The Way I Love You

CHAPTER 14

~Sometimes we need a fantasy to survive reality.

"Oi, now will you come on a date with me?"

"No. Hell no." I replied.

No, don't worry, it's not Archer nor is it, Luke.

It's Anderson.

This is about time when he newly joined school back in middle school. I try to deny it, but he was kind of the first crush I had. He was cool out of all the guys.

He had that slick hair falling over his forehead, deep brown eyes and something about him just felt attracting. He had cute broken English as he initially lived in Portugal. So, he had a mix of Portuguese with English.

And with the luck I had, we became friends. And only after that did, I start liking him. I liked him for almost a year.

My crushes list is quite interesting. And I can tell I've had the best of school experience that anyone could ever have.

So as usual the typical me would obviously not do anything about the crush so, I just kept it with myself. And talking about my luck, it wasn't that good after all.

I had a friend named Emily back then, he used to hang out with her a lot, hold hands and sit together and all lovey-Dovey. It was disgusting. In fact, me liking him was itself disgusting, coming to think of it.

But it wasn't weird between me and Emily, as I didn't tell her anything and nor did I also make it uncomfortable between us. I, myself didn't take it seriously. Like c'mon I was in 4th grade.

As the year passed and new academic year came, I met new people, I slowly started losing interest from him. And trust me it felt like so long when I liked him.

The moment I lost interest was the time when he gained interest. He too never confessed but I know. All those getting caught while staring, and being around wherever I was.

All those things were enough for me to tell that he had a crush on me.

*Past*

"Oh, Luke come on, let me sit there, will you?" Anderson asked Luke.

"No, just sit there, why do you want to come here?" Luke asked back.

"Please." Anderson replied.

"Yes, is everyone ready?" The teacher asked.

We were all playing chinese whisper.

It was a game where one person tells a word to another person in whispers and it keeps going on till the last person reveals the word.

It was an exciting game to play, especially when there are more people. We had a free period and the teacher decided to make it more interesting.

Luke was beside me and Anderson was beside Luke. He begged Luke to take his place as then he could sit with me.

But unfortunately, what he wanted dint happened.

Anyways, he did not do anything about the crush nor did I and nor did anyone else also come to know that I liked him or he liked me.

We were the different timed liking people.

Both of us went separate ways after that, and finally met until recently, last year.

He's changed completely now. Become more taller, better fluent in English, his hair has become silkier and doesn't come over his forehead like before. Instead, it's gelled and always stands up.

He dated my friend, Stephanie, once he was back. They had their relationship only for a short period of time, after he broke up with her.

He would have realized how pestilential and infuriating she was.

I at least think of him as a friend, but he doesn't. He's completely forgotten of how close we used to be. He doesn't even mind to talk.

He's just playing with people, trying to get girls. And I'm not the one he's going to get now.

******************

"Oh, come on why don't you just go with him." Luke said.

"Cause no." I replied sternly.

"Okay anyways now that we're all here why don't we go out and have some fun." Chloe recommended.

Everyone agreed and all of us went to a restaurant. I guess after the performance

There was silence between me and Archer. Like the shy kind of silence. I dint talk to him after the performance. I've always noticed that he's always silent every time someone brings up anything about Anderson and me.

He doesn't usually stay silent on these things.

"How did you get on here Archer?" Luke asked.

"I was bored at home, and I heard the conversation back there that you couldn't perform." He replied

"Damn but timing was slayed." I told him finally.

"I know." He said.

We finally reached the restaurant and God the drama of where to sit was too much.

We were group of 6. Archer, Luke, Anderson, Emma, Luna and me.

Anderson wanted to sit next to me, I wanted to sit next to Archer, Luna did not want to sit near Anderson, so did Emma and Archer did not want to sit near any one of us.

We were just standing there waiting for the others to sit so we could sit where we want to. But there they were Luke and Luna already sitting together.

It was 3 chairs one side and 3 chairs on the opposite side.

Archer went and sat beside Luke. I went and sat opposite to him, and Anderson came sat next to me with Emma on the other end.

"Oh, for god's sake Anderson, will you please come this side. Let me sit near Claire."

"Nope."

"Claire come and sit in the middle. I'm not sitting with him." Emma said.

"Oh my god!" I got up and sat in the middle.

"Can we order food now." Archer said.

"YEAH!" Everyone replied.

There it came after a while; Cheese balls, noodles, pizza, sandwich, cold drinks, and burgers. Our table was filled.

All of us ate, talked and enjoyed and ended it accompanied with a desert. One big sundae which all of us shared and yet we couldn't complete it.

"mmm, how I love strawberries." I said, by eating one. 

"Even me." Anderson said. 

All of them looked at him and then me. And after a second we started to laugh. And went back again on trying to finish the big sundae. 

"What?" Anderson asked innocently. 

"When will you stop being an idiot?" I asked and all of us laughed, enjoying the scene. 

The time was around 9 and all of us had to get back to our houses.

I would never forget this day, it has been the best day ever.

Even though I badly wanted to perform with Luke, I don't think I would have had as much as fun I had while performing it with Archie.

Besides my time period of having a crush on Luke is now slowly coming to an end. It was only a lame crush after all.

I got down as my house had come.

"Thank you so much for coming today, Archer!" I said and waved them all goodbye and a good night.

That's it the day now comes to an end with the most fun I could ever have.