Scarred

Chapter 14.

Eliza

"Mom, what is wrong with you?" I question fiercely, once enough time has passed for Theo to make it up the stairs completely.

"Oh, what have I done now?" She whines.

"He scrubs up well? You think none of us are supposed to notice that you're comparing him to Theo?"

"But he does scrub up well," she repeats, no hint of regret in her tone.

"But you didn't need to compare him to some guy he doesn't even know. Besides, Theo has scrubbed up now."

"Obviously not well enough," she retaliates back, and I instantly roll my eyes at her, and turn back to Cooper.

"So how did this Theo guy even come about?" He asks.

"I saw him on the street one day, when I was on my way to college. I wanted to help him out so I begged mom to let him stay here."

"Wow, Lize. You never fail to impress me," he says, in the same flirty voice I remember all too well.

I find myself doing the child-like smile I remember all too well.

"Well, I'll leave you two to get re-acquainted," my mom sings, as she grabs her bag from the kitchen counter. "I'm heading to the post office, I'll be back soon. Nice seeing you again, Coop."

"You too, miss-"

"Uh-uh," she holds a finger up in the air. "Rosanne," she finishes.

"Rosanne," Cooper repeats with a slight nod.

My mother smiles, and then makes her way to the front door. There is a peaceful silence between Cooper and I, but I know what we are both waiting for.

The door finally closes.

"So..." He begins, but I can tell he has no idea where his sentence will end. We both share a laugh, as I say "as you can see, my mother hasn't changed."

"No, she hasn't."

He looks directly in my eyes, where the spark that once bore into mine no longer exists. Last year I would have melted at his gentle look, but this time around something is different. I look away.

"So how's college?" I ask, hoping his eyes would find another object to fantasise on.

"How any other educational institution should be... Boring." He finishes with a laugh, and I join in. "What about you?"

"Oh, you know. I always have the time of my life in that place." Yet again, we share another laugh, and he fixes his eyes on mine again. This time, I don't look away.

"You look amazing. Well, you always do, but obviously we haven't seen each other in so long and I forgot how beautiful you are."

An untameable smile instantly forms onto my face, complete with my cheeks resembling a red scotch bonnet. "Thank you," I finally find the words to say. "You always look good too."

"I miss you, Eliza," he suddenly reveals, completely disregarding my last words to him. I know what he means, but something inside of me doesn't want to have that conversation, and I know I need to try my hardest to divert it from happening.