Celebrity Undercover

26. Bomb Personality

"You're the bad guy in somebody's story." -Unknown.

I ran all the way to the café, I couldn't go home. What if my mum was home? I'm supposed to be at school, anyway.

As soon as my nose was met with the smell of coffee and pastry, I feel slightly better. I walk to the counter and smile at Dawn, another barista who replaces Josh when he's in school.

"Hey. I'll have the usual with a chocolate brownie," I tell him with a smile. He eyes me, studying my face. "It's on the house," he says with a smile. He turns and starts to work with the machine.

Can everyone see the pain in my eyes? I thought I was doing a great job at hiding it. With a sigh, I walk over to the far end table and sit, waiting for my cup of hot chocolate.

A few minutes later, he walks to my table carrying my cup of hot chocolate and a plate of chocolate brownie on a tray.

"There you go," he says, placing them on the table. I give him a grateful smile before holding the cup of hot chocolate in my hands. Slowly, I take a sip from it, the hot chocolate going down my throat, soothing it along the way.

I wish I had gone to school today, it would've definitely distracted me. Now I'm all alone at the coffee shop, I'll surely get worse because I'll have nothing else to do than think about it.

Taking out my phone from my pocket, I text Salma.

Summer: Hey, can we make it earlier? I'm already at the coffee shop, can you come right after school?

Her reply is instant.

Salma: Sure, I'm out by 2.30. Meet you there x

I smile, I never thought I'd ever had friends until I don't become scared at a mere conversation, and I only thought that would be possible when I have my own work, or never. But Alec proved me wrong, he pushed me to him, making me talk to him. I smile at the memory. It seems so long ago while it has just been six weeks. I have to admit he made me less nervous to talk to people and for that, I'm really glad.

He showed me a world full of smiles and fun. He made me do things which I would've never have thought I'd ever do.

They were thrilling, exciting and the most liberating experiences of my life.

I danced in public when I couldn't even stand in front of people.

I sneaked into a closed fairground at night.

I rode an unattended rollercoaster.

I raced on a shopping cart like a kid at a supermarket.

I had my first date and it was the best date I've ever had. Probably even my last. My heart breaks when I realize this.

Why do I have to fall in love with someone who is way out of my league?

Yes, in love. Because this pain is definitely worse than what a person would feel if they merely just liked someone. I feel like my whole world has been crushed down and he is the one withholding the hammer.

A sob escapes my throat and I quickly swallow it back. I can't cry in public. I shouldn't.

I sigh, tucking a stray hair behind my ear. I knew I would start overthinking and overthinking is bad. I decided to open my phone and play piano tiles which manage to distract me.

-

"Summer," I hear a voice, waking me up. I flinch my eyes open to see Salma's face inches away from mine.

"Hey," she says softly, sitting on the chair opposite me.

"Hey."

"How're you feeling?" She asks, her face laced with concern. I notice she ordered a cup of espresso.

"I've been better," I answer her with a sigh.

"You want to talk about it?" She asks, with that I start telling her everything that happened yesterday with her patiently listening.

"Can I give you an honest opinion?" She asks, making my heart shatter. This just means she's going to slap me in the face with what she's going to say next.

"Sure."

"Alexis is a female dog."

I gasp, that's not true! She doesn't know that I like Alec.

"No, she's not. If she was, she wouldn't have asked me if I had feelings for Alec," I defend her. Salma gives me a disbelieving look but doesn't push it any further.

"To be honest, I strongly believe that if a man really wants you, you do not have to chase him. He will do whatever it takes to have you," she says, her tone serious.

"But you also have to let him chase you. You can't be waiting for the guy to chase you when you keep on hiding," Josh says, appearing out of nowhere. He takes a vacant seat beside Salma.

Will, that make you happy?

I sigh cupping my cup tighter. Did I actually make him stop chasing me?

No. If he does have feelings for me, he would have stopped me from running.

But he didn't.

He let me run away.

He let me go.

"He doesn't want me. He wants Alexis," I answer them, shaking my head. "And Alexis wants him. They're my friends, I can't be the one stopping them from being together."

"Did he tell you he wants her?" This was Josh. I shake my head. "No, but it's obvious they're perfect together. And me well, I'm me."

"What's wrong with being you?" Josh asks, his face forming a frown, c*****g his head to the side. I shrug in reply, I can't talk about insecurities in front of them.

"I'll have you know you're beautiful and have a bomb personality," Salma says, already reading my mind.

I give her a smile before taking a sip from my hot chocolate, which is no longer hot.

"Well we have a few hours left until our shift starts," I say when my eyes caught the wall clock. I quickly finish my not so hot hot chocolate, we clean the tables and start preparing ourselves for our shift.

Well, today tops all of the horrible Mondays.