Black Blood: The Runaway Mate

Chapter Ten

I am officially a friend of Aziel Fort Lewis.

I lost count on how many times I let that thought sink in, but I still couldn’t fully digest it. It was just as I expected. It wouldn’t leave my mind no matter what. I wasn’t even sure if I was really trying to get over it. 

Out of habit, I listed down questions and tried to answer them one-by-one, but to no avail.

1. Why does he want to be my friend?

2. What will change now that I’m his friend?

3. How will I act as his friend?

4. How will I approach him?

5. Will I approach him?

6. What if he approaches me first at school?

7. Will I give him the attention or ignore him?

If anyone would see what I wrote down on my notepad, they would surely think I was overreacting for overthinking the friendship I just started with Aziel. However, I also knew the high possibility that people like me who grew up having only one friend and who wanted to stay out of the society would relate.

In my opinion, the decision I made could be considered life-changing. It was like I tore up the plans I made and the rules I lived by for years and burned them into ashes.

The cons of being his friend came too late for me to realize that I might have made the wrong decision though. I was too impulsive to accept his offer when I should have thought it through. But it was all said and done. I already gave him my word. There was nothing else I could do. And if I’d be honest with myself, I really didn’t want to take it back. I wanted to get to know him despite being warned by my mother.

“What?!”

I shut my eyes tight when Lindsay expressed her emotions loud and clear just with that one word and the vivid look of surprise on her face. Even after all those wrong decisions I made for the past few days, I still considered myself smart for bringing her to some place where no one was around, before telling her about Aziel.

I was worried that someone would eavesdrop on us while talking, so I asked her to come with me to my car. Since the doors and windows were tightly shut, no one would hear us outside. Also, no one usually comes to the parking lot during break time. Most of them could be found on the field and the cafeteria, or just hanging out in the hallways. The minority, who were grade conscious like me, would choose to spend their free time reading in the library.

Inside the confined car was a good place to tell my secrets to someone like Lindsay who couldn’t hold herself back and bite her tongue whenever she was thrilled or excited or highly interested about something.

“I knew it!” she said, her eyes sparkled. “Aziel likes you!”

My forehead creased as she was heading in the wrong direction again because of her wild imagination. I just told her that Aziel wanted to be my friend, and I didn’t know where she got that from.

“That’s not what I said,” I reminded her.

She rolled her eyes. “I know how to read between the lines, Chandra.”

“Then, you’re reading too much.”

She sighed heavily and turned her body to me. Just one look at her face and I could tell that she was pretty much frustrated with me as I was with her. “Have you ever asked yourself why he wants to be friends with you?”

“I did,” I replied. 

I even had a total of seven questions.

“And what answer did you get?”

“Nothing.”

“Well, I know the answer!” she exclaimed. “He likes you! That’s it!”

“Lindsay…”

I was getting tired of arguing with her. It felt like she was sucking up all of the energy I had inside me. I was starting to regret telling her about Aziel, but I couldn’t keep all those things to myself anymore and I wanted to confide in someone. I didn’t dare choose my mother to play the role though. The only candidate I had left was Lindsay.

“I know you think I’m getting ahead of what's happening between you and Aziel, but I’m sure of it, Chan.” She stopped to hold both my shoulders and stared into my eyes. “Trust me,” she said. “He has feelings for you. He likes you. He wouldn’t do those things for you if he doesn’t. He’s slowly trying to win your heart by helping you out—every opportunity he has—and asking you to be his friend. And once you two are close enough, he will finally confess to you.”

“How are you so sure that all those things will happen?” I asked and put her hands down. “You’re not credible enough to be trusted with these things, Lindsay.”

“Yes, I am!” she argued.

“And how did you become one?”

We have known each since we were kids. We didn’t have any experience when it comes to such things out of platonic. I had no interest in men. She had a few crushes every once in a while but she was never successful enough to be in a relationship. It was all one-sided. We were honorary members of the No Boyfriend Since Birth Club. I had no idea where the confidence suddenly came from.

“I have read over a hundred of YA romance novels and watched series with the same genre.” She crossed her arms with a smug look on her, as if that was enough reason for me to take her words and believe her. “That’s how the plot usually goes.”

I sighed.

I didn’t know why I even bothered asking. I should’ve known better.

“In case you forgot, I read too, Lindsay,” I told her. “And there’s a reason why those novels are labeled as fiction. They are just a product of other people’s imagination. They didn’t happen in real life.”

“Oh, no, no, no!” She shook her head and moved her finger to tell me off. “You forgot that they all have a disclaimer on the copyright page where it says that any resemblance to actual persons, things, living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.” She memorized it. “Meaning, they can happen in real life too.”

I hated to admit it but she actually had a point there. I hated that her words were starting to make sense to me. I was shamelessly getting my hopes up that I was beating myself up in my head for even thinking about it, especially while I was in class for the fifth and sixth period.

Good thing I did an advanced reading on Science and Social Studies. I already covered the topics discussed for our classes that day. Although I was slightly relieved, I knew I shouldn’t be like that all the time. The examinations were fast approaching before the end of second quarter and the start of our winter break. I was running for honors and getting that award would help me a lot for being granted with a college scholarship. I shouldn’t mess up.

I seriously need to get back on track, I mentally told myself while getting my bag from the locker when Aziel caught my attention. He was walking down the hallway with his backpack hanging on one of his shoulders like he always did.

I got a bit flustered when I looked into his eyes and found him staring at me with an unreadable expression. I had not seen him throughout the whole day on campus, and I still didn’t have the answers for the last two questions on the list so I had no idea how I should act. It was basically like an “it’s now or never” situation for me.

Biting my lower lip and clenching my fist, I braved myself for whatever was going to happen. I held his gaze as he approached my way. Every step he took to get closer made my heart beat faster and louder until I could hear nothing else but the sound of my heartbeat. And when there was only a meter of distance in between us, I was about to put on a smile when he suddenly looked away and turned his attention to someone else.

That was the time I noticed Courtney’s with him. She was confidently walking beside Aziel while speaking to him without other people finding it odd and unusual.

He ignored me.

After asking me to be his friend, he ignored me and acted like I was invisible.

I pressed my lips tight into a thin line when I sensed the tears coming, trying to suppress it. I suddenly felt so bad and embarrassed with myself. Even though no one saw how I gathered my courage just to interact with him, I felt so humiliated.

What was I thinking?

I even thought he really… Damn.

I couldn’t continue thinking about how foolish I was for getting my hopes up.

“Chan! Are you done?” Lindsay came up to me. “Let’s go home!”

She noticed right away that I wasn’t in the mood. Her brows narrowed as her face was filled with concern.

“What happened?” she asked.

“I told you he doesn’t like me,” I said with a low tone and her lips parted.

I knew I shouldn’t blame her but I couldn’t help myself. So before I could say anything else, I spun around and walked off.