Read Online The Ylem by Tatiana Vila - Free Book Online Page B

into a catfight and, I don’t know, it
made me feel uncomfortable.” I continued in a rush. “Besides, Dean
sees me as a friend. She doesn’t need to shoot ice balls at me like
that.”
    They looked at each other, as if having a
private conversation with their eyes.
    “What?” I asked, confused.
    “Nothing. Just don’t give yourself too much
pain. Anyone would’ve reacted like that,” Valerie said.
    “Not me.” Owen sneered.
    Valerie poked him on the arm.
    “Ouch! She knows I'm joking!” He slid away
from her. “You know, one day the police are going to knock on your
door with a restraining order or something.”
    “Why is that?” she asked.
    “For all the bruises you’re giving me,
woman.”
    She rolled her eyes. I chuckled, I couldn’t
help myself. “Of all the bruises you can have, mine are
certainly the most harmful .”
    Owen ignored her. “Well…anyway…you’re
forgiven City Girl.”
    “Thanks for the mercy.” I smiled.
    Students were slamming their lockers and
rushing through the hallway. Like them, I couldn’t wait to get home
and be done for the day. But unlike them, I was far from being
done. I still had to talk to Dean.
    Getting outside wasn’t so appealing
anymore.
    “I think somebody is waiting for you,”
Valerie said in a singsong tone when we stopped at the top of the
stairs.
    I spun and saw Dean crossing the lawn toward
me, his face troubled. “We’ll leave you alone.” She lowered her
voice. “See you tomorrow.”
    “See you, City Girl!” Owen called out, and
then whispered in my ear, “Good luck.”
    They waved goodbye to Dean on their way.
    How did I end up in this situation? I could
feel a big knot in my throat now. Dean stopped at the foot of the
stairs and looked up at me, hands stuffed into the pockets of his
jacket. “I need to talk to you. Do you have time?” he asked.
    “Sure, I still need to wait for my dad.” I
said, smiling nervously.
    “Good.” He said, dropping his head. “I just
want to know if…if I'm bothering you or something, because if I
do—” He pulled up his head again to look at me, “—Just tell me and
I’ll back down.”
    “Dean,” I said, stepping down the stairs to
face him. “You’re great. I'm really sorry I snapped at you like
that. I feel terrible because of it, and you must think I'm a
hideous person but—”
    “You’re wrong,” he interrupted. “I don’t
think you’re hideous at all.”
    “You don’t? Because you should, I mean, I
have no excuse. But I'm not like that. I don’t know what happened.
I just…the thing is that…”
    “Tell me,” he said, stepping closer.
    Telling him wasn’t the problem. His reaction
was. I didn’t want him to be mad at Chloe and make things worse.
She was just in love with him, and it was normal to react like
that, I suppose.
    “Well, it’s just that…” Thumping sounds
stopped me. I looked up and the words clogged my throat. Chloe was
pounding down the stairs and glowering at me. As always, perfect
timing.
    “Bye Dean!” she screeched, passing by me
with her head high and swaying her hips like a temptress. One of
her sways bumped against me and I staggered a little.
    “You were saying?” Dean said, ignoring
her.
    “Um…she’s your ex, right?” I whispered,
steadying myself as I gulped nervously.
    “Yeah, but don’t mind her.”
    I wasn't so sure about that.
    He smiled, as if he'd read my face. “Look, I
think I know where this is going. You don’t need to worry about
her. I can see you’re the type of person who worries about other’s
feelings, and it’s nice, yeah, but you can’t walk in life worrying
all the time about others. It gets to a point where you don’t enjoy your life anymore, don’t you think?”
    It kind of made sense. “I guess.”
    “Good. So…we’re still on for the
weekend?”
    “Which day exactly?”
    “Saturday.”
    At least I would have Sunday free. And this
wasn’t a date. “Okay.”
    “Cool,” he said, smiling. “I