Forbidden Attraction (Book 1)✔

♠Chapter 32♠

  It bothers me how people come out of nowhere and tell me how I feel about my friend when I don't have the closest clue how to respond to them, because I don't feel any of what they're saying I do. They're all so sure, and I'm not.

  I won't deny that Ariana and I are closer than the average friends, and do stuff that would make people think we're together — couple stuff. But I never thought about it because there was nothing to think about. And I never talk about it because it wasn't as deep to me as it obviously is for everybody else.

  She's someone I would like to keep in touch with even after I go off to college, but so was Nate. She's kinda my best friend and sure I've thought of us being... more than that on rare occasions, but that's usually sometimes when I hug her, or I'm close to her in any way. And I'm not gonna say something in me hasn't changed since Thanksgiving and our 'almost kiss', because it has, but I've never sat and thought about it. We're both comfortable and it doesn't lead to anything going too far so we're fine. At least I hope it stays that way.

  That was my night though, thinking over all the times someone has told me that I had feelings for her, and wondering if she has people telling her the same thing only with me. But I wondered if I did — have feelings for her.

  I fell asleep before I could dwell on it too much because that would not be the best thing for anyone if I had a sudden revelation that would change everything.

  I do respect her mother and her rules, mostly because she scares me. But I don't want to mess up what we have and end up not being a part of her life because of everyone else's words influencing my emotions.

  And I'm about to leave in a couple of months anyway, I am not looking forward to a fresh relationship at all. I already know I'm going to have a hard time being away from her now, so us building any kind of romantic relationship would just make things worse.

  "You're late," is the first thing my mother said when I entered the kitchen.

  I groaned, "I know," I picked up an apple and sat across from her at the breakfast island, "My first block is boring anyway." I bit into my apple.

  "Is it because Ariana isn't in that class?" she asked — more like stated — as she brought her steaming mug to her lips and eyeing me over the top of it.

  Precisely.

  "Not exactly," I lied, "It's English and the teacher is so monotone and flat. I've been trying to drop it and get a study sem instead. At this point, I doubt they're gonna let me, though."

  "So when did she become your 'babe'?"

  I folded my arms on the counter and dropped my head on top of them. I really thought I got out of this last night.

  "Christian, if something's going on-"

  I sat up, leaning back, "Nothing's going on, Mom. It's not romantic, it's just something to say. It's not like I call her that all the time." 

  She stared at me silently after that and I sighed, knowing she was trying to find out if I was bullshitting. "I'm not lying."

  "You two are getting very close from what I'm seeing," she starts and I threw my head back, letting out a loud breath, then took a huge bite out of my apple, "It's not impossible for the two of you to want more and you know that," her voice came out a bit harsh and I righted my head to stare at her blankly, my jaw working as I ate, "And if anything escalates between you two and I find out, I am going to let her mother know."

  My lips pursed and I crossed my arms, "That's known as snitching, Mom." I chewed out.

  "I could care less what kind of insulting meaning you young people give it-"