The Wretched Redemption

Chapter 3- Coffee

Isla POV

As the days gone by my Uni life became more hectic. After that unexpected reunion with Theo and introduction to Eirian and Gavin. They seemed to be having fun spending their free time with us whenever they saw us in the café. We have some snacks and have little chats with each other about our electives. Eirian is always the one talking and Gavin is always quiet. Theo has been messaging me everytime asking if we will go to the café. And He always comes too. And Eirian is always the one who opens up the conversations, she talks about their past electives and whenever other students recognize them they come up to say Hi to them or they always just staring. As we have spent time together we became a little closer to Eirian. Ruby seemed to be a little open with Eirian but not with Gavin, but still she has her guard up.

Me and Ruby are now done with class and is now on our way to the library to do some study time.

“Ruby” I pat her shoulder as I call her name

“sup?” she replied. She tilted her head to look at my face. I find it cute. I smiled.

“I’ve been meaning to ask, why do

you keep your guard up with Eirian and Gavin?”

“Well, I feel something weird with the both of them, I can’t pin point it but I feel like there is something with them that is irking me.” She replied. Her eyebrows furrowed and her eyes squinted. She looks annoyed.

“Is that so? Well we were just hanging out with them because of Theo. But I find it good because they can be some of help for us.” I replied as we continued walking in the open field.

“Yep but still. I can’t seem make myself to lower my guard down specially to Eirian. She looks at you weirdly sometimes. And Gavin too he’s staring at you whenever you’re not looking. He looks so interested in you while her girlfriend is beside him. Isn’t that weird?” She explained. As she brushes her hair with her fingers.

“that’s weird, I didn’t notice, did you see it right?” I replied

“I did and there’s no mistaking about it. And maybe that’s why Eirian keeps looking at you weirdly when she thinks no one is looking. And how would you notice it if Theo is always beside you and he keeps on bugging you. I barely had the chance to have some time with you because of them. Maybe that’s why I feel jealous. You’re my first friend after all” She replied firmly and sad towards the end.

“It’s Theo he keeps on bringing them along that’s why. I’m just embarrassed if we ignore them and yeah that Theo surely is bugging me. He acts like a child when his with that Big bro of mine. Well why don’t we go out this weekend?” I replied

As soon as she’s about to respond,

“Hello beautiful ladies” someone whispered with a very deep voice.

He placed his arm around my shoulder so I twisted his arm. It made him turn on his heels and it made him stumble and end up kneeling in front of me and Ruby. As soon as I saw it was Theo, I smacked his back really hard.

“Ow! Ow! Let go! Isla pleaaaaaase.” As he taps my hands relentlessly. I let him go as soon as I saw him teary.

“The hell did you come from? I thought you were a crazy person trying to grab me. And what’s up with that voice you sounded like a man who came from hell!!” I replied annoyed.

“That’s Isla for you, Theo” Ruby said as she smacks Theo more while laughing.

“That’s Isla for me. But don’t you dare say something like that with my voice, I’m hurt they always say my voice is hot and husky, but what the hell you were saying it came from h-hell?” He replied acting like his hurt. He put his hand in his chest.

“You definitely made it sound deeper” Ruby replied as she holds her stomach while laughing.

“Ruby is right” I replied as I burst out laughing. And I almost laugh when I look at Theo, He looked so defeated.

We are now in front of the library so a lot of students are staring. And I saw at a distance Gavin staring at us. I might have dismissed what Ruby said earlier but there is really something weird with this guy and Eirian. As I looked away from him. I saw Ruby and Theo looking at Gavin too.

“He’s acting weird” Ruby said

“Maybe his just looking at the three of us? We created a little scene earlier” I explained.

“Maybe” Theo replied with a questionable expression on his face. He’s face got dim and I don’t know why.

“Hey, are you coming with us?” I ask Theo to divert his attention away from Gavin.

“what are you going to do here in the library ladies? Study? If that’s it, I’ll be going first. I need to develop my software. See you next time my beautiful ladies” His face lit up and gave us a wink. As I was about to respond his hand landed on the top of my head and patted it.

“*ehem* Theo a lot of girls have a crush on you they might kill Isla and me” Ruby said as she smacked Theo’s hand away from my head.

“Yeah Ruby is right. Your fans might end up grabbing our hairs you know and Get you filthy ass hand away from my beautiful head and get your useless handsome face outta here” I replied teasing him as I hold my laughter.

“You ladies are bullies. My heart and my pride is always hurt whenever I spent my time with the both of you.” He snorted as he walked away and looked back with a smile and waved his hand goodbye.

“Another weird guy” Ruby said as she smiled “A good weird guy” she continued. I smiled and nodded.

