HIP #3: Forgetting The Old Us

Chapter 33

School's over. Tomorrow is another great day to start the weekend kicking off. No Arthur for the next two days. Tristan's hosting another party at their house tonight. But just like last week, I know my ex would be there again, so I prefer not to go.

It would be another stupid night for me and for him as well. I grabbed my phone from my pocket after feeling its vibration on my thighs. "Hey, what's with the call?" I asked after tapping the answer button when I found Britney's name and picture on the screen. "Girl! Where the heck are you?" She immediately responded. I rolled my eyes and looked up at the sky. Where am I?

I took a deep breath and began picking the grass on the floor as it tickled my fingers. "I already went home." I felt the disappointment in her sigh.

But that was a lie. I haven't even taken the bus or any transportation to commute. I'm still out here, behind the campus, sitting on the floor covered with fake plastic grass.

"Okay, fine. I'm also on the bus already. For no reason, Eros said he can't pick me up right now. But, see you at the party!" She giggled.

"I'm not coming, sorry." Why am I apologizing about it? I shouldn't feel bad that I don't want to see my ex at that party.

"What? No way!" I'm not sure if she's really on a bus. She doesn't sound like it. She won't scream like that if she's on public transportation. Maybe there's no one else in there? But still, I know her. She won't yell there like that.

"You know what happened last week, right?" I ground my teeth from the sides.

"When I got drunk and told everyone that Eros likes you? I promise it won't happen again, just come..." I feel how much she needs me. At the same time, I need to stay away from Arthur's sight. And he needs to do the same. As he said, we should just act like we're completely nothing but strangers.

"No, not that. You know..." I felt the weirdness when the wind blew.

"Oh, Arthur you mean?" She stated the obvious.

"Yes! Exactly! So I don't want to go there anymore." I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, fine. That's your decision,"

"Thanks for understanding. See you next Monday!"

"Yeah, right! Bye!"

"Bye!"

I ended the call by pressing the orange circle button. I took a deep breath from the fresh air and inserted my phone back into my pocket where I got it earlier. Watching the trees sway their bodies through the wind, birds flying by above me, and loneliness is enough to remind me of how I tried to forget about us over and over again. And I am doing the same thing until now.

"It's time to go. Why are you still here?" I felt the urge not to look at my right side.

I don't want to, Because I can recognize the voice. I know who it is. And I don't want to see him.

He gently parked himself beside me and crossed his legs. I held my eyes on the trees while I felt him staring at me. "Are you following me?" I emotionlessly asked.

"Seriously?" He frowned.

"Yes, I'm serious. Answer me."

"No."

"Then why are you here?"

"Miss Puff assigned me to check on the back."

"You always use your job as an alibi for everything!"

I chuckled and rolled my eyes. "I'm telling the truth every time though."

"Since when have you learned to tell the truth?"

"Since I realized I have to."

"When was that?"

"Back when I had to lose someone to learn my lesson." I trust him. I used to. But not anymore. He's a narcissistic psychopath who doesn't feel anything and loves himself too much. He only cares for what he's feeling and not for anyone around him.

Not for me, not for his mom, not for his friends. But just for himself.

I shook my head slightly to express my disagreement with his words. "A psycho learning a lesson?"

"I was never a psycho." His cold voice sent shivers to my spinal.

"Really? I've never seen any guy dating three girls at the same time. Only narcissists and psychopaths." I don't know what I'm fighting for. I just don't want him to win against me.

"Are you a psychologist? You're not! So, you know nothing about what you're talking about! Do you even know the signs of a person with narcissism?" He slightly laughed and tilted his head.

"I'm not but I have knowledge because I witnessed it before."

"Whatever," he rolled his eyes.

Until now, it makes me weak when he does that thing. Which is very stupid.

It still melts me when he runs his fingers through his hair and smiles like a devil.

I want to make this feeling go away. But I'm looking like a villain for doing it.

As if I'm the suspect of the crime where I'm also the victim.

"How're the other two girls?" I teased.

"Fine,"

"Glad to hear that." I flipped my hair.

"Are you?"

"Yeah,"

"You won't remind me about it if you're pleased to know they're fine. I bet how many times you cursed their names in the middle of the night." He chuckled with his deep voice again.

"I never did."

"No way," he hasn't stopped chuckling like a demon yet. It's cold and nice to listen to. But at the same time, it's like a sin to hear it.

"I only cursed your name but not theirs. I'm not as evil as you are. I can be mad but I never hurt anyone around me." I said. "You still with them?"

"Why are you asking me that?"

Yeah. Why did I ask him that?

"Just asking."

"You won't ask that for no reason. I know you, Shane."

"Because I want to know the answer." I know how much of a smart person I am. I've always been complimented by my friends and other teachers around me. But when he's around, I become foolish, stupid, and dumb.

And it makes me hate myself more.

"No, not anymore. And never did." I can't accept that until now, I still trust his little lies.