Bruises

11| Shoes

Chapter 11: Shoes

Can we start a petition to cancel mondays?

Signed.

"So what're you going to tell Paul?" Angie asked as we made our way through the MCB building, rushing for our first class of the day.

"I don't know," I chorused my anthem, one I'd gotten fond of saying through the whole weekend. I didn't know what to tell Paul, I couldn't just make a decision to please him if my own happiness was at risk which was why I was taking this as slowly as possible.

"But you're going to meet him in class," she said.

"He said we should take things slow, I'm not about to rush into this, Angie."

She shrugged. "Fair enough."

We made our way to the elevator, trudging inside. My class just so happened to be on the last floor, while Angie's was the third.

The door was almost closed when a certain familiar arm pushed through, opening it back up.

Ashton I-know-I-look-good Malik walked in, his eyes filled with amusement when he saw me.

Just great!

"Maddie," Ashton said casually, his voice smooth and sexy.

Side note, I didn't like the butterflies in my stomach as my name rolled off his tongue.

"Hey, Ashton," I answered without looking at his face, I just stared at the walls of the elevator.

My eyes finally glided to Angie who was loosing her mind, staring at Ashton. Then at me.

"I'm pregnant," she mumbled low enough that it may have skipped Ashton's ears. May.

"This is my friend, Angie," I introduced. "Angie, this is Ashton, he's-"

"A friend of hers," he cut me off, placing a hand on my shoulder while stretching the other out to Angie.

"Friend?" Angie exclaimed. "You two? Friends?" She gave me the 'you have a lot to explain' before taking Ashton's hand.

His hand on my shoulder sent shock through me, almost like an early morning coffee would, it made me shiver as goosebumps crept on my skin.

His blue eyes seared to me, winking with a smirk on his lips.

Why was he so damn attractive?

His fit grey t-shirt complimented his muscular physique, red baseball jacket layering it, he wore a skinny blue jeans and white converse.

"So... You're a literature major?" Ashton asked Angie.

She nodded. "How'd you know?"

"Cause your student ID is pinned to your pocket.." he gestured to it. He looked over at me and I could feel my face getting red.

"And how 'bout you, Maddie, what's your major?"

"Microbiology," I spoke quickly, already feeling flustered. And by the way, his hand on my shoulder was NOT helping.

"So... How's your ankle now?" I asked, trying to change the atmosphere. I could see the leg wasn't as swollen as it had been earlier. Still bruises but not that bad.

"Getting better, doc says it'll be better anywhere between this coming weeks," he said.

"That's... Good news."

The elevator slowly opened and I soon realised Angie was leaving. My eyes begged her to not go, I couldn't stay here, not with him.

Angie winked at me, trudging out the elevator and wishing me good luck.