Chapter 8: The To Do List

"Deep inside, she knew who she was, and that person was smart and kind and often even funny, but somehow her personality always got lost somewhere between her heart and her mouth, and she found herself saying the wrong thing or, more often, nothing at all." - Julia Quinn

Monday morning passed by pretty quickly since all I actually did was get drunk on this thing solely invented for me. Sleep. And I'm not kidding. I slept in almost all of my classes because well I was still not over the joyous events that took place on the mesmerizing evening of Saturday.

The other reason why I slept was to make it clear to all the homo sapiens present there that I was not going to talk about my breathtaking dance.

However the best thing in all of this was the fact how I was nearly saved from detention twice by waking up at the right time. Yeah, a big thanks to the luck fairy for sprinkling some of her special powder on me. Let's just hope my luck stays for a while.

I did listen to people talk about me here and there but none were too loud maybe because of my gang leader of a brother. Did I tell you, I am kind of suspicious of him? Well I guess I don't really mind if he's in that sort of business because what would be cooler than being a gang leader's sister?

Lunch rolled by quickly and for the first time in years, I didn't feel like having lunch, wait scratch that, I didn't feel like having lunch with "my group". Food is bae, one should never hurt its feelings.

I actually thought about going home, first because nobody was home and second, cause Ty had just gone down to Walmart the other day and stocked our fridge with loads of snacks. I could have easily made up a lie about being sick but nobody would have believed me and even if they did, all of them would have come home after the school had ended. Literally all.

So not really having a choice , I decided to just go and sit with them cause they would all come and find me even if I did hide somewhere.

Plus, why was I even acting like a coward in the first place? I am not weak and definitely not a cry baby. There's really no need to not enjoy my lunch because of this constant nagging inside me. This is just so not me.

So with my head held high and my brain chanting the mantra "you can do this" again and again, I walked towards the cafeteria with my backpack. I was so not sweating about the fact that I might have to have "the talk" with those two. Yep, clearly all good inside. Messed up thoughts? Check. Trembling hands? Check. Slow pace? Check. Self-confidence? Added to the to do list.

I entered the place and my nose was instantly filled with the aroma of all the delicious food that everybody was having and the food that was being cooked. Ah how I wish that could actually happen. I paid a glance to our table and everybody had already settled down and they looked deep in conversation. Better not be talking about the beautiful human being, that is me.

I ordered my usual along with a can of coke and started heading towards our table while looking down at my food all this time. The moment I lifted my eyes, I was immediately met with the deep grey eyes staring right at me. And this time, I didn't dodge his look. I looked straight in his eyes and walked right ahead before putting my backpack down and taking the seat beside Saph.

"Aur! Where were you?" Saph hugged me so tight literally knocking all the air out of my body. I tried to wriggle out of her tight hug but there was no luck. Guess the magic only lasted for so long.

She pulled away after a few seconds and I took in a deep breath.

"You literally killed me there."

"Oh shut up. You know you love my bear hugs."

"I do, so much. I can't live without your hugs that always manages to take my breath away. Literally. How much luckier can a person get?"

"I feel honoured. I always knew my hugs are the best you could get in this world."

I rolled my eyes and just as I was about to grab a fry from my tray, my breath got hitched as I heard Chris whisper the one sentence I was wishing to avoid.

"Aur, we need to talk and I know you are trying to ignore me and all, but as I said, we really need to talk."

"Okay." I didn't really know what else to reply.

"When are you free after school today?"

"I have to clean the cafeteria after school, so after that."

"Cool I have soccer practice, I will drop you home."

"No!" I almost said too quickly. I don't wanna talk at a place where there is no means of rushing back or avoiding the situation if it gets out of hand. Talking in the car is definitely out of the question here.

"I mean I already asked Ty to wait for me after school and then we have to go visit this aunt of ours." I lied straight through my teeth.

"Which aunt? You never seemed to mention to me about this aunt of yours till now?" he said seeing right through my lie.

"You don't need to know everything Chris, also, she just moved here a few days ago, so I must have forgotten to mention it to you." I lied again.

"Right." It was all he said clearly sensing my lies but deciding not to argue further. The fact that he knew me in and out wasn't really helping my case here.

"So when can we talk? And I mean today?"

"We can talk at the park near my house around 7. I will be there."

"Why not your house? I can come there."

