Chapter 3

  I was heading angrily towards my classroom when I walked into Mike, one of my friends. He has been in love with me for two years now. But this year, he seemed gorgeous. He had always been taller than me and he had beautiful sky-blue eyes. I liked him a lot, but not in the same way he liked me.

  “Bex! How’s it going?”

  “Fine. What about you?”

  “Same. I missed you. I wish we could talk more. I have to go.”

  “Yeah, me too. Oh, I said 'me too' because I have to go, just like you, not for 'I missed you.' Oh! It's not like I didn't miss you. I missed you a lot.”

  God, I'm so stupid. I could feel myself blushing. He laughed.

  “See you later, then.” Mike said.

  “Okay, see you later.”  Now I'm really stupid. I hope he didn’t think I am crazy or something. And I don’t know why I had to explain  the ‘me too’ part. I didn’t miss him at all. Okay, maybe a little.

 After that, we could finally go home (the best part of the day). I met Addison at the main entrance and we went home together.

  “How was your day?”

  “Well, I met Mike.”

  “Oh, is he still in love with you?”

  “I think so. But I ruined everything. I’ve been so stupid.”

  “You should give him a chance,” she told me when we reached her house.

  “Who?”

  “Mike, of course.”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  “And Nathan? What are you going to do with him?”

  “I told you, it’s nothing to do with him. I don’t even know him.”

  “Fine, I belive you, but let me know if you decide something.”

  “Of course. That’s why you are my best friend.”

  I hugged her and then she entered the house. The wind was blowing through my hair and the raindrops were falling heavily. It was just like a dream: mysterious.. and the rain.. something  so cold , but full of feelings . It was like the sky was dropping all its tears down on earth and on my pale face. It was simply magical. I was standing still in the middle of the street while everyone was running by me. After that the street remained empty.

 It was silent. All I heard was the falling rain. I don’t know why I stopped walking. Probably because I wanted to contemplate the beauty of the rain.

  Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me:

  “Rebecca!” Someone was calling my name, but I didn’t turn back.

  “Rebecca! What are you doing?” he called again. He. Who could he be?

  Suddenly, I knew. It was Nathan and he was running towards me. I recognized his voice, his soft voice.

  “Why don’t you go home?” he asked me.

  “Why are you here?” I said. I couldn’t recognize my own voice.

  “I was going home, like everyone else. You should do the same.”

  “Why.. Why did you say you can’t resist me?”

  “Why do you want to know? I thought you don’t care. I thought you want to let it go.”

  Silence fell. We were breathing heavily.

  “Okay, I think it’s time to go..” I heard him saying only for a moment. After that, I passed out.

  I woke up in his arms.

  “What’s happening? Why are you carrying me?”

  “Oh, thanks God you are ok. You passed out for five minutes.”

  “Where are we?”

  “Shelter.”

  “Can you put me down please?”

  “Are you sure you can stand?” No, I couldn’t, but he catched me when I started falling.

  “I want to go home,” I said.

  “You sould wait until the rain stops.”

 He was right. It was still raining heavily.  I called my mother and I told her I was okay.

  “Why didn’t you tell her you passed out?” Nathan asked me when I closed the phone.

  “No one should know, ok?”

  “Fine. Are you still feeling sick?”

  “A bit.”

  He embraced me and I rested my head on his shoulder.

  “Why am I hard to resist?” I asked slowly.

  “Because.. you are beautiful and I simply can’t let you go.”

  “Do you remember when we first met in the café?”

  “Of course, why?”

  “You said you had just broken up with your girlfriend. Was it easy to let go then?”

  “Yes, it was,” he said gently.

  “Then… why you can’t let me go?”

  “Because… I don’t know. It’s something that connects me to you.”

  “Like a, say, bond?”

  “Yes. And it glows when I am near you. Like now. And, when we broke up, it wasn’t that bad, was it? It was just a wrong choice.”

  My head was still on his shoulder. I looked at him and smiled.

  “That doesn’t mean we’ll be together again. I want to live my life, Nathan.”

  “Of course. If that’s what you want, I’ll do it. No matter how hard it is. I’ll let it go.”

  We stood there in silence, enjoying each other’s company.

  “You know, we can still be friends,” I said.

  “Sure.”

  The rain stopped and the sun was shining. Nathan took me home to make sure I won’t pass out again.

  
My moher was waiting for me restless.

  “Oh my God, Rebecca, are you all right?”

  “Yes, I am. Sorry.”

  “Come inside,” she said, putting an arm around my shoulders. “I think you are hungry.”

  “Yes, I’m really hungry. What’s for supper?”

** 

Nathan’s story

   Every moment is growing harder everyday, especially when I’m with her. I can’t belive I’m still.. kind of in love with her. Kind of. Every time I’m watching her, it feels like a houndred needles in my heart.

   But I have to remember that we broke up, and it was all my fault. I liked her a lot, but I felt I couldn’t offer her anything she diserved, I could only make her sad and I didn’t want her to suffer.

   I wish she didn’t think I am a jerk and I didn’t love her. I miss our time together. But today, I felt it all changing. As she stood in my arms, I felt that she has forgiven me, that we can still be friends. And maybe, just maybe, it will be our time again.

   I wish she knew… 


Ma indreptam nervoasa spre clasa cand am dat peste Mike, unul din colegii mei. Ii place de mine de doi ani. Dar anul acesta arata grozav. A fost intotdeauna mai inalt decat mine si are ochii de un albastru de culoarea cerului. Imi placea, dar nu in felul in care ii placea lui de mine. 
  -Bex! Ce mai faci?
  -Bine, dar tu?
  -La fel. Mi-a fost dor de tine. Mi-as dori sa mai putem sta de vorba, dar trebuie sa plec.
  -Da, si eu. Adica, si eu ar trebui sa plec, nu pentru partea cu dorul. Oh, nu e ca si cum nu mi-ar fi fost dor de tine, chiar mi-a fost.
Doamne, sunt atat de proasta! SImteam cum imi rosesc obrajii. El rase.
  -Ne vedem mai tarziu, atunci.
  -Da, Ne vedem. Acum chiar paream proasta. Nu inteleg de ce m-am apucat sa explic partea cu "si eu". Nu prea mi-a fost dor de el. Bine, poate putin. 

Dupa aceea, puteam sa mergem in sfarsit acasa (cea mai buna parte a zilei). M-am intalnit cu Addison la intrarea principala si am plecat impreuna.
  -Cum a fost ziua ta? ma intreba.
  -Pai, m-am intalnit cu Mike..
  -Oh, inca e indragostit de tine?
  - Probabil. Dar am stricat totul. Am parut proasta. 
  -Ar trebui sa-i dai o sansa, mi-a spus Addison cand eram in dreptul casei ei. 
  -Cui?
  -Mike, normal. 
  -O sa ma gandesc.