Chapter 18 One and Only

I still somehow couldn't believe what had happen a few weeks ago, but I had the pin to prove it. I decided I should keep away from Dylan for a bit and sort out my feelings. Was this a real thing or am I just caught up in the moment? I limit my time with him and slowly stopped talking to him. I didn't meant for this to be complete isolation, but it ended that way. It was not the same anymore and soon Dylan got tired of trying to talk to me.

I walked towards the bus drop zone and waited for the girls to arrive and get breakfast. I miss Dylan. He would be here by now...with me. The girls finally arrived and we hangout around the bus area for a while. I was not in a mood of talking so I just quietly listened. Candy turned to me and asked, "Are you okay, Bella?" She interrupted my Dylan thoughts. "Huh? Oh, yeah." I smiled weakly at her.

"Have you seen Dylan?" I cringed at the sound of his name. Tears starting to accumulate in my eyes, but I fought them back. I shook my head. "No."

"Have you talked to him?" I couldn't help the pain I felt when she talked about him. I felt empty and a need to cry and ran away. I shook my head 'no.'

"Is he still mad at you?" I felt my eyes get watery and my lip trembling. I shrugged. "I guess..." I whispered.

"What happen between you two? Why do you guys always are on and off?"

I looked at her confused. "What do you mean?"

"Yeah, like sometimes you are mad at him and his mad at you. Other times your inseparable."

I smiled inside when she said, 'inseparable.' "Well, both times it was kind of my fault. I pretended to be mad at him because he was getting annoying and he found out. He heard me told Val that I only pretended to be mad at him and that it was in a way payback for making me cry in front of everyone including him. Now, I just decided to stop talking to him for a bit and see how I really feel about him, but that didn't turn out great either."

"Yeah, I know she told me and in a way you were right. He did hurt you and made you cry, but it was still low of you to return it." I felt my eyes slowly releasing the repressed tears.

"I know! I just...I wasn't thinking. He was just always with me and wouldn't leave me alone. I didn't know what else to do. I know I shouldn't have done that, but I was going crazy." By this time Candy and I had moved away from the girls. I was leaning on a pole wiping my tears.

"Its okay, Bella. I'm sure he will understand. If not then he'll just forget about it and talk to you again. And by the time you know it, you will be friends again." Candy tried to consulate me. I smiled at her. She smiled back and looked behind her. Her eyes widened and I feared for the worst. Dylan.

I turned around and saw him walking towards us. I quickly tried to wipe my tears and lessen the redness in my eyes. He slowly strolled next to us. "Hey Dylan." Candy greeted him.

"Hi." He said in a tired tone. I looked at him and he looked at me. My heart leaped and I couldn't bare looking at him without crying. No. Not again. Candy tried to have a conversation with Dylan and I, but it just felt awkward in a 'we just broke up kind of way.' I turned towards the girls and joined their conversation. I glanced back at Dylan and Candy. Candy was talking to Dylan and he just shook his head in disagreement. She was trying to tell him or convince him of something and he was getting either annoyed or mad. I bit my lip. I tried to hear what they were talking about.

"Just go and tell her what you told me. She's right there." I faintly heard Candy say. I looked up at her and noticed she was pointing at my direction.

"No. What if she doesn't want to talk to me? You know how she is. She runs from me." I heard Dylan say in a disappointed tone. I frowned. I don't like hearing him sad especially if it involves me. I turned around and slowly made my way towards them.

"Just talk to her. Take her somewhere and talk to her. I know you too miss each other. I don't like you all so sad and down in the dumps just because you aren't talking." Candy whispered.

"I guess...but how do I take her away from you guys. She never wants to leave you all and especially she won't want to leave with me." I heard Dylan say.

Candy saw me coming towards them. "Just do it. Look she's coming." She bump her arm with his. He looked up at me with sad and tired eyes. I reached them. "Hey."

"Hi." He said.

"Hey, Bella." Candy said. "What's up?"

"Oh nothing. Just got bored over there."

Candy elbowed Dylan. He glared at her and turned to me. He opened his mouth to say something, but quickly closed it. He turned to Candy. "Come with me to go buy something from the vending machine." I frowned. I was about to turn back when Candy started talking.

"Huh? No. I don't feel like walking all the way over there. You should ask Bella instead."

He turned to me and I looked away. He looked uncertain and thoughtful. He sighed. "Bella, come." He said grabbing my hand. I moved my hand back from him. "Where?"

"Just come with me."

"Where?"

He sighed and pinch the bridge of his nose. "To go get something."

"Where?"

"In the gym. Now, come." I didn't move. He sighed in frustration. "I'm going to go buy a coke in the vending machine which is in the gym. Come. With. Me."

I hesitated, but started walking. As soon as I was walking beside him, he let go of my hand and walked in front of me. I frowned. I wanted to go back and leave, but I just stood there looking back at Candy and turning to where Dylan left without me. I couldn't see him anymore. I sighed and turned back. I felt a hand jerking me back. I looked up and saw an angry Dylan with a tight grip on my forearm. "I said come." He hissed. I could see his knuckles getting white in his grip on me.

