Everyone in the classroom were left with their mouth wide open as soon as he asked me that question. Girls started racing over to him, asking him a billion questions.
"Why would you be friends with her?"
"Are you even okay?"
"Are you sure he isn't crazy?"
"I can't believe you asked her to be friends, be my friend! I'm prettier!"
He wasn't paying one ounce of his attention to them, instead he had his eyes focused on me. That smile never leaving his face. He rested his chin on his hand that his elbow was supporting up with the desk underneath his elbow. "I'll wait for your answer." He said before facing to the teacher who was trying to get everyone back to their seat.
I sat there blinking a few times as I tried to process the words he said to me. He wants to be my friend? Maybe it's because he doesn't know anything about me, that's probably why. Nobody ever asked to be my friend. I was always alone, having nobody by my side.
I stopped my thoughts once i saw a piece of folded paper land on my desk in front of my view of sight. I shakily grabbed the paper as I unfolded it. I read over the words, the hand writing was so beautiful and neat.
Can I sit with you at lunch? I'm new and everyone else here scares me, you don't have to! I just wanted to have some company than these thirsty girls haha :p
I tried to wrap my mind around those words, delicate words. I glanced over to see Jae focusing on the lesson but I noticed as he glanced over at me making the weirdest face, scrunching up his nose at the sticks on the tip of his tongue before sending me another smile.
Something inside me told me to sit with him at lunch while another part of me was trying to tell me he was only trying to get inside your head. I didn't know what to do, I literally felt lost.
*
I went to my locker, holding my binder up to protect me just in case more slime got shot at me again. I slowly put in the combination and right as I was about to open it, I saw a hand slam it back close. I looked up to be greeted with those beautiful brown eyes shining down at me. "Don't open it."
I was confused on why he wasn't letting me open it but instead I was more curious on why he even told me not to. Did he knew what they did? I bit the inside of my cheek. "What's your combination?" Was the next question he asked.
I fumbled with the sleeves of my hoodie as I whispered my combination. I guess he heard it because he started to enter the combination. As soon as he was about to open it, he took off his sweater and handed it to me. I was more confused now, he pushed me away before he opened it.
I watched as he slowly opened the locker and soon it looked like blood splattered all over him, my eyes widen at this. He took the hit for me. Why would he do that? He wiped off his face before turning to me. That smile shining right at me. "I saved you!"
I tilted my head before sending him a small smile. "Thank you.." I mumbled. He took my binder.
He turned towards me as he pointed at my open locker. "Where's your lunch? Why are people easily able to get inside your locker? Does this happen everyday? This isn't right. Who bullies a pretty girl?"
I zoned out as he kept rambling on about how it was wrong for this to happen. He called me pretty? Does he seem worried? Of course he can't be worried, he just met you. That's crazy. But maybe he is, he did take the hit for me. He asked to be my friend, now he's worried about me being bullied. He could be worried. I shouldn't get my hopes up, I don't need that in my life right now.
I felt my body being lightly shaken, I shook away my inner thoughts as I saw Jae looking at me weirdly. "I'm sharing my lunch with you, you have no choice but to eat with me today!"
And with that, his hand grabbed a hold of mine as he dragged me to the cafeteria, his lunch in his other hand. He looked around at all the tables before he found an empty one. He sat down, bringing me down right next to him. He opened unraveled the cloth that tied his lunch to reveal a black container. He took the lid off and inside was a basic Japanese lunch, it contained sushi, rice, some vegetables and two cookies. It was a very large lunch for a high school boy.
He picked up some sushi with his chopsticks as he brought it to my lips. "Say ah!"
I looked at him weirdly, I couldn't read his eyes for some reason. I barely opened my mouth and somehow he was able to fit the sushi inside. He smiled before popping one into his mouth. My mouth was still opened and he sighed. "You gotta chew it not savor it expecting it to melt silly."
Closing my mouth, I moved my jaw to chew the food that he put inside my mouth. It honestly tasted really good and I never had food like this, I was always forced to eat just a cup of ramen noodles cause my mother didn't care about making me actual dinner. It was a shocking that I was still skinny, but probably because I only ate once a day. It felt strange eating lunch at school. "Do you like broccoli?" He asked poking the green vegetable with his chopsticks. "I despise broccoli."
I didn't dare speak a word, honestly too scared to say something only to ruin this moment and he runs away not wanting to speak to me ever again. He then picked up the broccoli and brought it to my lips. "I need you to eat please."
