Pulling Her HEARTSTRINGS Episode 18

A story written by HAPPY

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♨Umbria♨
.
The teacher gazed mouth ajar at Jessica who was still glaring at me; I was busy staring at the board while placing my elbow on the book which had the letter in it.
“What are you talking about Miss Rogers!” Mrs Yul repeated.
“Ask her…that Umbria. She’s flirting with Osos in class,” Jessica flipped her blond curls and sat back down, crossing her legs.
I hate it when girls do the hair flip thing.

“Miss Lee, is that true!?” Mrs Yul demanded.
“Uhm….well I wasn’t…. no ma’am….” I stuttered. For some stupid reason I can’t quite place my finger on, I couldn’t form a corrigible sentence to defend myself.

“I’m going to have to send you out for detention,” Mrs Yul said.
I sighed, and looked at Jessica who was smirking and checking her nails while Caroline gave me a devils smile beside her.
Thanks a lot, Oscar!

Not looking at him, I packed up my books and made to get up when he said, “Chill Mrs Yul. Umbria wasn’t flirting with me. Pfft, as if she can. I was the one doing the flirting. Jessica’s just looking for attention. And yeah, Jessica. Next time you intend to tell a fib, make me look good okay?” he said, then gave a very sweet smile to the teacher after winking at me.
My mouth was a bit open.
And Mrs Yul was smiling like a teenager!

“Osos you know that’s rude. Don’t make me give you guys detention card,” she said less sternly.

“Please ma’am, I’m sorry I won’t do—”
“We’ll go for the detention. After all, we did commit,” Oscar said in a sad tone.
He got to his feet, hung his oh so beautiful satchel bag across his chest.
Damn this guy, here I was trying to avoid getting detention and he —
“Come on Umbria. Let’s go. Class must go on,” he said still in that fake sad tone of his.

He grabbed my hand when I made no move to move and pulled me out.
Awwww…….😡 Not awwww!

⛳ ⛳
“Do you realize what you’ve just done!” I yelled and jerked my arm away from his light grip once we were outside and on the road to detention each with our card shinning bright for any interested party to see.

“Yeah, I just saved you from a boring literature class,” he shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal.
“You’re crazy!” I yelled again, my voice kicking up a notch higher as I punched his arm.
I’m sooooo furious right now!

“Hey, did you just hit me?” he asked.
“Of course I did, and amma do it again because….. uugghh!”
I stomped my feet, anything to let out the fury.
He laughed a short laugh that my brain captured quickly and held his hand out to me.
“Come,” he said simply.
“Where?”
“Anyplace but detention room,” he said quietly.
This guy has a serious case of mood swings. One moment he’s proud and flirty and a Playboy, the next he’s moody and angry at the world, the next he’s standing up for me.
I took his hand against my better judgment.
As we walked, I kept staring at him.
Again, against my better judgment.
I want to know what makes him tick.
His background…. everything.
What’s the reason for his sadness, when he has everything I could only dream of having?

🎦 🎦
Only the sound of the door closing brought me back to real life as I looked around and discovered that we’re in the music studio.
“What’re we doing here?” I asked, walking in slowly as I took good look at the instrument arranged in such precise order.
Guitars, acoustics, pianos, drum kits, banjos, percussion instruments.
“I spend most of the school hours here when I want to think,” he said in his serious tone.
“Oh, so that’s why I hardly see you in class. Good one.”
He smiled a small smile. “Do you always look for me? You always miss me that much?” he asked softly.
“Wha———no! I have a knack for noticing details,” I said.
I watched him pick up a guitar, sit on a stool and pluck a few strings producing sweet notes.
” Tell me about yourself Umbria, ” he said.
“Why?”
“Just curious as to why you fall asleep everyday in school. The cafeteria,” he played the guitar, “the classroom,” he played the guitar, “the labs,” he played the guitar again, then looked up at me.
Oh boy.

