He held his blazer in one hand and rose in another. He looked at me as I was approaching him slowly. I waved my hand at him and smiled, a smile came up to his lips in exchange to mine. He got up from his knee and told the little kid to go to her class. The little girl left to her class, at that time the other classes were still going on.
"Such cute flower," I said to start a
conversation with him.
"Do you want it ?" he asked me to which I shook my head. But I really wanted him to give me that flower just like how a prince gives a rose flower to his princess in fairy tales and asks for her hand.
"What are you doing here ?" he asked, when silence fell between us.
"I was just strolling around for one last time," I replied, with a chortle.
"You must be having many memories with this place and with the people," he said.
"Yes, I have twelve years of bonding with this place and the people over here," I said, looking around.
"Wow," he said in amazement as we walked towards a gate.
It was the way to the swimming pool.
"Your white shirt is still white," I said with enthusiasm.
"What do you mean?" he chuckled.
I took out the marker from my bag and showed him which made him understand what I was talking about.
"Let me be your first," I removed the cap of my marker and pointed at him.
"As you wish," he said and continued to say, "but before that accept this flower from me."
"Thankyou," I said and took it from him. Even though he didn't ask my hand I was happy that he gave me the flower.
I stood on a stone which was right beside the pool so that I could reach him and write on his shirt and then I told him to turn back to write on his back and he did just like I told him to do.
The stone I stood was slippery, I was balancing on one leg and put my body weight on his shoulder to balance myself and also to write. I told him to turn back maintaining a clam expression but I could feel my heart beating faster. I felt like my heart would explode at any moment.
"How would I know what you wrote if you write it ....." he was about to turn towards me, which made me loose my balance, he caught my hand from falling into the swimming pool by pulling me towards him which made me bury my face in his chest. I immediately got hold of my self and stepped down from the slippery rock to apologize him. I was out of words when I saw his shirt. That was the most embarrassing situation I ever faced, there was a lipstick mark on his shirt. I would have surely disappeared that moment if only I had the ability to disappear.
"I ... I ...I am," I stuttered. I wasn't able to talk after seeing my lips mark on his shirt.
"I know. You don't have to apologize it was an accident," he said to calm me down in nonchalance as if nothing happened. I couldn't write anything on his shirt but I left my lipstick mark.
We heard giggles of few people who were about to come to the place we were standing, before they opened the gate and came inside, Austin wore his blazer immediately to cover that mark on his chest and I distanced myself from him. It was Aaron and some other people.
"You guys are here?" Aaron asked to which Austin gave a nod, there was a slight irritation in his eyes and he was avoiding my gaze. I was sure that it was because of what happened earlier between us.
"Are you fine?" your cheeks turned red. Aaron asked me and that moment Austin looked at me.
"I just have a slight fever, that's it," I lied to him.
"Take care," Aaron said to which I gave a faint smile and had a glance at Austin before leaving. I couldn't understand what Austin was thinking at that moment, he had no expression on his face.
I went to the washroom and locked the door of the bathroom.
Even though he told me that it was just an accident I couldn't stay calm, I kept thinking sitting in the bathroom, how will I even able to face him and how would he react when I tell him that I like him, would he think that what I did it was on purpose ? I was immersed in my thoughts, when I heard Cindy's voice.
"How could you Cindy? all these years you were hanging out with me with all these intentions?" Cassie asked her.
"I'm sorry, it's .... it's not like what you are thinking, give me a chance to explain," Cindy said.
Even though I couldn't see them I understood that Cindy was crying and Cassie was angry about something. As far as I know Cindy, she isn't a kind of person who would hurt others, so I was kind of surprised that something happened because of her and at that time I didn't know the reason.
"Don't talk to me ever again," Cassie said before leaving.
I opened the door after Cassie left.
Cindy was shocked to see me when I opened the door. Cindy was crying because of the way Cassie treated her.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hide it from you. I was scared," she said wiping her tears and she wasn't able to talk too.
"Cindy tell me clearly what happened ? I'll help you," I said.
"I told Cassie that I like her," she said.
I was shocked to hear her answer, never have I imagined this answer from her.
"Even you hate me now ?" she said while she sobbed looking at my face. Her words pricked my heart.
"Why would I..... idiot, you will always be my friend no matter what," I said to see her smile a little.
"Trust me. I didn't mean to hide my true self from you girls, you both kept asking me which guy I liked and I couldn't lie at the same time I couldn't say because I wasn't brave enough to tell you both my secret," she said and started to cry again.
I was ashamed of myself. Few years ago, she told me that she liked someone but she didn't tell me who that person was. I was the one who told Rachel that she liked a guy when she only told me that she liked someone and also we mistook her. We thought that she liked Justin when she never did, it was our own speculation. After she was fine, we came out of the washroom where we met Rachel. She came running towards Cindy and hugged her tightly and apologized. That was the moment when Cindy smiled cheerfully. We three had a good time together and then Cindy left soon because she was still sad about what happend to her with Cassie and she said that she wanted to be alone and we couldn't stop her from leaving.
Rachel told me that it was Cassie who told her and the other girls about Cindy. Even Veronica and Stella were not ready to talk to Cindy after knowing her truth and Rachel was disgusted to even talk to them further and searched for Cindy to console her.
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That night at Oasis Cindy met Justin while she was taking a stroll alone. Their meeting was purely coincidence and since Justin had always a soft corner for Cindy, he asked her if she would like to walk along with him. Cindy doesn't know how to say no to people since she was a kid and that was how they both walked around and chatted about causal stuffs.
Jessica still have the flower that Austin gave her till today. It is withered now but she managed to keep it safe somehow until now. She still doesn't know what Austin thought of her after that incident.
We shouldn't judge people based on their colour, caste, money and gender. One should be judge by the content of their character. Jessica was shocked when she heard Rachel telling her how those girls reacted when they came to know about Cindy. That's how the society treats people like Cindy as they were a piece of shit which should be kept far away from them. If only people treated each other by thier character, thing would be different.
I'll update next chapter by Tuesday !!