Muffin Love

Chapter 19

<Ginger's POV>

My eyes were still fixed on my phone, still remembering Dave's sweet text, the awkward events yesterday, and...

Johan.

A week had yet to pass, and we still haven't talked, texted, or apologized whatsoever. Even when he confessed to me face to face, right after a fight. But Dave just confessed to me through a text. I didn't know who was sweeter or heartbreaking. Speaking of heartbreaking...

I finally snapped out of it and decided to text either or both Johan and Dave later after class. I turned off my phone, still facing it, and it reflected my face. I slightly fixed my hair before I went upstairs, until I saw someone else's reflection at my back. He looked like he was heading towards me. My heart racing, I quickly hid my phone on my pocket and tried to erase that face from my head again, but it only got worse. Though panting heavily with all the memories breaking through, I bolted to the stairs and dashed to my classroom.

As I got there, all of my friends were already seated. Five minutes was left until our Geology teacher came. I panicked.

"Guys," I huffed. "I-I, please let me, um, uh...!"

"What, have a lisp?" Renee was the usual Sass Queen even in the morning.

France tried to calm me down by grabbing my shoulders and stopping me from shivering. "What's the matter?"

"I just...! I-I saw...him! Erm...!" I panicked. My heart continued to beat faster: I felt like I was going to faint.

"She has a lisp." Renee told France.

"No!" I suddenly barked. I started to fan myself with my hand. "He-he was...there! At my back! Behind m-me...! T-the memories...," I continued to rapidly huff.

"Oh no...," France looked around, worried at my "condition". "Where's Dave when you need him?"

"Um, it's Johan that you need, Ginger." Renee corrected France.

"Seriously, guys?!" I wiped my whole face with my hand. "Well, I don't want him sitting b-beside me!"

"Who? Johan?" Renee guessed.

"No."

"Um, Dave, right?" France gushed like she was going to win in some reality show or something.

"No! It's--!"--until I caught the Geology teacher, Miss Stones (don't ask), walking down the hall outside, heading towards the classroom door with a student--"j-just sit beside me so he won't!"

"Sorry, but we chose to stay in that side," Renee pointed her thumb opposite to where I planned on sitting. "That was why I kept insisting for us to go to Art class. This room has bad chair arrangement."

"B-but--!"

"Oh no, Miss Stones is there!" France sought her also. "Sorry, Ginger!"

"No-o!" I whined.

Miss Stones and the student, walking beside her, entered. France and Renee hurriedly dived back into their seats, and so did everyone else immediately scrambled back to theirs, bumping each other. I was the last one standing. My eyes fixed on the student the way I just did at my phone. I slowly sat down, my head still following him as he walked.

"Terribly sorry for being a minute or two late, class," Miss Stones was still precise after we greeted. "Now, we have a new student, and I don't really have much time to fully introduce him," she announced. "Forgive me that I must have been earlier, but all I think I must mention is his name: you may just call him

Rayo."

I felt that my heart skipped more than one beat, followed by really quick ones. I suddenly heard a collection of gasps from my side. I turned to see a wave of widened-eyes, heads turning to see my weary face.

"What happened? He happened." My groggy eyes read.

"You're very lucky that the seat beside Ginger is vacant," Miss Stones smiled at him.

"Have you ever tried to stop for at least a second to consider if I am lucky, too?" I mumbled under my breath.

Miss Stones continued, "she is one of the best students at Geology. You could very much sit by her if she doesn't mind--"

That was when I really lost it and burst out. "No, Miss Stones, I do mind! Why can't you ask permission first the way we ask permission to go to the Comfort Rooms!? You think every student is permissive, don't you?! Well, guess what?! No!!"

"That's enough, head." I muttered, trying to listen to what Miss Stones was saying before he'd sit beside me, but it was too late.

He headed to the seat by me. I immediately looked the opposite direction, my elbow carrying my fist to support the side of my head, facing my friends. They're eyes were all locking into Rayo's every move.

I faced front to look like I wasn't bored or anything, but I was terribly distracted. My pupils followed wherever Miss Stones kept walking around, my mind dubbing her mouth in the foreign language only I know: blah, bleh, bluh, bhlah. Normally, this didn't happen every Geology class, but now it did.

Because of him.

Don't make me say his name.

I sighed out of boredom, then stupidly and suddenly blurted, "long time no see," I muttered to him.

"Um...," he puzzled. "Actually, I think it's more of Never Seen."

I gasped. "Um, what?"

"I don't know you."

My eyes quickly checked the whole classroom and Miss Stones left to talk to another teacher outside the hallway. Then as I realized that the coast was clear, I burst into laughter, sorrow still piercing my heart. "Right. Nice one. So you're saying that you want to restart all over again?" I plastered a fake smile, but it somehow felt genuine deep down.

"Um, what are you talking about?"

Silence was drawn all over the aura around us, not minding the irritating shouts and recklessness of the class. My heart started to beat faster. I took a deep breath.

"Um, n-nevermind..." I tried blinking back the tears as I faced front again.

I started zoning out once more as I stared at my Geology teacher.

Um, I was thinking that today was the perfect time to ask you... To ask you out for the dance.

I quickly turned to him, bewildered. "But it's Friday the Thirteenth."

"Is it me who's out of my mind, or are you out of your mind and being superstitious right in the middle of Geology class?"

"W-what...?!" I immediately turned my head to see him actually facing me and talking to me.

"Um, uh...!" I started breathing profusely, attempting to catch my breath. This was all happening too fast.

"Woah, are you alright?!" He shrieked, grabbing one of my shoulders.

My eyes widened and I felt like I was going to faint.
***************
<A/N>

Haii~

So, Ethan or Genom isn't here. YET. Donh worry because I planned it all out. They could be in the next chapter. And, yes, I placed Rayo back c:

That's all I can say for now. Sorry again for late publish (i think) because I've been so stuck up in reading Book Four of the Selection series, The Heir, and I had to recover because it's been the only thing in my head ever since.

Anyhoo, thanks for reading, voting, and comments ya.