“Let’s head in? Before we got mobbed with that guy’s fans. Those girls asking us his number.” I replied, as I grabbed her hand and we entered the library.

Gavin’s POV

As I was walking to get some canned coffee in the vending machine in front of the library I saw Isla and Ruby walking at a distance. It seems that they are on their way to the library. I once again caught myself staring at her. The wind blows her hair flutters away from her face that makes her face brighter as the sun shone to her direction. Her bangs swayed to the side revealing her whole face. It looks small and delicate. As her fingers brushes her hair to the side.

“oh God” I mumbled. I’m attracted to her. I put some coin in the vending machine and took out the can of coffee. As I look at Isla again, Theo is secretly walking behind her back. His head turned towards me and He smirked. I stumbled I think he knew my intentions with Isla. I didn’t even know when this feeling started. I even steal glances at her whenever we have this little meetup at the café. But Theo kept her close to her. He had the edge from the start. They knew each other from the start. As I was lost in thought I got back to reality with Theo’s voice. Isla twisted his arm causing him to accidentally turn on his heels and stumbling and end up kneeling in front of her. I smiled with the sight of Theo, Isla is really different.

*Badump* *Badump*

I suddenly put my hand in my chest as its beating harder than normal and my eyes continued to follow her. I stared down my chest that is beating harder as soon as I admitted my feelings towards her.

“She made my heart waiver with just the sight of her” as I mumbled thoughtlessly and look up I saw them disappeared. I turned in my heels and saw Aerthia with her eyes wide and her hand in his mouth.

“Did you hear it?” I ask her. Her eyes turned to normal as she looks at me and smiled like she always does.

“I knew it!” She replied as she came closer to me and smacked my shoulder. “You’re interested with Isla right?” Her is eyes expecting. There’s no way of denying to her. She already knew it first before I even realize it myself.

“Yes I’ am.” I replied. Her eyebrows twitch the moment I admitted it but she is still smiling,

“I’ll try to help you. I’m a lady too, so I know how to get to a woman’s heart” she winked at me reassuring.

“I can do it myself” I said firmly.

“But it’s your first time, so let me offer my help” She said firmly.

“No weird plans.” I said sternly.

“Ok! I got yah” She replied as she let out a chuckle.

“Shall we start now?” She continued

“What!!????” I exclaimed with her sudden statement.

“You’re holding a can of coffee and I saw her, she entered the library.” She replied with her eyebrows going up and down.

“What? So your suggesting me to go and give her this can of coffee?” I ask her again.

“Yes, so?” She replied grinning.

“Okay, I got it.” I replied confidently and sweat started to break on my back.

Me and Eirian entered the library and look at the first floor but we didn’t saw them there so we went to the second floor. As I scan the tables I saw Isla and Ruby sitting at the end of the room. I signaled at Eirian and pointed were Isla is, she nodded. A lot of students are also in the library. So I whispered to Eirian ,

“You should stay here” and She nodded at me.

“be confident” She replied as she pats my back.

I silently walked towards where Isla and Ruby are. They are currently looking down at their laptops so they didn’t saw me. They had their headsets on too. I stood at their right side and I tap her shoulder as I hand her the drink. She stood suddenly and it cause her phone to fall down into the floor and causing other students to look our way. I didn’t look around but I felt their eyes staring at us.

“What is it Gavin?” She asks confused.

“Coffee” I replied blankly. As soon as I saw her face my heart beat faster again. I can feel my face flushed.

“Ah? For me?” She asks and I nodded. As soon as she accepted the drink I turned into my heels and walk out of there. I can still feel eyes towards me. Soon as I reached the entrance I saw Eirian behind me I didn’t even notice she saw me walking out and followed me. As I wiped my sweat Eirian handed me some tissue.

“Damn Gav!” As she burst out laughing. “You look like a plank! You were too stiff” She continued to laugh as she got teary.

“You helped a lot” I said annoyed.

We then walk out of there and went our class.

Isla’s POV

As soon as we saw the first floor of the library almost full we end up going to the second floor and there a lot of students to so we chose the table at the end. We sat down and opened our own loptops and I smiled as I look at Ruby taking his headphones out too. I pointed at her headset and smiled. We continued to do our home works. As I’m listening to “Stephanie Soo’s True crime podcast” while typing. A sudden tap on my shoulder caused me to jolted up on my sit and my phone dropped on the floor. I was listening to a scary episode so I got so shocked I end up reacting like that. I look up and saw Gavin and her flushed face. I can feel other students staring at us.

“What is it Gavin?” I ask confused

“Coffee” He replied blankly.