Sighing, I sat down opposite him. “I get exhausted is all.”
“Just like that?”
I nodded.
He played some more. “It’s okay if you don’t wanna tell me. But there’s something I do know.”
“You do?” I asked in surprise. What could he know about me, other than me living where I live?

“You like me a lot,” he said and winked.
I gasped. “I don’t Oscar! Funny that you actually brought me here to tell me that! Do you play very often?” I asked, changing the subject. He knew I was veering it away from me but he played along.
“Obviously.”
“Right.”
A pause.
“Oscar is something wrong? You seem moody,” I tried.
“Sing me your song,” he said, also changing the subject.
Guess I deserved that.
For lack of what to say, I cleared my throat and began singing softly:

🎵They say once bitten twice shy
🎵I’ve been bitten three times by that cruel bug
🎵And the stings they hurt so much
🎵Scars on my heart, they say it’s a permanent tattoo
🎵And it is from these tattoo I know…..

I trailed off when I realized what I’m singing.
About my heartbreak and why I shouldn’t trust guys anymore.
Here I am doing the opposite.
Stupid, stupid girl!
Oscar looked up gazing directly into my eyes, unflinchingly, unmoving.

I was lost.
What’s going on?
He’s mesmerizing me.
He’s spinning a web in my brain to cloud my better judgment.
Umbria there’s no special girl for guys like Oscar, and it’ll be your fourth heartbreak if you allow yourself to be deceived.
Still, our gazes were locked, and as it seemed neither of us wanted to break contact.
Until the bell went.
“Come on, let’s grab a bite,” he got up.
“No thanks, I’m fine,” I replied.
“I’m not asking you Umbria, I’m telling you. Come with me now, else I’ll carry you out on my shoulder, with your butt up in the air—”
“OK, OK fine. Just stop teasing already. And after lunch today, ull have to stay away from me, remember what I told you about —”
“Chitchat,” he cut in dully.
“About —”
“Chit chat babe! I’m hungry!”

🍝 🍖
Lunch recess with the COVS is something I look forward to, knowing I’ll get free food.
But I don’t like the attention it gets me.
Here I was, planning to finish senior high at Primrose college quietly and unnoticed, only to be hanging out with the most popular guys, and becoming the bullseye in the target practice of Jessica Rogers and her chihuahuas.

I’d had to stop by my locker to retrieve some stuff, so Oscar went on ahead.
When I was about entering the cafeteria, I spotted something familiar; BBB delivery bike.
Oh….so Bruce B had accepted the principal’s offer to deliver pastries to our school. Maybe it’s the other man who’s delivering. I should say hi.

As I got in, almost everyone was having a taste of cookies🍪, doughnuts🍩, cakes🍰, hamburgers🍔, and jelly🍮 that I’d recognize anywhere.
Wow.

I saw a familiar figure hefting a box📦 behind the counter and into a door.
Carl?
I don’t think so.
I sat at the table.
“You should try this Umbria, it’s really good,” Chris said in between mouthfuls.
I giggled. “You don’t say. I made them,” I replied.
“Really?” Stan asked.
I nodded.
“Wow, they’re nice,” Victor commended, looking at me. “When did you make them, cause they’re still fresh?”
“Thanks. I uh….do them every morning before coming —”
“You’re kidding,” Oscar cut in.
“Nope. I’m not,” I said.
The guy came out again.
It is Carl!
And he’d just seen me.
I smiled, but he didn’t smile back.
“Excuse me guys, I wanna go meet someone,” I said standing up.
“That guy?” Oscar asked, jerking his head towards Carl.
“Yeah.”
“You know him?” Victor and Oscar echoed at the same time, then exchanged glances.
” ’course I do. What’s up with all the questions?”

🚶 🚶
“Carl!” I called, waving at him because he was going out the exit.
He looked like he didn’t wanna see me.
I was hurrying to catch up with him when suddenly I felt hot, spicy noodles all over my face and blinding my eyes……🍝 👀
—–
TBC