My Deer Girl

Chapter 8: Foreign But Delicious Feelings

                                                                                             Aria

My first week was almost over. I was having lunch alone at a table when I noticed Dominick come in and rove his eyes around until they met mine. I just nodded to him and gave him a small smile. Since we met, he wanted to talk to me. I could just feel it in my bones. But everytime, he seemed to be thwarted for a reason such as Maddison, my classmate in Prof. Dean’s class, who always came up to me to strike a conversation. She was a vivacious one and really nice to talk with.

And just like now. Dominick was about to come over to my table when Maddison placed her tray opposite mine.

“Hi! I can’t find another vacant table. Is it okay to eat with you?” she asked.

“You already placed your tray here, so why not?” I answered pointedly and glanced at Dominick who seemed to hang his head. Oh, he was so adorable!

He just smiled at me and went to join his puck buddies. I learned that he was a hockey varsity player from Maddison herself.

“I think he really likes you!” She grinned as she settled on the seat, seeing where the direction of my eyes were on.

I forked my leafy vegetable and shoved it into my mouth, looking at her and trying to act cool. “Well, he’s got a girlfriend. So I don’t see why he should like another girl,” I blurted out after chewing and swallowing. Then, I stabbed my food and repeated the cycle of putting it into my mouth, chewing and swallowing while she watched me. Maybe she already concluded I was a vegetarian.

“Who says he has a girlfriend? He’s one of the ultimate campus crushes, but he has no girlfriend! At least, that’s what I know since last year!” She rolled her gray eyes and halted them deliberately to the right. She then tied her long dark brown hair, exposing her stomach and showing off some fair skin. She wore a blouse that she deliberately left unbuttoned in its lower part, paired with stretchable jeans and brown sandals.

I slowly moved my eyes without turning my head to follow her gaze and saw Charlotte together with Denise and Abdalla, the Swahili girl. I heard the trio was formed since last year. Charlotte came from a well-off family from Manitoba, just like Denise, who was a local. Abdalla was so-so, but she tried to keep up with the two in terms of fashion and some luxury, such as jewelries, shoes and bags. She was actually the hardworking among the three. She was doing part-time jobs like modeling in her free time.

“Well, that one always tries to get the girls off him,” Maddison added in a conspiratorial voice. “She thinks she’s his girlfriend, usually acts like one. But she does go out with other guys, too. And from what I can tell, Dominick’s not into her.”

My heart danced with joy for some reason, like it was thrilled upon hearing it. As much as I could, I acted nonchalant about it. I dropped my gaze to my food to act normal, as though I didn’t care much at all. I forked another leafy vegetable and ate it. She did the same to her burger steak and fries.

“So, you know them very well, huh? Where are your friends, by the way? You seem to hang around me much,” I expressed, trying to not sound offending or something. I did like her company. I supposed she was the first girlfriend I had. Nobody approached me since I was fifteen and made friends with me, though none bullied me for being a loner. So far.

She gaped at my words. “Oh, well… I just heard rumors here and there, and you know, I observe people.” She shrugged. “You seem to be a brave and nice person, Aria, so I want us to be friends. I don’t really like to make friends. But with you, it’s kind of different, which I can’t elaborate. For now. I guess. So, is that all right with you? Friends?” She offered a hand for a shake, which I laughed off. She didn’t take it back, so I held it for a moment, touching half of her hand.

I was not keen on touching people’s hands, but I couldn’t help it if it was needed. Just like when I brushed fingers with Dominick. I felt something warm that moved all throughout my system that was really weird. But with others, I felt something cold. I had no idea why it felt like that everytime, except for my mother, of course.

Even though Libby was not my real mother.

She was different.

I didn’t know what it meant for me to touch people and feel their cold temperature. What could it signify?

I tried to shake it off. As naturally as I could, my eyes drifted to Dominick, who was actually staring at me. Our gazes collided and held for a long moment that I didn’t even notice Maddison telling me something. Something deep within me was roused—kind of delicious and inexplicable. Something really, really good. I could not say if it was because I was attracted to him at first sight, and knowing that he felt the same way, it was just…

Heaven. It was all I could think of right now.

“What did you say?” I finally asked Maddison but didn’t tear my eyes off Dominick.

He slowly drank his aloe vera juice and gave me a slow smile. Our eyes locked as though nothing else existed. I could hear my heart pound against my rib cage. It was like the only sound I could hear at the moment.

I blinked and gaped when someone blocked my view of that handsome hockey player. Then, I looked up at the tall, sexy woman in blush pink crochet lace sleeveless bodycon dress. The owner of that body was joined by two more. They wore sexy and expensive clothes, as usual, and paired them with branded, really pretty shoes.

The tall trio looked down at me, while Maddison stopped talking, whose words I didn’t get anyway.

“Hi! Anything I can help you with?” I sounded friendly. Well, it was sterling. I didn’t want to have a fight with anyone. As much as possible, I wanted a normal life in Hornden. I wanted to experience what it was to have friends and… fall in love. Maybe… just maybe… with Dominick.

But these three girls in front of me were nothing but hostile.

“You. Are. Not. Allowed. To. Look. At. Him,” said Denise, nitpicky as usual. She also pointed a well-manicured finger at me.

The corners of my lips went up into a smile. “Excuse me?”