~Chapter 11~
An expensive class was shattered along with a young boy who was pushed back by a woman who wiped her hands on handkerchief, looking at the boy disgustingly. Just like the glass, the boy's heart too shattered at the sight of his once kind mother looking at him so indifferently, coldly.
"Digusting. Get it out."
Luke stared at the Korean girl who put ointment on his cheek. Even though he is an ambivert, he never ever had a girlfriend, let alone being so close to a girl. He had never talked to this girl as such but he knows her face. She is Kim Seon Hul, Emilia Johannes' bestie. But why did she help him today he didn't understand. Wasn't she and her bestie a part of Daniel's gang?
Luke was so deep in thought that he hadn't even realized that she had stopped applying the ointment. She spoke something which he didn't quite catch properly; "Sorry?"
"Strip." She said without changing her expression.
"Ehhhhhhhhhhhh!! No no no wait, you're skipping a lot of steps! It's too soon to do that."
"Huh? But I think I am doing this right?"
"Ermm…shouldn't we at least know each other enough to do that…like going on movies, restaurants, giving you flowers…It's not like I don't like you, you're pretty cute….and….." Seon Hul stared at the guy who was rambling like a nervous wreck.
"What are you saying? I didn't know that in order to apply medicine on your stomach we have to do all those things..?" She interrupted his ramble after which he flushed in utter embarrassment as both of their eyes widened when they understood what the other was talking about. For the rest of the time, Seon Hul had to bite her lips from laughing aloud but she kept on giggling while Luke desperately wished to dig himself deep in to the earth.
How could he get way ahead of himself so much when the girl had done nothing but help him! He's a real asshole!
As he was walking out of her house, ready to sprint off to his house, she called him back; "By the way, I don't mind the movies, restaurant and flowers, y'know?" She gave a rare small sly smile before closing the door leaving a gaping ginger head behind it.
Did he just get asked out by the popular girl's bestie?????????
The next day was a public holiday.
The day after it was school day and Emilia didn't pop up in front of Rio anymore. She even skipped Mrs. Okum's class, which was bit odd because she was attending the classes regularly but then again this wasn't anything new. Seon Hul caught up with her during break up and immediately noticed her morose mood.
"What is it?"
"Am I the asshole?"
"Huh?" Seon Hul didn't expect Emilia of all people to ask her that. "Well yes, sometimes."
Emilia chuckled drily; "Ah you, straightforward as always." She sighed heavily.
"Why do you ask?"
"Well I…." Emilia recounted what happened the day before yesterday when she dragged Rio to McDonalds and had the poor guy sit with her throughout the meal and after getting out, she asked him.
"Is it that hard to be with me?"
"W-well..I…"
"Forget it! You're such an asshole!"
She didn't look back after that and stormed out of there.
Seon Hul gave her bestie a judgmental side eye.
'Did she really want me to regard her as not the asshole after the stunt she pulled on someone innocent?'
"Honestly I think you're at fault here. Dude clearly wasn't feeling comfortable yet you forced him to be with you…"
"But I—"
"Emilia." Seon Hul spoke in a strict tone. "Rio Sanders is not Daniel Fleabagh. Remember that." As if on cue, the bell for next class rang and the two girls exited the cafeteria.
"Sorry." An apologetic voice travelled to a dark haired boy's ear and he nearly jumped in surprise. Upon his questionable gaze, the blonde girl spoke; "For calling you an asshole and being one myself. I shouldn't have done that."
"U-um it's okay. Y-you realiz-zed your mistake and a-apologized." He accepted her apology that immediately brightened her face. She held out her hand and said; "Friends then?" As much as Rio didn't want to associate with her anymore other than their tutoring sessions, his heart couldn't have the gall to say no to that outstretched hand of the girl. He meant to take it lightly and shake it but Emilia held his hand fully, enveloping him with her warmth, strangely not making him flinch, as they shook their entwined hands.
Rio couldn't help but think; 'She wants me to be her friend now, after all that we did?'
On the huge basketball court of the gymnasium where regular basketball practice was going on, a phone vibrated inside a sports kit due to an incoming message. The owner of the phone was busy at that time so he couldn't attend the message. After a while when practice ended and all the sweaty boys made back to the locker room, some wiping their sweat, or getting ready to hit the showers, or some discussing their strategy for next match while others checked their phones of any missed call or messages.
"Hey Danny." A boy called from the middle of the room to their captain. Upon the addressed person response the same guy called him; "Come 'ere man, I have something for you."
Daniel Fleabagh's rage was re-kindled when he saw the photo on the phone that was taken quite sneakily and without the obvious knowledge of the two people in the picture. Even though the picture quality isn't that good but one can easily make out the blonde hair, the signature outfit that is reserved for a particular type of person and a guy sitting opposite to the same table wearing old, baggy clothes.
Those two were seemingly having a nice date.
"So it was true that she dumped you eh?" The locker room went quite as everyone waited in bated breath for the drama to unfold. Nobody stopped the guy from yapping away, poking the died down fire within Daniel. Everyone expected a brawl to get escalated but surprising everybody Danny spoke in a very calm voice; "Tim, was it? When did you get this message?"
The boy, Tim checked the time; "Oh it arrived when we were at practice."
"Well Tim, tomorrow you'll come with me."
"Eh? Where captain?"
"You'll see when you get there." Was Daniel's last word when he walked away to the shower stalls.
Tim, too noticed the absurdly quiet atmosphere of locker room. "What?"
Nobody said anything but some patted his back in a sympathetic way as they all wished him good luck for tomorrow making him even more worried and curious. When Tim asked one of the team members what was all that about, he didn't get much information from him either except.
"You made a wrong decision to show the picture to Daniel."