CONFUSED

------------------~[ROSE'S POV]~---------------------

The beautiful enticing smell of the flowers wafts through my nostrils as I make my way to Brittany's hostel. I had called earlier and she wasn't in class as she said. The confusing thought still rakes my mind as I wondered over and over. Who the hell gave me this shit? I have no idea what to do. Brittany is the most exposed one between the two of us so she will definitely know what to do under such circumstances.

I get to the hostel building and divert to the direction with her hostel number. I take a deep breath as soon as I get to her door and knock.

"Coming." She replies from within and I sigh looking around the corridor as an attendant walks past. I nod at him and he winks before taking his exit. I sigh.

The door clicks open to reveal Brittany's face covered with a skin beautifying mask. I sigh. " Really Britt? During school hours?"

She chuckles. " My course is done for the day, baby girl. " She glances at the flowers in my arms. " Uhh..... "

I chuckle. "That's why I need your advice right now."

She furrows her eyebrows. " Come in. " She says and steps out of the way looking at the flowers inquisitively. "So what's it?"

I chuckle. "I was at the library trying to read my ass off when my hostel attendant walked up to me and gave me this saying a fellow asked her to give me this. Plus, she said he wanted to be anonymous. "

Brittany chuckles. " My goodness. You have an admirer. " She says and sits beside me in the bed.. she takes the chocolate cake from me and laughs. "Aawwwnnnnn. So sweet."

I roll my eyes. "Yeah. Whatever. "

She chuckles. " Come on Rose, you should definitely accept this. "

I turn sharply to her. " What? "

She chuckles. "Yes. Come on. You don't know who is watching you Rose. Someone has developed a soft spot for you and decided to give this to you without you knowing him, just accept it. One day, he will reveal himself to you. "

I roll my eyes and scoff. " I doubt that. I can't keep a gift from someone I don't even know. "

She snorts. " Don't be so dumb Rose. It doesn't mean anything. Someone admires you, just go with the flow. Accept the gift and let that be it.“

I scoff. “Well. I actually don't see myself accepting this." I say examining the chocolate cake in the box. It is a bit tempting though. I sigh. “I can't Britt. I need to know who sent it if not……”

" What? You are gonna toss it into the bin?“

I smile. " That's a great idea Rose. I knew coming to you for help won't be bad.“

Britt furrows her eyebrows. " Seriously? You are really going to throw it away?"

I chuckle. " Yeah baby.“

"But what if the person is watching you? You could break his heart. You could make him feel bad.“

I sigh. " Well. That will do nothing but teach him a lesson to come to me next time directly and not cutting through the corners.“ I reply and pick up the flowers with the chocolate cake.

“Can't I at least have the cake?“ She asks and I chuckle.

“See? I knew you wanted this, hence the opposition.“ I give her the cake.

She rolls her eyes. " I really don't want you to throw it away, Rose. I'm placing myself in the fellow's shoes. I will feel bad.“

I sigh and bite my lip. I glance at the flowers. " I can't do this….."

“What if it is Christian who actually sent it to you?“ She spits out and I blink.

" What?“

She chuckles. “You heard me. What if it is Christian who sent it?"

I bite my lip and scoff. " Christian can't send me this and if he is, he won't send it through a hostel attendant.“

She scoffs. " Jeez. You are just so dumb.“ She mutters and tears open the cake box.

Without hesitation, I walk up to the door and she calls me.

“Before you do that Rose, just think about it." She says and returne back to the cake. I roll my eyes and walk out.

I walk all the way down the stairs then out of the hostel towards the wastebin right outside the threshold of the door.

I stand before the wastebin and look at the flowers. Maybe I shouldn't throw it away. They are so good to waste. I sigh and glanced at it for about ten minutes not knowing what to do. I groan.

“Aaargh." What do I do with this? I sigh and finally turn the next minute to see Christian at a distance staring at me with a smile. My belly churns and my throat becomes dry. My heart is pounding really really hard.

I immediately hide the flowers behind me as he approaches me. What the hell is he doing here? I swallow and look around to make sure no one was in sight. I would be a dead bee if I'm caught by any student speaking with the almighty Christian Jake.

“What are you doing here?" I ask the moment he gets to me.

He chuckles. " As usual. Looking around."

I bite my lip. “Are you stalking me?"

He chuckles. “No Rose. I'm not. I think I'm still insistent on making sure you take my offer.“

I scoff. He smiles and examines me. " Uhhh…what are you hiding?"

I chuckle nervously and brush my hair behind my ear. “ Uhhh…nothing.“

He chuckles and walks closer to me towering high above me. My breath hitches. “Are you hiding something from me, baby?"

I feel my cheeks heat up and look away trying so hard to control my throbbing nerves. Jeez. Can't he just stay away for a sec? “N..no.. nothing." I reply and turn to go but he holds my hand stopping me in my tracks.

" I see you have an admirer." He says, making my heart fall. I don't want him to see that. I know he isn't the one who sent it.

I glance at it and chuckle nervously. “Yeah. That's right. I don't even need it anyway." I say and turn to toss it into the bin.

“Hey." He says Immediately and stops me. “No. It's alright. Don't do that. It's cool. I don't think it would be fair to whoever gave it to you. The fellow must have spent a lot of money to get you that. What's his name?“

I blink. " I don't know. He gave it to me through someone. Anonymously.“

He chuckles. " Wow. So the fellow is going solo. That's cool."

I bite my lip and watch him as he keeps smiling, glancing at the flowers. He really doesn't care? I nod and chuckle sarcastically. “Yeah. Right. I guess I should keep it then.“

" Yeah. You should.“

I examine him. He looks suspicious. " Are you the one?“ I suddenly ask and he looks at me wide eyed.

“What? Pfft. No. I'm not the one. I just arrived here today. I have no idea about th..this.“ He says, taking a deep breath.

I nod slowly. “Yeah. Right." It's true. There is no way in hell Christian Jake would give me a bouquet of flowers and a chocolate cake. I look down suddenly feeling forlorn. “I uhh…I got to go.“ I say and turn but he stops me immediately.

“Hey sorry uhh….but do you have time maybe tomorrow or anytime. Maybe we could, you know, go out. Have fun. Your friend Brittany is welcome to join us.“

I swallow. Why is he asking Brittany to join? I sigh. I should know he wouldn't want anything to do with me….. alone.

I sigh deeply. “I'm sorry. I have a lot in my hands right now. You can ask Brittany if you want to. I'm sure she will be happy to go with you.“ I reply and turn to go.

" Wait….." He says and holds my hand. A sudden jolt of electricity passes through my arms and I glance at him. He chuckles softly. “Sorry. I didn't mean to..uhh…forget it. It's okay.“

I bite my lip and nod. " Yeah. Right. I'll be going.“

He chuckles exhaustively and I turn to go. I clutch the flowers tightly as I head to my hostel to drop it. Why do I have the feeling that he has something to do with this? I pause at a point and turn back to see him still standing there at the spot staring at me. I felt my cheeks heat up and turn immediately. My heart is thumping relentlessly.

Jeez. I run non-stop into the hostel building, up the stairs and through the corridor till I get to my room and shut the door behind me. God. I'm going insane. What the fuck is this?

**********

He watches her run into the building and sighes. “I failed." He mutters and glances at the tickets in his hand. “Oh shit." He mutters and face palms himself.

“Why the hell can't I just get to her?"