Chapter 6 Crush Between Us

"Is this the whole year's homework? Cause it looks like that," I groaned. The school just got over and Brian is here in front of me with a pile of books in his hand. He dumped them in my car.

"No. Three days'. I want it all completed by tomorrow."

"What? Are you mad?! Three days' homework in half a day! How am I supposed to complete all of that? What do you think I am? A robot?" I groaned again, rubbing my hands down my face in frustration.

"I'm not sure. But I want it tomorrow," He smirked before walking away.

~

I slammed the books on the table. I was home. But I had a lot of work. Brian's work to be specific.

I got to work straightaway. I took out my pen and opened the books and copied the notes that Brian's friend had made into his book. It was too much. How could he do this to me?

I scrawled my bad handwriting on his books. What? Did he expect me to complete his homework in a calligraphy? Well, he was wrong. I wouldn't do anything of that sort.

I finished his work in four hours for which I gave myself a pat on the back. And then I started with my homework. Luckily I didn't have much.

By dinner time I had completed mine as well as the jerk's homework. I stretched my hands in front of me. I was so stiff from sitting at the table for six hours straight and my butt felt flat and I was damn hungry.

~

"Here is your stupid homework," I said as I slammed the books on his table in Chemistry class. He looked up from his phone and stared at me. His stare intimidated me and so I looked away.

"Have you completed everything?" He asked in a tone that suggested he wasn't interested in the topic.

"Yes," I said and took my seat behind him.

He turned around. "Thanks," He said.

"Oh my God! You seriously thanked me!" I faked shock.

He rolled his eyes. "I know how to thank people. And it's important to acknowledge people in your life. Cause you never know when they'll leave you," He whispered the last sentence, not meaning for me to hear. But I did.

"What?" I asked.

"What?" He asked in an irritated tone.

I shook my head. "Uh...nothing."

Just then the teacher walked in and the class began. Thankfully Brian didn't irritate me this time apart from taking my pen and eraser without asking me. Where were the manners?

As soon as the class ended, Brian turned back, facing me. I was packing the books in my bag.

"I need a favour from you," He stated.

"What favour?" I asked warily.

"I need some personal information of your best friend, what's her name? Claire, right?"

"Claire? What information about her do you need?" I asked, narrowing my eyes suspiciously.

"Her likes, dislikes, favourites and blah blah blah," He said as if the topic was really boring to him.

"What do you think I am? Her DUFF?"

"Well no, considering both of you are not popular."

I glared at him.

"And you're not ugly, or fat," He quickly added.

"What makes you think I'll tell you anything about her? Sorry, but I don't think she takes an interest in boys like you. Get another catch," I said.

"I am not the one trying to woo her. Seriously? My choices aren't that bad."

I gave him a death glare. "Say another word about Claire and I swear you won't be standing on your two legs."

He smirked and waggled his brows suggestively. "What will you do?"

"Something you won't like! Who is it that wants to stalk Claire?!" I shouted at his annoying face.

"Whoa girl! Calm down. Nobody is going to kill her. It's just my friend, Jake. I think he likes her. He just can't stop talking about her."

"What? Seriously? They've just met each other for how much? Barely five days and he already likes her?! Hormones can really get stupid sometimes!"

Brian chuckled. "I think that he has a crush on her for over a year now."

"What?" He liked her before they actually met? He had been crushing on her for over a year? Wow.

"Please. Do it for Claire," he said.

"I am not even sure if she likes him or not."

"She does," He said, full of confidence.

I sighed, "I won't."

He sighed too. "Pretty please?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Pretty please with a cherry on top?" He pleaded.

"No." I said, a little louder.

"Why are so stubborn? What do you want?"

I thought for the tiniest portion of a second and I knew what I wanted. I smirked.

"There is something you could do and then I'll tell everything that Jake needs to know about her."

"What?" He asked.

"Promise me you'll do it."

He narrowed his eyebrows at me. "I hope it's not something that will involve me messing with teachers or something that'll embarrass me, Cupid."

"Oh! The big boy is scared of teachers?" I said pinching his cheeks. He looked too cute. Wait, did I just call him cute?

"Is it that?" He asked as he shook my hand away.

"Um...no," I said, dragging the word 'no'.

"Okay. What is it?" He asked, placing his palms on the table. I stood up to leave.

"We won't do your homework."

"What? No. You can't do this to me. You have to do it," He frowned. "It's only been a day!"

"And I'm already tired of doing it. Well, it's not embarrassing at least and neither would you have to mess with the teachers."

"You are so..." He paused, searching for the right words.

"Gorgeous? Cute? Sweet? Beautiful? Smart? Intelligent? Pretty?" I offered.

He shook his head, "You're mean."

"Fine. You don't want your lovestruck Jake to have a chance with Claire? It's okay," I started walking towards the door.

He grabbed my arm and spun me towards him. My face hit his chest. If he was around my height, I was sure that our lips would have met.

"What the hell are you doing?" I pulled away.

He stared at me, "Fine. You don't have to do my homework."

"Finally, I'm free!" I squealed. Just a day's homework had already scared me and I was glad that I wouldn't have to do it anymore.

"But you have to do today's homework."

"What? No," I frowned.

"Please."

I groaned. "Just today's. And I'll tell everything about Claire."

"Thank you!" He said and before I knew it, he had his arms around me. He was hugging me. As soon as I realised it, I quickly put my hands on his chest and pushed him back a bit.

He was really strong and didn't even budge. But probably feeling the pressure I was exerting on his muscular chest, he pulled away.

"Distance please," I said.

"Sorry," He said.

I sighed and walked out of the class. Brian followed behind me.

I shoved the books in my locker and he did the same before closing the locker door which was three lockers away from mine.

"Hey man!" I heard a voice behind Brian and he turned to face Jake who had called him.

"Hey, Jake. Brooke has agreed to help you," Brian whispered to Jake.

"Really?" He seemed surprised. I guess he thought that I wouldn't say yes.

"Hi, Brooke," Jake waved at me awkwardly.

"Hey. I heard that you like Claire. Is it true?" I asked Jake.

"Sort of. I-I just want to be friends with her and get to know her a bit. Cause you know, I never had a friend besides Sam and Brian," He said, his cheeks turning red.

"Okay. So you just want to be friends with her, right? Nothing much? You know what, you could be more close to her in another way," I said, teasingly.

"Which way?" He asked.

"As a brother," I said and started laughing and to my surprise, Brian chuckled too. He was trying to control his laughter when Jake glared at him.

"Um...no. I don't want to be that close to her...in that way," He said, totally uncomfortable at the thought of looking at Claire as his sister.

"Yeah, okay. I know you like her. Stop lying," I said, still chucking.

"I think we should go to the cafeteria. I am hungry," He said, avoiding the topic.

"Yeah, let's go. I am damn hungry," Brian said and I followed behind the two hungry boys to the cafeteria.