"Nothing makes sense except you..."
– Nautica
❀❀❀
~ D O R O T H Y ~
February 1998
Jenny and I are sitting in the cafeteria, eating lunch, when Nolan stomps towards us. He pulls out a chair next to mine, sits on it with a thud, and pouts, crossing his arms, like a five-year-old child.
"What's wrong, Nolan?" I ask, chewing on a grape.
"She hates me," he snaps. "She absolutely hates me!"
"Rachel?" Jenny asks, plopping a slice of orange in her mouth.
"Who else?" he drawls, before he drops his head onto the table.
"What happened this time?" I ask.
He turns his head to face me.
"I finished reading that stupid biology textbook you told me to read," he says, making me frown.
"You finished it? In four days?"
"I did," he replies.
Goodness, I guess Nolan is capable of studying hard. He just needed to be leveraged. 'Rachel'-leveraged. The thought of that makes me smile. I mean, the fact that he is willing to try new things only to understand her just shows how much he cares about her.
"But every time I mention anything biology-related, she just runs off," he sighs, catching my attention.
"She runs off?" Jenny asks with wide eyes, to which he nods.
Oh... My... Lord...
Jenny and I glance at each other knowingly.
"I blame you," he then grumbles, glaring at me. "Ever since I started listening to you, she has been running away from me as if... as if I've got the cooties or something."
"What did you say to her?" I ask.
"Well," he begins, sitting up straight. "I wanted to hit on her, and I thought it'd be great to mix in some biology, sort of like what you told me to say the other day. By the way, the DNA helicase line – hilarious! So yesterday, I said, 'Hey Barns, if we were like chromosomes, we'd be a homologous pair'."
"Awww, Nolan, you know what a homologous pair is!" I coo, resting my hand over my chest, touched and proud.
"I wish Barns had the same reaction as yours," he mutters, pouting. "But no, she just bloody ran off, making me feel like the most stupid person in the world. Why does she run away anyway? Am I just so dumb to her that she can't stand it when I try to sound smart?"
On the contrary, you sounding smart turns her on.
But I dare not tell him that.
"I thought she'd be flattered," he continues. "Any girl would be, right?"
Oh, her body is deeply flattered, trust me.
Again, I do not tell him that.
"Why can't she just see that I'm trying?" he begins, rambling. "I am living today because of her. I know I told her that I won't owe my life to her, but I... I realised that I am actually willing to do anything for her. Anything. Even if she wants to keep my soul, I'll let her. In return, I only ask that she lets me devote the rest of my life to... loving her..."
Then, his eyes immediately widen and he snaps his head to look at us.
"HOLY SHIT!" he gasps, as if he has seen a ghost. "I-I-I think I l-l-love Barns!"
Before I can comment, he continues on with his rant.
"Holy fucking moly! I love her! I love a nerd. A five-foot, four-inch, four-eyed nerd! Oh shit! And I want to make her my nerd. My nerd! Yes... Oh, yes... There's no way in hell that I'm going to give her up. I will not give up. Barns may run away from me, but I'm not giving up until she loves me back," he says, his voice now filled with determination.
Well, that sort of... escalated?
Abruptly, he stands up.
"Wait, what are you planning to do?" Jenny asks, startled by his sudden movement.
"I'm going to show Barns that I will stay," he announces, before he glances at me. "In my own way."
His own way?
Oh no.
"Nolan, maybe you should tell us what you're planning to do so that we can help you?" I suggest, in the hopes that Jenny and I can save him from Rachel's wrath.
But alas, my words do not reach him, as he quickly turns around and dashes out of the cafeteria.
"He actually loves Rachel?" Jenny says out loud, in disbelief.
"Seems so," I reply.
"He's going to end up getting murdered by her, isn't he?" she deadpans, putting another slice of orange into her mouth.
I shrug, sighing.
"There is only so much that we can do to help him," I say. "I just hope that he doesn't mess up."
A few minutes later, William spots us. He joins us at our table.
"Guys... Rachel is acting strange," William asks.
"When does she not act strange?" Jenny sighs.
"No... I mean, she's acting really strange. You see, she gave me this sheet," he says, handing us a piece of paper with words scribbled on it. "She asked me to read these weird pick-up lines out loud to her."
Jenny and I read the words.
