Childhood Crush

-KAREN-

“OMG bestie! Here he comes!”

My eyes almost sparkled at the sight of my childhood crush Pete Cullen while I smacked one of my best friend’s arm, Ash Williams.

We’re currently lurking around the cafeteria so that I can accomplish my spying, or stalking duties according to my friend over here, as I secretly take a glance over Pete while he walks inside this facility.

When I turned to look at my best friend here, I just saw him cross his arms over his chest and frowned at me. “Watch your heart rate. You know…”

Since we were best friends from our elementary years up to now that we are both in high school, except for Alpha Students, my adviser, and my parents, Ash was one of those few people who knows my hidden ability.

I remember accidentally electrocuting him way back when we were kids while we’re playing outside of our house, thus lead him to discover my electric powers.

“You’re such a paranoid! I have a heart rate monitor rate here,” Then I showed him the object that has been clinging in my wrist ever since I was a kid in a wristwatch manner. “See?”

This smartwatch on my wrist here is called a Heart Rate Monitor. Since my property is based on my heart rate, I need to check it from time to time. If this thing goes green, that means I have a normal heart rate. If this turns blue, that means my heart rate is at a critical level.

But if this turns red, I tell you… you better start running away from me since all hell will break loose once it happens.

I remember my mother giving this to me on my 6th birthday, who happens to have the same property as that of Warren’s which is the invention property and an alumnus of this school so that I won’t be able to damage any household appliances anymore. 70% of our appliances were already been damaged by me accidentally.

“I’m just reminding you, that’s all. You have electrocuted me for more than ten times already because of that...Pete...who’s not even that handsome for me.” Ash continued, which snapped me out of my thoughts, while still frowning at me.

I gave him a quick peace sign and grinned at him. “Sorry, not sorry.”

“I’m more good-looking than him--”

*Riiinnnnggggggg*

Our school bell finally rang, meaning our two-hour break is already over and we must go back to our regular classes.

“Even our school bell doesn’t agree with what you are about to say.” I already stood up from my seat and so did he. He only grimaced at me as we walked out of the cafeteria.

***

We were currently listening to our History Teacher, Mr. Delgado, but my gaze is merely focused on the lad seated in front of me right now.

Fate seemed to be in my favor since it let me be assigned on the seat that is closest to my crush. I could just steal glances on him any minute from now.

And gosh, his scent is, really, good I must say. When I made sure that nobody was paying attention to me right now, I leaned in a little bit closer so that I could take in his scent way better than earlier. Good thing I was seated on the farthest corner of the room right now.

I shut my eyes and enjoyed his heavenly scent from here. Hmmm… I wonder what kind of perfume is he using to smell this good?

“Karen?”

My eyes flung open the moment I heard that familiar husky voice. Oh shoot, it’s him!

“Uh, hi Pete!” I tried to act as normal as I could and plastered a nervous smile on my face.

“It’s really hard to visualize what the teacher is writing on the board from here huh.” I quickly added to redeem myself from total embarrassment.

“Uh, Mr. Delgado hasn’t written anything on the board yet.” I instantly became pale the moment I heard what he said and quickly looked at the whiteboard. Wahhh, it’s true! There’s nothing written on the board.

Shame on you Karen!

“Oh. Well--” Come on brain, think of something to say, FAST! “--I want to hear his voice more clearly from here.” I barked a nervous laugh afterwards.

My mouth almost gaped in awe when I saw his ears turned red while pressing his lips together as if he is suppressing his laughter. After all, we’re still in the middle of the discussion.

“You’re funny. I like you,” he said casually before turning around to face the teacher once again.

I felt my heart immediately skipped a beat after hearing his words just now and rang in my mind like an endless echo.

H-HE LIKES ME? Kyahh

With my heart still beating rapidly on my chest, both of my cheeks heated up as well. A grin appeared at the corner of my lips as I looked at the lad seated in front of me right now then whispered almost to myself.

“I like you too.”

***

When we heard the school bell ringing for the last time to end today’s classes, our last period teacher immediately dismissed us and left the classroom. My classmates, on the other hand, stood up from their seats and started to walk out of the classroom one by one as well.

While I was still busy organizing my things in my bag, I notice a pair of black leather shoes standing in front of me which caused me to look up to its owner, which is no other than my best friend Ash.

“I saw what you did earlier.” he still wears a frown in his face as he looked at me right now.

I arched one eyebrow at him. “What?”

