CHLOE ARMEL

The day was over and I was tired. There weren't any homework's today so I had planned to go home and take a nice long rest, and start studying thereafter. I was walking towards my car when I realized that, I did not bring a car. Cole had dropped me today, and this also meant that I would have to wait for some time before the car came.

UFF!!! That's called luck.

I take out my phone and start dialing when I hear a distant voice calling me out, but it was not my name, and I knew that only Cole called me that. I turn around and see him approaching me. Once he approaches me he says,

"Hey Princess!" he was a bit too jovial than necessary and I instantly become suspicious about it. His behavior clearly spelled out 'FISHY.'

"Yes?" I say while he frowns,

"Can't you just greet me or something first?"

"And what is it that you want me to do as in GREETING?" I say with great emphasis.

"There are many things that I can think of," I glare at him and he adds haste fully, "but at present it will be alright if you just shake my hand." I smile while he frowns at me. I put my hand forward and he takes my hand in his.

"So?"

"Well, remember the lie you told for me during lunch time?"he starts, coming straight to the point.

"And how can I forget that?"

"Good. So as you see our dear Miss Cassandra," he says battling his eyelashes trying to pretend like her, "is kinda stalking me. So if I do not end up at your place today, she is going to know..."

"Are you scared of her??" I ask tantalizingly,

"Are you kidding me?? Why the hell would I be scared of her? But as you must already know it is easier to get rid of goons, but not easy enough to get rid of a girl who has pledged to get to you," he says disgust clear in his face.

I just look at him for some time and then say, "So what do you want me to do?"

"I just want you to play along with me for a bit more, so she can be assured that there can be nothing anymore between us, and....therefore I just want you to allow me at your place for today, if that is okay with you..." he says the last part slyly.

I remember the last time he was there at my place, and realize that he never created havoc, even when all I knew about him then was that he is an Asshole. And now I know him better and therefore it should be even less trouble...And my parents are also not supposed to be there for another two days.

Looking at his expectant face full of hope I finally decide that it would be safe to let him,

"Okay." I say and he smiles.

He leads me towards his car in a jumpy mood, and I smile inwardly at this. I take the front seat of his car and he drives towards my home.

<<//>>

"Can't we sit in your room, your bed is so soft...," he moans. I look at him suspiciously and say,

"How do you know that??" I was raising my eyebrows while he merely looked as if he were offended.

"What!!! Don't you remember the last time that I came here for the homework?? I had ended up sleeping in your bed..."

"Oh!! That, I....I do remember," It was now his turn to look at me suspiciously.

He was lying down on the sofa outside my kitchen. He was lying there USELESSLY since we had arrived.

It had been around fifteen minutes and after freshening up I had volunteered to warm the food that Aunt Margaret had cooked. It was technically a bit less for the two of us as she did not know that he would be coming over. And if truth be told I too was not expecting his visit. Not that I minded but still....

I add a cup of juice to the mashed potatoes and spinach and ricotta stuffed gnocchi that Aunt Margaret had cooked. I liked to eat a whole variety of food, and this interest in food that I had; led Aunt Margaret to cook me different delicacies every day. And it would be an underestimation if I said that Aunt Margaret was a good cook, as she was the best that I have known, unless and until you count the lasagna prepared by Cole that night. My mouth still watered at the mere thought of it.

I decide to take the plates out to the hall to eat instead of using the kitchen dining. As I turn around with the plates in my hand I see Cole standing in the entrance of the kitchen looking at me. A blush tries to creep up my face slowly at his undeterred staring.

"You could have called me to help you out," he says coming forward and taking the plates from my hand. I take the glasses of juice from behind me on the kitchen counter and follow him out.

"You were sleeping quite peacefully and I did not want to disturb you," I say tentatively

"Really?? But I assumed you to be the kind who would do anything but not let me sleep..." a glint of joke pitch clear in his face. I roll my eyes behind his back.

"I am not that bad also." I say showing mock hurt on my face with pouting lips, playing along.

"I never said that that's bad,"

"But you meant though," I say trying to get my point right.

"You cannot know what I mean,"

"I can."

"You can't"

"I can"

"You can't"

"I can"

"You can"

"I can't.....huh!!! what??....You are an IDIOT!!" I say frustrated.