“Ah? For me?” I point to myself. He nodded, I was so out of it so I end up accepting it. As soon as I saw him walked out I look at Ruby and her eyes too was wide like mine.

“What the hell?” She whispered at me.

“Let’s get out of here first.” I replied as I collect my things.

As soon as we started to walkout I saw students staring at me like they want to pull my hair. I covered my face with my loptop and Ruby saw it and grabbed my arm and guided me outside the library.

“WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!?” She screamed.

“I think you were right, what you said earlier.” I replied as I massage my head. I’m having a headache right now.

“Isn’t Gavin and Eirian a couple?” She asks frustrated.

“I know.” I replied

“Other students might post what happened today at the student forum with you and Theo and now with Gavin too.” She replied as she pace back and forth in front of me.

“You’re on point.” I replied as I continue massaging my head.

“You know what? Let get off campus. Let’s go to the other café I saw at the other intersection in front of the university.” She said as she pulled me without hearing my response.

We walked out of UNI and went to the café Ruby suggested. I think I know why she suggested to go to a different café. We might end up meeting them there if we go to the usual place.

As soon as we reach the café. We chose the table at the end so that we can talk without people hearing our conversation as the they are famous people.

Ruby ordered a cake and Americano per usual.

As soon as she sat down she look at me and ask,

“G or T Isla?”

“What?” I let out a chuckle because of her question.

“I’m serious choose” She look at me seriously and I look at her eyes straighly.

“Both” I replied holding my laughter.

“What” she replied dumbfounded.

“Kidding” I replied as I laugh.

“Ughhh your making my head spin I told I’m serious” She replied. But as for me right no I’d be lying if I don’t acknowledge those that two people’s action.

“First, Theo is handsome and I knew him more that I know Gavin, BUT! I don’t see him that way I look at him like a big bro. Second, Gavin? He’ in a relationship with Eirian, to be honest I’m getting weirded out by his sudden action.” I explained while sipping my Americano.

“Okay but what if Theo doesn’t see you that way and Gavin and Aerthia are not a couple” She ask looking at me so intently.

“Hey! That’s too much to think about, and maybe that’s not it. And Ruby the truth is I will always choose you” I replied jokingly as I wink at her.

“I don’t sway that way.” She replied as she pretended to cover her body with her hands. She smiled and continued,

“We will just leave it at that, but you need to think about it, seriously” she replied as she took a bite with her cake. My head is full of thoughts of what she just said. Ruby is always on point about her discernments. I give her that but as of know I don’t want to think about it.

“So, tomorrow is the weekend, where do you want to go?” I ask her changing the subject.

“Do you want to watch a movie and shopping? I hadn’t had the chance to do that yet” She replied.

“That’s great, its easy! Why don’t we watch a scary one?” I replied as we continued to plan our weekend date.

The Next Day

Isla’s POV

Me and Ruby end up planning until it got dark and decided to watch a movie, eat and shop for today and tomorrow we will go to the beach side in the afternoon and have some barbecue and ramen. Things she didn’t experienced growing up. I took of my glasses and on my contacts for today because I feel like it, I then but my fitted white shirt and my wide legged jeans and black converse. I put my hair in a messy bun and put on some light make up and my white tote bag. Ruby suggested that we meet up in front of the mall. As I took a last glance to my body sized mirror I smiled with content with my casual get up. I don’t usually put on fitted clothing because I don’t like unnecessary attention with my small waist. And I love being in my comfortable clothes. As soon as I got out from my room I saw my parents watching television because it’s their rest day during weekends.

“Going out honey?” my mom asks and my dad turned his head toward me to look at me and he smiles.

“Yes Mom, I’m going with Ruby, I might get home late” I replied and showed them my sweet smile.

“Oh the girl you always talk about? I like her already bring her home sometime.” My mom replied

“Yes, I will Mom!” I replied to her.

“Ok, just be careful and please get some new clothes, all of your clothes looks the same.” My dad as he looks again to the television.

“Okay!! Thanks Mom, Dad. I’ll be back!!” I replied as I walk out the door.

I rode a taxi to the mall because it’s a 20-minute drive. And because it’s the weekend the bus and train are busier.

I arrived to the entrance and Ruby is already there she was wearing a white crop tank top, some black cargo jeans, black ankle boots paired with a black body bag. She looks cool. There are a lot of people in the mall right now because it’s the weekend. I waved my hand to her but she waves back and smiled but suddenly she shifted her gaze to my right. And as soon as I turned around I saw Gavin with Eirian getting out of a car.

I think this date will not go as we have planned if they saw us. My thoughts while I quickly ran and grabbed Ruby to the mall. I don’t want this day to get messy.