7. Avoiding the fall.
1170 Palabras
CHAPTER 7: Avoiding the fall.
“I can’t believe you don’t know how to use a camera,” I say to Ryan, glancing sideways at him. “You’re studying audiovisual media and you don’t know how to use a camera!”
He lunges toward me to cover my mouth with his hand, but I dodge him, laughing.
“Don’t say it so loud.” He looks around discreetly to make sure no one heard me.
No one did—we’re the last ones in the classroom.
“Want me to teach you how to use it?” I ask, pulling a chocolate bar out of my bag. I break it in half and hand him a piece. While I chew the sweet cocoa, he nods. “What would you have done if we didn’t share this class, Ryan?”
“Probably died,” he says dramatically. “Or just asked someone else for help, center of the universe.”
I giggle again while biting into more chocolate.
“My place or yours?”
“Are you making me a dirty proposal, Aurora?”
“Just teaching your fingers to be quick with a camera—they clearly need the practice.”
He laughs at that.
“How about I go to your place tomorrow? Text me the address.”
“Deal.” I sling my backpack over my shoulders and stand up to head for the door. Ryan catches up, awkwardly carrying a pile of books, the half-eaten chocolate bar still in his mouth.
I’m a bit surprised when, as soon as we step outside, I find Jeremy leaning against the wall across from the classroom, waiting for me. His thumb moves lazily over his phone screen, scrolling through pictures or videos—I can’t tell.
The moment he sees me, Jer slips his phone into his pocket and lowers the foot he had propped against the wall. He walks toward me slowly, eyes flicking from Ryan to me.
“Hey,” he greets.
“Hey,” Ryan replies, his voice muffled by the chocolate still in his mouth.
I laugh, reach out, and push the rest of the chocolate into his mouth so he’ll just eat it. We both laugh when he starts choking a little. He’s such a clumsy i***t—it’s honestly hilarious.
“Do we know each other?” Jer asks, making both of us look at him.
“Of course.” Ryan swallows the chocolate roughly and clears his throat. “I think you were with Aurora on enrollment day. You left her with me to show her around campus.”
Jer’s eyebrows lift in disbelief, and he presses his lips together, almost in anger, before turning toward the hallway so we only see his profile.
“Shall we go?”
“Yeah,” I agree, then turn to Ryan. “Tomorrow, okay?”
“Seriously, thanks, Rora.” He gives us both a smile before heading off to his next class.
“Tomorrow?” Jer repeats, taking the backpack off my shoulders as we start walking toward the parking lot.
“I’m going to teach him how to use his camera. We’re meeting at my place.”
“He calls you Rora,” he adds, his tone strange.
“Pretty much everyone does,” I remind him.
“You share your chocolate, invite him to your house, and he calls you something only family does.”
“Jeremy…”
“And you just met him.”
“Do you have a problem, Jeremy?” I face him, stopping next to the back door of his car before he can open it to put my bag inside.
“No problem. Let’s go.” He moves me aside, shoves my backpack in, and walks stiffly around to the driver’s seat. I sigh and count to three before finally following him and getting in.
If I didn’t know him, I’d swear he’s jealous.
He drives, eyes fixed ahead, not looking at me once. If the ride that morning was awkward, this one’s worse—because this time, it’s not just awkwardness. There’s bitterness and quiet anger in the air.
When we finally get home, I’m about to get out of the car, but his hand closes around my wrist, stopping me.
I look at him.
“I’m taking you out tomorrow,” he says.
“What?” I blink, stunned.
“It’s been a while since we went to the movies. Let’s go.”
“We literally went to the movies not long ago, Jeremy.”
“Then let’s go again.”
“What time?” I give in, seeing this actually means something to him.
“What time are you meeting that guy tomorrow?”
“I don’t know. Probably in the afternoon.”
“Then I’m taking you out in the afternoon.”
I stare at him, completely dumbfounded.
“Jeremy…”
“I’m asking you out at the exact same time he’s supposed to come to your house.”
What the hell is going on with him?
I shake my head slowly, disbelief written all over my face.
“No, I’m meeting Ryan.”
“Cancel it,” he orders.
“What the—? No. I’m not doing that.” I try to get out, but he grabs my arm. “Let go, Jeremy.”
He doesn’t. Instead, he pulls me closer, his hand coming up gently to my cheek, forcing me to look at him. His cool breath brushes my lips, and my eyes blink rapidly, fighting the urge to close them and give in to his touch.
“Say yes, Rora,” he whispers.
“Why are you acting like this?” I ask, my voice trembling.
With soft tenderness, he brushes his nose against mine.
“I don’t know.” His lips graze mine—but I move back just in time, before things can go further.
“Don’t kiss me, Jer,” I plead.
“Rora…”
“We both know you’ll regret it afterward.”
That shuts him up. His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows, speechless.
I sigh and rest my forehead against his shoulder, breathing slowly as I wait for my racing heart to calm down.
“Why are you acting like this now that you’re not with Sabrina? Did you just forget about her and suddenly feel something for me? Don’t play with me. Don’t ask me to be your rebound, Jeremy. Please.” My voice cracks. “You know I’d say yes. I’d say yes to anything you asked. So if you care about me even a little, be the brain my heart doesn’t have and don’t let me drown.”
“Aurora…”
“Please.”
I grab my backpack from the back seat and get out of the car without looking back.
He has the power to destroy me—and if I can’t stop myself from falling, I just hope Jeremy will.
At this point, he’s the only one who can.
- Autor
