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I was nervous being back on campus. I dreaded bumping into John, especially after the last conversation we had. My talk with Ellie only further muddled my feelings towards him.
He hadn’t emailed about our next weekly check-in, so I had some time to build up my courage to face him again. I couldn’t risk running into him prematurely, so I hurried to the one place I knew he would avoid.
I breathed a sigh of relief when I got up the stairs to the library. I was in my sanctuary. The familiar mahogany shelves lined with the wealth of knowledge. Little did I know my peace would be shattered by someone who I was hiding from.
“Hello, Cassie,” John said in a low voice.
I felt goosebumps hearing his voice. John was leaning on one of the library shelves, his arms folded across his chest. He looked serene and unbothered, like our last conversation hadn’t affected him at all.
Like he slept peacefully, with no guilt or terrible nightmares, unlike me, who had been restless ever since that moment.
I stifled the anger burning me inside and said, “It’s Cassandra. Only my friends call me Cassie.”
John gave a grim smile, but was unruffled by my coldness.
“Friends,” he said slowly, contemplating the word.
John leaned in and my pulse increased. His face was inches from mine, and I was staring directly into his eyes.
The same gorgeous eyes that got me in trouble in the first place.
The ones I couldn’t stop from haunting my dreams.
“But we were never just friends, were we... Cassandra?” he asked.
John said my name with a caress that I felt touch my entire body.
“Ahem!”
Both John and I looked startled towards the noise.
“John, fancy seeing you here,” Theodore said in a joking tone, but he had narrowed his eyes into slits. “You must be done and on your way?”
Even though Theodore said it in the mildest of tones, I sensed the underlying threat.
“On the contrary, I just began,” John said wryly.
He randomly picked a book from the shelf and took a seat across from where I was going to sit. Theodore made a sound of irritation and sat beside me, glaring at John.
I tried to concentrate on my paper, but it was hard with my former and current suitors at the same table.
I sat another fifteen minutes before bolting out of the library with some excuse.
Sigh.
My sanctuary was no longer mine.
What was John trying to do? Was he deliberately flirting with me just to irk Theo?
But Theo wasn’t even there... he only showed up later. What was John doing there in the first place? Was he waiting for me, knowing I would come there?
I had to stop my thoughts from spiraling.
I couldn’t let my mind wander down that path again... John was my past and I should leave him there.
I hadn’t gone far when someone called out my name. My feet stopped automatically.
“Cassandra, wait!”
It was Theodore.
I felt let down.
“Theo,” I said, trying not to show the disappointment in my voice. “Is everything alright?”
“I was going to ask the same before you bolted,” Theo said. “Was it something I said?”
“No, not at all,” I said. “What made you say that?”
“You seemed nervous? I know I asked you out on a date, but if you are not ready to do that, I understand,” Theo said. “It’s ok if you changed your mind.”
I groaned internally. I forgot all about his phone call!
“I haven’t changed my mind, Theo,” I said, apologetically. “Between classes, adjusting to a new time zone, and catching up with Ellie, I just forgot. Sorry!”
Theo looked shocked. “You forgot?”
“I forgot,” I said, apologetic again.
Theodore laughed and shook his head.
“What’s so funny?” I asked, confused.
“Here I was, worried I said something horrendous or that you read all the tabloid specials on me,” Theo said. “By the way, just so you know, the rumor about me dating the supermodel twins was highly exaggerated.”
I gaped at him. “The supermodel what? Maybe I should start paying attention to the tabloids?”
“Only after our date, please Cassie, I am begging,” Theo said as he grabbed one of my hands and dropped to his knees. “Give me a chance before you hear the bad things about me.”
I looked at him, stunned. Theo was grovelling at my feet.
“Ok, ok, Theo. Get up,” I said, recovering. “Someone might see you.”
“Can I pick you up tonight at eight?” Theo asked, not letting go of my arm. “Please say yes.”
“Yes, now get up,” I said. Theo let go of my hand and grinned as he got up in one leap.
“I promise you won’t regret it,” he said, smiling.
I was too dazzled by his smile to say anything back, so I simply nodded.
——-
Theo showed up at my place on time, which was a good thing because I was about to chew off my fingernails (a nervous habit) and ruin my nail polish. I said goodbye to my hosts and promised them I won’t stay out too late; it was a school night after all.
“You look beautiful,” Theo said as soon as he saw me.
I blushed. “Thank you.”
He opened the car door.
“What, no sports car?” I asked, getting in.
“Only on some weekends,” Theo said. “It is a part-time hobby, but I would love to take you on a ride one day.”
“I have been on a motorcycle with Ellie,” I said. “I think I have reached my maximum speed capacity for this lifetime.”
Theo smiled. “You are so funny, Cassie.”
“I was being serious,” I said, dead-panned. Theo smiled again.