“Please, spare me with that clueless look. I saw how you molested him with your looks even though I’m three seats away from you--”

“Okay! Okay! You win! Happy?” I interrupted him before he brought that shameless act of mine earlier once again.

“You didn’t even notice your smartwatch turned blue earlier, did you?” Now, it’s Ash’s turn to raise one eyebrow at me with one finger pointing on my wristwatch.

In the end, I chose to ignore my friend’s warning and invited him for some ice cream bonding that we usually do every after classes.

***

The moment we arrived at the shop’s premises, we also happened to come across with Pete and with his two buddies standing behind him, one is a guy with broad biceps, as the first thing that you’ll recognize the moment you saw him, and the other one is a girl with a long, wavy blonde hair.

“Oh Karen, you’re timing’s just perfect!” My face lit up when I saw Pete’s shining presence here. “We’re just about to go to my buddy’s exclusive birthday party in his dorm room. Wanna come?” Then he looked at Ash. “You can bring your friend over there if you like.”

My mind suddenly went blank when I heard him inviting me, for the first time! I could just explode with happiness right now!

“Of course, we’re happy to join you guys. Right, Ash?” I turned to look at my friend, who’s standing on my right, while silently pleading with him to say yes to what I’m saying here.

“Y-yeah. Definitely wouldn’t want to miss it.” he agreed.

Later on, I could see myself walking right behind Pete with his buddies while Ash looked someone who was forced to join here, as we walked towards the said dorm room of his buddy. Well, I did somehow forced him to come. My bad.

“Looks like you\re planning to use me as your human shield.” Ash suddenly muttered under his breath.

“Sorry. I’ll make it up to you next time I promise.” I turned to look at him and grinned.

Then I heard him heaved out a sigh. “You better keep that promise.”

“Are you okay back there?” I was taken aback when I saw Pete turned around to look at us. I swiftly smiled at him.

“Yes. We’re good.”

***

Finally, after several minutes of walking, we have reached the venue of the exclusive party that Pete mentioned earlier. It’s also quite spacious, I must say, like the ones we had for Alpha Students. The only difference here is, they are required to have one roommate while Alpha Students could have the room all to themselves.

I was a bit surprised to see the whole room already packed with students that aren’t even familiar to me the moment we got here. The stereo was filling the four corners of the room with the song: We Can’t Stop by Miley Cyrus is playing on the background. Several of them are dancing to the beat, while the others are busy having chitchats with their specific groups.

All of a sudden, I felt as if I’m an outcast here. But then as I looked at my best friend here, all of my anxiety seemed to fade away in an instant.

Pete brought us to a corner where empty monoblock chairs were placed before speaking up once again.

“I’ll be back for you guys. I’ll just have to meet up with my friends over there,” he said while pointing to some group of freshman students also.

“Sure. Go ahead.” was all I said before Pete left us and went with his friends.

After he disappeared in my sight, I turned to look at Ash, who has already left my side without me knowing.

Now where could that guy be--

I stopped jerking my head to and fro when I finally spotted him getting shanghai rolls and placed it on his plate. When I was able to go after him, I looked at him with a teasing smile.

“I thought you’re against being here?” I teased. That made him stop getting food on the buffet table and went towards an empty monoblock chair.

“I didn’t say anything at all,” he replied quite defensively before he took a seat with the paper plate on his hands.

Rolling my eyes at him, I started to get my paper plate and went near the buffet table as well. As soon as my plate was full, I immediately went to Ash and sat beside him.

The moment I sat down on my chair, that’s the time he stood up from his seat and handed me his plate.

“Bathroom break.” he briefly said these two words before dashing his way towards the washroom.

I started to eat the food on my plate when I noticed that Pete is not around here anymore. I wonder where did he go.

Curiosity got the best of me and so I stood up from my seat, placed both of mine and Ash’s plate on top of the empty monoblock chair, and started to walk to look for Pete.

Well, maybe after this party, I could somehow level up our status from total strangers to being friends… and eventually to being lovers! I will just have to find a way to be close to him.

Sounds like a great plan.

“Excuse me, have you seen Pete?” I asked Pete’s circle of friends where he was talking to earlier.

His buddy walking with him earlier was the one who replied. “I just saw him walked outside.”

Hmm...outside?

“Oh, okay then. Thanks.”

After that brief conversation with Pete’s friend, I hastily went out of the dorm room to look for the lad. Now what is he doing here if the party’s still going on inside--

I stopped dead in my tracks the moment I saw the lad, that I was looking for today, is with that blonde girl that he’s also with earlier along with that guy with huge biceps. They stood hidden behind a large Narra tree, and err...literally making out right now.