If I were an enzyme, do you know what kind I'd be? I'd be DNA helicase so that I could unzip your genes.
If we were like chromosomes, we'd be a homologous pair.
If I were a nucleic acid, I would be RNA so that I can have U.
Are you a neurone? Because you've got some action potential.
These lines must be what Nolan told Rachel.
Jenny and I look at each other with wide eyes, before we snap our heads to look at William.
"And what did Rachel do when you read this?" I demand.
"Did she run away?" Jenny adds.
"Um... No," he says, with his eyes shifting between us a couple of times, puzzled. "I mean, I just found it odd that she's asking me to read these lines over and over and over and over again."
Jenny and I then pack up our belongings before we stand up.
"Thanks, William," I say.
"That's all we needed to know," Jenny says.
And together, the two of us look for Rachel Barns.
***
Rachel Barns is eating noodles alone in the library, reading a textbook as she does so. Jenny and I approach her until we sit down opposite to her. Rachel tilts her head up, looking at us curiously.
"Did I forget that we had a meeting or something?" she whispers, pushing her round, black-rimmed glasses up the bridge of her nose.
"It's Nolan, isn't it?" I whisper back.
"What?" she says, furrowing her eyebrows.
"You get turned on because it's Nolan, not because of the lines–"
"What? How did you know?"
"William told us what you made him do," Jenny replies, making Rachel purse her lips.
"That William!" she growls lowly. "Who is he to tell you about that?"
"A very concerned friend of yours," I reply.
Rachel closes her textbook, gathers her things and starts to leave, but Jenny and I follow her outside the library.
"Rachel, maybe you should give Nolan a chance?" I suggest, walking with Jenny as we trail behind Rachel.
"When pigs fly," she scoffs.
"But he really cares about you. I mean, the poor guy is trying so hard to get you to like him–"
"Correction: he is trying so hard to get me to engage with him in sexual intercourse–"
"He's really not," I say, wrinkling my nose at her choice of words.
"Dorothy," she says, immediately halting in the middle of a corridor and turning around to face me. "Why are you keen on helping him get what he wants?"
"Nolan is actually a sweet guy, Rachel. I think you should give him a chance–"
"BARNS!" a masculine voice yells, startling the three of us.
Rachel pauses, before she slowly turns around to face the panting Nolan, who is waving his arms at her like a lunatic down the corridor. A white shopping bag sits on the floor, next to Nolan shoes, but I cannot make out what's inside it. Unluckily, the corridor is packed with students, who have stopped walking, with their attention being drawn to Nolan.
Oh gosh...
I really hope that this is not the moment that Nolan is planning to show Rachel that he'll stay by her side...
"If you say another word related to biology," Rachel growls, loud enough for him and everyone else to hear. "I will stab you with my chopsticks."
"I love you, Barns!" he confesses, ignoring the death threat.
Immediately, gasps from dozens of students erupt into the air, followed by a cacophony of whispers. Jenny buries her face into my right shoulder, unable to muster enough courage to witness the consequences of Nolan's actions, and I honestly don't blame her – I'm starting to feel anxious too.
"Well, I cannot say the same to you," Rachel scoffs with clenched fists, clearly not believing him and clearly not bothered by the 'audience' surrounding us.
"I know," Nolan says, nodding. "That's why I'm standing here, before you, right now – to show you that I will never leave you."
"Oh, please do not do that," she sighs, rubbing her temples, exasperated. "Whatever you are planning to do, stop it now."
But he doesn't listen to her. He simply bends down to pick up the shopping bag. Then, he pulls out the content. My eyes pop out of my face when I realise what Nolan is holding up.
A massive bottle of milk.
I'm talking a whole gallon.
"I got your milk, Barns!" he says loudly. "You can finally have your cornflakes!"
Holy mother of...
I immediately facepalm. Repeatedly.
I told Nolan about Rachel's 'milk story' in confidence.
How the heck could he reveal such a personal matter to the entire student population???
Jenny, noticing me cringing, elbows me for an explanation.
"I didn't think Nolan would reveal this to everyone," I reply in a low tone, groaning.
"Oh, you mean about the milk thing?" Jenny whispers. "Everyone knows about that."
My eyes widen, as my jaw drops.
"Everyone?" I ask.
"Ok, maybe not everyone," she says. "But I knew about it."
