His For A Year: The Basketball Lord's

Chapter Fifty One

“Come on, you're home,” he smoothly said, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“Huh, thanks,” I opened the door, closing it as I left the house.

“Think about it,” he started the car, driving off.

That made me actually heed to his advice that as I headed into my house, all I could think about was Austin.

Dating?

Would it be a good idea to actually go ahead and take our relationship to another level?

I wouldn't deny the fact my body was attracted to him, but then that was something I could bottle up, right?

There really was no use inviting awkwardness in our lives by deciding to date just to break up.

We still had a year to go, life wouldn't be smooth if we lived in awkward situations forever.

“Hey, you're back,” Oliver's voice cut through my thoughts, so I turned to where she sat on the sofa, legs resting on the table.

She was certainly recovering from her injuries fast.

Though there were still some scars on her body, it was obvious she'd be better soon.

At least she could move without needed crutches (as she did the first few days).

It was still a mystery to me how the accident took place, but all I could care about was that she was getting better.

“Hmm,” I took the chair beside her, resting on the headrest.

“What's wrong? And where on earth were you?” Layla appeared from the kitchen with a plate of cookies.

“Just went out,” no way was I going to tell them about the soon proposal.

“Wherever this place was obviously has you thinking deeply, come on, spill it,” she dropped the plate on the table, taking a seat on the one opposite me.

“Nothing.”

If I were to tell them about how I'd been feeling when it came to Austin, they'd probably tease me till my grave.

“I can sense it's something,” she pushed, taking a bite of her cookie.

“It really isn't anything, geez can we talk about something else?” I just had to hope with everything in me that they wouldn't see through me.

Or worse, if I blushed.

That would certainly be enough for them to know I was thinking about him.

“Okay then, let's talk about the guy who makes Oliver giggle at night,” she accepted the change of topic, causing all gazes to turn to Oliver who rolled her eyes.

A gasp left me, “you have a boyfriend?”

So soon? Hadn't she just broken up with Gorgy?

“He's just a friend,” she reached for a cookie, biting half of it.

“Just a friend huh?” Layla obviously didn't buy that.

Well, neither did I.

“Hmm, I met him a few weeks back,” she said through another bite of cookie.

From how she was speaking so nonchalantly, I might just believe she considered him a friend.

That didn't stop me from teasing, “do you ever feel your heart race when you're close to this friend?”

“Seriously?” She shook her head. “I can't believe you guys will be so interested in my love life. He's really just a friend.”

Realization hit me and I asked, “is he the person who stayed with you at the hospital overnight?”

Layla gasped dramatically, “someone stayed overnight? Was it him?”

Again, she rolled her eyes, “he just came to visit and—”

But before she had a chance to finish, Layja and I erupted in a fit of girlish squeal.

“Oh my gosh, a guy literally stayed the night and you want to tell me he doesn't like you.”

I chuckled, “that's so romantic, I will certainly add it to a character in my book.”

“You guys should…”

But I'd already stopped listening when my phone pinged and I reached for it to see a message from Austin.

His name alone was enough to make my heart fly to the sky.

We hadn't talked to each other since Tuesday and my body certainly wanted to do something.

To meet with him.

See him.

Kiss him.

I quickly dismissed that thought, clicking on the message.

Austin- Where should we meet tomorrow?

Feeling excited inside, I sent him a reply.

Me- I'd have said Dami Coffees if there wasn't a possibility of what happened the last time to repeat itself.

Austin- Even I don't want some kind of fan fiasco. And perhaps, it's not safe teaching sport in such a public area.

I typed that we should meet at his place, but immediately deleted it when it came flowing back what could happen if we were alone.

In fact, things seemed to have been happening every time we were in a place alone.

The time in his car where we almost kissed.

The other time at his dad's place where we kissed.

And then on Monday.

So yeah, being alone where there was a comfortable sofa— or even worse, a bed —was certainly not a smart idea.

We needed a place with the presence of people that could help snap some senses to us if we lost it.

As I began typing, his appeared.

Austin- Why don't we just meet at my place?

That certainly made my heart skip a beat. I quickly wrote,

Me- No, let's go to a library or something.

Austin- Don't worry, if you're afraid we'll kiss again, I'll be sure to keep my hands to myself -Smirking Face Emoji- -Winking Face Emoji-

The color certainly rose to my cheeks. What did he mean? He didn't even make it seem like he regretted it.

More like he could repeat the action.

But before I could text a reply, two loud gasps echoed from behind me.

That startled me to jump to my feet where I hadn't noticed two heads hovered over my shoulders.

Oh no, how long had they been there?

“Again?!” Layla exclaimed in obvious surprise.

“You two have kissed before?!” Oliver, who was gripping onto the chair for support (because she wasn't standing well with her legs), also possessed surprise in her tone.

“Why were you two checking on my messages?” My heart thumped faster than ever.

They really were going to tease me to death.

“Maybe because you stopped listening to us and started grinning at your phone like it held the world's best surprise or whatever on it,” Oliver let out a surprised chortle.

“I'm so shocked, when did it happen?” Layla snickered also, sitting on the armrest of the chair.

I shook my head, “nothing that's any of your business. Now stop poking into my life and mind your business.”

“Oooo, seems like someone's starting to fall in love,” Layla teased, causing them both to chuckle.

“No one is falling in love,” my snapping back made them erupt into laughter.

“Look who's talking about my love life when she's swimming in kisses,” Oliver added, her tone holding nothing but teasingness.

Realizing they wouldn't leave me alone, and my cheeks might turn tomato soon, I pivoted, stomping up the stairs to my room, whose door I locked.

Once in the safe zone of my room, my back pressed against the door as I willed my heart to calm down.

This wasn't a time to let people start guessing we were falling for each other.

All these emotions needed to stop.

And now, before things got out of hand with people.

My close relations knew me to not believe in love.

That was how it was and how it always should be.

If only I could tell that to my racing heart that seemed to yearn for him.