Bruised

Chapter 17

Atlas had been struggling the past few days trying to get his mind off the situation with Makenna. It was a lot easier to pretend that they'd never been friends than it was to think of their current situation. Running into her a few days back had been unexpected and he'd hoped that his emotions hadn't been written as clear as day on his face.

How could she look so good in an oversized hoodie?
He asked himself again, as the scene replayed in his head for the umpteenth time.

Atlas kept his gaze on the pavement as he turned towards the convenience store. He looked up as he approached the store and almost tripped on his feet when he spotted her at the counter talking to the older man he'd met the other time – Tim.

Atlas' heart pounded in his chest as he watched her. She stole his breath when her face lit up with the purest smile he'd ever seen on her face. He couldn't help wondering what had made her that happy and was slightly envious that he wasn't the one to put it there. He watched her head towards the door and he didn't know when his feet propelled him forward. He was completely out of it when he reached for the door handle and pulled the door open.

When she looked up at him, her beautiful smile disappeared and his sanity went along with it. He blinked and watched her blink twice like she was trying to make sure it was him she was seeing. She stole her captivating gaze from his and he took that moment to catch his breath. Atlas swallowed when she stepped out of the store, getting closer to him.

He watched her every move which he was overly aware of and he was certain even with his eyes closed, he would feel her presence.

"Thanks."

He studied her face and thought it was cute how she avoided his gaze. But then she lifted her gaze to meet his, looking at him from beneath her lashes, and he had to clench his hands to prevent himself from reaching out to grab her and kiss her again. He flashed a quick smile and he was tempted to linger for just a moment longer, but he looked away from her and went into the store. It was hard for him, but he felt proud of himself for being able to do it.

After he'd finished shopping, he went to the counter and Tim recognized him immediately.

"Your girlfriend didn't wait for you?" Tim asked,

"She's not..."

"I just saw the way the two of you looked at each other," Tim studied him for a moment, "Maybe not now, but later."

Atlas was almost afraid to ask what made him so sure, but he decided against it,
"I'm not dwelling on it,"

"Girls like to be intentionally pursued,"

"Not her," Atlas whispered to himself,

"Maybe I'm wrong," Tim said after a moment of silence, "But that look was definitely not nothing,"

Atlas paid and left the store and that was the moment he started replaying the moment in his head.

"...las." The voice in the distance slowly started to filter its way into his thoughts, "Atlas."

Atlas snapped out of his reverie and shifted his gaze to Will who nodded his head towards someone.

"Young man?"

Atlas shifted his gaze in the direction of the voice and remembered where he was. All eyes were on him as the professor waited for him to respond to something.

"Do you mind responding to the question?"

Yes, I very much do.
"Could you please repeat the question?"

The silence was deafening as the professor stared at him,
"How about you pay attention from now on."

Atlas gave it a second before he gave him a curt nod and the teaching continued. Atlas glanced at Will who had a look of curiosity on his face which he didn't voice until the class was over and they headed out of their department.

"What was all of that?"

"Let's chuck it up to studying overtime," Atlas said plainly, "We've got a second term assessment next week."

"That we do," Will didn't buy his excuse, "Are you sure you're alright? You've been pretty out of it lately."

"Just got a lot on my plate,"

"That I can understand," Will said as they headed towards the library, "By the way, Vanessa hasn't asked Mac if she would be there this Friday,"

Atlas smiled,
"Vanessa said, eh?"

"We...I just texted to check in to make sure she hadn't forgotten."

"I'm sure that's why. And are you still discussing her attendance at the party?"

Will's silence said it all and Atlas laughed at the look on his face.
"It comes up."

Atlas' gaze caught someone in all black and his heart skipped a beat until she turned around and it was a stranger. He needed to stop doing this to himself. Ever since she'd let him down, he'd let his mind wander and it had gone somewhere he didn't like. He couldn't help thinking that it had taken him just five months to kiss another girl since Emily's accident. There was a huge part of him that felt the guilt but that part of him stuffed it down because the thought of Makenna overpowered it.

Besides, it was a lot easier to dwell on the present and get swept up in the feeling than to let his mind wander into the past. The thought of Emily had popped into his mind ever since and he would simply shake it off and pretend like it wasn't there. He needed to focus and Makenna was already taking up a lot of space in his mind, he didn't need to add another thing to the list.

"Let me know if Mac decides to come,"

Will looked at Atlas and studied his expression,
"Looking forward to seeing her?"

Atlas looked at him and nodded. Will had no idea how he knew, but he was certain that Atlas would change his mind if he knew Makenna was coming. Maybe it was the way he'd been avoiding her at the library or the way he'd been spacing out a lot lately, but Will knew he wasn't going to tell Atlas if Makenna decided to come.

"Sure thing, mate." Will said.