Mixed feelings

Chapter 2: Return the favor

Later that evening, after eating dinner while explaining the situation to her parents, Yasmine couldn't sleep that whole night. Why was he helping her all of a sudden? What made him so soft and vulnerable towards her? And why did she feel so touched by his act of kindness? Her heart started to beat faster at the thought of him helping her, even though that was very unlike him.

And so couldn't William. He stayed awake as well, thinking about how she looked when she stayed on the ground, looking up at him with wide, teary eyes. Those eyes...

Those multi-colored eyes...

"Why is she so pretty?" He mumbled to himself as he hugged his pillow. He felt his cheeks warm up, and he moved his legs rapidly just at the thought of her. Was he getting nervous? It was just the girl who kept making fun of him, that's all. Why did she suddenly look so beautiful?

"I shouldn't have called her that..." He thought to himself as she looked out his window, staring at the starry sky with the moonlight shining in his room through the window. He suddenly calmed down and fell asleep...

That night, Yasmine felt that she needed to do something about it. For him to be so helpful towards her was a rare occurrence, and she needed to do something about it to savor the moment.

Then she got an idea. She could give him something in return as a thank-you gift. Luckily she was passionate about arts and crafts, which gave her the perfect opportunity to craft something for him.

. . . 

"But, what am I going to craft? He won't just take anything I make him... There must be something he likes in particular..."

She thought for a moment, but her mind remained blank. She didn't know a thing about him! What was she going to do?

All she could think about was to ask someone. A boy, perhaps. She snuck out of her room and into her older brother's room, gently shaking him as she whispered.

"Hey, Evan. Wake up" She muttered.

A quiet grunt escaped the brown-haired boy's lips as he slightly turned his head with tired, squinted eyes.

"Yasmine, go to sleep..." He mumbled tiredly.

"I just need to ask you something, Evan. It's urgent."

"I don't think it is, Yasmine. You always end up saying stupid things in the middle of the night. Waking me up, no less..."

"Just hear me out, will you?"

Evan sighed, turning around to face his sister.

"What do you want?"

"Do you know what boys are into? Like, what would be a good gift for them?"

Evan stared at her in utter disbelief, like she just said the stupidest thing in history. He then turned around again and adjusted his position.

"Have a good night, Yasmine."

"I'm serious!" She whispered loudly, shaking his arm again. She then frowned.

"Why would you want to know that, Yasmine? You want to impress someone? I'll tell dad if you do" He whispered.

"I just want to craft something for someone as a thank-you gift..." She responded shyly.

"Well..." He continued. "I guess the boys your age would like things like beyblades or weapons..."

She groaned in annoyance. "That's going to take me forever to make!"

"Then make something else, genius."

"I guess I'll make a beyblade..."

"Make a simplified one. The original is way too complicated for eight-year-olds like you."