Chapter 70: Chapter 70

I knew the school had a strict no – phones policy in the library. But, that didn't matter to me. All that mattered was talking to James.

The library was the only place I could speak to him without being interrupted by other students. It was the only place we could talk without no fear of distraction. We couldn't do it in class, or anywhere else in the school. It was lunch time, and the whole place was flooded with students.

I heaved a sigh of relief when I saw that the librarian had left the library. At last, I could relax knowing that I was alone and no one would bother me.

Reaching into my hoodie pocket, I pulled out my phone. My heart was racing as I typed out a message to James.

"Hey, can I call you?" I asked, then I dropped my phone on the desk.

I held my breath, waiting for his response. The seconds felt like hours as I stared at my phone, hoping for a reply. I couldn't help but wonder if he was angry with me. He hadn't called or texted me since the day he dropped me off and Romeo showed up.

Now, it was Thursday. I couldn't take it anymore. I needed to know what was going on with him.

Minutes ticked by, and I didn't hear back from him. James would never leave me hanging like this. Even if he was busy, he would always find time to respond to my messages.

I nibbled on my bottom lip, trying to stay calm. Was he mad at me because he saw Romeo come to my house? Did he think I was still involved with Romeo?

As I was lost in my thoughts, my phone vibrated on the table. I had it set to silent mode, but I could hear the gentle buzz. I looked down and saw that it was a text from James. My mouth curved into a wide smile as I picked up the phone.

I opened the message and read it.

James – Hey! Can we just text? I am with my friends right now, and I am in a public place at school. A call would not be appropriate.

A sigh of relief escaped my lips. At least, he was willing to communicate with me. Texting would be okay too.

I responded.

Ivy – Of course! I'm happy to text.

Then I waited, but no response came. Had I said something wrong? Was he still upset with me? Maybe, he was waiting for me to say the reason I texted.

My anxiety was starting to grow, so I sent another message: "Are you mad at me?"

I hit send, and then I waited for what felt like an eternity for his reply.

Finally, the three little dots appeared on my screen, indicating that he was typing a response.

James – I was talking to my friends. I'm back now.

I felt a wave of relief. At least he was not ignoring me. But then, I read the next message he sent, and my heart sank again.

James – Why are you asking me this? I'm not angry with you.

My stomach twisted. This was it. It was time to get this over with.

I typed my reply: "Because something has changed between us. I can sense it. So, can we talk about it?"

He finally replied.

James – I guess we can. I'm sorry I haven't texted or called since yesterday. I've just been thinking about some things between us.

Ivy - What's wrong?

I waited for his response, staring at the screen, wanting it to change. I was not around this time around. He might be busy with his friends. After what felt like an eternity, the little dots appeared.

James – I'll be honest with you. I'm still not sure how I feel about seeing your ex the other day. I know I'm not supposed to feel like this, but I thought you guys were done with each other.

I swallowed a gulp down my throat. I was right. It was Romeo.

I replied.

Ivy – What about it? What's bothering you?

I took a deep breath, waiting for his response. I needed to know what was on his mind.

"All right, here goes," James began, and it took him a few minutes to type out his message.

"I want to be totally honest. I really like you, and I want us to be in a relationship. But, when I found out you are still seeing your ex, I felt a little off. Not that I'm trying to stop you talking to him or something. But then, It's not like this guy was just a random friend. You told me he was your first love, your first kiss. It seems like I'm rambling right now. I need to get to class. We can talk about this later. I'll pick you up when you're done with your classes."

I closed my eyes, thinking through everything James had said. I closed my eyes and typed out a simple response: "Okay."

All that he said made sense. I needed some time to process everything that had just happened. I had to decide what to say to him when he came to pick me up. I could not tell him about the makeout with Romeo, it would only make things worse. But I had to be honest with him about everything else. I needed to clear the air, but I also needed to be careful.

I felt so stupid as my mind was spinning with the memory of what had happened between Romeo and me.

I stood up. I needed to get to the cafeteria. I could have lunch and see if Jake and Joey had made up.

I walked into the hallway, lost in my thoughts. I caught the whiff of a familiar cologne. I looked up and saw the handsome devil walking towards me. Romeo. I knew he was not coming to talk to me, he was going his own way.

I noticed that Romeo's eyes were fixed on my chest. I looked down to see what he was looking at. Was he staring at my boobs? Did he think they were still small?

My eyes widened. Oh my God! I was wearing his hoodie. His fûcking hoodie! The one I'd gotten from him when we were dating.

Romeo didn't say anything. He just walked past me, a smile playing on his lips. I spun around to watch him go, and he turned to meet my eyes.

What's with that smile?

Damn, I felt like ripping off his hoodie, but I was only wearing a bra under it.