some stuff at home. You know, not a big deal." She shrugged, without looking, hinting at me to let go of the subject and I sighed in agreement.
From what I had learnt from my constant observations, Marilyn was a perfectionist on the exterior, but completely the opposite beneath the surface. She wasn't the kind to let her walls down and be all about how her pastures weren't green enough compared to others. She would do anything to fix them, without asking for any help. I and she were complete opposites, except for the latter part -- where the former part was, I wasn't strong enough to even keep my guard up around a random guy who was only trying to impress me, whereas she knew all the right things to do at such a point.
"Earth to Michelle!" She waved her hand in front of me, and I snapped out of my thoughts, grimacing at her. "Did you hear what I just said?"
"I'm sorry... I..." I trailed off, passing her an apologetic look.
"I know it's not my place to ask, but..." She paused, waiting for approval of continuation from me and I nodded in curiosity. "Are you sure about Edward?"
"Huh?" I answered in confusion, blinking to myself to not get distracted.
"You heard me,"
"There's nothing to be sure of Marilyn." I gasped, realising her off-putting question. "It's not what you think..."
Marilyn shook her head in assurance. "Was just making sure." She mumbled, sipping on her juice, her eyes fixated on me.
We then dissolved into a deep lively conversation about the tests and classes and how much I needed to catch up in English just because of bunking for a few minutes. It's like the teacher had to rub all the assignments on our faces on purpose just because I ditched the class.
The clock ticked to an end on my phone, as I mentally planned on focusing on the rest of my classes. University was surely hectic, and I was exhilarated more than words could define. Edward wasn't anywhere to be seen in the latter classes, not that I wasn't looking forward to him, but he probably looked uninterested and apathetic towards the whole studying deal. I was almost sure he wasn't going to pass this easily but again, that wasn't my concern at all, according to my critical instincts.
Although his checking up on my texts didn't pass away my knowledge, and I managed to make some time before the class was dismissed, to call him. I slid away and out of the classroom towards the balcony and fished out my phone.
I rang his number, and he instantly without a second beat, picked up.
"What's up? Having the time of your life?" He chuckled and I stifled a smile even though he couldn't see me.
"Not really. But I don't want to fail either so yeah," I sighed heavily.
"So, you're telling me I'm going to fail," He noted still huskily laughing.
"It's not funny actually. Where are you by the way?" I frowned, low-key wondering where he really could be.
"I don't know. Where do you want me to be?" He hinted, his voice laced with tease, and I rolled my eyes. This shouldn't be happening. "I can almost sense you rolling your eyes."
"What?" I gasped. "What are you? A stalker?"
"No, I just know you better."
"And I can almost sense you smirking," I said mocking his voice, even though I tried refraining from the uncalled happiness in my voice, but failed.
"Man, I was right. For a hot girl, you sure are dumb." I was interrupted by someone's hand, softly grazing mine and slightly jump at the shocking touch. I pulled away from my phone and found Edward with his usual cocky grin and some unnamed emotion flashing into his eyes.
"I'm not dumb nor hot," I said, unable to formulate any words at his instant sight, which was too close to me to be exact, as my hand rubbed my other hand where his light touch lingered.
"Yeah right. And unnecessarily insecure."
"Whatever." I looked away so that he couldn't see my heated flushed cheeks, while I tugged my phone away. "Why weren't you taking any classes?" I changed the subject, whilst unzipping and rummaging inside my bag, to find the neatly folded sheets of paper.
He rolled his eyes and didn't answer for a bit, not interested in the topic, retrieving his beloved pack of cigarettes, and a lighter instead. He clicked the lighter, lightening up the white stick and inhaling the paper, as the tip of the stick glowed brighter.
"I don't enjoy studying. Sorry. That's for nerds." He joked lightly, after exhaling out the smokey tobacco.
"And then you call me dumb? Okay," I reciprocated his sarcasm, but he laughed it off. I shook my head, giving up on my futile attempts. I handed him some sheets of assignment, to which he curiously eyed, with narrowed eyes.
"What's that?" He questioned back, his frowny face permanent. He took the sheets of pages from me in his cigarette-free hand, looking at them in sheer concentration, his other hand, flicking the ashes of the cigarette through his long skilled fingers.
"The assignments you asked help for," I replied sheepishly, and his frown doesn't wipe off as he looked back and forth between me and the assignment pages.
"I never asked you to do them for me..." He told me, his light eyes wide with surprise and curiosity.
"I mean it's okay... If you don't want it... I'll just make another one," I stumbled on my words, nervously, expecting him to be mad, but he simply looked at me wide-eyed. Seconds later, without a beat, he tucked the neatly folded assignments in his bag and turned back to me.
"I'll make it up to this," He huffed to himself, stomping on the burnt-out cigarette with his foot, in slight frustration. I didn't know what made him this frustrated, maybe it was because he wasn't happy with the way how I had written the assignments, probably not so neatly. He extracted another cigarette, panting with the smokey breath.
"You want to try one?" He offered when caught me staring at him.
"You are going to kill yourself with these if you don't stop," I told him as he inhaled the nicotine sticks.
"Helps with anxiety," He quietly answered, but quickly maintained his nonchalant aura. His blue eyes not leaving my being as he smoked, the dust of tobacco leaving the blue sky, as the sun eclipsed the clouds. "But mostly because I can't help it." I stared away in the distance, folding my arms over the balcony grill.
I didn't know Edward had anxiety, but I was glad he opened up to me about it. It made me feel like I was someone he was comfortable enough to let me know.
"Oh okay," I honestly didn't know what to say, unable to react to the sudden revelation. We remained in comfortable silence for the next few minutes before he broke it.
"Only as long as I don't find something more intoxicating than this."