1 Rick

Chapter - 1

It was a typical afternoon in the city of Willowbrook. The sun shone dimly in the cloudless sky, casting a warm glow over the quiet streets. The classes had just ended, and students poured out of the building, their chatter filling the air.

Among them was Rick, a not-so-popular guy slowly walking out of the college gate. He had a mop of unruly brown hair that seemed to have a mind of its own and a perpetual look of drowsiness in his hazel eyes. Rick adjusted his spectacles and lazily walked towards his apartment, all alone.

"Hey, Rick!" As Rick walked alone, someone called out to him from behind.

"Not now," Rick's face dropped even more when he heard the voice. It was his worst nightmare.

"You were again leaving me behind? How rude," the girl walked up to Rick and smacked his arm playfully.

"Don't play around, Emily," Rick looked annoyed.

Emily Clarke had been his closest friend for as long as he could remember, and secretly, he had carried a crush for her that seemed to grow stronger every day.

However, Emily had a crush on some other guy. And this made things unbearable for Rick.

"I have my part-time job to be at. I don't have time right now," saying this, Rick turned around and walked away from Emily.

"Hey, wait up! Don't leave me behind," Despite the cold shoulder, Emily followed behind Rick.

"Where is your bike?" Emily asked as she strolled alongside Rick.

"It's in the repairs," Rick said.

"So, are we taking the bus?" Emily asked. Both she and Rick lived in the same apartment complex.

"Do you think you can walk five miles?" Rick asked, sarcasm evident in his voice. By this time, the bus had also stopped in front of them.

Rick got on the bus and pressed his card twice, paying for his, as well as Emily's ticket.

'He is such a good friend,' Emily thought. Rick may act indifferent, but he surely cares about her. Emily slowly walked behind Rick and sat silently beside him.

Rick tried to pay not much attention to Emily. It was hard, but he tried to. He turned his attention outside, focusing on the beauty of the journey, and enjoying the gentle breeze on his face.

Finally, the moment which Rick dreaded the most arrived.

Emily let out an exasperated sigh, tossing her hands up in the air, "I just don't understand, Rick! I've been trying so hard to get Roy's attention, but it's like I'm invisible to him. I mean, what's wrong with me? Am I not beautiful enough? Am I not good?"

'Huhh...' Rick's heart sank hearing Emily's words, his own words echoing silently within him. He had already told Emily how much he cared about her. Expressed his love through his actions for all these years. But Emily never saw him as anything more than a friend. And he could do nothing but hold himself. He did not want to destroy whatever little they had between them.

This left him trapped in a cycle of frustration and unrequited longing.

Rick slowly turned his face towards Emily. He mustered a sympathetic smile, though his frustration simmered beneath the surface, "Emily, you're amazing just the way you are. It's his loss if he can't see that. Or maybe he's just not the right person for you."

Emily huffed, her frustration palpable. "I know, I know. But it's so hard to let go. I keep hoping that someday he'll finally notice me and realize what he's missing. It's like I'm stuck in this endless loop of disappointment."

Emily nodded, her expression filled with disappointment. "It really is. I thought we had a connection, you know? I tried to have similar interests, and we've even had a few great conversations. But it seems like he's always preoccupied with something else."

Trying to offer some solace, Rick gently said, "It's possible that he's just going through his own struggles and isn't fully aware of your feelings. Sometimes, it takes time for people to realize what they have right in front of them."

Emily's brows furrowed, and she looked at Rick with a mix of confusion and curiosity. "I know what he is struggling with," Emily scoffed.

"Isn't the struggle, Miss Megan?"

"Miss Megan," thinking about their eccentric and enigmatic homeroom teacher. A mischievous smile tugged at the corners of Rick's lips as he reminisced about her captivating presence. He couldn't deny the undeniable attraction he felt toward her, and a dreamy look overcame his face.

Miss Megan, with her ethereal beauty, had a way of captivating hearts and minds alike. Her lustrous chestnut hair cascaded down her shoulders in gentle waves, framing her delicate face. Her mesmerizing emerald-green eyes sparkled with intelligence and a hint of mystery, drawing others in like moths to a flame.

Her porcelain-like skin possessed a natural glow, accentuating her delicate features. A smattering of freckles danced across her nose, adding a touch of whimsy to her flawless complexion. The lightest dusting of rosy blush adorned her cheeks, giving her an ethereal, otherworldly radiance.

And her smile... Wow! Well, it was not the most appreciated and ogled part of her body, but it was truly beautiful. What truly stole the breath away of everyone was her nice, perky ass and those giant melons. Only after someone somehow managed to look away from them could he appreciate her smile and beauty.

Miss Megan had a grace and elegance that were unmatched. Every movement was fluid and deliberate as if she were a living work of art. The way she carried herself with poise and confidence made it impossible for anyone to tear their gaze away.

As Rick's thoughts drifted to Miss Megan's enchanting presence, he couldn't help but feel a physical response to her allure. His mouth watered involuntarily, and he quickly wiped away a droplet of saliva that had escaped his lips, embarrassed by his own visceral reaction.

"See, even you are drooling thinking about her," Rick's actions did not escape Emily's notice. But she knew it was not Rick's fault. Even Emily found Miss Megan attractive.

"Ahemm... It's not like that. You don't lose to Miss Megan in the slightest," Rick said. He said that, but even he knew that he was lying. Emily was beautiful, but even she paled a bit in front of Miss Megan.

"I know. You don't need to lie to me. I know who I am up against," Emily sighed, "You know what? You don't understand how I feel."

"Yeah, I don't," Rick clicked his tongue and sarcastically shook his head. He has had enough of going with Emily's whims only to end up a crying pillow for her.

And they soon arrived at their stop. Rick got off first, followed by Emily.

"Well, I will leave first," Rick told Emily, and started walking towards his apartment.

"Wait," But Emily stopped him.

"What is it now?" Rick asked, but when he saw Emily, he found her looking down at her feet, fidgeting with her fingers.

"C'mon, say it," Rick asserted. He knew to a certain extent what was coming next. Rick always had an idea of what was going through Emily's head. But he still wanted to hear it from her.

"Can you buy me beer?" Emily meekly asked, "I don't want to be alone right now."

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[You can check all the character arts here in one place: https://bit.ly/masteroflust]

Here are the choices for the readers. Whichever gets more comments is what we will do in the next chapter:

1. Should he buy her beer?

2. Nah... Ignore her