The Devil's 5'5

Chapter 37 - Just Maybe...

March 28th, 2:28 PM - University of Chicago - Chicago, IL Preseton's POV

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The rollercoaster of emotions from last night was finally taking a toll on Preston as he sat in an empty booth in the cafeteria, mindlessly stirring his iced coffee. His thoughts were preoccupied with a certain someone as his brain hadn't fully processed all the events from the night before, especially the grand finale directed by him. 

Where had that sudden burst of confidence come from? How could he have confessed when up until that morning he didn't even have the balls to hold her gaze for more than 5 minutes. He should be scared of her as she had said. But even now, after her stunt, he couldn't feel the fear he felt before. 

His fingers gingerly traced faint lines on his neck where she had held her knife. 

Unpredictable. 

It was a concept that he once despised had grown on him. 

The realization of how unpredictable life truly was; from the surprise appearance from his estranged mother to the shady men who tried to hurt them, was a slap from reality. Never would Preston have uttered a word about his feelings had he not gone and experienced everything he did last night. Yet, he wouldn't change the events of the night if he could. 

It was a wake-up call, one he desperately needed, telling him to stop living in his bubble, which would eventually stop him from living his life to the fullest. 

But as he took the leap of faith, his landing wasn't all love and sparks. 

After that night, Azura had wordlessly left the following morning, not even bothering to say goodbye. 

Preston would be lying if he said it didn't sting, but for some reason, unbeknownst to him, he couldn't find it within him to hate her. Something was off by the way she had reacted. She seemed nervous, panicked almost. 

As he tossed and turned throughout the night he couldn't help but wonder what she had meant by her words. 

I'm not who you think I am. That person last night is the real me. 

Frowning harder as he thought about the cryptic message, his stirring became even more eccentric until eventually, the cold liquid sloshed out of the cup. Letting out a string of colourful words, he quickly wiped up his mess as someone called out to him. 

"Mind if I join you?" 

The friendly voice slightly startled him, but he immediately relaxed when he saw who it was.

"Hey Veronica, yeah of course. Take a seat." 

She chirped her thanks, as she took a seat in front of him, her usual cheerful mood making him smile. He was grateful for still having her as a close friend and even more so for the fact that she hadn't changed the way she acted around him. 

"You never sit in the cafeteria unless we drag you here," she remarked. Her observation was right; he was never a fan of the odd odour created by the various cuisines offered in the small building. 

"Haha, yeah. I was too lazy to find another spot before class," he said with a shrug, as he finished cleaning. In reality, he was too spaced out to notice that he had ended up taking a seat here. 

"Well, at least you aren't as lazy as our other friends. Ever since Jamal and Naomi started dating they've been skipping class every day." He watched as his friend shook her head slightly the grimace showing her disapproval.