Lovingly yours

"The hell... I-I can't keep up with them," I think, looking at the bunch of beautiful girls in front of me: Anna, Luna, and Emerald.

"You ok, Lily?"

I hear this kind voice, maybe directed at me. I look up toward it, toward the cute girl with short hair. How could someone be kind and pretty at the same time?

"U ok?"

"Ye-yeah, I am fine."

"Oh, alright then." She smiles.

Yup, so this girl is Anna. She is the mom of the group. She cares about everyone—but don't go by her face, she is scary when she is angry.

Before her sits the cold beauty, Luna.

"Did you submit the assignment?" Luna asks.

"Yeah, I did."

Damn, Luna scared me. I thought she was gonna throw me out of class for some issue that I don't even know if I caused or not. So, where I was? Yeah—don't go into her name, she is cold but disciplined.

"Umm, is there any problem?"

"Nope, nothing." Emerald smiles.

Ya, so this girl Emerald. She looks at me sometimes with those weird, observant eyes. Idk what she wants from me. She is the most popular among the group, the one that's perfect. She gets what she wants. She smiles and talks to everyone. She does what is needed: good grades, sexy body, good at sports, well-spoken, and from a rich family. She is what any guy would desire, actually. She makes me feel so down about myself since, like now, she always is looking at me in this weird, judging manner.

I don't deserve to be in this group. Ik this group doesn't really suit me, but I really wanted to hang out with them. Anna is really kind and they radiate the energy that they would accept me. Though I didn't know I would be part of the group, I talked to Anna and asked to be friends with all of them, and then they started including me in everything and I became part of the group. Idk how?? But I sit with them in lunch everyday.

So coming back to Emerald, maybe I am aware of why—

"Hey, how are you guys?"

I look up at that handsome voice. Standing there was Harry. He is so damn good looking and has such a dripping, honey-like voice. And on top of that, he doesn't say anything bullying to me since the day I came to this high school. He talks to everyone with that easygoing but cool manner, and never commented anything bad about me as well. Gosh, I won't say I never liked a man before, but I never had an interaction with them either. But he always asks for a book from us when he forgets his, borrows anything he needs from us, and invites us all to his game as well. He doesn't ask them to exclude me. Yah, and his game—he plays football. Omg he is so darn sexy doing that, like every girl, I love to see his game too much. Though Anna and Luna don't really seem that interested. Well, popular people require more right, I guess? Well, let it be!!!! Idc now. Today if he—

"So, you guys ready for my game today as well?" he says with that easygoing voice of his. Gosh, he is so cool.

"We might come if you are so kind to invite us EVERYTIME," Anna says. She is sarcastic, though.

"I—" I open my mouth to say something.

"I suppose we could come if you want our presence so much there, why not?" Emerald says.

She—she always does that. The moment I was gonna say something, she interrupted me with her charm, and of course he would look at her.

"Oh, is it me wanting your presence, or you wanting to watch me all sweaty, ha?" He laughs.

"Don't get too cocky." She elbows him and, yeah, they laugh together.

Suddenly, my finger feels cold all of a sudden. I don't notice anything. This is annoying, but of course... I breathe out a bit. She is better than me, ain't she?

*Next Day*

Sitting in my class, scrolling. Ugh, are there no better... oh wait! The Theory of Everything! Omggggg, I can watch it for free!

I rest my chin on my hands. Some people think that biotics are boring, but nonono, they are the best piece of media to ever exist. To know such an interesting person existed is just the best part about it. I swing my legs. Gonna watch it first thing at home. I tilt my head slightly right. Ahhhhhhhhhh.

I saw Emerald sitting beside me. Did—did she hear everything? Shit, she always gives me looks. She must think I am more annoying.

"U ok?" she asks normally. Yeah, like she didn't hear me talking about my weird obsession and nearly jumpscaring me.

"Y-yeah," I reply. I sit down quietly.

