[A/N] Sigh... I'm seriously enjoying this story. Lol, it is seriously going somewhere. Mix in the romance though and it feels perfect... Also, OMG. more than 1K reads already? I love you all!! - Kewk :3
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I see her and it’s too difficult to explain. I mean, how can you describe that feeling of looking at someone and knowing exactly how they feel at a particular moment? How can you justify that sensation of knowing without actually being told?
I’m not sure but for the few moments that I spent with Stephanie today, I could tell that she hated the idea of a new Section, our involvement, and the United Councils as a whole. Who wouldn’t? She, however, emphasizes her dislike through her emotions. It’s a mix of sadness and anger. And I could so tell.
We trotted up the stairs of the apartment building and walked in silence towards her door. It wasn’t awkward, just comfortable since we were both dwelling in our own thoughts. So when we got there, I knew that I there was no real meaning for me to stay. Steph opened her door and I lingered out in the corridor knowing that I was about to leave.
“I’ll see you tomorrow then.” I said smiling effortlessly, “9:00a.m. again.”
“Are you not going to stay?” Stephanie said when she turned around. She leaned against the door frame and stared at me with her dark-brown eyes.
“Uh… No?” I said.
“Stay.” She said.
“I’m not a dog.”
“But you won’t stay if I don’t say so.”
“…” My eyes were locked with hers, “Fine.”
She smiled a little as I entered her apartment. Immediately, the lights turned on and every useful system started running. Stephanie tapped a wall to turn on her ICN. Her lock screen showed the time, 5.48pm, until she tapped it again.
“Let me check on Jay.” She said but not really asking for permission.
As she tapped on his face again, now with blue eyes, I said, “Sure.”
We headed towards the kitchen during the few seconds of silence. Suddenly, we heard Jay’s voice through the miniature speakers of the ICN system. His image displayed a young man with a light stubble, shaggy brown hair and blue eyes. Jay was so easy on the eyes, and I almost hated him for it.
“Hey, ladies.” Jay said cheerfully. He was definitely energetic at the moment. “How was it?”
Stephanie and I simultaneously glanced at each other. She looked back at the wall and gave him a hard smile. “We went through a few exams. Only 8 were chosen.”
“Us included.” I added.
“So you have to go back there tomorrow?” Jay asked and his natural blue eyes lingered on Stephanie’ face. “Do you know what is going to happen?”
Has she told him yet? I asked myself. He wouldn’t be asking this question if he knew.
I started cutting a few vegetables as I let those two have their own interaction. If Stephanie hadn’t said anything to him yet, it was for a reason. Maybe she hasn’t had time to… Wait, but I thought that they saw each other last night.
“It’s a new Section but…” Stephanie said as she handed me a bowl, “No idea, Jay.”
“Gosh.” He sighed, “I wonder why I wasn’t chosen. It’s interesting.”
My eyes darted to Stephanie and watched her neck move as she gulped. “Yeah… Well, we’re going to cook some dinner now, baby. I’ll call you later and see if we can meet up.”
“Sure.” Jay said, smiling lightly as he always does. “Hit me up whenever. Sorry about yesterday. I had to go to my Section to -”
“Check on your pigmentation.” Stephanie finished for him, huffing at the end. “I know. Don’t worry about it.”
“Okay.” He said and waved his hand at us, “See you girls.”
The screen went back to displaying the time. I listened as the food cooked itself in the radiator and as few dirty dishes were being cleansed. Stephanie laid the plates, silverware and fruit on the table in silence. I stared at her body moving from side to side with agility. I was waiting for her to explain things but she clearly wasn’t going to. Like usual.
“You haven’t told him yet.” I said once the meat was ready. I hovered a cutter over it and it immediately sliced everything into very small, easily chewable pieces.
Steph slid some pieces into her plate and stubbornly decided not to look at me. “I know.”
“Why not?” I asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes.”
Sigh… This girl is again being her own accomplice.
My hands used the silverware to play with my food as I watched her eat. Honestly? Is she seriously going to continue hiding whatever she’s keeping away from me when I know that there’s something going on? It’s definitely not the first time this has happened but, considering the situation, I want to know.
Steph suddenly glanced at me, stared and sighed. “Fine. It’s partly because I haven’t seen him since I found out…”
“And…?” I raised my eyebrows, expecting further explanation.
“It’s just that.” She laid her stuff down and frowned, “Seriously.”
“Then what’s wrong with you?” I asked and started to do air-quotes, “Beyond the whole ‘new Section thing.’”
