Her Last Wish – Episode 34

HER LAST WISH

(Moremi)

Chapter 34.

Zeemah Writes…

“You’re not eating?” Dylan asked again.
“I’m eating!” She snapped at him and gasped, realising what she just did.

“OMG, I’m so sorry”
“Its fine, seems you were distracted” Dylan shrug and she flushed in embarrassment.

Had he caught her staring towards Dan’s table?
“I’m so sorry for snapping at you. . I didn’t mean to do that” She apologized.
“It’s fine, I know you wouldn’t have snapped at me with a clear mind” He said, a smirk appearing at the corner of his mouth.
She gazed at him, he just spoke like he was so sure she wouldn’t want to offend him, like he was some god to her, she almost felt offended but she put it off thinking she might have interpreted wrongly.

While she tried to continue her meal, her mind trailed back to Dan and Chloe and she was almost forced to glance in their direction again but she didn’t, and she doesn’t know why she was feeling a stab in her chest.
She realised this would be the first time she will be so close to Dylan and not occupied with thoughts of him but someone else entirely, for once, her heightened feelings for him hadn’t distracted her thoughts.
She couldn’t believe she could be this close to him and think of another thing.

Dan and Chloe’s image flashed in her mind so brightly that it seemed the brightness had illuminated the spark of anger she was feeling.
But why would she get angry? Not knowing the reason she was angry seeing Dan and Chloe together intensified her anger, the anger was directed at herself this time.
She doesn’t understand the cloud of emotions that seems to cover her these days. Her heart would start racing out of nowhere, beating frantically against her chest. It’s not a new feeling to her though, it’s just that she doesn’t know why its happening.
Having void knowledge about why that’s happening exasperated her.

“Looks like Dan and Chloe are getting along well” Dylan said smiling.
“Oh” Layla murmured, Dylan had smiled, other people looked hopeful in Dan and Chloe’s direction, no one is looking pissed but her and she wondered why.
She settled her gaze on them and her heart started racing again, beating frantically in that familiar way, she suck in her breath when Chloe laughed again, Dan was smiling also, looking pleased.
Had she not been glad Chloe turned a new leaf? Why’s she so pissed at her now.
And surprisingly pissed at Dan also.

What the heck is going on with her.

Drowned in her thoughts, she hadn’t even know her fork had slipped from her grip.

“Hey, what are you so preoccupied with?” Dylan asked, snatching her from her thought.
She switched her gaze to him and for once saw him as a normal guy and not the one she was deeply in love with but it was only for a moment because her feelings took over again.
“Your fork” He pointed to the table, sensing her confusion.
“Ah” She sigh, picking her fork in embarrassment.
He gave her a measured look and she squinted under his gaze.

The rest of the lunch break passed in strained silence and she was glad when the bell finally rang.

~

“Hey, why looking so uptight?” Dan asked Layla after they were settled in class.
“Dylan said something?” He asked.
“No” Layla said, half-snapping.
“Then what’s wrong?” He asked barely noticing she had almost snapped at him.
“I just want to be alone with my thoughts” She said in a dismissive tone and he knew better than to press further.

He glanced at her unsmiling face and wondered what went wrong during her lunch with Dylan.
She seemed less enthusiastic compared to yesterday.
He would like to fill her with the details of his lunch with Chloe but obviously now is not the time for it.
He enjoyed Chloe’s company, she’s actually interesting and fun to be with.
She made him forget his worries for a moment.

If he had been told he would sit with Chloe for lunch, chatting and laughing together, he would never have believed, it would have seemed impossible with how much he disliked her then.
The future is indeed unpredictable.

He’s still surprised though at how quick everything had happened, Chloe had changed in the space of hours, if he knew those words of his would help, he would have said it to her long before now.
Sometimes, all people need is someone to speak senses into them and he’s glad he had done that to Chloe.
The weight of words can’t be underrated honestly.
Another impressive fact is she was willing and ready to change or she would never have heed to his words, no matter the force they might have hold.