"You like biopics?" she asks.

So she did hear me!

"Yeah, I do. Weird, right?"

She starts conversations with me sometimes, though we are so opposite we can never continue it. It’s just her need to start conversations with everyone—just extrovert things.

"Well, that's—" She was saying something.

"Hey guys, where are the others?"

I hear this charming voice and look up. Harry. Oh damn, he is here, as fresh as ever. He is giving that hot smile while talking to us with that playful tone. I love his voice.

"Thy—" I was putting a step ahead to talk to him.

"They have a life, yk. Unlike you, they are in the canteen," Emerald interrupts.

She always does whenever I talk to him! Before I even say something, she interrupts.

"These are the moments that are sharp and brutal, that hurt, yk," he says, biting back a smile.

That—that hurts me. Her sharp comments also make you smile, damn it. I feel my fingertips get cold a bit.

"Anyway, why don't you guys come to the match? It's gonna be fun as always," he says.

"Well—"

"We would come," I interrupted her finally.

"Oh, great then. I will be waiting for you guys then, bye," he says.

"Bye."

I left my hand a bit to reply, but when I look at her, she is looking at me again with that expression. Was she gonna deny him? Play hard to get? She always gives me that look that feels disgusted... or jealous of me?? How could she be jealous of me? I ain't even beautiful like her.

I sit down slowly. "I am sorry, I—" I try to ease the tension.

"It's ok, you must really love football," she interrupts.

She loves interrupting me, doesn't she? And I guess it might be sure that I like him, yet she is saying that she must be giving me chances. Though, that expression of hers... she isn't cold to anyone, mostly not even to me, but when it comes to him, she treats me like that. I might be imagining things, but that expression of hers really reminds me of my middle school. It makes my stomach churn, the way the—

"I am going to the canteen." She suddenly stands up.

"Huh?" I look up at her, seeing her fix her skirt.

"The match is after break, right? Meet us in the ground, we will watch it together," she says with an obligatory smile and leaves just like that.

After giving me that expression, she is back to her original self: calm, charming, confident. I clench my fist a bit, looking down. It doesn't matter what happens, I will go to the match.

*After Lunch*

I walk over to them. Harry is standing there and talking to Emerald, how they are smiling and laughing, like so casual.

"Aren't Emerald and Harry like perfect? They would make a perfect couple. If I can't have him, at least Emerald should have him," I hear some girls talking in the background. They aren't wrong, though. Both of them are—

"HEY!"

I look up. There it is, Anna calling me. Emerald is still talking to Harry, but Anna and Luna are looking at me.

"Come here!" Anna shouts.

"Yeah, coming." I smile a bit.

I don't wanna show them my expression with clear disappointment. I jog to them. "Hey."

When I am near them, I hear his voice. "Can you pass me that?" With that smile, he is talking to me. I am stunned for a sec.

"That. Can you pass me that?" he repeats.

"Yeah—I—"

He leans over and picks up his bottle behind me. I can smell his cologne. Who puts cologne before a match? This dude. But he smells amazing. But then I again look at her. That expression... but it's worse this time. Harry has gone ahead with his bottle, but Emerald—her expression doesn't change. She stares at me, and that expression of hers is enough to instill fear in me. My hands are shaking, but she is the same.

After a while, she sits on the bench just a few minutes before the match starting. I also sit beside Anna. Emerald is sitting beside Luna, who is just sitting there without speaking anything. Anna is looking at me as if she sees my fear.

"Today you aren't fine, are you?" I look at Anna. She is speaking to me with that furrowed brow. She is really worried.

"I-I am fine."

"No, you have been saying that, but—"

"SO LADIES AND THEIR BOYFRIENDS OR GIRLFRIENDS WE DON'T MIND, WE ARE WELCOME TO THE THIRD MATCH OF THE MONTH BETWEEN THE CLASS A OF 1ST YEAR VS CLASS C OF FIRST YEAR! THIS IS GONNA BE A FIRST-CLASS MATCH SINCE WE KNOW YOU ARE HERE TO WATCH HARRY CALEB, BUT DON'T BE BIASED GIRLS TOWARDS OTHER TEAMS SINCE THEY HAVE WORKED HARD AS WELL!"

