Third Love's The Charm [PUBLISHED]

Chapter Nine: Life Buoy

"That's a really a bad move on his part," Zoey tsked, carefully applying the clay mask on my face with her fingers, "I hate those public proposal kind of things. You're essentially removing the opportunity for the girl to decide on her own without other people pressuring her."

"Now I have no idea what to do," I groaned, hugging her pillow tighter. As you can guess, I went over to her place. I didn't want to be alone and mom was still at work.

Zoey sighed, finishing up with my skin and closing the container of the mask, "To be honest, I'm stumped as well, Avy."

Sasha has been calling me non-stop and has sent me a series of apologetic texts. Mia only tried to call once and then sent a message asking if I was okay. I did a quick reply to the latter but I was still angry at the former so I ignored all of her attempts of communication.

You know what I realized this whole time? Pat didn't have my number, I never gave it to him. I knew his, simply because I managed to memorize it by heart when we were dating but of course in this present, we never really got close. Again, the main contributor to our relationship back then was the time we spent sitting next to each other during math class.

We heard my phone vibrating on Zoey's beside table and she groaned, craning her neck to check who it was. I thought it would be Sasha again, but to both of our surprise, it wasn't, "It's Leon."

I sat up with my eyes wide, practically diving to where my phone was and instantly answering the call, "Leon!"

For the second time that Pat made me cry, he was there to comfort me.

"Hey, are you busy right now or can I ask you about the math thing?" he questioned.

If I was being completely honest, I would have thought that he was angry at me for basically leaving his best friend after his grand display. I bolted out of there as fast as I could the moment Pat turned his back on me. I was sure Mia would have at least tried to diffuse the situation when I left, but I still had no idea what he thought.

Though there was one thing I was sure of and that was he didn't hate me. I welcomed the distraction with open arms, "Yeah, hold on, I'll get my own notes. I'll call you back."

When I placed down my phone, Zoey was looking at me quizzically, "What's happening?"

Putting the device back on her bedside table, I fixed myself up from when I was laying down on her bed, "I'm going back home, I have to tutor him."

She observed as how I stood up and stretched my arms up, as if the moping around earlier never happened. She tilted her head to the side and tapped her chin in wonder, showing that expression I knew all too well, "How about you wash that face mask in the bathroom first before you leave."

She was scheming something and something told me that I wouldn't like it in the end. However, if there was one thing Zoey was good at, it was knowing exactly what I needed before I did myself. I just wish that Sasha also shared at that instead of pushing me to a guy who I had clearly stated I didn't want to be in a relationship yet.

So I nodded instead of asking her and besides, I really did need to wash my face because it was covered in gray.

I left her room and went to their family bathroom. Even I was surprised when I spotted myself in front of the mirror. I bent down the sink and started washing it off, also using some of Gracie's skincare products right after.

Don't get me wrong though, I was rushing because the faster I get back in there, the less time she had to do whatever she was plotting.

She was sitting innocently on her bed when I came back, "Your skin is glowing!"