Chapter 4

"Thank you,"

I looked at Stefan who was smiling while staring at me. We were starting to dance now and I couldn't look directly at him. I'm still a bit annoyed because the few people who saw us, if they weren't teasing us, they were taking pictures of us.

"This is gonna be yours last. Don't forget my condition," I said to him using my stubborn attitude toward him.

He laughed so I didn't even look at him. I don't know what he ate. For sure he has been seeing me at school before and I just don't understand why he is paying attention to me now.

"Oh come on, Eli. We just met and we're schoolmates. Why don't we try to be friends with each other?" he answered and asked me.

"I already have friends," I answered him.

"I know but I still want to be friends with you. Can we? Please?" He pleaded like a child.

"I'll think about it first," I answered him because I'm sure he won't stop me again.

He was about to speak when Jackson suddenly appeared at our side causing Stefan and me to turn around at the same time.

"Can I dance with you?" he asked me.

I don't know why my blood seemed to boil when I heard his question. Why does he have to dance with me? What for? Doesn't he already have a girlfriend? Why can't he dance with his girlfriend?!

"Sorry, but can't you see? We're both dancings," Stefan replied.

"I know and I can see, but you've been here for a while. Can I take my turn?" Jackson replied to Stefan.

"Oh really? Well, I can let him steal you from our dance but the question is, will she agree?" Stefan said one after the other then looked at me.

"Is it okay with you?" he asked me in a whisper.

I slightly bit my lip and shook my head in response to him. I don't want to dance with

Jackson because his girlfriend might see us and fight me. It looks like she's Allison's friend of friends, that's why I don't wanna dance with him! Another one I don't want because I don't want him anymore.

"Please, Eli," Jackson pleaded with me.

"Didn't you see her shaking her head? She didn't want to," Stefan said.

I took a deep breath before nodding and speaking.

"Yes, Jackson. Stefan and I are dancing and we are both enjoying ourselves," I said to Jackson.

"Eli," he called me again.

"Jackson, please. I'm the one who's begging you now. So please leave me alone," I answered him immediately because he didn't want to stop anymore.

I didn't know that most men these days are pushy about what they want. They won't stop until you give them away. Often you have to say hurtful words just to get them to stop.

Jackson didn't say anything more and just shook his head before leaving for good. I sighed while watching him walk away from us because it was as if I was breathing a lot of relief when he finally left me alone.

When I returned my gaze to Stefan, I saw that he was smiling again, so I looked at him with a frown and slightly raised an eyebrow.

"What's funny again?" I asked him.

He slightly shook his head and bowed but immediately returned his gaze to me.

"Looks like your ex still likes you," he said with a grin.

I frowned even more because I wondered why he knew that Jackson was my ex.

"How did you know that Jackson is my ex?" I asked him while frowning.

"Huh? Why wouldn't I know? You're both popular at school and I don't think there's a student who doesn't know that the two of you are on," he answered me one after the other.

I snorted because he did have a point. Jackson and I indeed knew each other at school, but I didn't expect that many people would know about our relationship, especially since we were low-key when we were young.

"I just noticed that you've been avoiding him. Why don't you want to talk to him? It looks like he'll get back to you," Stefan said again, which made me shake my head.

"He already has a girlfriend and he won't come back to me anymore," I replied then avoided looking at him.

"So, why don't you want to talk to him? Because you still love him?" he asked again.

I couldn't speak right away because I couldn't deny that there was still a part of me that still loved Jackson but I didn't want him anymore. I know that my feelings for him won't go away anytime soon, especially since it's only been three months since we broke up.

"I-I don't love him anymore," I denied but I couldn't stop my stuttering.

"It's okay. I feel that you still love your ex-"

"But I don't want him anymore. I just don't know the reason why he wants to talk to me now that we're separated and he has a girlfriend," I replied to him so I could explain myself right away.

"But you still get hurt when you see him with someone else. You know he just wants closure in your relationship," Stefan told me, making me shake my head again.

"There's no need for that because the separation between the two of us is fine. I agreed to the fact that he wants us to separate because he needs to focus on studying for his future career," I replied to him then I sighed again before speaking again.

"And of course, I'm still hurting but I can handle it," I added.

I just shook my head because I just now realized that it was as if I was talking to him about my past.

"You know what? I'll help you to move on. I volunteer myself to be your rebound," Stefan said to me.

I frowned at him again because he was talking about something else.

"Let yourself date me so you can forget about your ex. Use me to make him jealous and hurt his feelings," he answered me.

I couldn't help but be tormented because of the nonsense he was saying again. Why would I do that? Duh!

"You know what, Stefan? I'm thankful because you're the reason why Jackson didn't come close to me earlier, but what you're saying is crazy," I told him one after the other.