Anna was saying something but got interrupted by the announcement. The match is starting, ain't it? Though I am still staring at Harry, who is blowing kisses to everyone. He is so cute, though. Still, Emerald scares me. My legs are still shaking from her stare, but I wont give up just by that. If one day I could have courage, I would ask to be his gf. I would. But not right now, I don't have the guts.

"SO THERE, THE BALL IS WITH THE CLASS A, LET'S SEE WILL HARRY CALEB SHOW HIS MATCH IN THIS AGAIN AS WELL!"

The match did start. He is so serious. I like this part about him—he is so goofy all the time, but then so serious when it counts. I give this faint smile. But then I notice Emerald's stare again. Why the hell is she like this? She can get anyone, despite that, she always—

"OH, DID OUR STAR GET THE BALL? LET'S SEE IF HARRY CAN TAKE A GOAL, LET'S SEE THIS GOAL IS GONNA BE—"

And he hits it! Harry straight up gets the ball inside the goal with a loud cheer from the crowd. He looks at everyone, smiling and laughing, then he looks here. Straight here. Huh? Why is he—

That's when my heart just started beating loudly. Damn it, he is so—darn, my cheeks started to turn red. He is looking—

But then I suddenly remember about Emerald. She must be looking at me anyway. And when I look at her, SHE IS!! Of course, she is a girl, if you like him at least look at him, why me?

But this time, something is different. She turns to look at him slowly. Her expressions were warm? Kinda weird. Did she realize that he was looking at me, maybe—

"Damn, was he looking here? WAS HE? WAS HE!!!! He must be looking at me!" My ears perked up, listening to the girls behind me.

"Oh no, he was looking at me," another girl said.

"Shut up, guys, use your brain. This is a wide area, if he has to, he would look at Emerald or Anna or even Luna, not at you," the third girl said.

"Oh c'mon, you don't have to be so meannnn," the first girl said.

"I kinda agree, though," the second girl proceeded.

"Eh, you are changing sides after agreeing with me? C'mon, but yeah, there are other girls he must be looking at," she said sadly.

"I meant he could be looking at you also, I just said it's a wide area, he could look at anyone," she says with a bit of guilt.

"No, he must be looking at them only," the first and second girls say in unison.

"Oh c'mon, don't make me feel bad."

I look a bit back, seeing the third girl wrapping her arms around the neck of her friends. "Don't sweat it," she says. She is kinda cool. I wish I was like that girl too, idk her name, but... I sigh.

I am totally lame. Quite a bit of time has passed after the match has started. It's coming to an end. Some left, some stayed. Many girls are here for reasons ik. Why Harry seems so concentrated, yup, I love this side of him.

They got this penalty.

"This is a hard time for team A. They have this chance to win or lose. If they win, they will finally qualify for the school-to-school tournament, and if they didn't, they could always try for the next year." Even the announcer sounds tensed, even though he tries to release the tension by casualness. But since he is from class A as well, he just can't, and his usual loud voice is down as well.

I look up at that handsome voice. Standing there was Harry. He is so damn good looking and has such a dripping, honey-like voice. And on top of that, he doesn't say anything bullying to me since the day I came to this high school. He talks to everyone with that easygoing but cool manner, and never commented anything bad about me as well. Gosh, I won't say I never liked a man before, but I never had an interaction with them either. But he always asks for a book from us when he forgets his, borrows anything he needs from us, and invites us all to his game as well. He doesn't ask them to exclude me. Yah, and his game—he plays football. Omg he is so darn sexy doing that, like every girl, I love to see his game too much. Though Anna and Luna don't really seem that interested. Well, popular people require more right, I guess? Well, let it be!!!! Idc now. Today if he—

"So, you guys ready for my game today as well?" he says with that easygoing voice of his. Gosh, he is so cool.

