Study Partners {LEVIHAN}

Chapter 12: Slowly Falling in Love

Levi's POV

I know what I said to her dad, but I can't stop my heart from pounding whenever she calls my name. Sometimes it stops when she calls me. From time to time, she would take my hand, and it seems time stops. Being around her raises my temperature rise, and if it was visual, steam would be generating from me. If I could see my ears, they would be red and probably warm to the touch. We just walked into the mall, and I could feel my legs numbing.

"Levi?" She calls again as my heart pounds. "Where are we going to go first?"

"Food?" I blurted out, wincing from the embarrassment. 

"Food does sound good right now... what do you feel like eating?"

"I don't know," I smiled, walking up to her. "What do you want? I... I'll pay for lunch. Both of ours."

She shook her head, "That's a nice gesture, Levi, but I can handle myself, okay? I can handle it." She smiles softly to the point where I had to let her. Either way, she would've been grumpy with me... I didn't want that. "But... I do want a burger... burger, and fries. A milkshake to take with me as we walk- say, why did you want to go to the mall with me?"

"We're... uh... maybe we can go finding something to wear to the dance...?"

Hanji chuckles, "Huh, okay... that's something I never thought of... that's thoughtful of you, Levi."

"What were you going to wear to the dance?"

I loved how her shoulders raised and fell, "Honestly? I don't know. Probably would've spent hours finding something in my closet. What about you? Seems to me you also had something similar. Nothing in the closet but skeletons?"

"I don't have skeletons..."

She laughs softly, tugging my arm towards the food court. "Never mind, let's ignore that, okay? If we don't find anything, I'll go shopping with my mom for things to wear. But today isn't going to be a complete waste. After all, I'm hanging out with you."

I smiled at her, nodding my head. "Yeah... yeah, you're right."

We got to the food court and ordered our meals, yet we ate in silence. From time to time, we tried to make a conversation, but it slowly fell to nothing. We wrapped up lunch and went back into line for milkshakes. 

"Chocolate?" I ask Hanji as she ordered, "I thought you were a strawberry person."

"I am, but I love chocolate... after all, chocolate is a girl's best friend." She chuckles to herself. "Levi, it's your turn to order." Stumbling on my words, I also ordered a chocolate milkshake. "I thought you were a vanilla person."

"Maybe I just wanted to have chocolate," I replied to her as we exchanged smiles. 

After receiving our orders, we began to walk. Side by side, we walked. Soon, we came to one of these stores that Hanji pulled me into. I watched her eyes glint and gleam with joy. She rattles on about how she loved these boy band groups, stuff like that. Usually, I'm annoyed with girls who do that. Somehow, Hanji's different.

An hour passed, and we finally got to go into clothing shops. I, wholeheartedly, rejected the idea that I should be the first one to find an outfit for the dance. But Hanji said I should, so I did. We both agreed that we wouldn't wear formal stuff because it was just a silly dance. If I asked her out to prom, we would wear something formal. Maybe it'll be nicer to wear one of the tuxedos that I use to be a little chess piece in my uncle's work.

"How about black jeans?" Hanji holds out a pair, smiling softly. "You can wear a white buttoned-up shirt underneath a black jacket. Oh wait, are these jeans too big?"

"A little." I took a look at the jeans' tag. "Is there a smaller one?"

"This is the smallest one I could find. Sorry, Levi."

I chuckled softly, taking the jeans from her. "That's fine with me. I have a belt at home that I can use. It'll work, Hanji, it'll work."

"Do they sell white buttoned-up shirts on the rack? Or in the plastic? I've seen a few in plastics. Sadly, if they do, then we wouldn't be able to try it on. Is that okay with you?"

"I have a few at home, so it's okay."

Hanji raised an eyebrow, "A few? What about a black jacket? Do you have a few of those as well?"

I do. But they are too fancy and formal. But, I lied to her. The way she said that... it makes me a bit sad that Hanji doesn't spend more time in the boys' section. "I don't. We'll find a cheap one, right?"

She nods. "Of course. Should we get some help finding the black jacket?" We continued in this section. Soon, I'll see Hanji in a dress... I'm not sure if I'm ready to see her like that... in a nice dress...