"If the call to help you is crazy, it's fine with me. Just give me a chance because I want you," he answered.

I couldn't help but be surprised by the last thing he said. To get rid of the awkwardness I felt, I just laughed it off and shook my head.

"I can move on from Jackson without using anyone. So, stop with your delusions, Stefan," I answered him then shook my head at him again.

"I'm going to rest first. My foot hurts," I added to him then stopped dancing.

"I'll come with you," he said and helped me back to our table.

While we were going back, I saw his other friends and my friend who had also returned to the table. I've prepared myself for the teases now because I'm sure they won't agree that Stefan and I won't be teased.

"Did I say it already? You're still pretending you're not together but it's too obvious!" Patrick teased, I think he's Stefan's friend.

"It's true that we're not together. We just danced," I answered to defend myself.

"We're not yet together, so you guys should stop teasing us," Stefan said to them.

"Not yet? It means, you are courting Eliana?" one of my classmates still asked.

My eyes widened then quickly shook my head in response. They laughed there so I felt my cheeks heat up. I wanted to tell Stefan why he answered like that but I just remained silent because my foot was already hurting. They didn't stop teasing Stefan either so I just ignored them.

"Clara and Josiah haven't come back yet?" I asked Peal, one of my classmates at our table.

"Not yet. I think he and Elijah are still dancing," she answered, making me nod.

"Looks like Elijah will finish the songs before he stops dancing!" I heard one of Stefan's friends say.

They laughed there so I couldn't stop myself from grinning because I knew Clara was dancing with him now. I'm sure my friend will sleep tonight with a smile on her face. I am happy for her because one of her dreams will come true before the end of the year. The dream of dancing with her crush, Elijah.

Josiah, who had just returned, arrived later. He was neither smiling nor frowning. His face was so serious that I couldn't help but look at him.

"It's good to see that you're back. You've been around for a long time but Clara's been around longer," I complained to him.

He shook his head and sat next to me. I momentarily turned to Stefan's group who were laughing because of what they were talking about and I saw Stefan staring at me so I quickly looked away from him.

Josiah didn't speak because his face was still so serious that's why to get rid of it I lightly poked his side to make him laugh but it wasn't effective for him so he just sighed.

"I'm just gonna get some drinks," he told me then quickly got up and left.

I bit my lip and shook my head before standing up to follow him. I then wondered if my sister allowed him to dance with her. I was having second thoughts if I should ask him that, especially now that I'd seen him so serious.

"Josiah, wait! I'm gonna come with you," I said and sped up walking to catch up with him.

Even though my leg hurt, I forced myself to get closer to him. I'm sure he's hurt for whatever reason so I won't allow him to be sad tonight, especially, since I know my sister is the reason why he's being like this right now.

"Are you alright? What happened to you?" I asked him when we got to the drinks area.

He asked for whiskey there and it was given to him immediately. I was surprised when he suddenly drank it.

"Jos! Take it easy," I told him.

He asked for it again and it just kept on giving him. I just shook my head and asked for mine too.

"What are you doing?" he asked with a frown.

"You want to get drunk, right? I'll go with you," I answered him then shrugged my shoulders.

The hot wine drew down my throat to the inside of my stomach because of its boldness and even though I didn't like the taste I asked for more.

"Stop it, Eli. Those are too hard," he tried to stop me.

"It's not. It's really good," I said then took another shot.

"Don't give her another shot. She gets drunk quickly," Josiah said to the bartender who was there, then he took some wine and handed it to me.

"What am I going to do here?" I asked him while raising his eyebrows.

"That's all you drink and you might get drunk right away," he answered me.

"So what's happening to you? Did you dance with my sister Stella?" I immediately asked him because I couldn't stop myself.

I saw her frown slightly and took a deep breath.

"You, your crush made you dance too, didn't you? You and Clara are lucky," he said to me.

"What? How can I be lucky and I don't like that Stefan! Clara is the only one who is lucky and she seems to enjoy it because she still hasn't come back to our table," I answered him one after the other.

"I'm happy for her," he also answered me then shrugged his shoulders.

I nodded because I feel the same way about my friend but Josiah still can't escape me now because he seems to be changing the conversation and he didn't even answer my question so I repeated it to him.

"Answer my question. Did you dance with my sister? For sure you did because you lost for a long time," I said then shrugged my shoulders.

"Yes, I danced with her but only for a while because someone immediately asked her to dance," he replied to me after drinking again from the wine he was holding.

"And why did you allow her to dance with others?" I asked as I frowned.

"And who am I to disagree?" he also asked me.

"Her future boyfriend. Duh?!" I answered and then tormented him.

He laughed sarcastically and shook his head so I couldn't take my eyes off him. I just saw Josiah's reactions like this even though we've been friends for a long time, so I'm curious as to what's happening to me.