"We might come if you are so kind to invite us EVERYTIME," Anna says. She is sarcastic, though.

"I—" I open my mouth to say something.

"I suppose we could come if you want our presence so much there, why not?" Emerald says.

She—she always does that. The moment I was gonna say something, she interrupted me with her charm, and of course he would look at her.

"Oh, is it me wanting your presence, or you wanting to watch me all sweaty, ha?" He laughs.

"Don't get too cocky." She elbows him and, yeah, they laugh together.

Suddenly, my finger feels cold all of a sudden. I don't notice anything. This is annoying, but of course... I breathe out a bit. She is better than me, ain't she?

*Next Day*

Sitting in my class, scrolling. Ugh, are there no better... oh wait! The Theory of Everything! Omggggg, I can watch it for free!

I rest my chin on my hands. Some people think that biotics are boring, but nonono, they are the best piece of media to ever exist. To know such an interesting person existed is just the best part about it. I swing my legs. Gonna watch it first thing at home. I tilt my head slightly right. Ahhhhhhhhhh.

I saw Emerald sitting beside me. Did—did she hear everything? Shit, she always gives me looks. She must think I am more annoying.

"U ok?" she asks normally. Yeah, like she didn't hear me talking about my weird obsession and nearly jumpscaring me.

"Y-yeah," I reply. I sit down quietly.

"You like biopics?" she asks.

So she did hear me!

"Yeah, I do. Weird, right?"

She starts conversations with me sometimes, though we are so opposite we can never continue it. It’s just her need to start conversations with everyone—just extrovert things.

"Well, that's—" She was saying something.

"Hey guys, where are the others?"

I hear this charming voice and look up. Harry. Oh damn, he is here, as fresh as ever. He is giving that hot smile while talking to us with that playful tone. I love his voice.

"Thy—" I was putting a step ahead to talk to him.

"They have a life, yk. Unlike you, they are in the canteen," Emerald interrupts.

She always does whenever I talk to him! Before I even say something, she interrupts.

"These are the moments that are sharp and brutal, that hurt, yk," he says, biting back a smile.

That—that hurts me. Her sharp comments also make you smile, damn it. I feel my fingertips get cold a bit.

"Anyway, why don't you guys come to the match? It's gonna be fun as always," he says.

"Well—"

"We would come," I interrupted her finally.

"Oh, great then. I will be waiting for you guys then, bye," he says.

"Bye."

I left my hand a bit to reply, but when I look at her, she is looking at me again with that expression. Was she gonna deny him? Play hard to get? She always gives me that look that feels disgusted... or jealous of me?? How could she be jealous of me? I ain't even beautiful like her.

I sit down slowly. "I am sorry, I—" I try to ease the tension.

"It's ok, you must really love football," she interrupts.

She loves interrupting me, doesn't she? And I guess it might be sure that I like him, yet she is saying that she must be giving me chances. Though, that expression of hers... she isn't cold to anyone, mostly not even to me, but when it comes to him, she treats me like that. I might be imagining things, but that expression of hers really reminds me of my middle school. It makes my stomach churn, the way the—

"I am going to the canteen." She suddenly stands up.

"Huh?" I look up at her, seeing her fix her skirt.

"The match is after break, right? Meet us in the ground, we will watch it together," she says with an obligatory smile and leaves just like that.

After giving me that expression, she is back to her original self: calm, charming, confident. I clench my fist a bit, looking down. It doesn't matter what happens, I will go to the match.

*After Lunch*

I walk over to them. Harry is standing there and talking to Emerald, how they are smiling and laughing, like so casual.

"Aren't Emerald and Harry like perfect? They would make a perfect couple. If I can't have him, at least Emerald should have him," I hear some girls talking in the background. They aren't wrong, though. Both of them are—

"HEY!"

