I still had two lectures to attend at school and there was no one at home so I went back to school instead.
I was in the library when my phone started vibrating.
"Hey Stace!"
"Ashie! Where are you? Are you all right? I called Raymond and he said something came up so he wouldn't join us but you must be on your way! But you aren't here too!" My energetic best friend kept on talking.
"Stace! Stace! Relax! I'm at school and I have to attend my classes so I won't be joining you guys too." I sighed thinking of the reason I was here and not with them.
"Are you going to change your mind if I force you? Because if not, then I won't try!" she said sounding so much like herself.
I laughed and replied, "I am not changing my mind."
"Okay then!"
"Have fun Stace! Bye."
I disconnected the call and went back to doing my work.
After I attended my Arts lectures, I went to the car park and saw something I shouldn't have seen. The redhead – Abigail – was intensely making out with someone. I tried recognising the guy's face but I hadn't seen him around so I couldn't make it.
Some part of me was relieved it wasn't Raymond.
Which that part was and why it felt that way, I didn't know.
I headed home making a mental note of calling Raymond once I was free.
After reaching home, I went upstairs and changed into my pj shorts and a white tee shirt. I pulled out my phone to put in for charging when I saw I had a text from Stacey.
Stacey: Hey Ashie. I won't be back till evening. We plan on having lunch first and then maybe watch a movie. Bye.
I checked the time. She sent it about an hour back. Being me I quickly sent my already drafted short and sweet reply.
Me: Okay.
I had a Facebook message too. Now I didn't need to guess who this was from.
Raymond: Hey!
My stomach growled and I remembered I was hungry. I plugged my phone to charge and went downstairs.
"Sarah!" I called out in the living area.
"Henry?" No answer.
I knew Mark was out of town so there was no point in calling out his name.
I decided to help myself out and went to the kitchen.
And froze.
The refrigerator door was open.
And there stood a guy with his back to me.
Shirtless.
In his boxers.
And I was.
Drooling?
I snapped out of my staring-at-the-hot-shirtless-guy session and approached him trying my best not to make any sound.
I stood right behind him and this guy still didn't notice my presence.
And I froze. Again.
I stopped breathing and started staring at his back.
Note : I have a thing for guy's bare backs.
The instant I raised my hand to touch it, he turned around and my hand landed on his chest instead.
And when I said he turned around, I actually meant turned and marched towards my direction as if I wasn't standing there at all while I was only a couple of steps away from him which resulted in us meeting the floor in an awkward position with my back on the floor and him lying on top of me and my hand still resting happily on his chest.
"Hi I'm Jim!" The guy said with a smirk.
"Don't you think this place isn't apt for introductions?"
"You must be Ashley." He – Jim – said nodding his head.
"Get off me." I looked straight into his eyes.
Before I knew, he leaned in and his lips gently touched mine. I closed my eyes and kissed him back. My one hand went up to the back of his neck and then to his soft hairs while my other hand reached where it wanted to be from the moment I entered the kitchen.
His back.
And boy let me tell you, it felt amazing!
I felt his hand reaching down my left thigh caressing it.
I felt his tongue lick my lower lip asking for entrance.
Wait, what?
I opened my eyes and broke contact with his lips and I saw him smiling down at me.
"What is wrong with you? You cannot kiss a girl just like that!" I snapped at him realising what just happened.
"It takes two to tango, Cupcake!" He said nonchalantly.
I looked at him with my eyes wide. "Get. Off. Me. Now."
As soon as I said that, I was kissed by him again. This time a shorter one.
"Stop kissing me!" I said and tried to push him away but he was too heavy.
"Be nice Cupcake. Say 'Please Jim, get off me.'" he said smiling cheekily.
"Stop calling me that and get the fuck off me!" Now he was pissing me off.
He pecked my lips yet another time before finally getting up.
I quickly stood up and folded my arms across my chest and sternly looked at him and said, "You stay away from me. And don't call me that."
"Can I kiss you?" His eyes locked with mine.
What is wrong with this guy? Did he even hear a single word I said?
I saw him come closer to me. He cupped my face into his hands and kissed me and I kissed him back. His free hand snaked my waist and he pulled me closer. He tilted his head and deepened the kiss. I was out of breath so I pulled away and looked away. He rested his forehead on mine and gave me a genuine smile. But somehow, I couldn't return it to him.
"I'm starving. Let's sit and eat something." I suggested.
He came closer – again – and whispered in my ear, "Your wish is my command, Cupcake.
I have made sandwiches, if that's fine with you?" He went to the kitchen counter and gestured towards a plate which had about seven to eight sandwiched piled up in a row.
I raised my eyebrow making a disgusting face at him.
"How can someone eat that?" I said pointing at the plate.
"Oh! Umm, sorry." He nervously said and went to fetch a few clean dishes from the cupboard and arranged two sandwiches in each.
"C'mon!" He said and went out to the dining area.
I took the bottle of ketchup and some fruit juice and followed him.
"So who are you?" I asked him once I was seated in the chair opposite him. Now was when I really noticed him. He had platinum blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. His lips were parted into a thin line. His perfectly shaped muscles and a magnificently built physique made him look darn hot. He was still shirtless and my girl hormones were completely out of control.
