22

JEREMY

Throughout Lucia’s lecture, I barely listened to a word as I kept staring at her, drinking in her beauty as much as I could.

She was so damn gorgeous that I couldn’t dare look away. I heard Dean and Ryan trying to whisper stuff to me during the lecture, but I barely paid them any mind.

The lecture finally ended, and that was when I turned to my friends.

“I’m going to try to talk to her again.” I stated, and the two of them nodded, patting me on the shoulders as they stood up, grabbing their bags.

“Good luck. We’ll be waiting outside.” Dean answered.

“Thanks man.” I said as I watched them make their way out of the class along with the other students.

Once the lecture hall was practically empty, I began approaching Lucia. Unfortunately for me, just as she saw me coming, she began leaving the hall.

“Wait, Lucia. Professor Darwin! Please wait!” I called out, rushing through the seats, but she simply ignored me as she slipped out of the lecture hall without casting me a glance.

I quickly went after her, but she walked so fast and disappeared out of sight before I could even think of catching up.

A dejected sigh escaped my lips as my heart clenched tightly in my chest. She really was going to great lengths to avoid me. It would be impossible to get her back at this point.

I felt someone place a comforting hand on my shoulder, and without looking back, I could already tell that it was one of my friends.

“Sorry about that man.” I heard Dean say, and I could not help but let out another sigh.

“It’s alright. I gotta go.” I said, my shoulders slouched as I made my way down the hallway, and I was glad that my friends gave me the space I needed.

I drove straight home in such a foul mood, and when I got home, I dropped my bag on the ground before landing straight on my bed, and a few minutes later, I drifted off to sleep.

By the time I woke up, the sun had begun to set, and my stomach rumbled loudly out of hunger.

I let out a low yawn, stretching my limbs as I got out of bed. I made my way out of the room in search of some food when I ran into Aaron, who was just coming back from work.

The moment my eyes landed on him, a frown instantly settled on my face as my hands clenched into fists by my sides.

What I hated the most was the amusement that shone in his eyes when they landed on me.

“Easy there, tiger.” He drawled, and I couldn’t help the snarl which escaped my lips.

“You didn’t tell dad about me and the professor, did you?”

A scoff escaped his lips as he rolled his eyes. “Maybe I did. Maybe I didn’t.”

I let out a loud groan, pressing my fingers to my temple. I knew what Aaron was doing. He was toying with my emotions, and he was enjoying every minute of it.

What an asshole.

“Why don’t you just tell him already?!” I yelled, seething, even though deep down, I wished he wouldn’t.

The amusement dancing in the pools of Aarons cerulean blue eyes intensified even more. “Maybe I will. Maybe I won’t.” He simply shrugged before walking away.

I stared at him in disbelief, my entire body trembling with rage as I gritted my teeth.

“Asshole!” I called after him, and the asshole simply chuckled before disappearing into his room.

I let out a loud sigh, running my fingers through my hair as my mood soured even more. I couldn’t even bear to stay in the house anymore.

I went back into my room, put on a pair of white sneakers, and grabbed my keys and a coat before making my way out of the house.

Without wasting any time, I drove down to the restaurant, which I usually frequented. I settled at the corner of the restaurant before ordering my food.

I had barely settled down when I saw Lucia walk in once again. I felt my breath hitch as I watched her walk up to a table.

She had changed from the formal wear she had on earlier to more casual clothes. A T-shirt, a pair of denim pants, and a pair of sneakers.

My heart began thumping loudly in my chest at the sight of her, and I did everything I could to calm myself down.

I decided not to call out to her because I was sure I would get ignored as always, so instead, I just clamped my mouth shut and watched her from time to time.

My food finally arrived, and I dug in, still watching Lucia. Taking my eyes off her was so difficult. She was just that gorgeous.

I continued eating, and when I was done, I knew I was supposed to leave, but I didn’t. I sat there and kept glancing at Lucia as she ate.

She had no idea that I was there, and I wanted to keep it that way. I knew she would get uncomfortable if she knew I was there, and I didn’t want her to run off because of me.

I walked to go up to her and just talked, but I couldn’t bring myself to. I already knew how that conversation would end.

She would push me away the same way she had always done. So, instead of going up to her to talk, I simply sat there, watching her.

When she was done, she stood up and made her way out of the restaurant, and after thinking it over for a few seconds, I decided to follow her.

I couldn’t believe I had descended so low to the point of stalking her, but at that moment, I didn’t feel like I had a choice.

I was willing to do whatever it took to get her speaking to me again, and it involved me following her in secret, then so be it.

I got into my car and began following her from afar as she simply walked. My heart thumped loudly against my chest as I wordlessly followed her.

I knew that what I was doing was wrong, but I could not bring myself to turn back now. I kept going, and soon I watched her stop in front of a building, which I presumed she must live in.

I watched her go in and at that moment I couldn’t decide if I should go inside after her or I should go back home.

I eventually decided to follow her in. Since I had come all this way, I might as well finish what I started.

I turned off the engine, got out of the car, and went into the building, but unfortunately, Lucia had disappeared out of sight. There were many apartments in the building and I didn’t know which was hers.

This was the time for me to give up and go home, but I wasn’t ready to, so I decided to do the stupidest things ever.

I began knocking on all the doors in sight for her. I figured one of the doors would belong to her.

By now, it had become completely dark outside, and rain had begun to fall, but I didn’t give a shit as I kept knocking on the doors.

My idiotic stunt led to me receiving a few cusses and death glares, but I refused to give up. I kept searching, and my soul nearly left my body when I knocked on a door, and it opened to reveal Lucia in the doorway.

Her eyes went wide as saucers when they landed on me. “Jeremy?!”

“Lucia,” I breathed, so grateful that I finally found her. “Thank goodness. I have been looking everywhere for you.”

Her jaw went slack with shock, and she looked like she had seen a ghost. Soon, her look of surprise was replaced by anger.

“What the hell are you doing here? How did you find out where I live? Have you been stalking me?! I told you to stay the hell away from me!” She yelled, and I flinched, slowly realizing how messed me showing up in front of her apartment was.

“I’m so sorry, Lucia,” I apologized to her genuinely.

“I just needed to see you. I needed to talk to you. You wouldn’t even give me the time of the day no matter how hard I tried, and I didn’t know what else to do. This was the only option I had.” I pleaded, hoping that she would give me a chance.

Lucia’s expression hardened as she crossed her arms across her chest.

“I’m not interested in whatever it is that you have to say. Leave me the fuck alone, Jeremy.” She said in a tone cold as ice and before I could open my mouth to speak, she slammed the door hard in my face.