Steph glared at me. I could feel her anger boiling already but it was futile. There’s nothing she can hide from me. I know her from head to toe, and she knows that. That’s why she bit her lip as she stared at me. I would not falter; I never do because I absolutely know that I’m correct. She’s hiding something.
“I don’t know.” She broke eye contact with me and stared at the table. “I seriously don’t know.”
And, suddenly, there it was again: she looking back up at me very softly and I getting this strange strong heart-beat against my chest. It was weird, like always, but this time I felt like her eyes were drilling into me. Something about her stare looked very conscious and I could not tear myself away from it.
Stephanie sighed, again, stood up and took her plate away. She shook her head as she continued carrying everything away. “Sorry. I mean, I’m probably overthinking a few things. The whole process back there has me a little shaky. I don’t feel like myself today.”
“You’re just a little over-sensitive.” I shrugged and playfully wrapped my arm around her shoulders. But I knew that wasn’t it. She is definitely thinking about something coherent. “Anyways, I’m going to go, okay? Seriously call me up if you are still feeling like this…But first thing first.”
“What?” She said carelessly, like when I do my random things and she expects me to do something stupid.
I laughed a little as I moved my hands towards either side of her face. I mean, I care about her beyond my newly arisen feelings. I just needed to make sure that she knew I was here, for her. Anyways, even though the new Section issue is simply scary to think about, I’m glad it’s with her. I would hate to be accompanied by strangers such as that redhead back then. She was very pretty but no beauty is substitute to the closeness you already possess… I wonder if she was chosen though.
“Hey,” Stephanie said, knocking me out of my thoughts. “What are you doing?”
I grinned as I focused back to her, “Remember when you were sick a few months ago and your Section officials had to check on you every day?”
“Yeah?”
“And when you slid on snow and broke your wrist?”
“Ugh.” She rolled her dark eyes, “Definitely.”
“Well,” I said, pressing my hands a little tighter and making her eyes stare directly to mine. “Just like in those two and very few examples, I’m glad that I’m here for you, okay? I prefer it that way.”
Stephanie’s face grew warmer as it always does when I compliment her or offer my support. It might not look like it, but she’s a playful shy person. “Stop that!”
She started laughing… but after a few seconds her face contorted into a concerned expression. She grabbed my hands with her own and covered her eyes with them. “You’re right… I’m so worried…. Thanks.”
I smiled. This is one of those moments I so appreciate with her; warm, comfortable, and in my area of expertise. Meaning? That I don’t feel awkward about. Believe me, it has happened before… Anyways, I was starting to pull my hands away now that I had ensured my support, but Steph pressed them against her eyes again – and pretty strongly.
“H-Hey…” I said and immediately hoped that she could not feel my heartbeat starting to speed up through my hands. “What’s-”
Stephanie groaned as she pushed my hands against her face again and simultaneously squeezed them against her own. Then, her fingers got an actual hold on them. I could feel them against my palm as she slightly took them away from her face to reveal a somewhat flustered frown. My heart thumped against my chest, weirdly.
I think my face showed total bewilderment because I didn’t know what was going on. So I attempted to ask again: “Hey, what’s wrong?”
She focused again on me, pulled my hands again towards her face and groaned once again. She said, “Stop…”
And suddenly, I felt her pull me. She pulled my hands strongly all the way past her body and she simultaneously moved her face towards mine. Before I knew it, her lips were pressing against my own. My arms were stiff from the surprise but, at some point or another, I started moving my mouth and holding her slender waist. She followed me in sync and for a few seconds my mind had nothing but this whole sensation in it. Her lips were so soft… her body was comfortably warm… my mind was starting to reel… and… Wait, what is going on?
As if thinking the same thing, Stephanie pulled away and her eyes grew wide. Her hold on my hands loosened…and… I don’t know. I really don’t know anymore. I did not expect this. I had not seen that one coming and I was not sure what to say.
She kissed me.
Her hands left mine and she put one against her face, covering half of it. “I don’t know what’s going on with me.”
“Uh…” I said but nothing was coming out.
“Maybe you should leave.” She suggested, not looking at me.
“Y-yeah…” I said. “Yeah.”
She looked down at the floor and I had to fight not to ask her anything. I’d leave it like that. I mean, maybe she just did that because… No, I don’t know. I just knew that I had to leave. So I did. I tore my eyes way from her and tried my best to swiftly walk out of her apartment. Once I was out, however, I could not help but sit on one of the stairs leading out onto the streep..
My hands were sweating, my heart beating quickly and my lips were quivering.
Why did she do that? I asked myself.
Truth to be told, however, this was bad.