She told him about her plan to apologise to everyone tomorrow.
She’s feeling so bad to have been a monster to everyone and she’s willing to set things straight.
Great remorse had been written over her face and demeanor.
Her abrasiveness seemed to have really deserted her, leaving her with subtleness.

He raised his gaze and it somehow landed on Chloe, she was watching him and smiled, looking embarrassed he had caught her.
He smiled back at her before she focused back on her friends.

Yeah, he’s aware she’s into him and there’s nothing he can do about it.
She would learn to let go of the feelings as time goes by.
He couldn’t even count the amount of girls that had approached him and he had of course turned them down nicely, so many girls but his heart chose someone who was enthralled with another.
That’s a different kind of pain on it’s own.

He stared at Layla, who seemed more uptight than she had earlier, her lips in a tight line.

She’s pissed.

He found himself glaring at Dylan, wondering what he had said to her.

*

“Dear, you seemed piqued. What’s wrong?” Aria asked after Layla returned to the counter after attending to a customer.
Layla sigh and blinked like she was considering opening up to Aria or not, she doesn’t even understand what’s happening to herself, so she’s not sure someone else would but this is Aria, not just someone else.

She sits on the high stool and sigh again before recounting everything to Aria.
~
Aria smiled after Layla was finally done, they had been distracted frequently though by customers who were shuffling in and out of the Cafe.
They were both on their feet now, knowing they might have to attend to another customer soon.

“You don’t understand the reason you’re feeling the way you’re feeling and it’s pissing you off right?”
Layla nodded. “It’s getting me frustrated”
“There’s always a reason we feel the way we do, and it’s normal not to understand the reason at that moment, it doesn’t mean we would never understand it, it might take some time but it’ll finally be clear to us, I would advise you not to work yourself up over that, give yourself time you’ll finally come to the realization, stop being hard on yourself okay? It’s not your fault” Aria said and Layla nodded, relief washing through her.
She felt better and not so pissed at herself anymore.
“Thanks Aria” She said, the beginning of smile curving her lips.
“Good” Aria said.

“And did you say you left with Dylan to his table, leaving Dan to eat by himself?” Aria asked and Layla nodded.
“To be sincere, that’s not fair. Ditching Dan for Dylan who has never even for once tried to eat with you while everyone avoided you. And just when you seem to be accepted by everyone, he appeared, wanting you to dine with him and you did without question, leaving behind someone who has always been there, leaving him to eat by himself . . I understand how smitten you are with Dylan and how excited you must have been when he invited you to dine with him but I’m disappointed you could place that over Dan’s feelings. He’s not just a friend to you, he’s more and you know it. He might seem fine with it but trust me, he must have hurt him” Aria said with a look of disapproval.
Layla curled as the realization dawn on her.

She had truly not cared about Dan, she had cared only about herself, she had made the decision to follow Dylan solely for her own interests.
She hadn’t even cared Dan would eat alone, she hadn’t cared about her best friend who always stick with her, he has never ditched her for anyone despite the amount of people urging him to join their table and yet she hadn’t thought twice before leaving their table for another.

Was that why he had looked so down and pissed after lunch break yesterday? He had indeed been hurt.
And she had even repeated that selfish act today.
She swallowed hard as remorse clutch hard at her stomach..
Recollecting how he has chewed his pinky finger filled her with self anger.
She’s not a good friend, she had not been a good friend to Dan. She had not cared about his feelings.
And yet she had gotten pissed at him for chatting and laughing with Chloe.
Her fingers trembled on the counter and Aria pulled her into a hug the next second.

“C’mon it’s fine, I know you must be feeling so bad right now. It’s fine, we all make mistakes . . ”
“It hadn’t been a mistake” Layla interrupted, Dan’s face after lunch break yesterday replayed in her head and it seemed to be tearing her apart.
“I was selfish, I’m such a terrible friend” She sobbed on Aria’s shoulder and Aria rubbed her back comfortingly not knowing what else to say. She really hope Layla’s obsession for Dylan won’t ruin her friendship with Dan.

She so much hope it won’t.

Zeemah