21

For the next few hours, Cody's ramblings about movies distracted me from my problems, all the while Micah stood close to my side, struggling with his tongue.

I was really glad that none of the others came into the kitchen and I didn't have to deal with my feelings until the moment my cell phone rang. It was my mother and I was having stomach cramps when I looked at the display and realized it was past 1am.

"I have to go home," I told the other two and immediately saw the disappointment in their eyes.

"Just an hour," Cody said, but I shook my head apologetically.

"I'm sure I won't risk my mother reappearing here," I said and gave them both a hug and then quickly left the house.

It was dark and cold outside, but the moon was shining so brightly it still looked beautiful.

"Hey," I unexpectedly heard Kiyan behind me and, as if of my own accord, I increased my speed. "Are you running away again?" he asked provocatively when he caught up with me and grabbed my hand, but I quickly shook his off again.

"What do you want from me?" I hissed at him. He looked so handsome again in the moonlight with his tousled hair that I had to recall the kiss Chloe had given to keep from softening.

"What's your problem?" he suddenly asked me and continued to walk close to me.

"I have no problem. I just don't randomly kiss people and then make out with others. Oh, and I don't lie to people about my relationship status."

I noticed his gaze from the side, but still only looked straight ahead and refrained from showing him any emotion, while fireworks exploded in me. I was so angry with him and yet I had this longing for his closeness deep inside me, which plunged me into chaos inside.

"I don't kiss people randomly," he defended himself, and just before I could walk up the driveway of my house, he stopped me again. "You're the one who sat on Micah's lap!"

"And you the one who had his girlfriend with him!"

"Do you have feelings for him?"

I thought I couldn't hear properly and bit my lower lip in anger.

"No! He's A friend!"

"Just like Chloe!"

"You just kissed her!"

"You recently Micah too!"

We grew louder and louder in our discussion and somehow unconsciously it happened that my eyes kept falling on his lips, but I suppressed the desire to silence him with a kiss.

"You know what, just leave me alone!" I marched in confusion to the front door and before I could unlock it, my mother was standing in front of me, glaring at me.

"Mia! Did you look at the clock!", she yelled at me and took another breath, but then Kiyan stepped next to me and turned to her.

"Gabrielle, I'm so sorry. I asked Mia to pick me up because I wasn't feeling so well and then I stopped her," he explained so calmly and sweetly that I forgot everything bad about him again. What power did this guy have over me.

"Oh, I didn't know that. Excuse me darling," my mother then turned to me and held the door open for us to enter. "Good night then," she said and disappeared back into the bedroom.

"Thank you," I murmured softly, but he didn't react at all and ran into the hallway to disappear into his room on the right. Was I to blame for the messed up situation? I didn't know anymore and just felt like shit. He was right. I did, after all, sit on Micah's lap, but only in a friendly way.

I ran into my room and slammed the door, then put on a loose red t-shirt and leggings. This whole evening was spinning around in my head and I was really starting to lose my mind because of him. How I would like to talk to Juline about everything, but not on the phone.

When I wanted to lie down, there was a soft knock and I ran to the door with bated breath, only to hesitantly pull it open.

"Let's talk, please. I can't let it all stand like this," Kiyan stood in front of me in sweatpants and a gray t-shirt and I then let him come in despite a queasy feeling.

He sat down in my desk chair and switched on my lamp while I sat on my bed and eyed him questioningly.

"Chloe really isn't my girlfriend. We have something that's indescribable, but there's no emotion involved," he explained calmly, leaning forward to look deep into my eyes.

"Then why don't you end it?" I asked softly, but he immediately shook his head.

"I can't, why should I," he murmured, looking around my room.

"Why would you?" I repeated, feeling that anger in my stomach again. I was slowly realizing that what I was feeling was jealousy and it just felt awful.

"Yeah, why should I?" he stood up and nervously ran his fingers through his hair. "Believe me Mia. I know girls like you. It's exciting at first to meet the guy who comes across as cold, but in the end you end up choosing the other one."

"What other one?" I asked immediately confused and somehow I found it rather insulting that he said girls like you.

"Micah for example."

I rolled my eyes in desperation and let my face fall into my hands. "How many times actually! I don't want anything from Micah!", I explained for what felt like the thousandth time and then got up to stand close in front of him.