I look up. There it is, Anna calling me. Emerald is still talking to Harry, but Anna and Luna are looking at me.

"Come here!" Anna shouts.

"Yeah, coming." I smile a bit.

I don't wanna show them my expression with clear disappointment. I jog to them. "Hey."

When I am near them, I hear his voice. "Can you pass me that?" With that smile, he is talking to me. I am stunned for a sec.

"That. Can you pass me that?" he repeats.

"Yeah—I—"

He leans over and picks up his bottle behind me. I can smell his cologne. Who puts cologne before a match? This dude. But he smells amazing. But then I again look at her. That expression... but it's worse this time. Harry has gone ahead with his bottle, but Emerald—her expression doesn't change. She stares at me, and that expression of hers is enough to instill fear in me. My hands are shaking, but she is the same.

After a while, she sits on the bench just a few minutes before the match starting. I also sit beside Anna. Emerald is sitting beside Luna, who is just sitting there without speaking anything. Anna is looking at me as if she sees my fear.

"Today you aren't fine, are you?" I look at Anna. She is speaking to me with that furrowed brow. She is really worried.

"I-I am fine."

"No, you have been saying that, but—"

"SO LADIES AND THEIR BOYFRIENDS OR GIRLFRIENDS WE DON'T MIND, WE ARE WELCOME TO THE THIRD MATCH OF THE MONTH BETWEEN THE CLASS A OF 1ST YEAR VS CLASS C OF FIRST YEAR! THIS IS GONNA BE A FIRST-CLASS MATCH SINCE WE KNOW YOU ARE HERE TO WATCH HARRY CALEB, BUT DON'T BE BIASED GIRLS TOWARDS OTHER TEAMS SINCE THEY HAVE WORKED HARD AS WELL!"

Anna was saying something but got interrupted by the announcement. The match is starting, ain't it? Though I am still staring at Harry, who is blowing kisses to everyone. He is so cute, though. Still, Emerald scares me. My legs are still shaking from her stare, but I wont give up just by that. If one day I could have courage, I would ask to be his gf. I would. But not right now, I don't have the guts.

"SO THERE, THE BALL IS WITH THE CLASS A, LET'S SEE WILL HARRY CALEB SHOW HIS MATCH IN THIS AGAIN AS WELL!"

The match did start. He is so serious. I like this part about him—he is so goofy all the time, but then so serious when it counts. I give this faint smile. But then I notice Emerald's stare again. Why the hell is she like this? She can get anyone, despite that, she always—

"OH, DID OUR STAR GET THE BALL? LET'S SEE IF HARRY CAN TAKE A GOAL, LET'S SEE THIS GOAL IS GONNA BE—"

And he hits it! Harry straight up gets the ball inside the goal with a loud cheer from the crowd. He looks at everyone, smiling and laughing, then he looks here. Straight here. Huh? Why is he—

That's when my heart just started beating loudly. Damn it, he is so—darn, my cheeks started to turn red. He is looking—

But then I suddenly remember about Emerald. She must be looking at me anyway. And when I look at her, SHE IS!! Of course, she is a girl, if you like him at least look at him, why me?

But this time, something is different. She turns to look at him slowly. Her expressions were warm? Kinda weird. Did she realize that he was looking at me, maybe—

"Damn, was he looking here? WAS HE? WAS HE!!!! He must be looking at me!" My ears perked up, listening to the girls behind me.

"Oh no, he was looking at me," another girl said.

"Shut up, guys, use your brain. This is a wide area, if he has to, he would look at Emerald or Anna or even Luna, not at you," the third girl said.

"Oh c'mon, you don't have to be so meannnn," the first girl said.

"I kinda agree, though," the second girl proceeded.

"Eh, you are changing sides after agreeing with me? C'mon, but yeah, there are other girls he must be looking at," she said sadly.

