See The Light 💜✨

xii.

Laddie and I stared at each other for what felt like five minutes until a familiar voice said from the foyer that made me aware it was only a few seconds,"Hey, Laddie, we need to get going if we're..." Melody appeared and leaned on the doorframe, seeing me and Laddie's stare off and groaning dramatically,"Okay, I am not doing this today."

"Why is he here?" Laddie wouldn't take his eyes off me but I could tell he was talking to Alex and not me.

Alex quickly zipped up his duffel bag with shaky hands,"Uh, I was walking him to P.E. since we both have it. Thought it would be nice, ya know."

His eyes continued to harden and I licked my lips anxiously before I said,"I'm just gonna...go...."

"Wait for me!" Alex nearly yelled as he tripped over some clothes on the floor,"Laddie...if you don't mind, could you please clean up your clothes..?"

"Yeah, kinda worried that they'll go missing if I don't with him coming here now.." He snatched a heather blue sweater off the ground, making me slightly flinch.

Melody rolled her eyes,"You and your ego, can't you just get along with Jay for once?"

Laddie tossed her an angry look,"You and your nose in my business, can't you just butt out of it for once?"

Melody's face fell and I could tell that really hurt her feelings, tears started to pepper her eyes but she soon blinked them away and her cheeks turned red,"You know what? I'm done. Go to lunch yourself."

"Melody, wait..." Laddie suddenly turned soft as she huffed and turned away, stomping down the hallway. He actually looked regretful, guilt about what he'd done. Who knew he could feel such a thing?

Alex suddenly stood next to me,"Uh..ready?"

"Yeah," but I was distracted by Laddie and how hurt he was. He looked upset, more at how he acted than at me for once.

"I'll see you later, Lads," Alex stood in front of him and said as he put a hand on his shoulder,"She'll turn around. She always does."

"Yeah, I know...but she was really hurt."

"Man, I promise you that she'll be fine. Just apologize," Alex explained like it was the easiest thing in the world, as if Laddie actually knew how to apologize to someone.

Laddie nodded solemnly,"Okay, I'm just gonna give her some time to cool off."

I noticed Laddie leaning closer to Alex as he spoke, wanting to reach out but he couldn't. Something I could spot a mile away because I knew how it felt.

He almost looked conflicted by how he felt about Melody and Alex. Like he knew what to do about Melody but looking at Alex as if...

No...there's no way...

"I'll be on the tourney field if you need anything, okay?" Alex gave him a soft smile and Laddie returned it with a smirk, almost confirming my suspicions but not quite.

But, unluckily for me, that's when Laddie noticed I was here. He turned to me with a scowl,"I'm only letting you off today because I'm in a sour mood that doesn't concern you...leave before I change my mind."

I raised my eyebrows and glanced at Alex,"Uh..okay."

I walked to the door and out into the hallway, hearing Alex say,"See ya," before closing the door.

Alex continued to chat with me until we made our way to the tourney field but my mind was only consumed with one thought that kept battering around my skull like a pinball in a pinball machine.

Laddie likes Alex?