**(Laine's P.O.V.)**
I can't believe that idiot Alzid confessed that he likes me. Honestly, I didn't know what to say to him when he admitted his feelings.
Days had passed. I was reviewing for our class while waiting for our teacher. I hadn't talked much to Kath for a few days now. She often hangs out with Malyn's group, and I just let her be. I guess she got tired of being with me since all I do is sulk in one corner. I understand why she's been distancing herself. After a while, our teacher arrived.
"Okay class, I would like to introduce your new classmate," our teacher said, and our new classmate walked into the room. My eyes widened when I saw that it was Alzid. What? He's our new classmate? Why did he transfer here?
He briefly introduced himself and then sat next to me. My classmates already knew him because he had visited before, and they still assumed he was my boyfriend.
"Why did you transfer here? And to this section of all places?"
"Didn't I tell you I'd stay by your side?" he said, making me sigh.
"I can't believe it. You really meant it, huh?" I said, still in disbelief.
"Well, I did. I swear I meant everything I told you that night," he said. I remembered his confession, and I couldn't help but feel awkward around him, so I didn't say anything more. Soon after, our teacher started the discussion, and I forced myself to listen.
When lunch break came, I started packing my things.
"I made lunch for you," Alzid said as he handed me a lunch box. I was surprised—I didn't expect this. It made my heart beat fast for a moment.
"Did you cook this yourself?" I teased him.
"Of course! I know how to cook. You're the only one who doesn't believe in me," he said.
"Alright, fine. Thanks, but you didn't have to go through the trouble… Come on, let's eat," I said as I pulled him out of the room.
While we were walking down the corridor, we saw Kath with Malyn's group, eating together under a tree. Alzid stopped briefly, but I just pulled him along.
"Isn't that your friend? Why aren't you with her?" Alzid asked, puzzled.
"I don't know. It's like she's been avoiding me," I said as I hurried my pace. He didn't say anything more.
"Wait, did you bring lunch for yourself, or is this all for me?" I asked him.
"Oh, I have mine in my bag," he replied.
"That's good. Come on, let's eat on the rooftop. It's nice up there—the wind is strong," I suggested, pulling him along as I ran.
When we got to the rooftop, we sat on the floor. The wind was strong, blowing my hair around, so I tied it up. He took his lunch out of his bag.
"It's nice here, isn't it? The wind is strong, and it's not hot," I said while opening the lunch box he gave me.
"Yeah, I'm glad I got to experience this," he said, making me look at him. It was funny—had he never done this before?
"Oh my gosh, Alzid, have you never eaten on the rooftop before?" I asked, laughing.
"I've been to a rooftop, haha, but it's my first time having lunch on a rooftop with the girl I like," he said, and I paused, feeling awkward.
"You're so annoying," I said.
"What's so annoying about what I said?" he asked, confused.
"Sigh, I want to clear things up, okay? I feel awkward when you're like this. Let's just act like we're friends," I said directly because that's just how I am.
"Wow, alright, fine, dude," he said.
"Dude? Haha," I laughed. Did he just call me dude?
"Yeah, you're my bro now," he said, and we both laughed.
When I opened the lunch box, I saw a burnt sunny-side-up egg.
"You really didn't need to go through all this trouble, see? The egg's burnt," I said, laughing.
"Sorry, I just wanted to try," he said, looking a bit embarrassed.
"Wait, let's just share my lunch," he said, opening his lunch box but closing it immediately afterward.
"Oh, why?" I asked.
"Never mind. Let's just buy food," he suggested.
"It's a waste of your cooking," I said as I grabbed his lunch box. I understood why he didn't want to show it—his egg was burnt, too.
"See? I told you we should just buy food," he said, looking embarrassed.
"We're not buying anything, okay? We're eating this," I said and started eating.
Even though the food was burnt, I was happy—really happy. He was the first person to make me a lunch box, even if it was burnt. He still did it, so it made me happy. Not even Keivan had done this for me.
"Laine," he called while we were eating.
"Why?" I answered.
"I won't leave you," he suddenly said, causing me to choke. He panicked and handed me his tumbler. I quickly drank water, and once I recovered, I said,
"I told you, didn't I? I don't like cheesy stuff like that." I gave him a sharp look.
"I just wanted you to know, especially since your friend already left you," he said seriously. I realized then that he genuinely cared for me. I looked him in the eyes and smiled.
"Promise?" I asked.
"It's a promise," he said.
I was happy because, for the first time, I felt like I had a friend who promised not to leave me, unlike those who I thought would always be there. After we ate, we stood up and looked down from the building. The rooftop was quite high; it was scary to imagine falling off. Thankfully, the grills reached up to my waist.
"Let's see who can spit farther, okay? Game?" he said before spitting. Luckily, there was no one below, or they would've been hit by his spit, haha.
"Haha, your games are gross, but fine, game," I said, attempting to spit but not managing much.
"You're weak, you lose," he said, laughing, so I gathered more spit and spat hard, only to accidentally hit a teacher below. I panicked and pulled Alzid down, crouching.
"I'm doomed… I'm in trouble," I said, trembling, while this idiot tried to hold back his laughter.
"This is your fault," I said, hitting him on the head since he was within reach as we crouched.
"Let's get out of here," I said, grabbing our bags, and we hurried down the stairs.