9~New friends

Just like Sarah had proclaimed,her friends do indeed like giving complements

in fact, complement was an understatement they were smouldering me with affection.

Maddy the most talkative of them was a tall skinny girl with a bright pink dyed hair on her head, she had immediacy engulfed me in a tight hug, taking me by surprise

she smells of vanilla and… cigarette

It was quite a peculiar smell

gwen was much chill, she had on big glasses and she just talked a little

And Marcus the boy with the conspicuous birth on the left side of his left face was soo nice to me it had taken me by surprise

he had been the one to go get my snack and he even attempted to pull back my chair for me to sit but Sarah smacked his hands away from my chair

Maddy had several locks of my hair in hand commenting on how my hair was so shiny and healthy

"Oh I bet you use really expensive products to get these type of texture or is it natural? put me on babe" she expectantly fished out her phone, opening an online shopping website

I awkwardly smiled conscious of the fact that my hair was in her hands

Taking one look at her hair I could tell that she really doesn't need any expensive product. she only needs to stop dying her hair but I know in a million years I could never tell her because I'm afraid of how it might sound rude since we just met but it seems Sarah beats me to it suggestively speaking

"Well how about you chop of that bed nest off your head and start afresh as a monk" Sarah blankly stated, having a fry stuck in her mouth like cigarette

Markus bursted out into loud laughter which was quickly accompanied by a pained groan because molly had kicked him in the shin

"What are you laughing at? nerd" Maddy snorted at him which earned her the fingers from him, soon they both went back and forth with each other while gwen just looked helplessly smiling at me as if to say

'They always do this'

Beside me I heard Sarah calling both of them losers and they both turned in on Sarah

I smiled taking a slurp of my milkshake

it was quite a cool and jovial environment. the cafe wasn't really packed, but from time to time there were student pouring in and most of them seem to know Sarah and her friends.

I never really knew how popular she was until today

She's always getting hi's and hey's from people

Maddy tapped me with her elbow

"So Beth, what is it like living with the campus hottie" she wiggled her brows at me with a sly smile on her face

Confused I looked at Sarah who was busy typing on her phone

apart from being so popular in just a two weeks of being a freshman Is sarah also considered the campus hottie? Wow Sarah is really amazing

"Um… it's nice,it's ok"

If we take out a certain someone from the equation then it wouldn't just be nice it would totally be amazing

Maddy tilted her heard quizzically as if not believing my reply

"Seriously, ok? I never knew living with Benjamin could only be summed as ok" she disappointedly blew a hair out of her face her chin in hand

she's talking about Benjamin? Campus hottie? No wonder she had that weird smile on her face

"he's handsome, mysterious, a gentleman and treats women respectfully" I was surprised to hear Gewns small voice speak out, my eyes shot to her and I could see her cheeks stained slightly red

Oh…..

She likes him

Sarah snorted still on her phone

Marcus tapped the table declaring that he thinks Benjamin is overrated which led to an argument this time with both him Gwen and maddy

This was utterly ridiculous

My experience with him was totally different from the fairy tale these girls were talking about.

Respectful? Nice? gentleman? These are words which I think shouldn't be associated with him

Even Sarah had snorted, she knows her brother well

How come he's so nice to everyone but he-

There was a certain question that suddenly bloomed in my mind which made my stomach churn but I quickly pushed it down. I don't want to go into territories that might hurt me further

Rubbing my chest I reached for my drink only to find out it's finished

Before I could blink an unopened smoothie was passed to me

Marcus?

He flashed me a smile also handing me a straw

"Here you can have mine, its unopened"

Astound, I shyly thanked him

Marcus is soo nice

From the corner of my eyes I saw Sarah look up at him for a second before going focusing back on her phone

Maddy muttered something under her breath

********************************************

"Um I don't think they'll win at this point" I gently pointed out the ridiculous score on the leader board

Maddy hissed biting her fingers

"Let's give them sometime okay?, they'll surely win!"

She eyes Marcus sitting beside me "I can't lose to this loser"

Marcus robbed his hands a nasty grin on his face

"Be ready to pay my 100 bucks honey"

Flipping him off she she ignored him

I looked over at the other side of the court to see Sarah talking to some group of people, laughing.

The sun shone down on her bronze skin bouncing off and setting a pretty image

She looked dazzling confident and in charge and everyone seem to listen attentively to her

Wow

Marcus whispering into my ear startled me

"Beth what or who are you thinking of, your boyfriend?"

boyfriend? what a strange assumption

I smiled not saying anything because I don't know what in the world to reply with to that sudden question I'm awkward at basic conversations

He watched me for a second then started out

"Um..you now-"

'Reach for the sky reach for the sky the lord shall give me wings to fly'

the sound of my ringtone stopped whatever word he was saying

my phone light up and several emotion crossed my face in a second seeing the caller

Surprise, happiness, anxiety

Jumping up I quickly grabbed my bag

Apologising I held up my phone to the two baffled people

"Sorry I have to take this"

Maddy waved me off absentmindedly focusing back on the game

Marcus made a move to also stand to show me where the bathrooms are situated I quickly reached out my hand telling him not to worry, I know the way to the bathroom I only told him to tell Sarah that Ive gone to the bathroom

To my relief The bathroom was literally empty when I got in

"Picking up the phone to my ear I felt my mouth run dry as a familiar singsong voice reached my ear

"Betty, how've you been?" James voice was always polite as usual, he's the only one who likes to call me Betty

I fiddled with the hem of my shirt picking out imaginary thread

"Um fine?…. I trailed off then added

"your…I called your phone the other day but you didn't…. I trailed off again

I heard slight ruffling at the other ends perhaps he was readjusting himself on the bed

"Hm, my mothers health haven't been the best lately so I traveled down to Florida to see her it has really been hectic for me"

I gasp "I'm so sorry, I wasn't aware of her condition,how's she?" I was concerned for her, his mother was a senior worker in church and a very nice woman

He chucked "well by the grace of god she's doing well, now how have you been?" He asked shifting the conversation to me

Playing with a lock of hair I went ahead to summarise the past few days making sure to leave out certain parts

"Beth,I miss you"

It only took four words but my face heated up I stared at my self in the mirror, a red faced women peered back at me

Stuttering I stumbled over my words

"um-"

honestly I was more nervous than flustered, all this was new to me as in my eighteen years of age This is my first time being romantically involved and it's also with someone way older than I am

Sighing I took a deep breath opens my mouth and let out the words that seemed stuck in my throat

"I missed you too"

At the other end I heard James's pleasant laughter,

his voice was so pleasant to hear

Smiling, I scratched my red ear