Chapter Twenty-Two

Rhea ate a small bowl of ice cream while her brother made the four of them coffee. The two extra people were Hugo and Rose. Hugo came over because he was worried about Rhea's knees and wanted to drive her on his bike. He was not sure if Rhea would agree, so he texted her in the morning first. However, she did not even see the texts as she woke up right before breakfast and did not have time to check her phone. So, he came over without prior notice, angering Rhea. However, she let him in any way.

Hugo was watching Rhea, holding himself back from clicking his tongue as his mind was just bursting inside his head about the fact that Rhea was eating ice cream at breakfast. That girl truly did not care about rules.

"So, are you dating?" Rose asked.

"No. He is a friend of Rhea's," Ronan replied. He tried to look cool, but he was actually affected that his precious little sister was getting close to a boy.

"How did you two become friends anyway? Our Riri is really quiet," Rose said. "And she doesn't like people much. How did you melt her heart, I wonder?"

"I think she is a little different, but she is a great person," Hugo said, eyeing Rhea who just shrugged.

'Even Rose calls her 'Riri',' he thought bitterly.

"Riri has always been a great person. She just is introverted," Ronan said.

"She is a good cook too. The pancakes she makes are just perfect," Rose said with a smile, looking at Rhea.

"Don't expect too much. I can cook a few things only," Rhea said. "That said, stop talking about me, all of you. It is making me uncomfortable and I might just go to my room, which I do not wish to do right now as my knees hurt."

"Ah, we are sorry, Riri, for making you uncomfortable," Rose said quickly. She knew how to deal with Rhea and knew better that she might as well shut up quickly.

"How did you even fall, Riri? You are a good runner," Ronan asked.

"Good runners fall too," Rhea said.

Part of Hugo's mind suggested that she hurt herself on purpose. But why? Just to avoid running a little?

"Rhea, you will come with us in the car," Ronan said.

"School is bad enough. Not car, as well," Rhea said.

"You won't walk in this state," Ronan said dismissively.

"I will go with Hugo on his bike," she said and added, "Don't worry. Hugo is a careful driver."

Rhea did not need to ride Hugo's bike beforehand to know that he was a careful driver. She knew how much Hugo valued rules and she had seen so herself when he almost had a heart attack when Rhea drove her mother's scooter the other night.

"Can you drive it carefully?" Ronan asked.

"Of course. She will be fine with me. Besides, I have my life to care for too," Hugo said.

The small smile on Hugo's smile did not escape Rhea's eyes.

"Why don't you drive your bike to school then?" Rhea asked.

"Why don't you drive your scooter to school?"

"Because the distance is not great enough and my scooter is in need of repair. I hate driving Mom's."

"And for me, it's because I cannot read books if I drive."

"Dude, you don't need to read even for that small time…"

"Don't 'dude' me."

"Why not?"

"I am not your 'dude'."

"Dude doesn't mean 'brother'. You know that, right?" Rhea asked. She almost rolled her eyes. But for some reason, rolling her eyes always gave her a headache, so she refrained from doing so even when she filled like it. "It means 'friend'."

Hugo did not know what to say to that. He just did not like it when she called her that. It made him feel like he would never get out of the friend zone.

"I don't like it."

"Alright then," Rhea sighed. "If you don't like it, I have no choice but to not call you this. Anyway, we are getting late."

"Says someone who is always late."

"Almost late," she clarified. "I am exactly on time."

Hugo sighed and put on his helmet, before giving another one to Rhea. Rhea put it on and hopped on after him. She wrapped her arms around Hugo's waist who was surprised but decided not to make it a big deal since it was just normal.

"Is it uncomfortable?" Rhea asked. "I don't want to fall and hit my head and possibly die, you see."

"It's not."

"Then, you just get stiff if a girl touches you because of the possible lack of experience," she said.

Hugo thought about it a bit. Rhea was definitely not right. Hugo never got stiff when Clara touched him.

"It's true, I am not experienced," he said. "But that's literally no reason for me to stiff up."

"I see."

"Are you experienced?"

"Physically, no. But my mind seems to wander off a lot and I get to experience quite a number of things in my imagination."

"You even imagine these things? I did not know that cold queen Rhea is interested in romance."

"I am. Why is it so hard to believe? Ronan never believes me either, merely because I say everyone looks horrible as a romantic partner."

"… You still say it?"

"I do."

Hugo started the engine and off they went. Rhea let out a chuckle.

"You are quite obvious, you know that?"

Hugo was taken by surprise. Fear crept into his mind. But then again, so what if Rhea knew? It did not matter. One day she would know anyway. If she asked if he liked her, he would say 'yes' and get it over with.

He was not sure what he would do if she, by any miracle, accepted his love. But he surely knew what he would do if she did not.

He did not want to go that way, so he refrained from asking altogether.

"From what way, Miss Rhea?"

"A lot of ways. You are expressive."

"Won't you be specific?"

"It's weird to be that specific, especially at this moment. That said, I have to do some things today. Will you join me? I mean, we are friends, so I thought… Besides, you know quite a lot about… Ugh, just tell me. Do you want to join?"

Hugo chuckled. So, Rhea was not exactly cold all the time. But, yes, she was antisocial and too introverted. She did not know how to chat with others. When she warmed up a bit, she could be fun too.

"Do you need to go somewhere?"

"Not exactly. It is at my place, in my room," she said. "I will show you something as well."

"What?"

"Why do you ask so many questions?" Rhea asked, annoyed.

"Is it a surprise?"

"I don't do surprise, Hugh. I just think I will have to use fewer words if I just show it to you later," she said and leaned her head on his back. Despite the helmet, Hugo felt awfully close to her. "As my first friend, you are so weird."

"Is that a compliment?"

"Is it? Maybe."