Theo drove us away from campus towards the city. We were silent the entire hour it took us to get there. He stopped his car in front of the fanciest restaurant I had ever been to, the kind where the menu price made your eyes water. We hadn’t even opened our door when we were swarmed by flashes of lights.
“What is happening?” I asked, worried.
“Shit... it’s the paparazzi,” Theo said. He reversed the car slowly, and I saw the crowd of photographers that had gathered in front of the restaurant. They were calling out his name.
“Sorry, Cassie,” He said, miserable. “I didn’t know who leaked I was coming here. Our first date was supposed to be private.”
“That’s fine,” I said, reassuredly. “We can go somewhere else.”
Theo nodded silently and kept driving.
When he was quiet for a while, I asked, “What are you thinking, Theo?”
“I know it must be strange for you, but this will be the normal if you continue dating me: being stalked by paparazzi, being the daily fodder of tabloids, having your every move scrutinized and dissected,” Theo said. “I am afraid to know if that changes your mind?”
“It doesn’t,” I said. “I don’t care about fame.”
“Must be nice,” Theo said in a low voice. “Unfortunately, I can’t do the same.”
I didn’t know what to say, but a question came to my mind.
“Theo?”
“Yes, Cassie?” Theo said.
“Why do you care so much about what the tabloids say?” I asked.
“I didn’t care until recently. I acted out and rebelled, but my parents warned me they would cut me off from family funds... Unlike other people, my inheritance is tied to my reputation,” Theo said. “Before they brushed my antics off as cute, but now that I am older...”
“You are not cute anymore?” I teased.
“Good one,” Theo said. “Nope, now I can’t get away with it any longer.”
“At least you are being honest with me about your deceitful ways,” I mused.
“But I have changed, my lovely Cassie,” Theo said, making me blush. “And I can start this new me, proving I am worthy of someone as wonderful as you.”
“So, I am an experiment of sorts?” I asked. I folded my arms over my chest in mock anger.
“You are killing me, Cassie,” Theo said. “I admit I sounded like an idiot a second ago. I guess I am blubbering because... because I really like you.”
I blushed. He continued, “I would love to know you better, Cassie.”
“I would like that, too,” I said, smiling in return.
“I know the perfect spot where we can do just that,” Theo said, his eyes twinkling.
“Where are we going now?”
To avoid chances of running into paparazzi, Theo took me to open mic night right on campus. We had more fun than we would have inside a fancy restaurant.
We spent the night talking, and Theo shared every juicy tabloid story about himself. The game was to guess which story was true and which was false. I was right only half the time.
Theo then got on stage to recite the most embarrassing poem he concocted on the spot. He didn’t even care about how bad it was.
I laughed until my sides hurt while he smiled towards me from up the stage.
I was still laughing when he parked outside my place.
“I had fun,” I said.
“I did too,” Theo said. “Care to do it again tomorrow night?”
I paused. “I really shouldn’t, Theo. I have a paper coming up. Maybe next week?”
“Ok,” Theo said in a sad voice. “Cassie?”
“Yes?”
“Can I have something to tide me over until then?”
“Sure, what do you want?” I asked.
Theo leaned in and kissed my lips. I gasped, taken by surprise. He kissed me again, deeper this time, making me feel light-headed.
Theo broke off the kiss, smiling. “I will see you next week, Cassie.”
“Yes,” I said breathlessly. “Next week.”
“Good night, Cassie.”
“Good night, Theo,” I said. I stepped out of the car and turned to look when I reached the door.
Theo waved at me from the car and drove off.
I smiled as I went inside. I had another date with Theo in a week.
Oh no....
A sinking feeling came to my stomach when I remembered that tomorrow was my weekly check-in.
John and I both broke up a long time ago.... I shouldn’t be feeling guilty about dating Theo.
Would he know about my date? Would it make things more awkward between us?
Somehow, the thought didn’t comfort me, especially after his strange behavior in the library.
What was going on with him, anyway?
These thoughts kept me awake half the night, so when I received a text message, I thought it was my alarm and that I had overslept. I looked at the phone, bleary-eyed, and was surprised to see Hira’s message.
Congrats on making the headlines, Cassie. Call me, xoxo Hira
Ellie also texted me with a picture. It was me, zoomed in with a high lens camera, with a deer in headlights expression. They splashed my face across the front page of a tabloid with the heading, ‘Who is Theo’s mystery date?’
Meeting John today was going to be harder than I thought.
I groaned and covered myself back with my blanket. People are going to stare at me all day, trying to figure out if it was me.
I received another text notification. I quickly grabbed my phone to read it. There were two messages, one from Theo and the other from Ellie.
Sorry! :( I will make it up to you! Theo
How much trouble should Theo be in? Just let me know ;) Ellie
I laughed. I felt better knowing my best friend had my back.
There was no point in hiding in my bed. I decided I would be as brave as Ellie and face the day head on.