"Don't do it again."
After hearing that, I was like, Is she for real? She forgave me. Just like that. No questions asked, no awkwardness, nothing. And that's when it hit me—she gained my respect.
I mean, I already had respect for her from the start, but after hearing that? It felt like one of those games where, after defeating the boss, you get bonus points. Yeah, just like that. She earned respect points instantly.
And then I was sure. About what? I don't even know. There's something about her I just don't get. But one thing's for sure—I've always noticed her smiling. That smile. Honestly, I don't even know her that well, but I can't help thinking there's something about it. Something I can't put into words.
While I was busy overthinking, she shifted her attention back to the chatterbox and started talking about the school picnic. Something about how he had to come. And me? I was like, How come I didn't know about this?
Then, like a light bulb flickering on, my superior brain finally processed something. From the morning, some kids had been making a fuss near the notice board. Could it have been about this?
The chatterbox turned to me and said, "What about you, dude? Are you coming?"
Honestly, I'd never even gone to a picnic with my parents, let alone with a bunch of random kids. So I paused for a moment and then, like some old, grumpy greaser, said, "I'm not comfortable around crowds."
Yeah, I said that. You heard me.
She looked at me and said, "Is that so?"
God, just kill me now. Why is this happening to me?
Then the chatterbox chimed in, "You heard him. We're not going. Have fun with the girls."
She turned to look at me again, and I swear, I think she was mad. Or maybe disappointed. I don't know. Her face looked… different. And I couldn't help it—I started smiling like an idiot. So I covered my mouth with my hand and walked off to the terrace like I always do.
A minute later, the chatterbox followed me. He sat down next to me and, out of nowhere, asked, "Tell me, bro. Do you have a thing for her?"
I froze. "W-What do you mean by that?"
He smirked. "I've known her since elementary school. So, if you need help, just let me know. And hey, just try to be yourself around her. You don't have to pretend. Not with me, not with her, and definitely not with the rest of us."
That caught me off guard. I'd never heard him talk like that before. I didn't even reply.
The bell rang, and we went back to class. The day dragged on, as always. Class ended a bit later, and before I knew it, I was back home, lying on my bed.
As usual, I skipped the time—just let it blur by. But this day? My server was completely overheated. I couldn't process the data from everything that happened. So, like any overworked machine, I shut down.
By that, I mean I fell asleep the moment I hit the bed. Like a guy who'd been chugging coffee for days to avoid sleep, only to finally feel comfort and lose the battle.
And just like that, another day was over.