Blurred Lines | ✓ [1st Edition]

03 | Old Feelings (Don't) Go Away

"I'll be there till the stars don't shine,
Till the heavens burst and
The words don't rhyme.
And I know when I die,
You'll be on my mind.
And I'll love you, always."

The first hour into the movie (which I can't recall the name of), I saw Cody's finger twitch slightly from the corner of my eyes. We were sharing arm rest, and slowly, ever so slowly, his pinky finger began to inch closer and closer to mine.

I tried to ignore it, but did nothing to remove my arm from the arm rest. I don't know what propelled me not to, I don't even know what I wanted at this moment.

I could hardly concentrate on whatever was playing on the screen, because my mind was occupied with thoughts that I desperately wanted gone. All of them consisted of the same pesky person, with his angular nose and damned sad eyes.

I jumped slightly in my seat when Cody's hand enveloped mine, his warm hand entirely covering mine. I always had small hands, something that always amused Cody for some strange reason.

It's cute, he'd say. But each time he would try to compliment the size of my hands, I'd always reply the same, standard answer.

It's not, I'd reply. It's harder for me to play certain chords on the violin because I have stupid stubby fingers.

And each and every time he'd sigh and say, why must you always be so negative, Mari?

"This is nice," I heard him whisper under his breath. I glanced at him, staring at him with an unfathomable expression on my face. The light from the screen reflected of his skin, painting his face in a series of different glowing colours. He was watching the movie intently, absentmindedly stroking his thumb across the back of my hand.

Cody Ellington had always been handsome. I remembered the first day he arrived at Meilleur in middle school, his hazel green eyes and curly blonde hair immediately attracting half the female population of the school.

Although he was extremely gorgeous, it was his charm, I decided, that had the entire school head over heels for him. He had the ability to make you feel like you were the most important person in the room. He had the ability to make you feel absolutely special. He had the ability to give you everything you thought you wanted.

Maybe that was what drew me to him in the first place, other than the fact that he was popular. With my parents halfway across the globe and a twin brother stuck in the hospital, I had no one to make me feel like I was important. Like I mattered. Like the sun and stars were something they carved in Art class just for me.

But of course, with the ability to give, he also possessed the ability to take. And boy, did he take. He took my heart, or the remains of it. He took my trust, too. Into his shaky palms I so carefully placed everything that mattered to me, only to have him hesitate, quiver and tremble, sending everything falling to the ground.

I still haven't forgiven him for doing that.

"Let go of me," I said quietly, my voice almost getting drowned out by the noise from the movie. Cody glanced at me, making eye contact with me.

"I don't want to," he said, his eyes reflecting what looked like genuine sadness. I narrowed my eyes, before forcefully removing my hand.

"You are the one that dumped me Cody," I hissed lowly. "Don't forget that."

Cody sighed. his shoulders sagging in what I can only describe as defeat. I thought I heard him mutter something under his breath, something about me not understanding him. I chose to ignore it.