Mixed Signals

Chapter 14

SKYLAR LEWIS MARSHAL

I was staring at the ceiling of my bedroom that night, my back lying flat on the comfy bed, thinking of what Nikki did to me in class.

The vibe, the way she walked towards me, her gesture, the smirk she wore and most of all, the tone of her voice as she whispered the words in my ear, those definitely are considered acts of flirting.

'ugh'

I've had enough of those in the city, I can't possibly be wrong.

'It was definitely flirting'

Did she do it knowing the news of me being gay as it reached her ears?

Is she that kind of person who would play and toy other people's feelings?

… or, or is it just because I like her that I gave meaning into them?

'ugh'

I fell asleep that night in frustration but at the same time with a grin.

'hehehe'

[**********]

I stood a couple of meters away from the table where most women are so busy with food preparation for the gathering.

Right, it's Town Fellowship Day again, and it's my second time attending.

I would really do anything to keep myself away from all the possible chores I know nothing about in order to save myself from embarrassment just like what happened last time.

'ugh'

Fortunately ,Jhen was able to attend this time, so I have someone to talk to and be with.

Also, looking around, there were familiar faces from the college.

"Guess the news already reached the entire town huh," Jhen said as she nudged me.

I groaned, "I think so."

For a while now, I was just ignoring those few weird gazes I got since I arrived. At least, there were more who don't give a damn about my sexuality than those who seemed to disgust me.

'duhh'

I don't care anyways.

'tsk'

My brows furrowed when I noticed Jhen motioning her lips somewhere which I followed with my gaze and it landed on Lisa. The girl was gesturing her hands secretly for me to come over.

I looked puzzled at first but then I saw Nikki beside her, with back on mine.

Immediately, my heart raced.

Jhen pushed me slightly that made me took a step forward and she has a grin on her face. I furrowed my brows again and she just laughed at me.

When I got to Lisa, she handed me a large mixing bowl.

I peered down to it and it contained sticky something which I really don't know but definitely a food though.

I lifted my gaze back at her with my brow in question.

She just mouthed 'fighting' then slightly pushed me to Nikki's side, playfully wiggling her brows, joined Jhen and they laughed together in amusement, leaving me with my teacher.

'ugh'

They planned it, their actions told me so.

I internally groaned.

I stood there numb in anticipation, waiting for Nikki to turn my side.

When she did, she was taken by surprise at first seeing me holding the bowl and not Lisa.

I reluctantly smiled, "Hi."

She lifted a brow in question, probably wondering why.

"Lisa has some other things to do so she asked me to take over," I explained.

'oh my god'

Even I, myself can tell that I sounded defensive as I did the explaining.

"Oh," she ran her gaze around looking for Lisa but the girl was nowhere in sight.

Sighing, she took a step closer to me and get a portion of that something sticky from the bowl I was holding, placed it on a clean plate on the table. She's definitely plating the food.

And as much as I hate it, we worked in silence.

In desperation to break the silence that enveloped as, I blurted the thought that came to mind.

"You look beautiful today Ms. Lacey."

She paused and turned her attention to me, "Just today?"

'eh?'

My mind went blank for a second.

'god'

She was so cute and the mischievous tone of her voice caught me off guard.

When I was in panic finding my words, she turned back to her plating and definitely smirking.

I groaned internally again.

"I mean— ,"

"Y—You're exceptionally beautiful today," I stammered.

She hummed, "Thanks, you're not bad yourself," she said while her eyes still on her plating.

I was really internally scolding myself as I could not form a conversation with her at that moment, which is so unlike me, and we again ended up into another uncomfortable silence.

"Could you please pass me the 'zester' Marshal?" , she requested after some time without looking at me as her focus was still in her plating.

'shit'

'zester'

'What the fuck is that?'

My heart begun to race again for the nth time, not with what you think but with not knowing what she's asking.

I didn't move.

I just bit my lips inwardly, waiting for her to turn my way as I don't really know what's that zester thing.

Realizing that I was not complying, she turned to me looking confused while I just continued biting my lips inside, looking apologetic.

Guess my eyes told her my dilemma and that made her to laugh hysterically.

'god'

The laugh just added more heat on my already red cheeks — from embarrassment.

'I'm so dumb'

I'm so dumb but I didn't mind— I won't even mind being dumb all day if I could hear her laugh like that.

'ahem'

"You don't know what's a zester?" She asked in disbelief and with a hint of teasing in her voice.

I slowly shook my head sideways— like a child.

She blurted another bunch of laughter.

Damn, such music to my ears but I won't give her the satisfaction so I rolled my eyes.

She stopped laughing after some time and was holding her jaw to suppress her uncontained smile creeping from her lips almost reaching her ears so she could talk.

"Last time, you don't know what's a whisk," she said when she finally composed herself.

"… then the knives, and now this," she reached out the item, wiggling it playfully in my face.

Another flow of heat rose up to my cheek— in embarrassment of course.

'oh, Zeus strike me'

But then, it hit me. My eyes went wide as I realized something but she didn't see it as I retract them immediately. My heart again pounded as I did a mental note—

'wait'

Does that mean she's noticing me all along?

How did she know all that?

'the whisk and the knives'

"Just what planet did you come from?" She giggled while shaking her head and begun to grazed the lemon with that zester thingy.

'duh'

[**********]

The program went on, so much laughter echoing around. Then there's singing by the evening.

Lisa again in her sets of drums. She turns into a different person when she's sitting around them with drum's sticks in hand.

She looks so vibrant.

As for me, I didn't volunteer to sing, I was just happily talking with Jhen and Todd. Jhen really has a whole lot of words in store that she won't scarce even if talking till dawn.

But of course, my gaze would land from time to time on Nikki and my heart would skip a beat or two every time she caught me glancing at her.

I couldn't even count anymore the instances of her— catching me looking.

And again, every time she does, she would turn a side face, casually talking with her peers but I could see from where I was how she twists her lips to a smirk every single freaking time.

'damn'

Was I just giving meaning again into them?

I shook the thought away.

Guess before I drown myself from overthinking, I should revise a plan to know first if she's into women then I'll work things out from there.

'hehehe'