"Me too," a masculine voice says from behind us.
We turn around, surprised to see William standing behind us.
"And me," some random person from the 'audience' yells out, but I'm unable to pinpoint who.
Oh... So it's not as personal as I thought it was.
Well, I guess that's fine with me.
Once I feel acquitted, I focus on Rachel again, who is standing incredibly still, staring at the gallon of milk Nolan is holding onto. After what feels like forever, Rachel takes one step forward. And another. And another. Until she stands in front of Nolan.
Slowly, she takes the milk from Nolan, who watches her cautiously.
"I... I do not know what to say..." she begins, talking in a low tone.
Oh gosh, she is going to resort to physical violence, isn't she?
I squeeze my eyes shut. But when no sound of impact graces my ears, I reopen my eyes and immediately cover my mouth in shock when I see Rachel doing the unbelievable.
She embraces him.
Very brief, rigid, and awkward, but nevertheless, it is an embrace.
"Um... Thank you," she says, pulling away from him.
Then, she turns around and walks away, carrying the gallon of milk. The crowd, absolutely confused and speechless, slowly disperses, while Jenny and I approach the wide-eyed Nolan, who is watching Rachel walk away in shock.
"Congratulations! She didn't murder you," Jenny tells him, patting his back.
"She didn't run away either," he says in disbelief.
"Well, she is waddling away," I say.
"With the milk that I brought her," he says.
Then, the biggest grin makes its way to his face as his hazel eyes begin to twinkle.
"She hugged me," he exclaims. "Her hair... Her hair smells like coconuts..."
Then, he hugs me and Jenny at the same time tightly, utterly, utterly happy and relieved.
***
I switch the shower off and put Reece's shampoo bottles on the rack. Once my body is dried up, I put on Reece's black hoodie after wearing my pyjamas. When I return to my bedroom, I snuggle underneath Reece's duvet and hug Reece's pillow.
...Ok fine, I admit it, I may have borrowed a bit too many things from Reece.
But I couldn't help it. I miss him so much, even though it has only been five days. We've talked everyday, but during each call, barely enough words were exchanged between us to help me last a day. I blame myself for our lack of interaction.
I haven't seen or heard from Damien since I told him the truth about my relationship with Reece. He hasn't been attending any classes – heck, he hasn't even set one foot at Hampton. And whenever I speak to Reece on the phone, I feel this guilt – that I not only hurt Damien, but also may have irreparably ruined his friendship with Reece.
I know that Reece, Damien and Nolan are like brothers to one another, and just the mere thought that I may become the reason for destroying their brotherhood feels like a stab through the heart.
I grab onto Oscar and Lukey Wukey and pull them close to me, before switching the bedside lamp off. When I close my eyes, my mind begins to replay memories of Reece, making me miss him even more.
***
I feel a dip in the mattress. Paying no mind to it, I shift my body until I lie on my stomach, continuing to sleep. But suddenly, something soft and gentle traces patterns from the nape of my neck to my right shoulder, giving me goosebumps. Slowly, my heavy eyes open. It's dark, but I can vaguely make out the most handsome face I've ever seen in my life.
The very face that I have been craving to see, to caress and to kiss.
"You're in my dreams too, huh," I mumble sleepily, before my chest starts to feel heavy as sadness and yearning take over me. "Come back already, Reece..."
My eyes then become heavier, and the last thing I see just before dozing off is how Reece's face loses all signs of playfulness, with his eyes widening and his lips parting, as if he is about to say something. But sleep gets a hold of me before he gets a chance to.
***
The first thing I feel as I slowly wake up is some sort of weight on my stomach. Frowning, I open my eyes, but when I turn my head to my left, I gasp at the sight of Reece's sleeping face, just a few inches away from my own. A smile makes its way to my face as I snuggle closer to him, wrapping my arm around him. I then bury my face into his chest and take a huge breath in, inhaling his addictive scent and basking in his warm presence.
Gosh, I finally feel so, so happy and content.
It's as if, all of a sudden, the void that has been growing inside of me since his departure is immediately being filled, making me feel whole and complete again.
A few minutes later, I look up at his face and, involuntarily, my hand moves from his back to his hair. As I play with a few strands of his soft hair, twirling them with my fingers, I cheekily peck his nose, but he does not react. I then peck his forehead before proceeding to his cheeks.
