The Variations by Jones M (iphone ebook reader TXT) 📕

Marie looked at Chris, and that was when she saw his eyes tearing up.

'He must really like her,' she thought. She felt jealous of the person he was talking about. She still wished it was her, but she knew it couldn't happen.

Her mind started racing in figuring out what to tell him. A part of her wanted to ruin the chances he had with the girl. But then, another part wanted to make things better for him. It wanted her to help him fix things between him and the girl. That was how much she cared for him, even if it would hurt to see him with someone else.

"Tell me this, Chris," she started. "Why did you do it?"

"Huh?" he replied. "What?"

"Why did you sleep with someone else?" she explained. 

"I-- I don't know," he replied.

"WHAT?" she fumed in anger. "Are you seriously telling me that you had sex with someone else because you don't know?"

"I wasn't sure, okay?" Chris replied back. "I wasn't sure there was a chance between us. I thought I sent enough signals to tell her that I was-- am interested in her, but she doesn't get them. I felt sad. I felt angry and believed I had lost her, and so I went and fucked someone else. It was after she knew what I did that I realized there was something between us. And I ruined it like the idiot I am."

Chris bowed his head, rubbing his temples as he stared at the couch. Kate's eyes had widened after his confession, and she took some time for herself to let it all sink in. A part of her understood why Chris had slept with someone else. She understood how people felt when their crush was unrequited. But for Chris, there was still a chance.

"I know I'm not perfect," Chris continued, "but I am willing to do everything I can to get her. I have wanted her for a long time, and I won't make the same mistake again."

"Chris--"

"I used other girls to get my mind off of her, but it didn't work. It still doesn't. I always thought there was no chance between us, but now that I know there is, I want to make it happen. I don't want anyone else other than her."

Kate tried hard to feel happy for Chris even though his words made her feel sad.

"Chris, have you apologized to her?" she asked him.

"Yes, but it's like she does not trust me."

'How could she?' Kate stated in her mind as she gave Chris an unamused look.

"Of course she doesn't trust you," she deadpanned. "So that is why you have to make her trust you again."

Chris furrowed his eyebrows before asking "How?"

Kate stared at him, wondering if she should continue. But she had already started.

"Spend more time with her," she started. "Be around her. Notice the small things about her. Do the things you don't do with her."

"I already do that," he stated.

"Then up your game. Give her stuff. Take her out. Make her smile. Give her new, better memories that would take away the focus from the mistakes you made. Show her that you mean what you have told me. Do all these things and express to her how much you want her and how much she matters to you."

Marie could not believe she had said all that. It had hurt to voice those words out, knowing that they were not for her. However, she was glad that she did. It was better than lying and postponing the truth you've known all along. The only difference is how much the hurt would be. 

More importantly, it would give her time to get over Chris.

"Do you think it will work?" he asked.

"I'm a girl. Of course, it would work," Kate deadpanned, earning a smile from him. "But it could take some time."

"What if I turn things up a bit? You know, teasing and getting a little sexual?"

Kate's eyes widened at that.

"NO," she stated, making him laugh.

"What?" Chris chuckled. "Come on. Have you seen this?"

He motioned his chest with his hands, and Kate gulped.

'Oh, yes. I have.'

She scoffed before laughing.

"I don't think it would work that way. Speeding things can ruin the chances of you ever being with that girl. Also, you could end up making the girl feel like some slut you picked up. Just, take it slow."

"I won't treat her that way. But what if she likes it?" he prodded. "What if it actually works?"

Kate went to reply, but she stopped herself when she saw the serious look on his face.

"I don't recommend it, but sure. Go ahead. I still don't think it will work."

"Oh?" Chris said, raising an eyebrow. "Let's make a bet. It will work."

"But what if it doesn't?" she asked, smiling at him. She was confident in her advice.

"You'll know," he replied with a smirk.

'Oh crap,' she thought as she looked at him. Her form seemed to tense at his cocky expression, and she felt something stir between her legs.

"Now, let's go back to this character," Chris said as he turned back to his laptop. Kate took a deep breath to clear her head before turning to look at the device as well.

"Morning," Kate greeted Chris as she settled herself on the shotgun seat before closing the door. "Where are we going?"

"Hmm?" he wondered as he started to drive his car towards the direction opposite their school. "We're going to a diner for breakfast."

"Oh," Kate replied. She checked her phone, seeing that the time read 9:00 AM. Classes on that Friday were to begin later because their professor had a family affair to handle. Lecturers missing classes rarely happened at Charles Darwin University, but it did not mean that it was abnormal.

Marie focused on the view offered by the windscreen as she tried to keep her emotions in check. Seeing Chris had her cheeks tinted red, and she was glad he had not noticed. It was because the car's environment reminded her of a vivid dream that had featured her with him in the back seat of the vehicle. 

