Stubborn and the Mutt

twenty seven | reveal

My face is still heated. No matter how many times I tap my cheeks with cold water repeatedly, I won't cool off. I won't calm down.

I like him. No, I don't like him but I like him. No. What if I like the idea of him, not him as in actually him? Like what if I like him physically like he likes me? We both don't know each other that much, not personally and emotionally, but physically, it's safe to say I'm partially well acquainted with him.

That's exactly why my cheeks — my entire body, matter of fact — won't calm down. What the hell!

I dry my hands, shifting back to the restroom mirror and discreetly smiling, not too much for the other two girls in here to think I'm being weird or something. They're busy gossiping about a lecturer that the one has a crush on, but I could care less to eavesdrop on their conversation. I care a lot about the fact that he left a mark; if I look close enough, I can see the dark brownish-red mark below my jaw and under my ear.

I hate how I like how he makes me feel and he doesn't even know me properly for all of this to at least feel right. People around act with their physical attraction and they vibe with that. I need more from him, yet already I'm caught up with the feeling of liking him already. I thought I'd sink into this cold, unfamiliar pool and test the shallow end before moving to the deep end, yet here I am... ready to dive in with my head first right into the deepest corner of the deep end.

I can appreciate the fact that he did ask me out; he first suggested a water park but I immediately declined because no ways will he see me half naked as yet. He then suggested we have a picnic at his house — they wouldn't be training this Friday, and thought having a picnic in the words would be aesthetically pleasing for me. I found it odd; aesthetics and scenery (and low-key food) is my secret obsession, along with other things, yet even the way he phrased and proposed it to me seemed as though... I don't know, somebody gave him the specific information indirectly from me. It checked all the boxes. I was impressed, and I still am, so I am excited for it.

I groan, tapping my forehead before shaking it, and then adjusting the strap of my bag, making sure I look somewhat good before exiting the restroom.

Give or take not even a moment to inhale oxygen, I am basically ambushed by the... she wolf, that is Natasha. There she stands glaring at me at the corner of the hall, leaning against it with arms crossed over her fairly attractive chest and her height being amplified thanks to her heels. Her hair is high in a pretty ponytail and her ears now display the piercings she has.

Before I could utter a word, she narrows her eyes and scoffs. "So, you went against my wishes?"

"Wishes? They came off as threats, if I'm being honest." I come to a stop not too close to her.

"You humans are utterly insane. You just don't listen."

"Look, maybe if you came at me respectfully and we addressed it like female adults, it would have been a different story. Or maybe not. Did you speak to him like I told you to? Or are you just coming to harass me again?"

"Harass you again?" She leans off the wall now and takes a taunting step closer. I'm sure she feels like it's intimidating, I could care less actually. "You don't know harass. I can literally smell him all over you. All over you."

I grin at that. "And if you look close enough, you might see a hickey on my neck because of him." Her lips part in shock, and her eyes greedily drop to my neck. "So, again, speak to him about your issues. Not me. If you don't mind, I have to get to class—"