"Yeah I know, but I had to take Tuck out for a walk anyways, so I thought we can just meet there."

"Okay, and also..."

"Aur, do you've any classes free after lunch?" Jake asked from behind me and I knew what he actually meant by that.

"Not really. Why do you ask?"

"You know we never got to finish our conversation and I want to talk about it as soon as possible." He slowly whispered making sure nobody heard him.

"I am going to be there in the park near my place around 7 to walk Tuck around. So you can drop by too."

"Too?"

"Yeah, Chris is also coming."

"Right! Should have known." Jake said with a hint of frustration in his tone. He went back to Ty after asking Jer something about soccer.

"Today's gonna be a long day." I whispered to myself and got up from the seat as the bell rung separating me from my one true love. Food. I sighed and said bye to everyone as I made my way towards my next class not before being pulled back by an angry Saph.

"Why did you leave me there? And where the hell are you going?"

"To answer your first question, I had to go to my next class and the answer of second question will be 'I don't know'."

"Do you even know what class you have right now?"

"English?"

"Oh my god. What would you do without me? " She smacked my head while saying.

"Ow, what was that for?"

"We have Chemistry practicals right now. Duh."

"Really?" I asked as I took out my schedule to check and practicals it was. I smiled sheepishly at Saph and turned around to head for our chemistry practicals.

"Sorry. By the way, are you guys a thing yet?"

"No, he hasn't really asked me out yet." She said blushing ever so lightly.

"Aww somebody wants to be asked out! Are you going to give him such an easy yes? Come on Saph! I expected better from you!"

"That's the problem Aur. I guess I have started to like him but what if its just infatuation that might fade away maybe tomorrow or after a week? And you know I don't date. I really don't know what to do." The seriousness in Saph's voice made me stop in my tracks.

"Look Saph," I said as I looked her in the eyes.

"I definitely know its not some mere attraction, just look at yourself right now! There have been so many times when guys asked you out but did you even think once before flipping them off?"

"No," Saph answered while actually considering what I just said. Thank god.

"There, you have your answer. I am not saying get into a relationship with him right away, give yourselves ample of time, spend time with him and just see where it goes. And! Just so you know I am too young to become an aunt." I winked at her as I said the last part.

"Oh shut up. We are getting late for our classes." And she dragged me with her.

The moment we entered the room, I was instantly met with that one person whom I just felt like burying six feet under.

"Oh, look who we have here. The one and only Aurora Stephens." I gave her the hardest glare I could and walked to our allotted table.

"Oh Aurora, I had to ask you something. Wait what was it? Oh yes! I remember. Are you giving some private dance lessons? A friend of mine wanted to learn dance so I suggested if she would ever want to join a strip club, she should come to you."

"Ah but I thought you are the best dancer they had? You satisfied so many guys' needs, why would she have to learn from Aur when she already has met the best?" Saph smirked as I whispered to her to not create a scene and ignore Ashley.

"Aren't you tired of being her servant? You should learn from me and.."

"You utter one more word about Saph, Ashley and my hand will come flying to your face making you go through another one of your plastic surgeries." Now I was losing it.

"Right says the..." Ashley was cut off from her bitch talk as Mrs. Frank entered the room and asked everyone to settle down.

The other classes went by pretty quickly and I had only one job left. To clean the damn cafeteria. And to have another encounter with my favourite human being. God I missed her presence so damn much in the last few hours. This is so not fair. I should get more time to spend with my best friend. Oh wait, missed the "ex" there.

I walked to the cafeteria in a hope to have minimal conversation with Ashley but I didn't know my prayers would be heard so fast because all I saw in front of me was an empty cafeteria. I high fived myself and began cleaning the tables. Half an hour passed by and no sign of her. I couldn't believe she would stoop so low. But well, that's her life.

I cleaned my part of the cafeteria when I got a message from Ty saying "he loves me a lot and is glad to have me as my sister." In my dreams right?

The message read that one thing I knew would happen considering the range of my luck from minus infinity to minus infinity.

"Hey Aur, have some work to do with Jake after school so I asked Chris if he was okay with driving you home and he said he's more than okay."

I replied to him almost immediately before dropping the phone due to horror like they do in movies.

"Thanks Ty, just what I needed. Anyways, will you be home for dinner?"

