Free Minds

Chapter 121.

   Notwithstanding its eventfulness, the day was not over yet.

   Rav's parents had given him permission to have a party in his wing for the night and we were all allowed to attend, even Camila.

   Hanging out at the Hoodas was turning out to be hands down one of the best nights of my life. This was technically our first time hanging out like typical teenagers and I savoured every moment of the normalcy I'd never imagined we'd have.

   After hours of karaoke, dancing, eating, non-alcoholic drinking (probably for the best considering what happened with me and Rav in his motel room the last time), while everyone else swam in Rav's infinity pool on his side of the roof, I decided to save myself the trouble of getting a panic attack from the height and give myself another tour of the Hooda residence.

   I ended up sitting on the steps that led to one of their gardens nearby, admiring the effects of the natural moonlight on the flowers whose various colours complimented each other.

   A light rustle broke my focus and I turned, only to be startled by Dorian's presence.

"Sorry," I shot to my feet. "I didn't know this was your spot."

"It's not." he shook his head, then stole my breath by saying, "I followed you here."

"Okay." I blinked. I wasn't sure what to make of that. The old Dorian had always used a certain blandness, which he was using now, to speak to me.

"Can we talk?" He looked me in the eye.

"Um..." I'd gone this far without crying in front of him. I just hope now wouldn't be the moment I'd ruined that streak. "Sure."

   We sat shoulder to shoulder on the steps. Cricket chirps filled the silence that fell between us.

"Rav told me everything," he finally said.

"I know."

"And I overheard you and Rav arguing the last time you were here."

   God. Of course he did.

"Do you remember when we bumped into each other near the library and you lied that you were coming from there and I said that couldn't be true because I was there for a Robotics meeting and I didn't see you?"

   Oh, that. It was after Viola had said those mean things about me not having a date to the Virtual Dance and I went to the Tunnel to get my Neuroskel but met a Yunie instead.

"Yeah, I do."

"You weren't the only one lying that day," A purple tint rose to the side of his cheek facing me as he stared down and whispered. "The reason I knew you weren't in the library was because I'd gone there not for a meeting, but to look for you."

"Really?" I said in a loud tone I instantly regretted it.

   Wow. I wasn't sure how I was expecting this conversation to go but I knew it wasn't this way in the least.

"Yeah." I saw him sit up straighter from the corner of my eye.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"But why? Why did you go after me? And why are you telling me you did now?"

   I wasn't sure if he'd heard my questions since he seemed transfixed with the blue myosotis flower he'd just plucked, but then he replied,

"The same reason I followed you now. You told Rav that I saw you the way everyone else in school did but that's not true. I can assure you that how I see you–what I feel for you does not in any way connote hatred or indifference."