he loves me...he loves me not?

" Excuse me, are you guys closing?" Calix asked a shop attendant

" Ye-. No not all." The shop attendant quickly stammered when she looked at Calix. 'wow, he is handsome'. she thought

" Oh thank you, ma'am. I would like to buy a pair of your most comfortable shoes please." Calix said

" Of course, this way. Is this for a lady friend? She is very lucky." She said the last part with envy lacing from her tone. To this, Calix smiled but did not respond.

"I am not that old by the way so you can call me by my name, Christa. I bet we are the same age." She said blushing

" Oh? If we are the same age then you must be favored by the weather in this city for you to look so young and beautiful." Calix offered politely with a smile. 

The attendant laughed and said, " I guess that makes two of us. What do you say we meet up again once I am done with work?

Calix sensed the danger and immediately changed the topic, " Is this the section?" 

" Huh?" the attendant asked confused 

" the section? for the shoes." Calix patiently reminded her 

" Oh yes, yes. This is it." She said 

" Thank you very much, Christa was it? Have a lovely day." Calix said with a smile. And legit, the attendant dropped to the floor with her hands on the anatomical position of the heart. And sighed... a very long sigh. 

Calix estimated Alyssa's shoe size and bought her the most comfortable sneakers he could find and left the store.

Alyssa was still getting drenched from the rain but seemed so comfortable with the rain pouring on her. She was walking absent-mindedly with her right extended so that she could make a cup shape with her palm and pretend to be catching the raindrops. Suddenly someone gently grabbed her outstretched hand and pulled her into a firm chest and her body collided with the person who had just pulled her.

Alyssa's breath hitched upon contact with the person and before she could panic over the incident, a familiar leathery sandalwood scent filled the air around her.

" Afraid?" She heard Calix say as he chuckled with his low and deep voice that resonated throughout his chest. They stayed like that for what felt like a millennium to Alyssa. Her dress was now sticking to her because of the rain and it gave an alluring, sexy tight-fit look with her black hair cupping her small oval face making her glow in the rain. Calix was hypnotized. Then he took off his black coat and draped it over Alyssa's shoulders.

He gave her the umbrella covering both from the rain and knelt on the ground and took out the shoes he bought for her and helped her put them on. " They fit." He said as he sighed in relief and jumped off the ground like an excited child and came face to face with Alyssa again. 

They stood there, in the middle of the street with eyes on each other. 

" Let's start over. Hello, how have you been?" Calix lowered his head placed his hand on the umbrella and whispered to Alyssa.

Alyssa felt the rush of emotions she had experienced over the past few days and she wanted to cry again. She felt so relieved to see Calix again but she was equally confused because the man standing in front of her did not acknowledge her proposal, broke her heart, and then now he was asking her how she had been. 

" Are you not going to talk to me?" Calix spoke again as he felt a tinge of sadness because Alyssa was staring at him with a blank expression. Though Alyssa's eyes showed every emotion she was going through, she just did not want to acknowledge it.

" I owe you another coat. I will wash them both and bring them back to you." She finally said to him with a very small and melodic voice. She turned around and walked away from Calix. She walked to the nearest bus waiting area to get shelter from the rain since she was wearing Calix's jacket and she did not want to get it soaked. She called her friends to ask them to pick her up. 

On the other hand, Calix was left alone standing in the middle of the street but he was not disheartened at all. On the contrary, his eyes gave off a dangerous glint with a smirk and an aura that screamed 'I am the dangerous type' that was very alluring and would make any woman fall head over heels. He chuckled and said, " Alyssa Falls, I won't be letting you go now." 

.....

" So do you want to say something?" Dove asked when they arrived to their apartment after fetching Alyssa. 

" I do. Girl, when are you getting your driver's license?" Hannah joked 

"I was not talking to you." Dove said

" well, I was the first to respond." Hannah said as she stuck her tongue out to Dove and then said to Alyssa, " Well?" 

" I never thought of it." Alyssa said, " I mean I have you guys and the people at home." She shrugged 

" What? Do you think we are your personal drivers or something?" Hannah huffed and crossed her arms close to her chest 

" Well..." Alyssa responded with her eyes shimmering and the girls burst out laughing.

Dove sat down, picked up a pillow to play with the said, " Alyssie, what happened?" 

" Oh yeah, the paeds doctor said that we will be able to finish before the farewell party and he will call me in case we have to meet again," Alyssa said 

" I can not believe he lost your project and then asked you to redo it! So unfair! But I guess meeting at the most classy of restaurants made up for his mistake, right guys?" Hannah said referring to the paeds doctor who called Alyssa a few days ago telling her that he could not find her project so she had to redo it if she wanted to be get her certificate of completion. Their university required the certificate of completion from the various departments they worked in during the exchange program.

" Yeah, it gave her something to focus on after what happened with the surgeon." Dove added

" So tell us how was the restaurant food? Your company?" Hannah asked 

" I did not eat much and the company you are referring to is my senior from the paeds department so everything was professional." Alyssa said to dampen any silly ideas Hannah would be cooking in her brain. 

" Oh and where did you get the coat? and are these shoes new? I do not know them. They complement your outfit." Hannah said

" Oh these, I got it from Dr Evans." Alyssa said as she pretended to be nonchalant 

" What?What was he doing there?" Hannah asked 

" That's what I want to know as well." Alyssa said as she sighed

"That this mean he likes you?" Dove asked 

" that's what i want to know as well." Alyssa answered absent-mindedly

" Well, I think he does. I mean he even bought you shoes." Hannah said with a confident pose. 

" Alyssie can not go based on your assumption Han." Dove said rolling his eyes 

"Aww man, this is so confusing." Hannah said as she sat next to Dove 

" I know right. Even I can't figure out what is going on despite the fact that everything is happening to me." She said as she put her head on the arm of the couch and mumbled to herself,

" he loves me... he loves me not? Which one is it?" 

Sigh.