They seemed not to be aware of my presence, so I decided to hide behind the bushes that are only an earshot away from them.

“What about that girl earlier? Weren’t you into her?” I heard that girl asked after they pulled away from the kiss.

There was a moment of silence before I saw that smirk on the corner of Pete’s red lips.

“Nah. I was just obliged to invite her to this party because of this bet that me and my friends made. And it sure looks like I would easily get the money since she seemed to be head over heels with me.”

Pete’s words almost crushed my heart and tore it into tiny, little pieces. He...he isn’t the same guy that I used to know when I first saw him when we were still kids.

“A bet?”

I can see the bewildered look on both of their faces as they turned to look at me in synchrony when I decided to reveal myself to them.

“So that’s why you were so kind to me these past few days, and even invited me to this party… is all because of a bet?!”

The sides of my jaw clenched as I gave each of them an icy stare. Pete looked confused in his place.

“Where on earth did you come from--”

“Doesn’t matter.” I interrupted him before he could continue what he’s about to say.

I guess this is my cue to walk out from here. Instead of answering him, I chose to turn my back on them and took several steps away from them.

“Karen, please, it’s not what you think--”

I felt a strong hand gripped on my right hand, which caused me to turn swiftly at him. As soon as I felt his hand pulled away from mine, I heard a soft thud as we saw him fell on the ground with his eyes shut and with his whole body shaking hysterically because of my powers getting out of hand.

Oh my gosh! What did I do?

“What did you do to him, you bi*tch?!”Blondie exclaimed on top of her lungs, which easily caught the other students’ attention inside the room since they started going out and quickly surrounded us.

That made me an instant center of attention as those pair of eyes stared at me with full of hate and judgment.

“She was the one who did this to Pete! Somebody get help, please!”

I was just here, standing like a total idiot, while I let this girl made her accusations at me and let these people judge me. I don’t know what to do anymore.

“Let’s go.”

Among all these people surrounding me, I suddenly felt a warm hand grabbed my right hand and pulled me out of this mess. Tears started to swell up on both corners of my eyes when I decided to look up to know who it was.

It was Ash.

Time seemed to slow down all of a sudden as Ash pulled me out of the crowd and dragged me away from here. I also started running to match his pace, but I chose to remain silent.

Later on, he brought me back to the ice cream shop that we were supposed to go earlier if it hadn’t been for that jerk who invited us to their stupid party. He knew well that my comfort food is none other than chocolate-flavored ice cream.

As we sat down to an empty table for two, that’s the time he let go of my hand while wincing on the process.

“Ouch, that hurts like hell.” I heard him complained.

“I’m so sorry, I must have hurt you too back there.” One hand covered my mouth as I looked at him in a sincere apology.

There was a moment of silence after that…

“I was about to warn you of their plan earlier the moment I went out of the comfort room.” Ash was the first one who broke this awkward silence.

My eyes widened. “H-how--”

“I heard his buddies talking about this whole bet plan of making you fall for that jerk in exchange for twenty bucks.”

That made my head tilted downward and looked away from him.

“Am I not that pretty… to be taken seriously?” I asked sadly.

“What? Of course not!” Then he paused for a moment and held my chin to look up at him once more. “Believe me, you’re the most beautiful girl I have ever seen.”

As I came to make an eye to eye contact with him, that made my heart flutter all of a sudden, and made my lips curved up into a smile.

“Thank you, my ever-supportive bestie!”

Without giving him a warning, I encircled my arms around him in a tight hug.

“Hey, you’re going to electrocute me!” I heard him complain about which I chuckled.

“You’re being paranoid again.” Then I pulled away and showed him my smartwatch. “See? It’s green!”

“Tch, whatever. I’ll just go get our orders.” And with that, he stood up from his seat and walked towards the counter.

Ahh… I’ll always be grateful to have a best friend like him...

***

The next day, while I was on my way to the fourth floor of the general student building, I coincidentally come across Pete and that blondie from yesterday.

Thanks to Ash’s support in cheering me up, eventually I learned to move on from what happened back there at the party.

“Sorry, Pete. Anyway, I’ll go ahead.” I hastily took several steps away from them without waiting for their reply.

“Excuse me, miss…” I heard Pete spoke up, which got me confused and turned to look at him once again.

There’s something odd about the way he called me, like… we haven’t known each at all… or something like that.

The moment I was able to face him once again, he gave me this same confused look with mine as he opens his mouth to speak.

“...do we... know you?”