"I'm Jim."
"I know that. I mean, what are you doing here, shirtless, in my house?" I quirked a brow and took a bite of my sandwich.
"Well, I live here. Henry's my older brother. I was out on a trip with my friends and I returned just in the morning." He said.
"Okay." I nodded and said.
So basically this amazing irresistible kisser Jim lived with me in the same house.
Cliché much?
I quietly finished my sandwiches, drank a glass of juice and went to keep my plate in the kitchen. Jim stood up too and followed me. I wasn't in any mood to start a conversation – as usual – so I just ignored him. I rinsed my dish in the water and wiped it with a dry cloth before putting it in the dish holder. I noticed Jim constantly watching all my activity. Once I was done, I went out and towards the stairs.
"Cupcake?" He called out softly.
I turned around and looked at him. "Yes Jim?"
"Are you trying to ignore me?" He asked almost sincerely.
"And what makes you think that?" I asked him.
"Come here." He took hold of my wrist and led me to the living room couch. "Sit."
Being the obedient me I sat.
"Usually, when people meet each other for the first time, they ask questions about them to know them better. And you're pretending like I'm not here. I kissed you! Kissed a total stranger. Does it affect you at all?" He said looking all confused and surprised at the same time.
I laughed pretending to take it all lightly and instead of answering his question I asked him one. "So just because I didn't react to your kiss, you concluded all this?"
"It is not about the kiss. I am really interested in knowing you and spending time with you. But it seems that you're running away from me."
"Okay Jim so let me get this straight with you." I got up and said. "You kissed me. You made a mistake. I forgive you. But I'm not any further interested in being friends."
With that I walked away. I already had too much drama going on in my head. I didn't need any additions.
I went to my room and switched on my laptop to make a Skype call to Jason.
Jason Fox. My ex-boyfriend and now best friend. Jason and I met in junior high and he says the day he saw me he fell in love with me. We became friends and started hanging out and knowing each other. No sooner did I know, he asked me out on a date. I didn't love him like he did, nor did I feel that anything more than friendship was possible between us. Yeah sure, I was attracted to him because he was very hot, but that was that. Nothing more. He still asked me to give us a shot and that he believed in us. So I agreed. We dated for a good six months and our dating included long drives, candle-light dinner, movies, walk in the park and loads of making out. Then Jason said that he was really serious about me and he wanted to take a step ahead in our relationship. I still didn't feel anything for him. He was close to me, he understood me and I trusted him but that didn't make me fall for him. I realised that I was wrong. I was cheating him, fooling around with his feelings. So I decided to make things right. I went straight to him and cleared everything. I told him that I couldn't do this to him anymore. I tried my best when he asked me to and I was done then. Instead of being mad at me, Jason took hold of my hand and kissed it gently. And what he said then made my heart melt and I knew I could rely on him for as long as I live.
"Ash, I know you. All this time, I knew anything I do won't make you fall in love with me. If it was meant to happen, it would have happened long ago. They say one sided love is like a curse. It kills you from within. But you know what? I don't think so. I think it is special feeling in itself. Knowing that the person will never love you back and still loving them so much takes a strong person. And I am strong, Ash, very strong. You have to promise me one thing though, nothing changes between us. You'll still talk to me like you always do and we can be best friends. You'll always be my Ash."
At first, I thought I was wrong by agreeing with his best friends thing. But he proved me wrong and never ever made me feel like he was my ex. And since then, we've been great. That's Jason.
"Hi Ash!" He said once he took my call.
"You look great Jase!" I smiled.
"And you look like something's bothering you." He said thoughtfully.
"Umm, yeah." I sighed.
"I'm listening." He urged me to go on.
"I don't know where to begin. You see, I don't want to make friends but no one here gets it.
So there's this guy Raymond. He's really making me curious. About myself. I mean, not exactly. Am I even making sense?" I said bringing my hands to my head in frustration. I looked at Jason and he was watching me amusingly.
"What?" I asked him.
He just shrugged his shoulders.
"See. That's what's happening to me! I don't understand what to do!" I continued.
"Ash! Just loosen up a bit." Jason said calmly and leaned closer to his screen.
"Listen," he added, "Just as they are new to you, you are new to them too. And it's normal if they want to be friends. Give yourself some time and think about it. It will be so great if you have friends you can have fun and spend time with. After all you're a very interesting person to know."
"Jase, stop flattering me." I chucked waving my hand in front of him.
He relaxed a bit in his chair and asked me, "So did you meet Jim yet?"
"You know him?" I asked surprised.
"Well, yeah. I wanted to tell you sooner." He nervously rubbed the back of his neck and added, "He's a friend and I talked to him before you got there. Asked him to look out for you."
"Oh he's more looking at me than looking out for me!" I huffed.
"What do you mean, Ash?" Jason asked looking clearly confused.
"I met him an hour back and he's kissed me a good four times now! Great friends you've got there Jase!" I said sarcastically.
"Well in that case, I need to talk to him." He smirked.
"I have already taken care of that." I laughed at him.
And we talked for another hour or so. I felt better now.
Relaxed.