CHAPTER 37&38
As Timi walked out of Atlas’s room, she felt a mix of frustration and confusion. She couldn’t quite put her finger on why the idea of Jane and Atlas hanging out bothered her so much. Was it jealousy? Or was she just being protective of her friend?
Meanwhile, Atlas remained in his room, pondering Timi’s reaction. He couldn’t understand why she had seemed so bothered by the suggestion. Was it possible that she had feelings for him too? The thought sent a shiver down his spine, both thrilling and terrifying him.
Lost in their own thoughts, both Timi and Atlas spent the rest of the evening contemplating the dynamics of their friendship and the unspoken feelings that lingered beneath the surface.
As night fell, Timi found herself tossing and turning in bed, unable to shake the unease that had settled in her chest. And in his own room, Atlas stared up at the ceiling, grappling with the realization that his feelings for Timi ran deeper than he had ever imagined.
Little did they know, their friendship was about to face a series of challenges that would test the strength of their bond and force them to confront the undeniable truth that their relationship was anything but ordinary.
~~~
🍒TIMI🍒
“Can you even imagine?” I vented to my sister over a video call. “He wants to date my friend.”
Tife paused, letting out a sigh. “Do you like this boy?” she inquired, a knowing smile playing on her lips.
“No,” I replied firmly. “Atlas is my friend, and we’re close, but I can’t picture both my friends dating.”
“Why? What’s wrong with that?” Tife pressed, her smile widening.
“It just feels… off,” I explained, turning away slightly.
“No, I think you like Atlas,” she asserted.
“I don’t like him,” I insisted, feeling defensive. “He doesn’t even like me, and besides, I’m with someone else.”
“You’re just deceiving yourself,” Tife countered. “You mentioned before that you and Atlas have kissed. So why did you both kiss if he doesn’t like you?”
“He doesn’t like me,” I repeated, frustration creeping into my voice. “And we don’t need to like anybody just to kiss them. It can just be…”
“Friends with benefits,” Tife finished my sentence.
“No… We can be lost and just trying to find solace in each other’s…”
“Lips,” she interrupted, a mischievous glint in her eye.
“No… Arms,” I corrected, smiling in spite of myself.
“Well, all these are just baby brains,” Tife remarked. “I won’t be surprised when you tell me that you and Atlas are dating, and Kelvin cheated or wh@ťěver.”
“Kelvin won’t cheat,” I asserted, feeling a pang of defensiveness.
“After what he did the first time, Team Atlas,” Tife declared, ending the call before I could respond.
As the call ended, I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that lingered in my mind. Did I really not like Atlas? The uncertainty gnawed at me, leaving me feeling confused and unsure of my own feelings.
I sighed heavily, feeling the weight of Tife’s words lingering in the air long after the call had ended. It was true that Atlas and I shared a close bond, but I had never considered the possibility of anything more than friendship between us.
As I lay on my bed, my thoughts drifted back to the moments Atlas and I had shared – the laughter, the banter, and yes, even the occasional kiss. Despite my insistence that our relationship was purely platonic, there was an undeniable chemistry between us that I couldn’t ignore.
But what about Kelvin? I couldn’t shake the guilt that gnawed at me whenever I thought about him. Despite his past mistakes, I still cared for him deeply. The idea of betraying his trust by entertaining feelings for someone else weighed heavily on my conscience.
Lost in my thoughts, I stared blankly at the ceiling, feeling torn between conflicting emotions. On one hand, there was Atlas – a friend who had always been there for me, offering unwavering support and companionship. On the other hand, there was Kelvin – my boyfriend, who despite his flaws, still held a special place in my heart.
As I grappled with my feelings, I couldn’t help but wonder if it was possible to have feelings for more than one person at the same time. Was it selfish of me to want both Atlas and Kelvin in my life? Or was I simply searching for solace in the midst of confusion and uncertainty?
With each passing moment, the answers eluded me, leaving me feeling more lost and conflicted than ever before. All I knew was that I needed time to sort through my emotions and make sense of the tangled web of feelings that thr_@tened to consume me. Until then, I could only hope that clarity would eventually find its way to me.
I stood frozen as the sound of voices drifted from Atlas’s room, piquing my curiosity. Quietly, I approached the door, my heart pounding with uncertainty. Who could he be talking to? Peeking through the crack, my breath caught in my throat as I saw him with Jane.
Jane. The same girl who had recently entered our lives, seemingly out of nowhere. My Atlas, laughing and chatting with her as if they’d known each other for ages. A pang of jealousy shot through me. What were they doing together? Had they been spending time together behind my back?
Then, as if to answer my unspoken questions, they kissed.
I felt a wave of conflicting emotions wash over me—hurt, betrayal, and an overwhelming sense of longing. How could he do this to me? How could Jane betray our friendship like this? Oh uh, we are just friends.
With a mixture of anger and resignation, I turned away, retreating to the safety of my own room. Closing the window with a heavy sigh, I couldn’t bear to witness any more of their intimate moment. Was I overreacting? Was it really any of my business who Atlas chose to spend his time with?
As I sat on my bed, my mind whirled with questions and doubts. Was I just being irrational, or was there something more between Atlas and Jane? And why did it hurt so much to see them together? All I knew for certain was that this jealousy was consuming me, and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep it at bay.
~~~
The next day at school, I made a conscious effort to avoid everyone, including Kelvin. I needed some time alone to sort through my thoughts, but what stung the most was that Atlas hadn’t even come to talk to me. Could you imagine that audacity?
I sat on my seat thinking about how my life was about to get miserable my irritation only grew when I spotted Jane approaching me with a smile plastered on her face. I couldn’t stand the sight of her anymore.
