Blinded by the bright sunlight coming from the window, I couldn't help but to be awoken. Seeing a tinge of the sight-depriving yellow, I opened my eyes slowly, and walked over the window to close the blinds.
"Ouch," was all I could begin to say, I stumbled into the side of my bed, as I look down at my body, I was still wearing the same clothing I had last night.
"Giselle!" shouts mother, as I let a filled groan.
Slowly walking down the stairs, my mind was pervaded with what has transpired last night. I was lost with all my thoughts, but I was interrupted by my mom's voice once again.
She snaps her fingers, "Hey."
"Huh?"
She pointed to the prepared food within the tray using her eyes, as I finally got out of my wide array of thoughts.
"Aren't you hot? Turtleneck and a coat, Erin?" she continues, while I carefully carry the tray as I walk towards the dining room.
"Here you go, Brian, Catalina."
Sipping his coffee, Mr. DiCaprio calls, "Ah. I see you finally learned to call us by our first names."
"She's a polite one, honey, that's why," Mrs. DiCaprio adds, as I smiled gently.
Walking towards the couch, I took a silent sigh.
"We don't have any blueberry," I said.
"It's still pancake though. Thanks, Lottie."
"How did things go with your dad?" he adds, munching on the pancakes I gave him.
My eyes widened a bit, remembering what my dad and I have talked about.
"Uh—Nothing. Well, I mean — Not exactly nothing, per se. I was just – It was uh, it was great."
With an utter confused expression plastered on his face, he placed down the fork and calls, "Oh...kay."
"School," I muttered.
"What?"
"I'm gonna go get ready for school."
come on, Morris, get it together.
I vowed myself that I will do my utmost best to not dwell on the things that I have learned, like being in love with that dumbass. I took a sigh, "It's gonna be okay."
I was holding my bag with both of my hands, as I curl my eyebrows seeing him by the front yard.
"What are you doing here, Jayson?"
He was leaning on his motorcycle, holding a helmet, while the other one is on the seat.
"I'm here to pick you up, what do you mean?"
Blinking a few times, I stammered, "I don't—Um, what?"
"Come on, Mr. Porter sure gets his dander up when someone is late at his class."
Still being confused, I breathed, "H-How do you know my schedule?"
He sat on the vehicle, as he puts his helmet, he raises the other.
"You coming or not?"
"Uh, I—I gues–"
"Great!"
•
It was okay, we didn't exactly talked that much since of course, he was driving. But I still do not understand why he would take me to school out of the blue, especially the day after his confession. Walking past through filled halls, I was greeted by a panting DiCaprio.
"Where were you? I missed the first period finding you," he said in between breaths.
"Oh, shit I am so sorry, I was with Jayson."
"Oh," he curled his brows. "I see."
"And, I already told you, I don't need you to chaperone me every time."
Stroking his hair, he continues, "Right. I'm – uh, I'll be off, then."
With him turning around, of course I couldn't help but to feel bad.
"Wait," I paused. "I really am sorry. Uh—here, it's never been used, so."
I handed him a folded handkerchief as he reaches for it, he immediately pats it on his face.
"That sweaty huh?" he chuckles, as I on the other hand, am screaming inside.
He taps and messes my hair as he calls, "Thanks, Lottie."
With him walking away, I finally can breathe fresh air. I don't know how can I be so calm around him knowing now that I have feelings for him? And, Danny would probably hate me for this, but I know I have to tell them.
•
"Told ya," Amara snickers.
"What? No!" Danny cries.
Dwyneth clapping her hands, she calls, "Hey, dumbasses! You can both fight on that 100 bucks but we're dealing with something serious here, alright? No, I'm just kidding I don't know anything about love."
"We should tell him—I meant you should," Amara says smirking at Danny as he rolls his eyes.
"On Homecoming!" Danny shouts.
"SHUT UP!" calls Dwyneth and Amara.
Danny leans in, as he whispers, "On Homecoming."
Dwyneth snaps her fingers, "That's a great idea, Colbert, yes. On Homecoming."
"Homecoming's like in a week, what am I even to say?"
Dwyneth sits on the table, as she proceeded to shrug, "Uh, say 'I love you...and let's have sex.' easy as tha—"
"WHAT, NO." I called.
"Yeah what the fuck, Dwyneth!"
"What is wrong with you?"
She stood from the table, "Alright, Jesus. We'll have a place ready, you're the one who fell for the dude, you do the talking."
Amara caresses my back as she gives out a concerned yet happy look, "You got this, Giselle. I've always rooted for you two."
I took a sigh, "I really hope so. I don't want things to get in the way, now that I'm applying for the Sorbonne."
•
Classes are over, and I went home, straight to my bedroom. I took off my coat, hung it, and placed down my things by my bed, as I sat at the chair in my desk.
