The Taunting (College Life #1)

I don't love him, you're talking rubbish

"Hey, stop staring at Andreas, you're drawing attention to yourself." I look around, a couple of people above us are glancing my way. I turn back around in my seat.

"I wasn't staring at Andreas, just looking to see if my parents are ok," I say, flat out lying and covering up what I was doing.

"You may fool everyone else, but not me. You're head over heels for the guy, nothing to be embarrassed about. Sleeping with a guy starts as harmful, then you start to develop feelings, you guys start talking and getting too close to each other, and eventually, you're holding hands and calling each other endearing terms. Next thing you know, you've been dating for two years."

"You and Jace."

She grins like she's remembering a moment, "Yeah, never thought Jace and I would be anything more. At the time, I had just broken up with my boyfriend since high school and I wanted to have some fun, that's when Jace came along. We met at a party; I wasn't what I look like now. I had blonde hair, no piercings and I dressed like a church girl. Being with Jace, made me figure out who I was and what I liked. I always wanted to do radio, but never had enough courage to do it. Jace helped me find the confidence that I have today, and when I changed my style, he didn't even bat an eye, just kissed me on the cheek and told me he liked it. Love, it's a strong emotion, which is what you feel for Andreas."

"What! I don't love Andreas; you don't know what you're talking about." I scoff, looking anywhere but her.

She pats my hand, "Whatever you say to make yourself sleep at night, but the same way you look at Andreas is the same way I look at Jace. The same way Carlee looks at Doug, and the way Teddy looks at your sister. The more you try to fight it, the more it will come to bite you in the ass, and you won't be able to tame the feelings you have for him. I know for a fact he loves you."

"Did he tell you that?" My hands squeeze on the seat's handles. She smiles at my eagerness to know.

"No, he didn't. He doesn't have to, I see the way he looks at you at the dinner table, and when he thinks no one is looking, he'll linger his gaze on you or you'll both share a smile, so bright and loving its almost too much to look at. Andreas Chen is in love."

We both lean over; he's now focused on the match. And I too focus on it. Monica takes that as our conversation is over.

Andreas Chen is in love, lingers on my mind the entire time.

✏️✏️✏️✏️

Doug wins match after match after match. It's so weird, to see him aggressive and determined. He's like a tall, strong teddy bear. Every time he wins, Carlee stands up and screams his name. Down below, Carlee blows him a kiss, and I swear I see his pale cheeks flush up.

They're so cute.

Now, it's down to the last match. Some guy named Justin Martinez who's standing in the way of him winning this match and going to state. Justin is a tall and beefy Latino man. Just from looking at him, it makes me scared to think of getting in a fight with him. He may scare us, but isn't scaring Doug. He sits to the side, stretching out his limbs and taking occasional sips from his water bottle.

Before he faces off against Justin, I need to use the bathroom. I excuse myself from the group. Since everyone is in their seats, there isn't a line at the bathroom, thank the lord for that. At most sporting events, it's like a fight to get into the bathroom.

I do my business, and when I walk out the door, Andreas is leaned up against the wall, eyes closed. I do my best to walk past him without him noticing, but it backfires when I accidentally hit my leg and yelp.

His eyes shoot open, "Elizabeth."

"Andreas, hey! I've got to get back to the group before Doug goes up." I walk away, well try to, but his hand grabs onto my arm, pulling me back to him.

"I need to talk to you, it's important."

"I don't want to hear-"

"Please." His voice sounded drained, even laced with pain.

I turn, and my eyes look up at him, "If you're going to tell me about how you've got a new girl, then I don't want to hear it."

He took his hand off my arm, "What are you talking about?"

I groan, "Don't play coy. You know. I smelt a perfume on you when you came into the house, and I saw lipstick on your cheek. You've got a new plaything, I get it, you're Andreas Chen, a ladies' man. You had no obligation to me, don't feel like you did."

He just looks at me, a blank expression on his face, then he starts to laugh, "This isn't a laughing matter. Stop it!" I fire off.

"I'm sorry E, but you can be funny sometimes. The perfume that you smelled was my mother's, she's in town and the lipstick was hers too."

At this moment, I want to die.

"Your mother?" My voice was high-pitched.