She shook the memory off, sighing as she moved a strand of hair back in place. In her peripheral vision, she noticed Chris angling his head to face her, and so she quickly turned to stare at the view at her side. She could not afford him asking about the blush on her cheeks.

They passed by familiar buildings and trees that were shedding their leaves in preparation for the winter season. They were calming sights that had Kate thinking again.

Being alone with Chris seemed to have Marie's heartbeat skyrocketing. She thought that she would be over him by then, especially after seeing him have sex with another girl. However, she wasn't. She still had feelings for him, and it hurt to know that he would never reciprocate them to her.

Kate was surprised at how fast her mood turned sour. She decided to think of other things, like the Mandela Effect.

'Nope. Don't go there either.'

A couple of minutes later, she and Chris pulled into the parking lot of a diner.

"I'll pay for my stuff this time," Marie said as they exited the car. Chris raised an eyebrow, expressing with a look that he doubted her words.

The two quickly settled around a booth. The diner was packed, and it was a surprise that a waiter came to quickly tend to them. 

After they had ordered their breakfast, Marie pulled out her phone to check on notifications. The time read 9:50 AM, much to her shock.

"Have we really been on the road for an hour?" she asked Chris.

"What?" he replied, puzzled, and that had her turning her phone so he could see it. "No. Kate, it's only been twenty minutes. Your time is right."

'Oh crap,' she thought. Her phone's time had been messed up again. The network-provided time option was no good for her, and it had her thinking about using the GPS-Provided time feature. 

"So, we're left with an hour before class?" she said.

Chris shrugged before saying, "Don't worry. We'll reach there in time."

Kate decided to listen to him. Their breakfast arrived some minutes later, and they slowly ate as they talked about anything that came to their minds. She did not know how much time had passed before she looked at her phone.

"Chris--"

"It's all in the plan," he cut her off with a grin.

"What plan?"

"Kate, we're skipping school."

She blinked her eyes in disbelief before exclaiming: "Again?"

"It doesn't matter. It's a Friday, and we're close to Christmas. Everyone is practically focused on that."

"And the exams next week. Don't forget about them," she reminded him.

"But they are next week," Chris shrugged. "I'd rather we spend today doing something fun before we get all serious with our studies."

Kate worried about missing her classes again. It had not been easy for her to do so with Chris the first time. She didn't mention it to him, but she had been concerned about what would happen if the lecturer were to pay attention to it. They had gotten away with it that time, mostly because there was a party on the previous night and many students were suffering from hangovers. She was concerned there would be repercussions the second time.

"I hope you're right," she told Chris.

"I am," he replied with confidence. "Don't worry about anything. If it is brought up, I'll take full responsibility."

That made Marie more concerned.

"No. I'll also take the blame."

Chris smiled at her.

"Are you sure you'll be okay with that? I mean, I wouldn't want to ruin your good girl reputation."

'Good girl reputation?'

Marie narrowed her eyebrows at Chris who just smirked at her. It was obvious that he was challenging her.

"Oh, I see what you're doing."

"Whatever do you mean?" Chris asked with a fake innocent smile.

"You know what I mean," she narrowed her eyebrows at him. "You're testing me. You want to see if I'll actually follow along with this plan of yours, right?"

Chris gave her an expectant look.

"Alright, fine. Let's do it."

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

Chris and Kate headed back to the car after they had finished their breakfast. It did not take them long to re-enter the highway. They began speeding away from the diner, going towards the direction that led them away from the campus.

"Where are we going now?" Marie questioned.

"It's a surprise," Chris stated, earning a disagreeing look as a reply.

"Please don't do that. What if I don't like your surprise?"

"But that's the thing. You will like it."

Silence overcame them as Kate made herself comfortable in her seat.

"Are we going to the beach?" she wondered.

Chris furrowed his eyebrows before saying: "No."

"Museum?"

"No."

"The park?"

"No."

"The movies?"

"No."

"Hiking?"

"The fuck? No."

"Restaurant."

"No. We just ate," Chris chuckled as he said that.

Kate couldn't think of anywhere else to ask. She sighed, giving up.

"This place you're taking me better be fun."

"Oh, I'm sure you will love it," Chris chuckled.

About an hour later, Marie found her answer. The two had turned towards a less tarmacked road that led away from the highway, and they found themselves heading towards an area with a sign that had Kate gasping in surprise.

"You're kidding," her expression glowed as she looked at her surroundings.

"I'm not," Chris grinned, driving the car towards one of the parking lots.

"An amusement park?" she couldn't wait to enter it. Once the engine was off and the