BURN

Chapter seven

CHAPTER SEVEN

Silence bathed my room except for the movie, my gaze zeroed at the screen of my apple laptop as I sat crossed legged on the fluffy mattress. I crossed my legs Indian style hoping to actually concentrate on the characters moving and talking on the screen but for some reason, I just could not do it. I sighed loudly then sighed again, a little softer this time.

“Okay, what is going on Sophie?” I snapped my gaze to Jade, leaning by my door dressed in pink shorts and an oversize blue shirt.

“What do you mean?”

“You went to the library at four, then your brother called me at six asking me if you were in the apartment. He sounded pretty mad and then I tried calling you but it won’t go through. Then you walk in the house at eight fifteen, no words spoken. Just a simple hi and you come straight to the bedroom. Where were you?”

“What are you now? My mother?” I snapped and almost immediately regretted it.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized softly watching as she strode towards my bed, sitting next to me.

“Where were you?” she questioned.

“At Malcom’s,” I watched her face for a reaction and soon enough her eyes widened.

“Like the Malcom?” I nodded in affirmation.

“How in the bloody Mary did you get to Malcom’s?” she questioned.

“He found me at the Library and we drove off to his place. He then asked or more like said that we are friends,” I shrugged. How does the guy you almost made out with ask you to be friends with him out of nowhere and expects you to agree with it? I was not experienced when it comes to love and relationships but even that didn’t sound right to me.  

“You are not making any sense Sophie. I have heard rumors and the one thing I’ve learnt so far is that when it comes to Maseno, rumors are actually the truth. Malcom is a playboy. He f***s, he leaves and never once has he ever played for keeps ever since he stepped into Maseno. So why in the bloody hell would he want to be friends with you?”

“It had something to do with a bet from the basketball team but you don’t have to worry, I obviously said no to it,”

“What! Why did you say no? Is this about your brother? I can go put some sense into his head if you want,” Sometimes I wished I was always that headstrong and unafraid like she was.

“Sadly no,”

“Well, this is interesting,” she shifted, angling her entire body to face me.

“While I was helping him cook dinner, a girl came in,”

“Must have been one of floozies. I mean, the guy has quite a reputation,”

“I thought so too until he said he had missed her. And it was not faked Jade. I mean, sure she looked like some super model straight out of the front page of a fashion magazine, with her curvy figure and perfect hair but still he did not need to flirt with her right next to me,” I stopped when I saw the look on Jade’s face.

“What?”

“I see what is going on here. You are just jealous of a guy you met once at a party and puked on,” she chuckled airily.

“No, I’m not,” I denied effusively

“Yes and now thinking about it, I think you made the right decision in choosing not to be friends with Malcom,”

“Really? What makes you think so?”

“You have a crush on a guy who is in almost every girl’s lips. Several fashion brands and some that are actually international want him to model for them. There are even rumors he will be running for the upcoming Mr. Maseno competition. My point is, he is a playboy who is not cut out for settling on one girl. You have been shielded from the wild side of the world and if you had agreed to be Malcom’s friend then he would have pushed you right in there. I think you have your parents and brother to blame for that. They should have let you make mistakes,” she patted my hair twice.

“You are making it sound like I’m in love with him,” I rolled my eyes.

“Maybe soon enough you will be if you don’t stay away from Malcom. And when you let yourself fall for him, you will not just have your heart broken but all of you. Get some sleep Sophie we still have that chemistry 101 at seven tomorrow,” I nodded watching her step off my bed.

“Goodnight Jade,”

“Night too Sophie,” She closed my bedroom door after her.

I shut down my laptop, trying to make sense of Jade’s words. Most of it did not make sense but Jade was the perfect combination of reason and fun. One moment she was the one trying to get me to taste every single wildness the supposed freedom of being in a university offered and the next minute she was acting like my freaking brother, telling me why being friends with Malcom was bad. After a few minutes I found my eyelids growing heavy and before I could count to ten, sleep overtook me.