CHAPTER 2

The good thing is that there weren't physical classes. It was around noon by the time I was waking up from my nap. We were done with our tests and I had two more months left here in New York. I woke up and took a cold shower and later on went to have some breakfast. My twin siblings were also the type to wake up later in the afternoon. I found my mother in the kitchen and she was asking so many questions at once. I don't know why she asked me again who had been my date, but I still reminded her. She started telling me of how she had been friends with his mum and how Maritim's mum brought them nice and sweet cakes every time they had a meeting.

And finally, my twin siblings woke up, or was it that they came out of their rooms. We all served coffee and went to the living room. Elsa begins asking about the details of last night and I now don't know what to do with these people. "Did he kiss you? Did he admit to being one of your admirers?" Elsa spoke as she stuffed bread in her mouth.

"I hope he told you he likes you since by the way he looks at you it is so obvious." My brother adds as he spreads the peanut butter off his bread.

"Who told you he likes me? We are just classmates and we don't even talk in class that much only during group discussions. I insist as I sip my tea.

Alasdair goes again and says" I am a boy, I know what it's like to like a girl and how guys behave when they are in love with someone. Did you even pay attention to how authentic he did look for you and how he did smell nice? I bet you did too."

"So who did you dance with since I noticed that Elsa was dancing with that prince boy?" I also start on him.

He shrugs and wears a smile and refuses to answer.

"Hey, El would you tell us how your little dance with the prince was?" I ask my sister who seems to still be so happy about yesternight.

"This cute boy comes to our table and looks at Alasdair and I was almost shocked since he looked like he was asking Alasdair to dance. Then it turns out that he was asking Alasdair if he can offer to dance with me. He then turns to me and puts his arm requesting me to dance with him. I don't know why he was quite sure I wouldn't refuse but he was so right and did look fabulous from his design collections and I just gave in. The moment I stood up I noticed that several eyes were glued on me and I was lucky to have gone for the dance practice." El really does give information into detail unlike me.

I am happy she did have a great night too. I was now in deep thought. I just thought Maritim was trying to be nice and a good friend and here I am getting clues that he likes me. He hasn't said it yet so I will wait and anyway I am leaving soon. And this is the reason too that I wouldn't let myself fall in love with him. I hate goodbyes, I know most of us if not all of us do too. But I wouldn't mind some good vibes. I can also help him apply for a scholarship since I know he needs one. He is smart too and I have no doubts he will get one.

I finish my coffee and it's almost noon so I go back to my room and get something to watch. There is a book I had begun and I was looking forward to finishing it soon. I sat on the balcony since it was my favorite place to sit while reading books. There was just this boy from this book who was described as so sweet and polite. He loved a girl who he knew didn't stand a chance with him and the girl was dating some famous guy from class. I really don't know why Maritim came to my head when I read the sweet guy. He really isn't from a poor background but his suit must have cost him some dollars. He must have saved that a while now and I really thought if he had planned all this. Would he have been so smart if he had no date? Or is that the way he dresses since I can honestly say that I really never paid attention to him. Yes, I would see him in class but I never really see him during school events. He has really been running through my head and the fact that it seemed that he would keep running through it unless someone erases the memory of last evening. It was a big deal for me, I have never danced so romantically with someone. I did dance during the junior prom simply because I had the urge to know that dance since I had a hope that I would dance at one time. And that time was yesterday evening.

I found it hard to concentrate and there is no way I could keep reading the book. I now lay down there hopelessly, begging my brain to keep it down. How long would I be in this state? The boy hasn't admitted that he loves me and this is how I am behaving. Was I even so in love with the moment or with the person I enjoyed the moment with? Of course, you can tell that I have never really loved a guy and I also don't know how to behave when I get the knowledge that someone might be in love with me. How long was I going to be this miserable? I grab my journal and I begin to write it does help most times. It seems so quiet and I put on some music to keep me company and guess which song plays first? "I like me better" and I have always loved this song, yesternight just made me love it more. What do I do with this love I am beginning to have?

From our virtual classes, you could easily get students' email or details somewhere if you were willing to scroll. In our century it was easier to just go and search for whoever it is on any social media platform. I fighting the urge to not search for him or get the details was just so strong. I would look so desperate if I text him first. Just as I am scrolling I see some notification from our class group and people were really commenting and it was so unusual. Someone had recorded the video of Maritim carrying me on our way out of the house party. Okay, no lie we did look amazing. My stupid classmates really did make it look more gorgeous by the hype they did put in it. And I was so certain that in a matter of no time almost half the school would get to see the video. Well, now I felt my cheeks reddening.

