The Rumor Mill

Ch. 25

Chapter 25

James and Alicia were FINALLY getting up. Leon and I had already taken turns in the shower, which felt mighty good I might add.

James woke up with a smile on his face. Which was kind of weird, he must've had a pretty good dream, or he's realized how wonderful his life is without me...I'm hoping the first one. "Good morning!" he greeted with a stretch, the smile still on his face.

We all watched him strangely as he headed towards the bathroom for his shower. When the door shut behind him, we all kept looking at the door. "Wow, someone's a morning person," Alicia muttered, still lying on the couch.

"So, how were you guys' night?" she asked once she finally stood up. I gave a humongous yawn. "There's your answer right there," Leon answered her, referring to my yawn. Alicia laughed. I walked over to Leon and stood next to him. He was lazily leaning against the island in the kitchen with his eyes...closed?

What the hell? He better not be asleep! "Leon!" I yelled as I shook him. "Yeah!" he yelled loudly and started messing with the counter as if he wasn't doing anything. "Were you asleep?" I asked, trying to stay calm. I swear to bob man, this Sleep Deprivation crap is driving me insane! Last night Leon and I would start arguing over the most stupid, random, and simple things.

We had argued over whose turn it was to tell a story, which of us would get in the shower first, and junk like that. But then five seconds later we'd be apologizing for being so mean. Crazy right...I know. "What? No! I was just...thinking REALLY hard..." he trailed off, leaving me wondering how far this lie was going to go.

"Thinking my a*s! You WERE asleep!" I accused pointing a finger at him. Alicia started laughing in the background, and I turned to see her writing something down. I was about to ask what she was writing down until the bathroom door opened and James walked out, fully dressed and looking good.

He still had that same weird smile on his face. He looked like a kid at a candy factory. At that moment, Leon and I had forgotten about our agreement to stare at James. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you got laid last night," Leon joked, althouh his sleepiness just gave it a lazy boy tone.

"Yeah, why are you so chirpy?" Alicia asked him suspiciously. James smiled wider and shrugged his shoulders. "It's just a great day today! Don't you guys think it's an amazing day to be alive?!" he explained, a little too happy for comfort. He seems really happy. It's kind of making me feel bad, because ever since we broke up I've been feeling horribly and here he is with the a big Chuckie Cheese smile on his face.

Is he really that happy to be without me? I felt my eyes start to burn but I quickly shook those feelings away. It's okay Tracey; it's time to move on, if he can do it, then so can you. "Not that I don't enjoy staring at these sleep having weirdo in all his glory, but I think we should head to school," Leon announced nonchalantly.

We all agreed and started towards the door. But then James hugged Alicia, out of the blue. Her face lit up with happiness as she gripped around his abdominal to hug him back. I swallowed the lump in my throat and quickly walked outside. God, I'm going to have to get use to seeing him hugging other girls.

"Okay, thanks for hugging me, that wasn't random at all," I heard Leon say from behind me as I walked swiftly towards my car. I heard footsteps behind me, must be Leon for a ride to school. All of a sudden, I felt two arms wrap around my waist from behind and felt someone's breath behind my neck. I quickly turned to face the person destroying my personal bubble...James.

Why is he hugging me? It feels a little weird, I mean yeah we hugged in the kitchen, but at that moment he was just comforting me. I have literally no idea why he's hugging me know. Don't think too much into it Tracey, he hugged all of Leon and Alicia too. When I was turned around to face him, he looked into my eyes before pulling me closer for a hug.

He laid his chin on my shoulder as his arms wrapped securely around my waist. I was too shocked to move. What brought this on? Why now? What happened between yesterday to this morning that has him in such a good mood?

I left me arms to my sides, not sure if I should hug back, I mean I want to. God knows I want to, but should I? I think it'll mean more to me then it does to him. I heard him chuckled. "Hug me back Tracey," he whispered in my ear. I did as he said and quickly roped my arms around his waist, but not tightly. My hold was loose; I didn't want to make this uncomfortable since we ARE broken up.

"No, like this," he whispered with a chuckle before grabbing hold of my wrist and wrapping them around his neck. I was still frozen with surprise...what's gotten into him? He inhaled and exhaled while he held me until slowly pulling away, making his hands slid smoothly from my back to my waist and then away from me.

He still had that smile on his face, but it slowly deceased when he noticed my confused look. Alicia and Leon walked out of the house and headed towards the cars; Alicia to James' and Leon to mine. I felt a peg of jealously when she stood by his car and said, "Come on James."

His smile found its way back to his face as he continues to smile at me. "Okay! Off to school!" he yelled with a clap of his hands. "See you there," he whispered to me before running to his car, where Alicia was already situated in the passenger's seat.

I was a little taken aback for a while. Okay...what the hell just happened?