𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐈𝐀, carlos madrigal.

03.

RUMOURS
(the second meeting)

Rumi breathed heavily, her body trembling against the wall for support.

"You're already tired?" Carlos mocked despite panting heavily himself. He tugged at his collar, readjusting it so that he exposed his collarbone.

"So what if I am?" Rumi retaliated, prepared to defend herself once more. Her pride was simply too important that she refuses to allow even the slightest insult.

"We've been running for only two hours straight, I thought you'd still have some energy left." Carlos ran a hand through his hair, sighing.

"If you're so sure that you have more energy left, go ahead and run for two more hours." Rumi glared at him, crossing her arms as she quickly recovers.

"You wanna bet on it?" Carlos laughed, his eyes filled with mischief and smugness. "I do." Rumi narrowed her gaze, stepping closer in an attempt to intimidate him.

Just then, Mirabel and another girl entered the house staring directly at them with confusion and amusement.

"Are we interrupting something?" Mirabel chuckles, pointing to Rumi and Carlos.

Rumi hadn't realized how close she was to Carlos. In fact, their faces were centimetres away from eachother.

The position they were in seemed like something that would've came from an 'Enemies to Lovers' romance book.

Rumi stepped away from Carlos, huffing and crossing her arms as she glared at the boy who towered over her.

"Not at all. In fact, I was just getting ready to leave." Rumi grumbled.

"Sure you were." Carlos laughed, staring down at the girl condescendingly before he turned and walked away with a smug grin.

Haydyn stared at Rumi, her mouth hung open in surprise. "You! It's you from earlier!" She exclaimed in disbelief.

"What?" Rumi raised her brow, balancing most of her weight onto her left leg. "You're the girl who I bumped into!" Haydyn explains quickly, stuttering over herself.

"I don't recall such a thing happening." Rumi shrugged her shoulders. "I do." Mirabel joined in with a smile.

"You must've mistaken me for someone else." Rumi concluded.

"No way! I am a hundred percent sure that it was you who I bumped into!" Haydyn gestured to the dirt lingering on her yellow dress.

Rumi didn't seem to respond anymore. Her irritated expression changed into one of disinterest.

She walked past Mirabel and Haydyn, refusing to acknowledge them and what had happened earlier.

Mirabel attempts to stop Rumi by stepping in front of the door. Only to fail once Rumi effortlessly slipped past. Mirabel sighed as she looked at Haydyn apologetically.

"Sorry about her, I'm sure that I can clean your dress up if I have time!" Mirabel suggested.

"No, no, It's fine." Haydyn sighed as she looked down at the bat plushie, she clutched it closer to her chest before she proceeded to smile once again.