He didn't see the message yet so I decided to give a message to Chris informing him that I was done with my job here. I was slightly hoping that his practice wasn't over yet and maybe I could take a bus but as always my hopes were ruthlessly ridden upon by a truck.

But before I could even type in my message, his message popped up telling me that he was waiting for me in his car.

I took in a deep breath and walked towards his car while pulling out my earphones that will help me to ignore the world.

I waved a hi at him and sat in the passenger seat while plugging my earphones in. I was so engrossed in Sugar by Maroon 5 that I didn't feel Chris tapping my shoulder.

I slowly took an earphone out while looking at him with an eyebrow raised.

"I think we should talk Aur. I know what you are doing here. And please just talk to me, I am begging you. I know you remember about Saturday night."

"Like I said Chris, we will talk, just not now. Take me home and we'll pick Tuck up and head to the park. There we can talk as much as you want."

"Okay, as you wish," Chris changed the gear and made a left turn towards my house.

As soon as the car came to a halt, I jumped out and ran for the door. The tension in the air definitely was freaking me out.

"Slow down there Aur, you'll fall. Get Tuck and I am waiting in the car."

"I am fine! Yeah just give me 5 minutes."

I ran up the stairs and changed into something more comfortable while calling out for my little boy. He came running into my hands and I guess I fell in love with him all over again.

"Aww Tuck, I missed you so much," I nuzzled my face in his soft hair while he licked my face.

"Eww, now I will have to clean my face. Bad boy." I sat him down and quickly washed my face before searching for his leash. I found it in the living room and tied it around his neck while dragging him to the door as he never really liked going out. Oh wait, I guess it was the other way round.

Tuck ran towards Chris and made me nearly trip on the pavement thrice. I let go of the leash and he jumped on Chris and started woofing at him. Chris chuckled a bit and instantly put him in the back seat.

I gave him a smile as I sat in the passenger seat and we drove to the park. The moment we stopped the car, Tuck nearly jumped out. I felt sorry for not bringing him here sooner but I was really busy. I carefully adjusted the leash on his neck and started walking with him towards the park with Chris by my side.

The tension between us could be sensed from miles away and it was killing me on the inside to not being able to speak with him openly.

"So Aur, I guess its time to talk about stuff. But before that, what happened to meeting your aunt? Tyler also didn't mention anything about it."

"He had some urgent work to do so we had to cancel."

"Sure, if thats what you want me to believe. Why did you lie to me Aur? Really? We are supposed to tell each other everything."

"Yeah, I am sorry, I just wanted to be left alone."

"You should have told me Aur. You don't have to lie to me. Please don't ever do that again."

"Yeah... What do you want to talk about?" I dragged on the yeah as I waited for him to continue.

"Firstly, do you want to tell me how you ended up playing a game of truth and dare with Ashley?"

"Wait.. how do you know that?"

"Sources. Anyways, I asked the question first?"

"I guess I was drunk off my ass and didn't really think of what I was doing."

"Did someone force you to drink? Was your drink drugged? God Aur, how silly can you be?"

"Can you please shut up and let me speak. I don't need another Ty. Please. Now lemme talk. I got drunk myself, nobody gave me the drinks and neither were they drugged."

"What made you drink so much? You never drink at parties!"

"Well I just felt like drinking."

"That's not a reason."

"It is mine! What can you do about it?" I started yelling at him. I knew this was a bad idea.

"Aur look at me and tell me the truth this time, what happened?"

"Fine. I think you deserve to know."

"Thanks." He squeezed my hand gently asking me to go on.

"I am starting from the start, so do not interrupt."

"I won't."

"So that night, after Saph took me away from the dance floor to the bar, we sat down and I ordered a drink with very less alcohol content, however I think my drink got mixed by mistake and it was very alcoholic so after taking a large sip, I kind of felt nauseous."

"That bastard. I am pretty sure it wasn't a mistake." I gave him a look and he immediately shut up after realizing he had said that out loud.

"Sorry. Continue."

"Yeah so I ran to the washroom after that and when I came out, I started walking back to the bar... but then... then... I... saw..."

"You saw what Aur?"

"I saw..."

"Aur, we really need to talk. Like right now. I have been searching this whole damn park for you since the last half an hour," Jake said as he made his way towards us.

Hey peeps! How did you find the chapter? Also!! We are finally going to come to know everything in the next chapter! Stay tuned for updates! And please comment, vote and share if you like this story!