That's Just the Beginning

Chapter 4

I barged into my house, tossing my keys in the tray as I heard the television from the living room. I quickly entered the living room to see my Aunt standing there with a playful disapproving look on her face. She made a ‘tsking’ sound, shaking her finger as she rose from the couch and approached me. I stood in the doorway.

“You’re late,” My Aunt spoke in a singsong voice.

“I didn’t mean to be late! I’m hungry! Let’s go!” I cheered, trying to grab her arm but she darted away like a snake.

“I told you, if you’re not back by 7, you starve!” She called. Although her disapproving and scolding tone, I noticed that she was dressed up. I smiled at her and she laughed.

"Since you made me wait on the couch, you’re ordering,” She called to me as we walked toward the front door. I sighed loudly. “Besides, they’re your age. You’ll fit right in.” She stated. I grumbled as I approached the car, irritated with her and Jessie's stubbornness.

“What do you want?” I asked as we entered the pizza place, my eyes glazing over the menu. It was taking me all of my will-power to stop myself from cutting everyone and dolphin diving into the kitchen and devouring all of the food. She looked at the menu, squinting from our spot beside the doorway- out of the way of the oncoming teenage traffic.

“I want a slice of pepperoni and mushroom pizza and a Pepsi.” She said, nodding in finality as she turned and faced me, extending money that I shoved away. She gave me a look that said, ‘are you sure,’ and I just nodded, rolling my eyes. I needed to waste my parent’s money like an irresponsible teenager somehow, right? Why not waste it by buying pizza?

Approaching the long line of people, I started thinking about what I was going to order. As I was walking, I stopped paying attention and bumping into someone’s back. I realized I arrived at the line and went as far as to bump into the person in front of me.

Ready to apologize, I watched as the person slowly turned around. I expected it to be an early 20 year old man, possibly ordering pizza for his girlfriend and himself. Why had I made this assumption? Because his back was muscular, and I’m not sure a teenage boy was capable of earning that through days of physical work in a gym.

But instead, I’m faced with a familiar boy with greenish blue eyes standing in front of me, intensely staring at me, filling me with discomfort. I let out a low breath as I took a step backwards, awkwardly maintaining eye contact in silence. I decided to be the bigger person and speak but he beat me to it; I’d taken notice that this was something he’d done before during our first… encounter.

“Are you stalking me?” He questioned, baffling me. A smirk slowly found its way onto his face as he stood, staring down at me.

His eyes looked more green than blue now, and I noticed that they looked green when he was amused and happy and blue when he was neutral, or at least I think. I hadn’t seen him mad yet and I’m sure I don’t want to. As I remembered the question I was asked, my irritation began to take place.

Me? Stalking him? Sure, he’s attractive but I wouldn’t dare leave my house in order to find someone who is even considered higher than me on the popular wheel, which is everyone. Plus, I’m out with my Aunt who can’t keep her mouth shut and will most likely approach me and loudly ask me if that was the ‘cute, mysterious boy’ just to embarrass me.

“No, I’m not. Why would I even do that? Can’t I come here to order pizza?” I asked, raising an irritated eyebrow. He stared at me for a second before blinking, making a smile appear on his gorgeous face. Stop, Fiona. Don’t do this to yourself.

“So you can talk proper English?” He smirked, tilting his head sideways. The simple action portrayed him as innocent and adorable when in fact, he was the total opposite. It’s not that he wasn’t adorable; it’s just that if I ever called him that aloud- let’s just say I wouldn’t be talking to you right now.

Instead of swooning and cooing at the adorableness of his actions, I gritted my teeth. He’d probably body slam me onto the floor. I’m not sure how someone so cute can be so annoying, though. I barely know this guy and I already know that we aren’t on good terms and most likely will never be. He knows he’s annoying me, and he’s obviously enjoying it. I can tell by the constant smirk he’s been sporting.

“Are you going to move up or not?” I asked, pursing my lips and narrowing my eyes. He just smiled before stepping up to the counter, eyes grazing the menu. He began listing several foods, taking me by surprise. Sure he wasn’t here alone, but how much food could a group of people eat? He was ordering enough food to serve a small village in Uganda for a good year or two.

I impatiently waited behind him, fidgeting slightly as he began listing the drinks. I carelessly listened, counting the amount of drinks he ordered. He ordered 5 drinks, so that must mean that there are 5 people that he’s with.

I heard someone behind me impatiently groan and I smirked as he shot a glare behind him and it turned into a wink quickly. Obviously, it was a girl... unless he played for the same team as me. I rolled my eyes and he caught my eye.

“No need to be jealous.” He stated, smirking as I glared at him. Jealous? That is the last thing I’ll ever be! He continued smirking as we heard the clanging and clashing of pots and pans in the kitchen.

“I’m not jealous.” I stated, giving him an annoyed look. He just shook his head, rolling his eyes. When his load of food finally arrived, he took the tray in his hands.

“I hope they spit in it.” I mutter under my breath, walking up to the counter. He turned around, with an eyebrow raised and a smirk on his lips.

“No, you don’t. You’d be jealous of the girl whose spit I’d ingest.” He stated, turning away while laughing. I gritted my teeth but ordered anyway.

“Who was that?” Aunt Cherry asked me, pulling me out of my reverie as I nibbled on my food.

“Who?” I decided to play stupid and pretend as if I had no clue who she was talking about. She gave me a flat look, sighing loudly.

“That boy you were talking to in line.” She told me as if I was stupid; well, I was pretending to be.

“Oh, him? He’s just some kid from school; no one important.” I waved, eyes grazing over the crowd that’s lessened over the last few minutes.

As my eyes found the familiar ones that were boring holes into my face as I slowly chewed the bite of pizza I had in my mouth. The same mystified and intense look was in his eyes as they stared into mine and it made me begin to wonder just how long he was looking at me.

My Aunt seemed to notice that I wasn’t paying my full attention to her, or any attention at all and her gaze trailed from mine to his. She waved her hand in front of my face annoyingly. I stared back at my Aunt who gave me another flat look.

“’Oh him? He’s just some kid from school; no one important.’ Yeah, right. Who is he?” She mocked me, rolling her eyes at my obvious lie. I refused to tell her anything, so I continued eating my pizza.

“Is that the Adrian boy?” She asked me, stupefying me. I expected her to forget or at least not put two and two together.

“Tell me or I’ll ask him.” She said, eyes narrowing her eyes threateningly. She was getting ready to turn around to face Adrian who was just a few empty booths away from us. Instead, I kicked her shin and she howled in pain. I know, I know. It’s disrespectful to kick my Aunt, or hit her at all. She is my Aunt, and an elder.

“Ow! That is him, isn’t it?” She asked, smiling excitedly as her face lay across the table. She was holding her shin under the table while I shushed her quickly and put a finger to my lips.

“Lower your voice.” I hissed, aggravated. She nodded, sitting up slowly before leaning in.

“So that’s him?” She asked, eyes widened like a little school girl.

“Would I have reacted like that if that wasn't him? Yes, that is him.” I nodded. She slowly looked back, his eyes turning from me to her. He eyed her with interest, raking his eyes down her face before a smile slowly crossed his lips. He held up a hand towards his friends before he stood up and walked began the short journey towards our table.

“Oh my gosh, abort mission! Abort mission!” I whispered, reaching towards my food in order to create a quick getaway. My Aunt smacked my hands away from the food, gritting her teeth and glaring at me before Adrian arrived at our booth.