"I meant he could be looking at you also, I just said it's a wide area, he could look at anyone," she says with a bit of guilt.

"No, he must be looking at them only," the first and second girls say in unison.

"Oh c'mon, don't make me feel bad."

I look a bit back, seeing the third girl wrapping her arms around the neck of her friends. "Don't sweat it," she says. She is kinda cool. I wish I was like that girl too, idk her name, but... I sigh.

I am totally lame. Quite a bit of time has passed after the match has started. It's coming to an end. Some left, some stayed. Many girls are here for reasons ik. Why Harry seems so concentrated, yup, I love this side of him.

They got this penalty.

"This is a hard time for team A. They have this chance to win or lose. If they win, they will finally qualify for the school-to-school tournament, and if they didn't, they could always try for the next year." Even the announcer sounds tensed, even though he tries to release the tension by casualness. But since he is from class A as well, he just can't, and his usual loud voice is down as well.

"GO FOR IT HARRYYYYY!" I hear some girls screaming. I don't have the courage to join them, but still, I hope from inside for him to win.

And then he runs, looking, analyzing, and then he HITS IT! The ball, with quite a swift motion, is gonna go into the goal with the corner, but then the goalkeeper slides, jumps, and just with this slight movement, the ball—he saves the goal!

"WOAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" A loud crowd erupts in cheers. Players run to hug and lift each other, and Harry falls on his knees.

THEY LOST. Honestly, I thought my heart broke by that. He looks so sad. Girls cheering for him are a bit sad.

"He lost."

"No, how could he?"

"Yeah, yeah, let's buy juice."

"No, how could heeee."

The girls behind me are talking. They have this disappointment of saying their favorite show did not win. I—I am so sad, this is just, ughh, should I go comfort him? Wait, idk how—

"A good match, ehh, wasn't it?"

Emerald. She is talking to me, and with that formal smile again. Is she mocking me? I mean, he lost, why would I be mocked? But she clearly sees the sad expression on my face, yet—

"Or are you sad your crush lost?"

My eyes widen at her statement. I look up at her, and she has this sarcastic smile on her face. Not too much, but enough for me to understand. Why the hell is she like this? Can't she see he is so sad? Can't she?

And before I could think much, I spoke up. "If you like him, go comfort him! Why the hell are you targeting and trolling me? Playing hard to get won't work on him, or even if it does, that's not love!"

I say that, gasping, since that's definitely not something I usually say. Definitely not, I don't have the courage! Yet, I look at her face. It looks weird. She isn't angry, sad, or anything—just shocked. She must be wondering how, out of all people, I could say that. Fortunately, Anna and Luna weren't here; I don't wanna drag them into her petty act, since she hasn't dragged them as well.

While she is looking down on me—

"Oh Harry, it's alright man, it—"

A voice heard from beside us interrupts my thoughts. I look there, and there was Harry, going, throwing his shoes, and going to the changing room. He looks angry, disappointed even in himself. It's not his fault. How could I tell him? I—I will go to him.

And then I run off, not looking back. Even though ik her expressions, it is... I look a bit back with my side eye. She looks. My blood runs cold. She has that killer expression on her face.

I fumbled but didn't fall. It's scary. She is scary. Why the hell is she so weird? If she likes him, she just should go to him. Why the hell is she glaring at me? Does she not want any competition? Is that why??? But I keep moving until I reach the changing room.

I stand there, huffing, sweating. I ran here after all. I was standing at a corner so other boys won't be interrupted, looking up every second to check when he comes out of the changing room. I tap my feet. I am tired, and suddenly, her stare is what I remember. I hate her honestly. I never did, but at this moment, I do seriously. Why the—

Or maybe I am overthinking, idk. I lean on something. I look back to find a vending machine and with that, a small grin joins my face. I should buy something cold for him, idk what he likes, so something juice or water. Thinking that, I bought quite a lot of things.