Goodness, he must be so exhausted, since he has not moved a single muscle at my touches.
But wait... He seems to be a bit too still.
Grinning as realisation hits me, I finally press my lips against his. As expected, Reece Walker's beautiful brown eyes snap open. Immediately, he grabs onto me and pulls my entire body on top of his, making me break our kiss to laugh.
Then, he kisses my lips again and again and again, clearly not getting enough of me. Gosh, his kisses are so ravenous, making me feel light-headed. I cling onto him, as if he were the only stable thing in my dizzy surroundings. His insistent mouth then parts my inexperienced lips, evoking a foreign feeling inside of me – something exciting, something thrilling, something... lustful.
Before I get the chance to comprehend this surge of sensations, Reece finally captures my lower lip between his teeth, lightly tugging on it, before he lets go and slowly pulls away from me. Then, we stare at each other, panting, with no words being exchanged between us.
I examine his face, gently resting the palm of my hand on his jaw. He has a bit of a stubble. I look at his warm, brown eyes. Oh, how I missed looking at them. But when I realise how deep and dark his eye bags are, I frown.
"Are you ok?" I whisper, concerned. "You look terribly exhausted."
He smiles, a genuine one, with his two deep dimples appearing.
"It's the jet lag," he replies huskily.
The phone did not do any justice to his voice, which is so deep and velvety.
Gosh, I can listen to him speak forever.
"But isn't Paris just one hour ahead?" I ask with raised eyebrows.
"I am sensitive to even the slightest time difference."
"Geez," I say, rolling my eyes.
Chuckling, he lifts his hand and tucks a few strands of my hair behind my ear, scrutinising each and every feature of my face.
"I missed you," he replies. "So much."
The butterflies in my stomach erupt at his words. I cross my arms over his chest and resting my chin on top of them.
"Did you now?" I say, trying to sound casual.
"I did," he says, nodding. "But I have to be honest, though. I was a bit concerned that you did not miss me as much as I missed you. But I've been fully reassured that that's not the case."
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"You missed me a lot, didn't you?" he says, grinning.
"What makes you think that?"
"Well, I found it strange how my duvet and pillow are missing from my room."
My eyes widen while his eyes land on the duvet that's covering us.
Uh... Oh...
I've been caught.
"Then I thought I'd take a shower," he continues, shrugging. "But I couldn't find my shampoo bottles anywhere."
He then rolls me off of him until I lie down on my back, and he hovers over me, thus, switching our positions. He brings his face down until his nose gently grazes against the crook of my neck. He takes multiple of deep breaths in before he plants a deep kiss on my skin, making my heart go into a state of frenzy.
Gosh, is it getting too hot in here or is it just me?
He finally pulls himself away and, with his eyes, takes in my whole appearance.
"And you look... ravishing," he says, staring at the oversized hoodie that I'm wearing.
"I-I swear I was going to return them today," I say quickly, hot, distracted, and immensely embarrassed. "I didn't know that you'd come back early."
He shakes his head, chuckling, before he flops himself back down onto my bed, right next to me.
"They're all yours," he says, facing me.
"But–"
"What's mine is yours," he says firmly, holding my left hand and squeezing it reassuringly. "And I mean it."
Then, he intertwines our fingers together before he kisses the top of my hand.
"Now, let's sleep," he says.
"Ok, sure– W-Wait, what?" I say, stuttering just when his words are processed in my head.
"You and me. Sleep. Now," he says.
"But I just woke up," I whine.
He lets go of my hand, throws his arm over my body and pulls me close to him.
"I had a long flight," he sighs in content, closing his eyes.
"But isn't the flight like an hour and a half–"
"Sleep, my little moon," he orders, burying his face into my hair.
Rolling my eyes, I finally comply. After all, I get to snuggle up close to him – and believe me, snuggling with Reece Walker is one of the most cosy things to do ever. So, I slide my arm over his broad chest, and close my eyes.
"Reece?" I whisper.
"Hmm?"
"I missed you very much," I finally confess.
"Even though I'm holding you right now," he begins, mumbling. "I still miss you."
Once again, Reece Walker manages to be one step ahead of me, making me smile in amusement.
"I love you," I whisper, feeling complete, safe and happy.
"I love you," he replies, before he kisses the top of my head.
*~*~*~*~*
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