Adria's Choice

Chapter 11

Two months and six dates later, Karyl confided in me that Carlo was really into me. She looked so thrilled that I didn't have the heart to tell her that I didn't feel the same way towards him. His kiss the night before felt so...uninspiring. My heart didn't even race.

I felt something more when Lexie held me close to her that unforgettable night in Boracay. But for the past two months, Lexie and I barely hung out with each other. We'd still text or chat and she would invite me to go out but I was too busy with work. I wanted to avoid her, to keep from fanning my feelings for her into a raging inferno. Plus, I wanted to give Carlo a chance. Who knows, maybe after date number nine, I'd suddenly swoon at the sight of him.

Even if he never made my heart race, he was pleasant to be with. Sometimes, he made me laugh. I wasn't overly curious about him, but he was definitely curious about me.

I would sometimes see Lexie's updates online, with photos taken when she and Andrew would hang out. She once let slip that he finally started courting her after we got back from Boracay. I wasn't able to respond to that and she never brought it up again, but I was dying to know how she felt about him. I didn't want to interfere though, since Andrew seemed dependable and really in love with Lexie. If I wasn't so jealous, I'd even admit that they looked cute together.

I resumed painting since I had my weekends free again. I really missed it. That and because I wanted to limit my catching up about Lexie (okay, stalking?) to only once a day. Painting helped since I would just get so mad when I saw photos of the flowers and other little knick-knacks Andrew kept giving her, and of Lexie looking so happy. I didn't ask Karyl about it, and she didn't bring it up. To be honest, I thought they were already in a relationship, and I didn't want confirmation.

One day, I was sitting on my special stool, staring at my easel. For some reason, painting that morning was suddenly too hard. I felt so uninspired. The colors were too drab, and the painting so lifeless. Mom and Dad were on another out-of-town date, so I was able to play my music on full blast, hoping to be reenergized by upbeat songs.

Then my phone started ringing, startling me just as I was getting in the zone. I answered my phone without looking.

"Hello," I said, curtly.

"Adria. Can we talk?"

It took me a few seconds to place the voice. Despite (or maybe because of) my dislike for him, I had somehow memorized Andrew's voice. My instinctive response was to decline. What did we have to talk about? He had already won her, I thought bitterly. And just as I'd been doing the past two months, I squashed those feelings immediately.

"Please. It's about Lexie."

Well, that certainly caught my attention.

"Fine," I relented. I told him which Coffee Bean branch to go to.

— OoOoOoO —

Andrew insisted on paying for my order, despite my protests, arguing that he was the one who invited me. I ignored the voice in my head that was telling me I was being a user. Who was I to refuse free meals?

We exchanged pleasantries for a few awkward minutes as we waited for our food and drinks to arrive. After a few sips and bites, he finally opened up.

"Why have you been avoiding Lexie?"

Wow, he didn't beat around the bush.

But I did.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I've just been busy with, you know, work. And dating Carlo." I took a sip of my double chocolate drink to hide the grimace that came with my lie.