It did not take him long to get done what he wanted, and now he was laughing like a maniac on MY freaking sofa. His face crinkled in a child like manner when he laughed, and it was enticing.

It felt right to keep him watching like that, and I wanted to continue for as long as I could. Unknowingly I start smiling to his continuous laughter and eventually I even forget the reason why he was even laughing.

"I think now you should eat," I say pulling myself out of my reverie and him from his laughter as well.

He nods still laughing and starts to eat. The moment the first bite was inside his mouth he lets out an extraordinarily loud moan and says,

"Woah!!! It is delicious!! Who cooked it? Though I am sure you didn't.." The initial smile that I had possessed when he had complimented the food vanished quite suddenly as he completed his sentence.

"I may not have cooked it, but you haven't tasted anything that I have cooked yet, so how can you say that??" I say glaringly imploring him to answer. I cooked pretty well, maybe not as perfect as him, but I did. He does not know and he has got no right to tarnish my cooking skills.

"That's called sixth sense, Princess," he takes another bite of the gnocchi.

"Still...Sixth sense doesn't tell us about food tastes and stuff," I retreat

"Mine does,"

"No. It doesn't." I say stubbornly, not allowing any further comments from his side. "You get to criticize my food only when you have tasted it, and not before that."

I fold my arms angrily and look anywhere but him. I wait for him to speak something, to laugh, to make fun of me all over again, but when none comes my way, I reluctantly look at him.

He was looking at me straight without blinking once, his spoonful of mashed potatoes halfway through to his mouth. Before I could ponder on why was he looking at me that way, he says, "I did not know that you can be stubborn as well if you want to,"

I smirk inwardly but keep my face straight to look at him. He continues,

"Well then when do I get to taste what you have cooked?" he asks and behind the mask of his playful attitude I see seriousness embedded in the layers.

Taking my time as if I were deciding I say lazily, "It's your bad luck actually...I don't cook anymore." It was quite easy for me to say so. It had been quite long I hadn't cooked, and I wasn't planning to anytime soon.

"And why's that?" I look up at him briefly and say,

"Just. NO reason," I shrug my shoulders at this, "It's been quite long I haven't and I do not look forward to it anymore," it was the most honest reply I could muster.

Looking back I realized that I had no valid reason for stopping to cook. I actually fancied cooking like a hobby.

I liked trying out new things, even though I did not fancy eating much. It was strange how cooking and tasting new dishes got to me exceptionally strongly but on the same side, eating the food properly wasn't my thing.

"When did you cook last?" he asks and it takes me by surprise. I wasn't expecting this question, and now that I had to face it I wasn't planning to answer. It was difficult actually. I hadn't talked about such stuffs to anyone since a long time. And discussing things like my hobby and my personal stuffs seemed strange.

"I don't think I remember."

I do not look at him for afraid of being seen directly through.

I had learned to lie pretty properly in the past months or a few years one may say, but today when I needed to, it felt wrong. It felt I couldn't or rather I didn't want to. I was not up for this conversation. I did not have the reply. I did not have the guts to reply even if I had one and it seemed I wasn't up to lying this time.

Though in a small corner of my heart I had always wanted to tell someone, to share it all, and now that it was the time, I wasn't ready. It felt like the right thing, but right things aren't always the easiest to choose.

I wanted to be like before, cold, distant, quiet. I did not want to open up. I was scared of many things at the same time, because for one thing I knew Past Always Repeats Itself. And I did not want it to come true.

Sitting here in front of him, I felt my walls crumbling right in front of me.

I folded my hands tightly in front of me, holding myself up; maybe trying to stop those walls from breaking down completely, but it was difficult.

He was quiet for a long time after I had spoken and when I had started to think he would give up the topic or leave it he says, "Was...was it that...that guy named Ashton?"

And I swear my walls that were crumbling; crashed right in front of me.

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Hey lovely readers!! I am really sorry for the late update but due to miscellaneous stuffs I was so busy the entire time I just couldn't update. But I am here to compensate today, and there is something for you guys who have patiently waited for my update. The surprise that I am talking about is going to come soon. For now, here goes a longer chapter than I usually post. Take Care Stay Safe.

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