But then, a pang of guilt tugged at my conscience. It wasn’t entirely her fault, was it? Atlas was the one at fault for seeking her out in the first place.
“You’re looking a bit dull today,” Jane remarked as she sat down beside me, her smile still intact.
“Just tired,” I mumbled, not bothering to mask my annoyance.
“Sorry,” she offered sympathetically.
“Oh yeah, so… your friend Atlas invited me to his house yesterday,” Jane continued, her smile widening.
“And you went?” I asked, my irritation seeping into my tone.
“Yes, I did. Well, we’ve been talking for two days now, and I swear I like him,” she confessed.
I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy at her admission. “Wait…” I started, turning to look at her.
“I thought you said you wanted to concentrate on your studies and be like me,” I reminded her.
“Yes, of course, but I can still date,” she retorted.
“No, you can’t. It will only distract you,” I argued.
“Distract me? You’re dating Kelvin, so…” she countered.
“Jane, I’m very brilliant. I won’t get distracted, unlike you,” I snapped, instantly regretting my words as soon as they left my mouth.
“I get you. You’re perfect,” she replied, her smile faltering slightly, revealing a hint of bitterness.
“I didn’t mean it,” I backtracked hastily.
“It’s true, sorry,” she muttered before standing up and walking away. I watched her go, feeling a pang of guilt for my harsh words.
Then, my attention was drawn to Atlas, who approached Jane and took her hands in his. My heart sank as I watched them, wondering why it couldn’t be me in her place. I was supposed to be happy for Atlas moving on to someone better, but instead, I felt a surge of jealousy coursing through me.
As Atlas’s gaze flicked over to me, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of longing. But with his hands wrapped around Jane’s neck, it was clear that I had missed my chance.
~~
Weeks passed, and as the week of exams approached, tension seemed to thicken in the air. Jane had become distant, often seen in the company of Atlas. Meanwhile, Atlas himself made efforts to keep his distance from me, reverting us back to square one.
While Kelvin believed our relationship was flawless, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that plagued me whenever I saw Jane and Atlas together. Despite my efforts to focus on studying, their constant presence in my peripheral vision only served to distract me further.
With three papers already written, six more remained. I buried myself in my studies, using it as a convenient excuse to isolate myself from the world.
I grew tired of witnessing Jane and Atlas’s interactions through my window, so I started closing it whenever they were together.
I was in my room feeling exhausted as usual, I heard a voice.
“Hi,” it said. I turned to see Atlas looking at me from his window.
“Hey,” I replied, my tone flat.
“We have physics tomorrow,” he stated, stating the obvious.
I nodded, not bothering to respond.
“There’s something I don’t understand. Maybe you could teach me?” he suggested, his tone hopeful. But I couldn’t help but play hard to get. After all, he had been keeping his distance lately, so why should I make it easy for him?
“I’m busy,” I replied, rolling my eyes for emphasis.
“Seriously?” he questioned, before abruptly closing his window. I couldn’t help but be impressed by his unexpected action. Maybe there was more to Atlas than I had initially thought.
I lay on my bed, frustration coursing through me. He had closed his window on my face, leaving me feeling flustered and bewildered.
“So you won’t teach me physics?” I heard Atlas’s voice from behind me, causing me to jump up from my bed. How had he managed to get into my room so quickly?
“What are you doing here?” I asked, trying to maintain composure despite the rapid beating of my heart at his unexpected presence.
“You want me to fail, right?” he teased, a playful smile on his lips.
“Yes,” I replied bluntly, though my heart sang at the sound of his voice.
“Wow, I like the sound of that,” he chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
“I’ll laugh at you when you get an F,” I retorted.
“That’s not even possible,” he countered confidently.
“Why not ask your girlfriend to teach you?” I suggested, attempting to mask my jealousy.
“Girlfriend?” he echoed, a hint of surprise in his eyes.
“Yes, Jane,” I clarified, hoping to glean some insight into their relationship.
“Oh, Jane. We’re not dating. She’s just a friend,” he explained casually. Relief washed over me momentarily, but the question lingered in my mind—why were they always together, then, and why had I seen them kissing?
“Wh@ťěver,” I muttered, walking away to my reading table, desperate to change the subject.
“You…” Atlas began, his voice trailing off. I gasped as he suddenly hugged me from behind, his hands encircling my waist.
“What are you doing?” I stammered, attempting to maintain my composure.
“What do you think I’m doing?” he whispered into my ear, his breath sending shivers down my spine.
“This is inappropriate,” I protested weakly, but I felt his hands trailing lower, resting on my @zz.
“I’ve dreamed of touching you like this,” he confessed, turning me around and capturing my lips in a passionate kiss.
“Timi?”
“Timi?”
I snapped back to reality, realizing Atlas was standing in front of me, a puzzled expression on his face.
“Sorry,” I muttered, hastily standing up.
“You just froze,” he observed, a playful smile tugging at his lips.
“I’m sorry,” I apologized, gesturing to the chair opposite mine. “Come sit here.”
Atlas nodded, taking a seat beside me. I retrieved my physics textbook and notebook, ready to tackle his questions.
“What part don’t you understand?” I asked, focusing on the book.
“This,” he replied, his gaze fixed on me rather than the textbook.
“Why are you looking at me?” I questioned, feeling flustered by his intense gaze.
“Because you’re beautiful,” he admitted, his hand gently caressing my face and turning it towards him.
“I know you’ve heard that a lot,” he added softly, his touch sending a shiver down my spine.
“Do you mind if I kiss you?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper as his hand lingered on my face. I was suppose to say Yes as I girl that had a boyfriend but I said…
“No,” I murmured, my heart pounding in my chest as his lips met mine in a tender embrace.
To be continued…