How had the whole class reacted?
Shocked? No. Shocked wasnt enough to describe their looks and silence.
They were petrified. To their bone marrow. It was not because he had spoken clearly without stammering, it was because he was brave enough to look Amber in the eye and used a pick up line on her.
Mr Green was the first to recover from the shock. He knew Stephen liked Amber. Only a Fool wouldn't recognize the way he would steal glances at her and sheepishly smile when she says things. "Good one there Stephen but I think someone might have been asked out. A ten for you."
And foolish Amber had protested. "That isn't fair. How does he get a ten and no one else does?"
"Exactly. Sound like you are treating him special." Rose adds.
Mark, who seem to be the reasonable one was not about to let go of what he had heard. "Am I the only one who heard him ask Amber out?"
Amber had turned to glare at Mark and places her hands akimbo when she said. "Ask who out? He was simply using his pick up line. We are in a class for it." She then turns to Mr Green and was about to argue when Stephen spoke again.
"I was picking you up. Amber." He squeezed the paper in his hands and Amber noticed. If the paper had life, it would be crushed to the bone by now. "I..I meant what I said." He then quickly walked to his seat.
Aliyah, who knew nothing than to make fun of everyone else quickly drums her table. "Seems like we have a new couple in class." Everyone except Mark had joined her in drumming before Mark angrily stopped them.
"Is this funny?" He had boomed. Then he turned to Stephen. "You..how dare you ask Amber out. Is she in your league?"
Stephen who had used his bangs to almost hide his face was surprised. "An...an...and...and..Is..is..."
Rose was surprised and scoffs. "Stephen, be honest with us. You were just pretending to be stammering right? Did you not speak clearly to Amber now? Do you think it is fun to waste our time by stammering?"
"Exactly. He must have planned the whole thing." Mark added.
Amber was rubbing he temples by now when Stephen looked in her direction and spokd. "Out of my league? Then, do you think you are in her league?"
A surprised 'ohhh...'had escaped Aliyahs lips before Mark glares at her.
Mr Green knew a fight might ensue if he didnt stop the two boys now. "Okay...everyone let us calm down. We have reached the end of the class...Mark..?" He called as Mark was still standing with balled fists and glaring at Stephen.
"Mark sit." Amber reminds and he angrily slumps in his seat giving Amber an annoyed look.
"Nobody fight anybody. Let Amber decide who she wants to go out with."
"Who says I am asking her out?" Mark quickly interferes.
Everyone knew Amber and Mark. Well if you went to elementary with them, then it wasnt hard to know they have been best friends since birth. Their families are close too. Technically, Amber regards Mark as her brother.
Mr Green didnt argue with him and left them with an homework. Once he was out of class, Mark turns to Stephen again. "Now explain what you meant by saying that to Amber?"
Amber who was the topic of discussion quickly gets in front of Mark stopping him. "Cough..cough..dearest brother please let's not be violent. Do not forget we have a fight with RR high school this evening. Dont waste your energy." She then glares at Stephen. "And you..do you think it is funny?"
"I wasnt joking. I am really picking you up." The whole class was surprised again. This Stephen must have preten6 to be stammering. How else would he explain talking fluently to Amber? Amber had ignored him that afternoon until she was on her way home when the boy had started to follow her.
She didnt want to get ahead of herself when she first noticed him. Mark had been picked dny his mom to a family dinncer which meant they would not have time to fight the other high school this evening and she had to go home one her own. Normally lots of student take this route so she had thought Stephen was just going home as well. But the guy kept walking behind her and even when she was on the street to her house, he didnt stop.
So Amber turned to glare at him. Holding her pepper spray tightly. "Stephen, dont even about lying. You have been following me right?"
Stephen tightly held his bag pack and positively nods his head.
"Why?"
He reached for his bag pack and brought out a drawing pad. He opened it and ripped out a page then streched it out to her. Unsure Amber quickly collected it from him before taking a step backwards. Checking it, she realized it was a drawing of her in school today. The time she had stepped out to recite her pick up line. He had even added a cloud on it and wrote.
'This man had better give me full marks. I didnt do well on my test.'
Amber chuckles when she saw this. As if he knew what she was thinking at that moment.
"How did you know what i was thinking?"
Timidly, he responded. "Well..you didnt do well on the test and your expression after you said it your line told me all."
"You speak so well. Have you been lying to us?"
He quickly shakes his head to deny what she was saying. "Only only with you. I only speak well when I talk to you."
"Oh..." she glanced at the drawing again and asked. "You have been following me home just to give me this?"
He was staring at his shoes now, his lashes fluttering and his bangs looked so soft and fluffy, like they would fall to the floor. Amber found him extremely adorable right now. "Well.well..I didnt know what to say if I give you."
"Hmm..thank you for this I guess. Is there anything more?"
He quickly raised his head and glanced at her before looking at the road. Apart from a bicycle that had passed when she received the drawing, the road was very quiet. "I..I was serious about this afternoon."
"Uhmm..okay." she took a step backward and was about to fold the drawing when she stopped. It would be rude to do that in his presence. "Well..I am going to leave now." He didnt say a word and she turned around to leave. Just ten houses away and she would be home.
Then Stephen had called her..."Amber..."
She stopped, closed her eyes and resisted the urge to squeeze the edges of the paper as she was starting to feel nervous. Maybe it was the fact that he had suddenly become brave and outspoken when talking to her that made her nervous. Also she was scared of what he would say next. What if it was another pick up line. She slowly turns around with a forced smile.
"Can I have your number?" Amber was about to reply that she didnt mind when he continued. "Or your mum's number? Because I really want to be your daddy." And she had blushed.
Tfl! He did not just say that to her.
Stephen did and was even brave enough to add a wink and a boyish smile that made her herat start to race.