As I stand there leaning on the wall, I hear footsteps. I look up, but there is no one there. But fortunately, Harry comes out soon enough. He is tired, in his normal clothes. But he isn't looking sexy... or maybe he is, but that's not important. He must be angry, sad, tired.

I go to him. "Harry."

He looks back. Gosh, his smile—it went away. No, I—a so—

"What?" He sounds a bit annoyed. I mean, why not?

I clutch the bag in my hand. "I-I am sorry. You must have worked really hard, but—"

"It's alright, idc. Somebody had to lose, it's better if the better team goes, it's alright," Harry says.

"Harry, u ok?" A voice comes from behind—his friend maybe, or a teammate, idk.

"I have to go, bye," he says.

Even if he lost, he is still taking this positively, and here I am, a damn coward. I take a deep breath in.

"HARRY, WAIT! I HAVE TO TELL YOU SOMETHING!"

He looks behind. I look behind him. Emerald is standing there, wide-eyed. It's my chance. If you won't, I will. I will. I will win, Emerald.

"I LIKE YOU! Would you go out with me?" I say. It wasn't really loud, but clear enough for everyone surrounding us to hear.

He stepped a bit back. "Actually, I—"

After a bit of registering everything, he speaks. "Am I so ugly?"

I hear a voice. It was HIS.

"Huh?" My mouth opened, making that sound.

"Am I so ugly?" He sounds sarcastic. "See, no other meaning to it, but like, guys, am I really that ugly? You know, girl, I am asking you. I mean seriously, there are a lot of girls that ask me out, yk, or even confess to me. But like, even I have standards, yk. I mean, see, I wouldn't have said anything if you just said 'I like you,' but the audacity to ask for me to go out with you? I mean, ain't that obvio?"

He looks behind, chuckles a bit, looking at his friend who seems a bit awkward. But some behind him laugh with him, more loudly than him.

"You asking me out is like a pig asking a prince on a date."

Haha. Haha. Seriously, of course he is right.

"You know I was—" He is saying a lot of things right now, but I can't hear anything. My rose-tinted romance with a bit of hurdles is over. I thought Emerald was a hurdle for me, that he is kind, charming...

"I always talked to Emerald," Harry continues. "You tried speaking up, but my girl didn't let you, honestly. I was talking to you for Emerald, to get her, yk. How would I ever wanna date you with her there? Honestly, I thought you knew your standards and tried to support me. I didn't know you had this bad obsession to get disrespected."

Some are laughing behind him. Though he did remind me of my insecurity, though... I look at myself. I am an ugly, fat pig, as everyone in my middle school said. Of course, haha. Haha. Yeah, why can't I hear anything? Yeah, this always happens to me. It seems like I am deep underwater. I can't hear, like my whole nervous system is filled with sewage water.

THUD.

I only hear this sound suddenly, like somebody sliced through that sea. And then I look up.

"Emerald," I say.

She is standing in front of me, hands in mid-air with this straight palm shape. Huh, did she—

Harry is standing there, looking the other way like he has been—

She looks at me. "Pearl."

Huh? Hey, that kinda gives this weird beat to my heart. Honestly, till some days, I have just been hearing "YOU OK, YOU THIS, YOU THAT." My name—has she ever taken it?

She steps in closer. I go back a bit.

"Are you ok, Pearl?" She l-looks so darn concerned. Did she slap him, the hell?

"THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU, BITCH!" I hear this loud, angry voice. It is Harry's. "HOW DARE YOU HIT ME! JUST BECAUSE I GAVE YOU A BIT OF ATTENTION DOESN'T MEAN YOU WOULD DARE HIT ME!"

She looks back and, in a calm manner, she says, "I didn't hit you because you talked to me, hell." She chuckled sarcastically. "I hated every moment you talked to me, it pissed me off. I hit you because you don't even know how to treat a person who cares about you."

She takes the poly bag out of my hand. I was clutching onto it like life support, but I just gave it to her like it was nothing.

