Marigold — Chapter 25

Marigold's POV

Days passed and things stay the same. I get occasionally teased by the others especially Y. I hate the fact that he is Z’s twin but even before Z and I ended up being like this, Y is just that annoying friend that likes to tease everybody.

Shay, one of my friends have a part time job on a café near the university and for some reason, she had an emergency and here I am, trying to fill in for her. It’s not something new to me anyways. Things like this happened before and my parents don’t mind.

"Hi..." Z’s husky voice greeted before me. He was smiling. He was fucking smiling I thought I forgot to breathe. From where I was, my eyes started focusing on his red lips. It gets me distracted every time. My lips parted a bit and I hate the fact that I am reacting as if this is the first time I am seeing Z.

C’mon! He’s your childhood friend! I scolded myself.

I saw how his brows furrowed, the loud beating of my chest all I can hear.

Right, he was talking to me. Oh my God.

It was as if I can't speak. All I did was stare at him. Damn, why do I feel like I haven’t seen him for so long?

"Hey…" he whispered. He looked a little concerned. "Are you okay?" his voice brought shivers on my body. How is he able to do that?

I know we have kissed a lot of times but, I can’t help but wonder how he was able to make me feel like this.

"Why are you here?" I asked casually saving me from embarrassment. A relieved sigh escaped my lips.

Marigold, don't make a fool out of yourself.

He raised his eyebrow as if I asked something stupid. I bit my lower lip and chuckled. Why am I asking him anyways? Even before, Z will always be where I was, afraid I’d do something stupid like, being on a fight or getting myself into trouble.

From where I was standing, I can see how beautiful he looked. He was wearing casual clothes but he still looks surreal to me. Sometimes, I'm starting to hate the fact that he's got this effect on me without him knowing. I am not sure if I should scold myself for acting so weird because I used to be just nonchalant with his presence. But know I can feel my knees shaking.

I turned on my back really fast and saw Diane, a crew there, grinning from the counter. I'm pretty sure she's going to ask me so many questions later. This isn’t the first time I took over Shay’s shift so I am somehow familiar with Diane.

I noticed how Z started reading a book that he must have brought along with him. He was now seated on a couch inside the cafe and I realized that a few students were looking at his direction. I put down the drink that he ordered and smile.

He's such a nerd.

My eyes shifted back to Diane and I shake my head. Suddenly, he shifted his eyes and our eyes met. My body froze in instant.

He was looking at me straight in the eyes and before I can even shift my gaze elsewhere, he suddenly smiled.

Oh, God. Shit.

In shock, I quickly turned my back and headed back to the counter.

"You're blushing. Now tell me again that there's nothing going on with the two of you," Diane frowned. She probably remembers asking it before.

"We're just..."

I don't really know what to say.

It wasn't even thirty minutes and my shift already ended. Diane was shaking her head when I went out of the employee's lounge with my cheeks now a little red because for the first time, I made a quick retouch on my makeup, something I don't usually do but I'm doing now because Z was waiting for me.

My heart is beating rapidly inside my chest.

"Girl, you even wore a perfume," he teased and I bit my lower lip.

In just a matter of five minutes, Z and I were already walking on the sidewalk. No one was talking and I was just starting ahead too, afraid to start a conversation. But I don't think I'd actually need that because what he did next was more than enough. He reached for my right hand and had our hands intertwined.

I looked sideways to stop myself from smiling. Or maybe I did but I just tried my best not to show because God, this is just so amazing. Just when I thought that we’d be going home already, he just went some place after asking me if I’m hungry.

"You stay here first, I'll just go buy us some food, okay?"

A long grunt escaped my lips as I watch his diminishing form, leaving me behind. I wanted to walk with him and grab his hand. For what reason? I can see a lot of girls staring at his direction since we came here.

It’s annoying how I easily gets jealous of people when it comes to see and it’s scary as well.

"Marigold..." he whispered. I was too lost into deep thinking that I didn't even notice him coming back. He was holding some churros.

"Oh..." My lips parted. Again, my eyes focusing on how red his lips are. Why are they always so red?

I was started when he reached for the side of my hair and put a few loose strands at the back of my ear. I was lost for a moment, his touch sending shivers through my body.

And then he cleared his throat, his eyes focused on the ground down below us. It was like he was trying to stop himself from smiling.

Calm down, Marigold. Focus! I scolded myself.

I was just mesmerized, too distracted by his red lips and how his hair was dancing on the wind and how his glowing skin makes him look even surreal.

"I-" the words I was about to say seemed to stuck in my throat and I don't know what to say. My hands acted automatically, reaching his arms, stopping him from further leaving when he was about to turn his back

“Where are you going?” I asked. He looked at me and smiled.

“I’m just looking for a place for us to sit,”

Without even thinking, I reached for his arms and pulled him closer, engulfing him in a hug.

It was cold but the warmth coming from him is enough to make my insides go frenzy and my heart about to leap out of my chest.

I felt him relax then lean his head on my shoulder and I was sure I felt him kissing the top of my head.

I heard him chuckle.

You really are in trouble now, Marigold.

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