Secret Affair.

It felt like forever that Lumi and Ren were staring at each other. The crowd surrounding them were just as shocked as Lumi was. She felt like she was dreaming.

When she clearly was not going to answer him at that moment he decided to grab one of her hands causing her to nervously drop her box of desserts.

He looked down at the box feeling bad they had fallen but he needed to get them out of the spotlight. He slowly pulled a stunned Lumi out of the crowd and walked her all the way out to the courtyard where they were finally alone.

When he found a suitable location for the two to discuss more he stopped and turned to look at the still dazed female. He sighed and let go of her hand looking off to the side. Lumi shook her head slightly to snap herself out of her confusion. She could not believe what was happening.

"Are you ok?" Ren finally asked, breaking their silence.

Lumi tried to talk but ended up coughing instead from the build up of saliva that sunk into the back of her throat.

"Ack, yeah…" She said in between coughs.

"Why did you ask me that back there?" She asked him after her coughing had stopped.

Ren wasn't sure how to answer him. Half of him really wanted to go out with Lumi because he didn't want her to be with someone else but then another half of him wanted to help her out of her previous situation. He knew how mean teenagers could be and after what happened in the library he didn't want her to be a target of anyone's bullying ever again. She was dear to him.

"You looked like you needed help." He decided to hold onto his feelings a little longer.

Ah, this makes more sense. Of course he didn't actually want to be my boyfriend. He was just being nice. She pondered in her head. She looked down at the ground with disappointment then flicked her hazel eyes up at him.

"I don't need your help Ren. I'm grown now." She muttered. Her tone was a little salty but true, he had left her alone for so many years.

She had learned how to handle bullies and rumors on her own. And with that she walked away from him and headed to her first class. Ren sat down on the ground with his back against the school wall as he placed a hand over his face thinking if he had messed things up even more between them.

The rest of the day there were whispers all around Lumi as she roamed the halls from class to class. If she wasn't the hot topic of the school year before she was now.

During lunch Jade had a million questions but Lumi deflected every one of them. Midway through lunch Freddy slowly approached their table and sat next to Lumi. Lumi smiled up at him to reassure him he did nothing wrong.

"I have something to tell you Lumi." He said with his head down so he couldn't look her in the eyes.

She looked at him puzzled.

"Earlier this year Chloe and I kind of made a deal. If I could make you confess your feelings for me at school I-I…I would reject you." He said ashamed.

Lumi and Jade sat there shocked looking at the blonde haired male.

"I'm sorry." He said, finally looking up at her with pleading eyes. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

Jade glared darts into Freddy while Lumi looked at him as if she was looking past him.

Chloe, that bitch is always up to something. She said in her head. Lumi knew full well why Chloe had done this. It was for revenge because she always thought she would have gotten a chance to be with Ren if Lumi wasn't around.

She wondered if Ren knew and that's why he had been coming around. He used to always try and protect her back in middle school and now he was doing it again. Her attention went back to the pleading blue eyes before her and she gave a faint smile.

"It's ok Freddy." She finally said.

Jade gasped, grabbing Lumi's shoulder to make sure she was serious. Lumi turned to look at Jade and gave her a faint smile as well.

"I always thought it was weird when you first tried to be my friend and then confessed your feelings for me. But we're cool now. Friends?"

Freddy grabbed one of her hands and squeezed it gently. His cheerful smile reappeared.

"Friends." He said before he left the table to rejoin his own.

Lumi tried her best to put on a smile for him as he left. She knew she sounded calm but deep down inside she did feel a knife in her back that had Chloe's and Freddy's name on it. She was thankful that he didn't twist it in however.

"What the heck Lume?" Jade asked mad at the fact she just let him go.

Lumi looked at her friend with tears slightly forming in her eyes. It was a rough day and it was finally starting to wear down on her.

When Jade saw her glassy eyes she hugged her friend into her arms. Lumi rested there for just a second before she slowly shrugged Jade off. She didn't want to cause a scene in front of the whole cafeteria.

"Can you take me home?" She asked.

Jade nodded and they packed up their lunches and left.

Later that night when Jade called Lumi she had a wonderful idea.

"Oh come on! You just pretend to go out with Ren, the whole school will probably stop calling you a thot and then Chloe will be absolutely miserable!" Jade said as her voice turned devious.

Lumi sat up in her bed and scrunched her face. "Mmm I don't know Jade. That sounds a bit much don't you think? And what about Ren, I doubt he will go for it."

Jade giggled on the other end. She knew Ren had felt something for Lumi and she was going to try to help the two rekindle their lost friendship. Or maybe more.

"I think he will. Ask him. Besides, we have one more year left in that hellhole, do you really want to spend all of senior year knowing Chloe will always be there to taunt you?"

Lumi looked down at her thighs and sighed. She really didn't want that. However Ren did ask her out already, maybe he would be up for it?

"I don't know. I'll think about it."

"Yes!" Jade shouted with excitement. "Hey he owes you for ditching you all those years."

Lumi winced a little at the last remark. But he did. If he wanted to make things better the least he could do was be in a fake relationship with her now. The two said their goodbyes and Lumi got ready for bed. She slowly drifted off thinking of that Christmas morning when they were just kids and she kissed him on the cheek.

The school week was coming to an end and surprisingly Lumi did not have any major issues occur. She had avoided Ren strategically and told Freddy she would need some space for the time being. She didn't mind the whispering anymore. It was almost the last period and she took a deep breath as she headed toward the class. One more hour. She said in her head.

"Aww poor Lumi. Looks like neither Ren or Freddy want anything to do with you now." Came the most annoying voice ever. Chloe.

Lumi turned around and was faced with Chloe and a few of her friends standing beside her. They were all smirking at Lumi. Lumi didn't shift her gaze from Chloe.

"What's your problem Chloe?" Lumi asked, fed up with all the rumors.

"Oh! I don't have a problem at all. You're just really pathetic to look at." Chloe and her minions all chuckled.

Lumi winced and then told herself to put on a brave face.

"Stop clinging onto all these guys you'll never get," Chloe leaned in to Lumi to whisper in her ear, "You look desperate."

As Chloe stepped back and her friends laughed more Jade ran up to stand beside Lumi when she noticed her being ganged up against. Before Jade could say a word Lumi stepped forward and scoffed.

"What do you mean? Didn't you hear Ren ask me out the other day? You were there."

Lumi smiled with satisfaction when she saw Chloe's reaction. Chloe was extremely pissed off.

"You're not actually dating are you?" A person chimed in from beside Chloe.

"We are. Ren's my boyfriend." Lumi said with glee. She felt bad for throwing Ren into the mess before even consulting him but he did ask her out first. And she was loving the misery she brought to Chloe at that moment.

Chloe's hands balled into fists beside her and her face grew red with anger. She had a crush on Ren since she met him and was upset from the news she just heard. She wanted to scream but instead stormed off. Her minions dispersed.

Jade stuck her tongue out at the passing female and turned to Lumi to giggle. "Oh my God Lume, you were amazing!"

Lumi finally took a breath of relief. Standing up to Chloe in front of an audience was harder than she thought. But she loved every moment of it.

"Did you talk to Ren already?" Jade asked.

Lumi's smile faded and in came the look of dread.

"Ha, wow aren't you just a dom." Jade joked.

"He won't be mad, do you think?" Lumi asked now concerned.

Jade shook her head and smiled. "I don't think he will be."

The two left arm in arm to their last class together.