My legs are noodled, my vision is a bit blurry as I was so tired from the whole day. My brain is sluggish and I cannot function my arms too well. I took a sigh, as I cracked my knuckles and calls, "Alright."
I opened my computer, seeing the saved draft of my application.
But, with him still in my head, I took yet again another deep sigh, "Should I write what I should say to him?" I whispered beneath my breath. "No, that'd be ridiculous."
"Hey, Lottie. I hear you're into me?" says the voice in my head.
"ARGH, shut up!"
I inhaled and released the air through my lips, I tied my hair into place and opened up a new Word document.
I straightened my back and started to type, This all might seem confusing to me as it is to you, but I want you to know that I l—
"No."
With all the past months, we have become closer—
"Ugh, no."
I was taken by you, afflicted by your kindnes—
"Why am I so bad at this!"
It has occurred to me that whatever might happen when I confess to him, I will still pat myself at the back for having the courage to do so. Plus, if he turns out he doesn't feel anything for me, that's fine.
"Yes! Sure. Of course, how can someone like him actually see me like that," I called as I stand up from my seat, spiraling back and forth as I walk. "No more thinking about him. Done!" I clapped my hands once to snap myself out of the misery.
The Sorbonne. That's all you need to focus your attention on—
I was stopped by a knock. My eyes widened, thinking it might be Leo.
"Who is it?"
"Rehan," he says as I sigh a huge relief.
"Dad," I exhaled opening the door wide for him to get in. "What brings you by?"
"Sorry for eavesdropping," he sniggers. "But I heard a lot of contemplation with yourself, eh?"
He proceeds, "We surely had a lot of discussions last night. With you and Leonardo, the Sorbonne, your vocation of becoming an author, not to mention, with that—uh, who was it now?"
"Jayson," I breathe.
"Ah. Have you smoothed things over?"
I groaned, "I don't know. I'm going to tell Leo on Homecoming. If I can."
He stood up from the edge of the bed, as he touches my shoulder, "I'm sure everything will sort itself out."
"In the mean time, the Sorbonne," he enunciated.
I took a positive yet nervous sigh, "Yes. I have everything planned out. I will hand in all the requirements needed 2 days prior before the deadline so that I could give myself extra preparation for the exams. I'm compiling everything that I have been apart of, from organizations and advocating, to charity work I did last year. I'm also doing my best to be fluent now, oh and, mom and I have talked about entering a review center."
"Wow," he says. "You really are serious about this."
"I am," I smiled gently.
"Whatever you need."
"What do you mean?"
He smiled, "For the Sorbonne?"
"Oh—I, no dad. I want to enter solely on my own merit."
He gave out a chuckle, "No, Giselle, I didn't mean that we are going to pay your way to get there. But you have to understand, the Sorbonne is a prestigious school and even if you apply for a scholarship, it will still require a lot of money. And I need you to not worry about that, alright?"
He pinches my arm as he continues, "You're as smart as they make 'em," as I smile in gratitude.
•
It is now past 9:00pm, dad has left a few hours ago, I have finished all my chores and homeworks, and I have also done halfway through my essay for the application. It is cold, yet not too much that I needed to be covered in different layers of fabrics. As I lay on my bed scrolling through Reddit, I took a sigh, grateful of the peace inside my room.
"Lottie!"
I rolled my eyes, "That was atleast 30 minutes."
"What?" I walked outside the door as I look at his, directly adjacent by meters to mine.
"Who are you going with at the Homecoming?"
oh shit, uh, calm down.
I sighed and shrugged, "I don't know, probably just myself."
He nods, "Oh, Jayson didn't asked you?" he asks, as I shook my head.
As I fold my face in embarrassment and cringe, I packed up the courage and asks, "Who are you taking?" I says quickly before he closes his door.
He fidgets and exhaled, "Do you wanna go to this stupid Homecoming?"
Rolling my eyes, I groaned, "I don't. But I have to tell you that I—D-Dwyneth, tell you that uh, I promised them. So. Heh."
He opened the door wider and got out of his room, as he walks halfway through the hall dividing our doors. "Let me start over. Will you go to the Homecoming with me?"
As someone who has never been exposed to boys and crushes, you can well imagine how something like this would truly shake my heart and nerves to the core. Is this really how those characters that I have read felt? I'm so homely, and awkward, I couldn't understand if I had heard him correctly.
"I-I'm sorry, are you asking—me, to go to the Homecoming with you?" I stammered as I point at myself.
"I mean—You don't have to, I just thought since we both don't have—"
"I will," I breathed. "Why not?"
He stretches his right corner lips, before he reaches his arm for my shoulder and wraps himself around me. My eyes widened, both of my hands are frozen down on my sides as he rests his chin perfectly on my head. His goddamn scent.
"We're gonna have so much fun!" he calls.
He finally lets go of me, and proceeded to do what he always does. Mess up my hair.
"Ugh, get off!"
"Goodnight, Lottie." he smiles before turning around, inside his room.