"Ouch! Dylan stop. Let go of me."

He just tighten his grip on me. "I was going with you, but I somehow lost you." I continued. His face soften and he released his grip on me. He turned around and started walking, but paused and turn to look at me. I quickly walked beside him. We walked side beside with a foot in between us. I heard my name being called and I looked around. I saw my new friend from one of my tech classes walked up to me. He was quite good looking and a great guy, but just a friend.

"Hey Bella!" He greeted me with a hug and a kiss on my cheek. I blushed and smiled. It was the first time he ever did that. I looked for Dylan and saw him a few feet away from us glaring at him with his hands clenched in a fist. Was he actually waiting for me? I would've thought he would be mad at me again and leave me. "Hi, Robert."

"What are you doing? I've never seen you this early." He yawned.

"Really? I'm always here. I've never see you this early either."

He shrugged. "That's because I'm never this early."

I chuckled. "Oh, nice. Well..." I trailed off looking at Dylan scolding. "I have to go. See you in class." I said trying not to upset Dylan more and walking away from Robert. He caught my arm. "Wait." He looked at Dylan. "Is he...your boyfriend?" He glared at Dylan. "No, not really."

Robert looked at me and smiled. I looked at him puzzled. "Well, in that case..." He pulled me against his body and leaned in to kiss me. "Is he still looking at us?" He whispered. I nodded. He kissed the corner of my cheek close to my lips. I blushed and backed away from him quickly. I hit him in the shoulder. "Why did you do that? You're just making it worse."

He shrugged and smirked. "Later Bella!" I chuckled and rolled my eyes. I headed towards Dylan. He was smiling and looking at me and at the back of Robert. I looked at him puzzled. He grabbed my hand and started walking me towards the gym. He seemed happy. I smiled and couldn't stop looking at him. Why was he suddenly happy? He is so bipolar.

As we were walking, people were staring at us and whispering. I felt uncomfortable and I guess Dylan did too because he started walking faster. He never let go of my hand. He squeezed my hand. He squeezed it again harder and I squeezed it back. He turned to me and smiled. I smiled back. The awkwardness slowly faded and I felt comfortable walking side by side with him again. A girl that Dylan knew came up to us.

"Hey, Dylan." She greeted him. He said hi back and quickly walked away still holding my hand. She stopped him from walking. "Is she your girlfriend?"

He looked at her and at me. "What do you care?" He snapped.

"Sorry, I was just wondering."

"No, she's my...friend." He said pulling me close to him. "Anything else?" He asked sarcasticly.

"No. Chill out." Dylan quickly yanked me towards him and started walking. The same girl shouted at Dylan. "You should treat her better! If not she won't be for long." Dylan squeezed my hand tight until I started losing feeling in my hand. "Dylan your squeezing me too tight." He released his tight grip on me, but his hand was still intertwined with mine. "Sorry."

We finally arrived at the gym and I waited outside for Dylan. I started talking to one of my classmates. Dylan rushed out of the gym probably looking for me. He started walking back to where we came from. I guess he doesn't care if I'm with him or not. I said good-bye to my friend and started walking on my own. I looked up and saw Dylan with one of my friends. "I don't know where she went. The last time I saw her was with you." Alexa said.

"I need to find her. I need to talk to her." He sounded and looked desperate pacing around.

"Look there she comes." She said waving at me. I smiled. Dylan walked up to me and quickly intertwined our hands. "Thanks." He said waving bye to Alexa. I smiled and waved back to her, too. Dylan kept pulling me to walk faster. There was a rail dividing the sidewalk coming up.

"Don't think I'm going to hold your hand all the way." He said. I stopped walking. He tried to make me walk holding tight on his grip on me. I released my hand and walked in the opposite side of the rail. I walked fast and he went for me. He grabbed my arm and wouldn't let go. He dragged me closer towards the girls and him. He loosened his grip on me and I willingly walked beside him. I put my hands in my front pockets. His hand traveled from my forearm to my hand. He slipped his hand with mine in one of my pockets. I moved my hand from my pocket and he used that opportunity to interlaced his fingers with mine. I sighed, but didn't try to moved away from him.

"Didn't you say you were not going to hold my hand all the way?" I looked at him, but couldn't help smile.

He looked at me, smiled and squeezed my hand gently. "Yes, but you didn't let me finish. I don't want for the girls to see us holding hands. They will not shut up if they do. That's why I said that I won't hold your hand all the way." I looked at him for any hint of lie. There was none. "Okay." I started walking, but he yanked me back to him. He pulled me close to him with one arm around my waist. He gulped and searched my eyes. He smiled at me and I felt my heart leap. I smiled back and quickly frowned. 'No, he doesn't like you like that remember?' Those pesky electric shocks, I did not miss. I started walking towards the girls and he followed still holding my hand. When we got close enough he released my hand and started walking in opposite direction. I frowned at him and he quickly laced his hand with mine. "I'm leaving to class already."

"Okay." He released my hand and walked away.

After school. We missed our bus and Dylan lead me to the library to wait for his mom. He introduced me to some of the library staff and volunteers.