BURN

Chapter Nine

CHAPTER NINE

Monday classes were usually the worst and I was glad they were over. The moment the clock struck six, Jade and I were pretty much the first people to get out of class.

“Ben has been making eyes at you the entire class, you know?” I stated as we joined the hallway filling up with students. From the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Andrew and Sean following us at a safe distance.

“Ben? Which one is Ben?” She questioned, sounding somewhat confused.

“Seriously? He is the guy you were dancing with on Friday,” I pointed out surprised she would forget that.

“Oh! I didn’t notice he was in our class,” she shrugged nonchalantly.

“He is and well, he is kind of hot,”

“If you are suggesting that if he asks for my number I’ll give it to him, then you know damn well you are right. After all, I like to fill my phonebook with phone numbers of attractive guys I will never call back,”

“Sometimes it’s really hard for me to figure you out Jade,” I shook my head, chuckling.

As soon as we got back to the apartment, I kicked off my black, ankle leather boots while switching on my phone. After the whole fiasco with Malcom at the Diner, I knew Danny would try to call me so I had switched it off despite his warning. A string of messages from an angry Danny flew in, making me sigh.  I did not bother replying to any of them or at least reading them. I was too damn drained out to deal with Danny’s temper now and I still had an assignment to work on. The due date was next week Monday but I preferred getting started early enough.

“You know what I’m most grateful about being here?” Jade questioned as she peeled some Irish potatoes.

“That you can have any guy you set your eyes on,” Unlike me, I wanted to add.

“No, I mean yeah but the fact that I can now eat whatever I want. Mum always made me eat veggies all the time, claiming they are good for the health. Can you believe that?”

“That’s what you get for being a head doctor’s daughter,”

“Well, at least I don’t have an overbearing brother like you,” we both smiled at that.

Soon enough we were done preparing dinner. I took a warm shower after that to clear off the day’s fatigue, careful for the water not to touch a single strand of hair on my head. Casually dressed in white shorts and a sky blue sweater, I sat with Jade, watching an ongoing soap opera while munching our food.

“I really don’t understand our obsession with soap opera’s you know,” Jade suddenly said.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean look at the soaps. The guys in there are just too damn perfect and always fighting for their one true love. But then there are no real good guys out in the real world. Instead of them fighting for us, it’s us always fighting to protect our hearts from being broken over and over again. It’s really so funny, you know,” We both chuckled at how true that was.

“I guess, it’s just the idea of escaping reality even just for a while that keeps us watching. And to someone like me who has never had the privilege of coming close to dating anyone, it’s a way of living off my love life without actually living it,”

A knock on the door made us look at each other. I shrugged in denial while Jade walked to answer it. An angry Danny walked right past her halting to a stop right in front of me, blocking my direct view to the Television.

“Just what the f**k is wrong with you Sophie?”

“What do you mean? “I played dumb, very well knowing I was getting on his nerves by doing that.

“Making me look like a fool in front of the entire University is not really enough for you and now you are actually switching your phone off on me,”

“I was in class and you know damn well, I always switch off my phone during lecture time,” I countered trying not to sound too defensive.

“Why are you still parading around with Malcom?”

“What are you talking about Danny?”

“Don’t play dumb with me Sophie. Many people saw you with him at Oxygen. This is just your third week here and you already want to spread your legs again for that scumbag. When are you going to learn Sophie?” the veins in his forehead pulsed as he glared at me.

“And how many times do I have to tell you, I didn’t sleep with Malcom and don’t plan on doing so?”

“I just…people are talking Sophie. They are calling you his slut,” He plumped to the couch, his voice barely a whisper with a crestfallen look accompanying it. I had never seen him look or sound that defeated before.

“Slut?” I muttered in a small voice. People really thought I was Malcom’s slut?

“Yes and I don’t like it at all. You are my only sister and I can’t lose you. I can’t,” he squeezed my palms.

“I’m not going to die Danny,” I chuckled in amusement.

“No, you don’t understand. Malcom is dangerous. You need to stay away from him before he drags you down with him,”

“Don’t worry Danny. He and I have nothing in common. I don’t plan on getting close to him whatsoever,” I half-smiled at him, hoping he would actually take my word for it.

“Will you stay away from him? If not for me then for yourself?”

“I promise Danny,”

“I love you so much sis, more than you can possibly ever know,” He hugged me suddenly and we stayed in that position for a while.

“Well, now that you two have made up, can I continue watching La Gata?” Jade stated as Danny pulled away.