"This girl," Emerald opens the bag, "orange juice, strawberry juice, cold milk, strawberry milk, lemon juice... the hell, IS IT FOR YOU, PEARL?"

"N-no," I say hesitantly. "I mean—"

"You heard her right, she didn't buy it all for her. Even if she likes to eat, she didn't buy it all for her, she—"

Emerald is saying things for me? Wait, what? It's—

"Of course not," Harry sneers. "How the hell would that fatty even agree that she didn't buy all that for herself? Of course she would—"

"This is warmer. Warmer than it is in the vending machine." Emerald touches the bottle to her cheek. "It's more warmer, like it has been kept like this for 5-7 minutes. Weren't you inside that changing room for quite that 5 to 9 minutes, right?"

Harry is quiet hearing that.

"The hell are you even trying to say?" he says after hesitating for a while.

"It means she waited here for you to change so SHE COULD FUCKING CHEER YOU UP! She stayed here, ran here, bought drinks, waited here, and the hell you did? You disrespected her! Broke her! Said those things about her! How the—"

She is saying that for me? And I?

"UGH! SO YOU AS A MAN WOULD YOU DATE A FAT GIRL LIKE HER?? IF YOU WERE A MAN, WOULD YOU DATE HER?!" Harry said that like he won the argument.

What—what the hell is he even saying? Why is he throwing such a weird question at her? I step forward. She doesn't have to—

"As a boy, ha." She looks him in the eye and turns toward me, big footsteps my way. Then she whispers, "Is it ok if I kiss you?" Loud enough for me to hear, low enough for nobody else.

"Ha-ha-ha, what? W-w-w-wait, what?"

"Yes or no, be quick," she insists.

I mean, she did fight for me, so maybe... "Y-yeas," I say weirdly.

But that was enough for her. And then she grabbed my waist, pulled me closer, and kissed me. I AM TELLING YOU, I HEARD EVERYONE GASP. T-t-this most desired, beautiful, popular girl just k-kissed me. The h-hell, and she is... what the... her tongue, it's so deep I can't breathe, the fuck. My eyes are having tears, the hell, aghh, but this doesn't feel so bad—no, no, no, what?!

"Hmm, mmm, em—"

She leaves me before I say anything, wiping her mouth proudly like she won something, even though this...

"SO, HARRY, NOW??"

Harry? I see his face. Yeah, I totally forgot about him. His mouth is open and... is he blushing, what?

"I-I—" Yeah, so he is inaudible. He is as shocked as me.

"You—you can't date. I mean, you won't date her. Ik it requires nothing to just kiss someone, but actual guts to date someone like that—"

And at that, she sits on her one knee and takes my hand in hers and kisses it. At this point, c'mon, everything I thought about this girl has taken a 360-degree turn, and I am officially identifying myself as a tomato. Honestly, I wasn't this red having my first crush as well. I mean, wait—THIS WAS MY FIRST KISS AND S-S-SHE TOOK IT SO CASUALLY, THOUGH SHE TOOK PERMISSION, BUT STILL!

Until I could think more—

"Would you be my girlfriend, Pearl Smith?"

This girl... what is this, A ROYAL PROPOSAL? THE HELL, SHIT! WHAT and WHY IS SHE SMIRKING? STOP HER, SOMEONE, EHHH!

"Would you be?" She tilts her head with a small smile.

"Y-yes." Wait, wha—

She smirks, stands up, and pulls me to her side by my waist. "So we are official, Mr. Harry Caleb. ANY ISSUES? ANYBODY WITH OUR RELATIONSHIP?"

WHY THE HELL IS SHE SAYING IT LIKE WE ARE MARRIED? WHAT THE HELLLL!

"Guess we will have to take care of each other, Pearl Smith." With that, she winks at me.

WINK! A WINKKKKKKK!!!! UGHHHH SO WHAT???????????