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TWENTY-TWO
heart of glass
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I'd been sitting for more than an hour in a hot car getting laid by mosquitoes. Do people have car-lag like they have jet-lag? Because I do. Okay, I'll come straight to the point. My companions have decided to stay here in Second Valley for the night in a resort because, yeah---money grows on trees for the students of Winston High and we are sharing rooms.
The problem lies in the arrangement. It's Audrey, Jae, Stefan and Iris in one because of course my friend withbenefits won't be within the same four walls with Ian Eastwood for a night. Hannah Jenkins on the other hand won't be with Jae and I was in the end despising the whole idea of bringing these contradictory people together.
So Iris the peacemaker decided on making Hannah stay with Ian and me, to my extreme displeasure. Hence, here I am in this car to spend as much time as I can, away from him.
Ever since he walked away after the skydiving thing, I have not been able to meet his eyes. Mostly because Stefan was clingy and its not like I didn't know this would happen but---it was also not like me and Ian were something more than two people who are magnetically attracted.
I slap another monster sized mosquito on my arm, sucking all the blood left inside me. It's impenetrably dark outside and I can hear the annoying sound of crickets in the bushes close by.
The crystal blue waters were now mirroring the shade of the night sky and the waves crash on the rocks. The Barbeque Grill restaurant was still open and a few locals were strolling on the gravel path.
Another mosquito bite and I slam the door open, storming into the lobby of the resort.
The irritation was gnawing me inside out, I couldn't find peace even though I had travelled more than ninety miles out of Adelaide and eventhough my parents were out of my sight.
"I can't believe you had been idling in the car just to avoid Ian!" Audrey, who was speaking with a chef probably regarding our dinner, comments as soon as she spots me.
"Idling? I was sword fighting with mosquitoes!" I flare my nostrils.
"Swords as in?"
"Ugh---the metaphor for my hands." I say, rolling my eyes and she snickers.
"You must be tired huh? Have a shower and we'll have dinner. There's the extremely delicious ValleyCuisine waiting for you." She beams, sparing an approving glance at the chef.
"Yeah whatever. I still don't understand why y'all chose to stay. We would have been home by now." I muttered before walking away.
The door to room 105 was ajar. I huff noisily before giving it a gentle push only to stumble into something out of my expectations.
No scratch that, it was something I shouldn't be witnessing.
Cradled in Ian's lap, legs around his waist---out of everyone I had imagined, it was Hannah freaking Jenkins. His T-shirt was lying on the floor and Hannah was all mouth as they continue to do what they were doing, oblivious of my presence.
The churning in my stomach and the stinging pain in my heart was growing as I stare without blinking. My feet won't move. My mind telling me to run away and leave the scene but my heart of glass transfixing me in position.
As if on cue, Ian's eyes shifted towards the door, freezing as he meets my ocean blue eyes for the first time in a long while.
The tear that had been threatening to fall finally slips and I inhale sharp before dashing out.
I was stumbling.
Down the corridor, past the lobby and again out in the open. My knees felt wobbly. But I couldn't bring myself to understand why the hell was it hurting?
Ian Eastwood was just the guy I hated and accidentally was making out with under certain circumstances. It wasn't like I had a monopoly on him. Hell, it couldn't be----ofcourse I don't like him in any way?
"Vanessa!" His very familiar voice behind makes me wince.
Blinking back the stupid meaningless tears, I turn around. His expressions were stony and his eyes full of something I couldn't infer.
"Wh-What do you want?" I manage to speak.
"Can we walk to the rocks?" he asks, in a barely audible voice.
"Why? I thought you were busy" I say and instantly feel the knots in my stomach once again.
"Vanessa, this conversation isn't taking place here---in front of the resort gate. I offered you a quieter place." He says, his eyes still studying me.
"Fine." I blurt out, biting the inside of my cheeks as we walk towards the shore.
"I thought we weren't serious" his words cut like ice on my tender heart. So he really was messing around with me?
"I never said otherwise" the response came from the egotistic part of me that refused to accept how I felt.
"Your eyes say so---" he whispers, looking up, a sad smile painted on his lips.
"Never knew about Hannah" I try to keep my voice as steady as I could. Playing into his words would just make me weaker right now.
"Jesus---she asked for it! And I wasn't feeling good either so fathom it now! It was nothing more than a make out session." Ian almost shouts, but his voice get subtled by the loud crashing of the waves now touching our feet.
"And the thing we have? Is it something more?" I ask, the salty breeze tangling my hair as I face the sea.
"If it is to you...it is to me." he shrugs.
Maybe I could have responded but the Alan Walker ringtone of Ian's phone brings an end to the conversation.
It was Jae-Hwa, food was ready and about to be served. But I wasn't ready to eat. Somehow I gather up enough oxygen in my lungs for the rest of the evening.
Oh hell---the night was still patiently waiting for me. With both Ian and Hannah, I wondered if I'd survive within the same room. But I don't think I have a choice.
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A/N: After a long wait, I know. Once a week or twice a week but I am surely gonna update. So don't think I gave up at any point because I never do so! I am really expecting y'all to stay tuned. <3 Anyway, the chapter was pretty heartfelt, wasn't it? [Please drop a vote.]
