Chapter forty-seven | Not Everything Is What It Seems

I smiled as I heard mom humming a Christmas beat. Dad was busy baking a fresh batch of cinnamon rolls as Mom read through a wedding magazine.

Even if my Mom sucked at making food, she loved spending time in the kitchen. It is a beautiful sensory overload were the words she quoted every time I asked her why.

I beeline my way into the kitchen, stopping right in front of freshly baked gingerbread cookies. My dad likes to go all out during the December month.

Placing a bucket load of icing on my cookie, I ran out of the kitchen.

"I appreciated your help," Dad called out, making Mom giggle.

I ignored Dad's comment and moved to the keys stand. Grabbing my car keys as the cookie dangled off my mouth, I shrugged on my jacket.

A harsh gust of winter assaulted my face as my nose turned pink. It was weird to have a red nose in winters, and I fucking hated it.

"How is my personal Rudolf doing?" I heard her call out behind me.

Her giggle coaxed an eye roll from me, adding to her amusement.

She snatched the gingerbread cookie off my mouth, making me give an indignant gasp.

With a merry expression filling her face, Cynthia munched onto the bitten cookie. I made a face her way.

"Ew, you are eating my saliva."

Cynthia choked mid-bite, coughing harshly.

When she came out of her coughing fit, she threw me a confused look. "You are seriously weird. We exchange saliva when we kiss. I don't hear you complaining then." For emphasis, she bit on the cookie again.

I huffed in reply, walking to her car. With every bit of cookie gone, Cynthia unlocked the car door.

"It's so fucking cold," I muttered as the warmth of the car's heater met my ice-cold face.

As if agreeing with my statement, the wind swirled faster. The snow, once falling like a feather, drummed down like rain.

We were at school in minutes, with barely any students outside. Everyone avoided the snow, wanting to huddle in the confines of the school walls.

My eyes turned towards my right as a gloved hand entwined with mine. My face split into a grin as Cynthia pushed back her beanie away from her face.

"You look cute," I whispered, earning a smile from her.

"You too, Rudolf." I just rolled my eyes at her response.

We pushed past the heavy metal doors, introducing ourselves to the noises of a normal school hallway.

While earlier voices dimmed down in Cynthia's presence, many didn't even acknowledge her standing next to them.

Over the past three months, the school hierarchy had a tilt. While Cynthia left behind the title of the school's queen bee (even if she was still the head cheerleader), Fern was quick to snatch the spot for herself.

While Cynthia didn't care, Fern made it abundantly clear that she wasn't giving up on the title.

I felt a hand tighten around mine, making me look down to meet her eyes.

"Where are you lost, Eli?" Cynthia's eyebrows pulled together in questions, making me shake my head.

"Nothing."

Cynthia hummed in response, not satisfied with my answer.

As we approached Cynthia's locker, my eyes met playful brown ones. With animation across her features, Andrea waved our way.

"Cyn! Eli!"

To this day, her enthusiasm never ceased to amaze me as she greeted us as if we had met after a long time.

With a silent nod of acknowledgment her way, my eyes moved towards Navya. Her eyes were stuck on Andrea with pure admiration as her arm slung around her shoulder.

They still weren't open about their relationship, but there was certainly some progress. If Andrea's jealous fit, the other day was any sign.

My eyes searched for my other best friend as he seemed to be missing from the spot. Instead of locating him, my eyes landed on the girl with her head hung low.

As Cynthia, Andrea, and Navya indulged in their conversation, I walked closer to the girl.

"Hey, Luna," I spoke up as I neared the girl. "Have you seen Connor?"

Luna Wang, Connor's latest girlfriend, shook her head with a slight pout. "He hasn't been answering my texts. So, I don't know."

Unlike the girls Connor dated before, his relationship with Luna seemed to be different.

While I wasn't sure if they were serious or not, I was sure that Connor had a thing for Asian girls.

"Oh," I lamely responded.

I felt a hand entwined with mine, shifting my attention towards Cynthia.

Before I could say anything, Luna spoke up.

"You guys are cute," Luna whispered. She focused her gaze on our entwined hands with a look of longing.

"Thanks," Cynthia responded, turning towards her. "You and Connor are cute too."

Cynthia's words drew out a scoff from Luna, making a soft scowl twist her features. "We are too awkward to look cute together."

A tense silence descended between us as my eyes met Cynthia's. That moment, I knew we were thinking the same thing.

"Why are you and Connor... so... awkward?" I directed towards Luna.

A sad look filled her face, and her head hung low once again.

It was no secret that I was worried about my friend. If she was not happy in whatever they had, then I was pretty sure Connor wasn't too.

Luna shrunk in her spot, her hands fisting on her sides. "He is not attracted to me. We went on a date but never initiated a touch... We haven't even kissed yet," she mumbled meekly.

Sigh escaped my lips as she continued.

"He never wants to hang out outside the school. I want a meaningful relationship... similar to your guys, but he never starts, and I am sick of being the first one. I seriously feel like a desperate girl," she spoke as her voice grew with every word.

"I am pretty sure he is using me to make Navya jealous. He is not over her yet," she spoke, making me freeze in my spot.

Wild thoughts swirled in my mind as I replayed her words in my mind.

Maybe she was right! Connor is not over Navya yet.

I discreetly threw a look over my shoulder, hoping that neither Andrea nor Navya caught any bit of this conversation.

Before I could say anything, Connor popped out of nowhere. He had a smile on his face as he patted my back.

"How are you doing, dude?"

I barely felt myself nod as I gave Connor an intense stare. He raised a brow in question as if asking what was the matter.

Cynthia squeezed my hand lightly as Navya and Andrea joined the conversation.

For the moment, I placed the oncoming conversation on the back burner.

"So, we were thinking. Let's have a triple date tonight!" Andrea gushed with excitement clear on her face.

I shook my head vehemently at the suggestion. "I am not going outside in that cold as fucking arctic weather and ruin my evening."

Navya rolled her eyes and turned to give Cynthia a long look. "What do you find attractive in this lazy potato?"

Cynthia shrugged nonchalantly. "There are days when I ask myself the same question." My eyes narrowed as everyone laughed at my expense.

Betrayed by the girlfriend too. My mind snickered.

Cynthia turned to face me and gave me an adorable look. "Come on, Eli. Let's enjoy ourselves."

My eyes bored into her cocoa kohl-rimmed eyes as she gave me a sheepish smile. A sigh left my lips as I nodded. "Okay."

"Whipped," Connor coughed. With years worth of experience, I could have ignored him, but Luna's words echoed in my mind I moved my eyes towards him.

While his smile displayed amusement, his eyes sang a different tale altogether.

Maybe he forgot that eyes speak too.