I nodded as I opened my mouth for him to feed me. You could sense the eyes that were on us, probably some whispers too but I tried shutting everyone out but the guy who is trying to feed me.
This whole "open your mouth" and "you need to chew it silly" went on the whole lunch period. When the bell rang for us to immediately get to class, Jae groaned. "Japan gives us longer time to eat, but the studying." He shivered before turning to me. "I think you would love Japan, everyone is so nice and you would have tons of friends."
That smile, he's doing it again. He is always flashing me a smile, it was like he was trying to tell me something but I couldn't pick up on the words he was trying to tell me.
I got up from the table, only to trip over the seat, luckily catching myself with Jae always catching me by my wrist. I glanced at him, biting my lip trying not to wince. He stopped and noticed the pain written all over my face. He waited until the cafeteria was empty before he rolled up my sleeve, revealing the bruise colored in purple blue and red. His eyebrow furrowing as he pulled the sleeve down.
At that, he walked away leaving me all by myself in the cafeteria, I was so confused on what that whole situation was about.
*
I sat in the public library a few blocks away from the school, school was over and I was stuck here until I was granted permission to go home.
I ran my finger against all the books trying to find something to read to make time go by faster.
I still couldn't figure out why he did that, he saw it but he left? Is he disgusted with me? I wasn't the type of girl he thought I was so he's completely done with me? No stop, he doesn't matter. Stop getting him so wrapped around your head. He doesn't matter.
*
School came by once again, luckily my mother was gone all night and most likely came home when I was asleep. I was thankful to have one day without her.
I looked outside the window until I heard someone sit beside me. Probably Oliver again. "So we're friends now right?"
I stirred my head to see Jae, he was sitting in the seat Oliver usually sat. And his smile was back, he's talking to me? But he ignored me after lunch yesterday..why is he talking to me again? "Yea.." I said.
It was like his smile suddenly got bigger. "Oh my mom made you lunch too." He said pulling out a second lunch and putting it on my desk. "Can't let you go hungry."
I stared at the box on my desk, why is he being so nice? It felt weird. "What's your name? I forgot to ask."
I kicked my lips, my eyes not leaving the food in front of me. I strangely could smell it, my stomach suddenly growling. "It's Rin."
Before I could even process my thoughts, I heard shuffling and soon a bag with a rice in it shape of a trance with seaweed covering it. "I heard your stomach growling and thought you needed a snack." I heard him chuckle nervously.
I stared at the food, does he always carry Japanese food on him? Wait he's from Japan..it makes a lot of sense. I grabbed it scared to open it and get yelled at. Jae sighed taking it from my hands as he rolled it open, immediately handing it back over to me. "You need to eat."
I nodded slightly taking it away ever so slowly before bringing the snack to my lips. I barely opened my mouth wrapping my lips and my teeth, biting down. I covered my mouth as I was chewing it, it tasted amazing. Before I knew it, I was shoving it down my throat very quickly. Who knew what I looked like eating.
Jae laughed as he was watching me eat like a complete pig, his eyes never leaving me once. "Thank you.." I mumbled wiping my mouth with my sleeve.
He nodded. "I don't mind taking care of you."
I froze, completely shaken up from those words he just said. The teacher entered the room, ready to start the lesson.
I don't mind taking care of you.
What did he mean by that? Does he know something? I need to stop getting my head wrapped around the things he does for me.
Soon lunch came and Jae was sitting there taking his lunch out, I glanced over at the Asian boy who looked excited to eat his meal. "Oh right, do you know how to use chopsticks? My mom gave you an extra pair but I forgot to tell her you're not Asian." He chuckles scratching the back of his neck.
He was right, I wasn't Asian. I looked white to everyone, but I was white. I think I'm white? I never bothered to ask about my dad to my mother, afraid to just get beaten up for even mentioning him. All I knew was my mouth had blonde hair and bright blue eyes, I looked nothing like her strangely. My brown hair looking more dark brown than actual brown, my green eyes exploring everything but if you looked deep into them you would know I was ready to give up and let go. Freckles crusaded my cheeks and nose, not too dark to be very noticeable but not too light to be nonexistent, only could tell they were there if you were close to me like Jae was. I shook my head responding to his question.
He smiled so gently at me as he picked up his chopsticks, explaining on how to use them. Telling me it was okay if I didn't understand or do it correctly the first try, I was American. I thanked him, quietly as usual as I opened my food he brought for me. "So why don't you ever eat lunch or bring your own lunch?"