I am so lucky that there were no more classes since this story would be the topic for about two weeks. It will be the topic for some time but I can be in the house with no one seeing me blush at it. So now I just decide to go and search for any of my classmates and look for all tags until I get to see him. He didn't seem to be the type to post his photos but I have been wrong in almost everything I thought of him. I searched for him from my classmates' photos and I wasn't successful it has been ten minutes and I can't go on. I didn't even know any of his close friends in class and hence my unfortunate luck. If I go down and hang around the others this topic will now go on for a while so I take Lauzon and take him for a walk just in the compound. As we play around and have some fun.

Just as we are having fun I see some guy in an apron and was doing some delivery in the house next door. As the guy approaches the gate I see it's him. I can't even remember what time it is that he brought me back home. He came back and helped his dad prepare more bread and cakes and was already doing some deliveries. Makes sense why he just had one cocktail yesternight. He was aware he had work to do and didn't have room for a hangover. My mind debates if I should stop him and I hear Lauzon barking and that already captures his attention. He can't have forgotten that he picked and dropped me just a door next to the house he was doing some delivery. But he was so occupied, he might have had other deliveries. I see him wearing a smile and I also approach him. I see him trying to hide the fact that he is tired and I choose to ignore it. "Hey you, sorry I arrived home and forgot that I didn't have your number so I could check up on you but then again I wouldn't ask for it. I wasn't sure if that would be the best thing to do. But I am glad you are well and that I have seen you again. I have been so held up too since I brought you home."

"It's okay I am fine and I am sorry about work you will get some rest later on," I say hoping it will at least make him cheered up from all the work he has been doing.

"Actually I have some doughnuts left since while we bake cakes we always add some doughnuts or muffins and your neighbors here asked me to have some for myself for the good work. I hope you don't mind. Said he as he held up the small package in his hand.

"But it was meant to be yours? Don't you need some for yourself for the work you have done?" I ask him as I look at him. I can see he really needs them.

"I eat a lot of this on a daily basis and when you eat too much of it you don't really admire eating them as much. So please have them." He really won't give up. So may I please have your number I can be checking in anytime I am free?

I give it to him since I remember how I have searched for anything linked to him a while ago. Lauzon was quiet since I was cuddling him as I spoke to Maritim and he was calm.

"You have a cute dog, if it weren't for him I wouldn't even have seen you and I wouldn't be going home smiling knowing I have your number. Let me go and finish the deliveries so I can now get to get some rest. Enjoy your doughnuts and a few cookies. "He adds.

I wave him back and go back into the house. My mother sees me with the doughnuts and biscuits and she smiles and asks if I want to share with her. I open the bag and they already look appealing I give her one and, my twin siblings also ask for theirs. My father has been so busy lately and isn't anywhere to be seen.

Whatever this week had was so amusing. I was so happy and it now started feeling so illegal. The doughnuts were so amazing and sweet. It seems that my siblings hadn't seen the video yet since they would just be so annoying. I really began hating myself since every once in a while I would keep checking my phone. I had to keep myself occupied since I would really be a very miserable being if I remained idle.

Well, the day dragged itself and it was already evening. I help mom prepare dinner and I don't check my phone. I am sure there have been a thousand comments on the video. But I can't deny the fact that I viewed that video a couple of times. Nothing changed each time except the fact that I was still happy.

We have dinner and I head to bed checking my phone and I see a text from an unknown number and I am finally relieved that he did the text. I understand he has been busy and maybe he had to rest a bit. He asks me about my evening and I remind him of how his doughnuts were sweet and how I am even planning to have more of them.

He says that our video was actually beautiful and does look like a script from a movie. Well, he was tired and I did understand him. I re-watch the video and smile my way till I fall asleep.

I had lost track of the days. I had no idea it was a Sunday. The normal routine was that it was compulsory to attend church service and there was no way out of this. My dad always came knocking on our doors an hour and a half earlier so we could have enough time to get ready. Sundays to me are always boring especially when Mondays were school days. I was just waiting for this spring season to be over and after Christmas, I would be gone to university and my most exciting part is that I would get to travel the world. I would be totally new there but that's okay I will get used. It was just about two months left. We had done our final SAT and I am a little nervous about the grades but I was already assured of a place in the university with everything catered for. We go to church and the whole time I am on my phone chatting with Maritim. Oh, and my sibling saw the video and I had a tough morning with unending disturbance and compliments. He hadn't said he liked me and I wouldn't tell him that I am beginning to like him since I would be such a desperate girl. I was also getting comfortable talking to him and the conversation flowed so well. I was so confused before, not knowing what to answer and how to say it and how not to.

The next Tuesday we were to go to school to fill in the university spots and get some help from our teachers. With the pandemic still with us, there would be shifts, the first twenty ranked academic-wise would come in on Tuesday. I didn't have to go but Maritim asked me to accompany him as we hang out a while. I wasn't really helping him make the choice, he was a smart one I am sure he really figured it out already.