Already fallen in love?

Everyone finished cleaning the art room. They are now gathering their things to go home. The rain also subsided, giving them a clear afternoon sky. The sun peeked from the clouds as it slowly touched the horizon.

"Charlotte! Teach me to paint again!" Amy dashed and clung onto Charlotte's arms so suddenly that the girl quickly jolted. She made a big smile that tickled Charlotte to the bone. "You are so good at painting!" she complimented the girl again.

Charlotte didn't know what to say, so she nodded her head. She just met them, but being in their company gave her so much excitement that she almost tried to hide her giddy side. She never felt this around Trixie. It's good that her driver was late in fetching her from school.

She met new friends.

Meanwhile. Liechael and Alaena was left in the art room since everyone got so tired that they dashed right away when everything finished. Since he's managing the art room, he got the keys.

"You can go first," Liechael said after securing the door lock.

Alaena gave him a puzzled look. "Do you still have something to do?" she asked.

"I need to return the key to Miss Carrein, since it's Saturday tomorrow," he replied, showing the key.

Since it's not bothering her, Alaena insisted on accompanying him to the faculty office. The two trailed the corridors with only their footsteps echoing along the way. The sun was about to set, and even if the rain already subsided, the sky was still dazzling in dandelion color.

Liechael wanted to hurry his steps, but since he's with Alaena, he's trying all his best to let the girl follow his pace. It's so quiet that only the wind passing by them can be felt. He cleared his throat. "Nana," he called out.

The girl paused. Hearing her nickname from the guy made her cheeks pink. "W-What is it?" she stammered, but instead of looking at the one calling her, she lowered her head with her arms behind her back.

Liechael soon realized the girl's awkward expression, so he quickly took back his words. "I'm sorry, it's just that…" He pondered. "I mean, it's so formal to call you by your name when we are already...how should I say this?" He bit his lower lip, thinking of an excuse when the truth is he just wanted to call Alaena by her nickname just like her friends.

"Your nickname sounds cute," He blurted out instead.

The girl backed away. "Ehh?" she blurted out. Alaena was used to it, calling her nickname cute, but she didn't even think that hearing it from Liechael was different. "Is that so?" she asked, giggling nervously.

The guy then realized that he's already spouting nonsense just to ask permission to call her by her nickname. He walked forward and said, "Let's go, we should hurry"

Alaena moved her heels. "Y-Yeah!"

***

"What's taking them so long?" Justin lifted his bag from his shoulders. They're waiting for Liechael and Alaena for almost a minute. Even if the rain had already subsided, it was getting dark, and he still needed to work for his part-time job.

"Can't you wait a little longer?" Amy approached him from behind. She crossed her arms. "Do you really need to go to work after school? We cleaned the whole art room," she snorted. "Aren't you getting tired?" she asked.

Justin felt embarrassed. "Of course I am," he replied, recalling that he'll be short on budget if he skipped his part-time job today. "I still need money, you know?" he whispered.

It made Amy irritated that she brushed her own face in dismay. "Geez, I know you need money, but at least let yourself rest for a while," she clicked her tongue loudly. "You're still a student, you know,"

Blabbing the words from her heart made Amy froze. Realizing the quiet atmosphere between them, she saw Justin blushing just from her words. Although the male was trying hard to hide it, his ears were still showing.

Amy jolted away. "Sorry! sorry!" she blurted out, embarrassed. "I didn't mean to say it like that!!" she added, gazing at the field that was now drying up from the heavy rain earlier. She kept her gaze down while using her feet to kick the small rocks. With her hands behind, she remembered Justin's expression as she said those words. A small smile curved into her lips.

Meanwhile, Justin remained in his stance. He's always open to Amy, and this is the first time he ever felt embarrassed at his workaholic self. It's true that he's already tired from cleaning and if he has spare time to rest, he will do it.

'Did she really care for me?' he mumbled in his thoughts while fidgeting with his fingers in silence. This is the first time someone told him those words. And he'll never blame himself if he took it in a different meaning. At least, he felt somewhat important.

Justin looked at Amy, standing next to him. "T-Thank you, I-I will not o-overwork myself," he whispered.

It delivers a different sensation to Amy that she unconsciously spun her head to the guy. Then, in that moment, she saw Justin smile.

A genuine smile she never saw before that almost made her heart thump.

Then two shadows hovered behind them. It broke the awkward atmosphere they built. Amy looked to the other side and saw Alaena smiling at her. "What's wrong? You two seemed very quiet just now?" she asked.

To avoid the topic, Amy crossed her arms. "What took you guys so long? It's already late afternoon," she aborted, glancing at Justin secretly.

Liechael stepped forward. "I can give you guys a ride. My driver was already on the way," he offered with his expressionless face. He checked his wristwatch and estimated the time.

"Where's Aiden?" Alaena asked.

Justin pointed his finger to a certain spot not far away from their stance. "He accompanied Charlotte in her car," he replied. Then, they saw the guy letting Charlotte in a car while glaring at the driver.

That scene made Alaena, and Amy giggle at each other. "My, my, the almighty Aiden has indeed fallen in love," they both said.