off limits ✧ zb1 applyfic

✧ forty

Vicky never liked to go home alone. Without anyone by her side, the world felt full of shadows, ready to pounce on her any minute. And in this heat, having to walk for so long was hard to handle. But Jiwoong hadn't worked at her school today, too busy with his own classes, so he wasn't able to pick her up. She walked all by herself, leaving the gates of her stressful school, to join the stressful streets. Hopefully, she would reach her house soon, and be able to relax. Ah, she really needed a cool, energizing shower right now.

That nice thought was ripped from her head when she felt a hand wrap around her shoulder. Her entire body jumping up in the air, she let out an ear-piercing shriek, and spun on her heels, her hands held out in self-defence. Her eyes squeezed shut, and she felt her legs tremble under her weight. If this was some sort of kidnapper, she was done for! What was a girl like her supposed to do in such a situation?

"Woah, hey, it's just me!"

That voice penetrated through Vicky's defences, and she felt her entire body relax. Her eyes cracked open hesitantly, only to be met with a face that certainly did not belong to a kidnapper. Well, if you were to count out the fact that he'd kidnapped her heart long ago.

"Ricky...?" she breathed out, relieved. "I think you just took ten years off my life."

He sighed, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. I called after you, but I don't think you heard me."

That wasn't exactly surprising. Her mind tended to wander easily, especially when she was nervous. Every time she needed to go home by herself, she went on autopilot and daydreamed about nothing and everything, in hopes that it would make time pass faster. Still, it was embarrassing that Ricky had seen her like that. Even more so, that he had heard her scream like that. He was always so cool and composed, and here she was, a complete mess.

Flustered, she hid behind her hair. "So, um, what's going on? Why are you... Here?"

Ricky raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'm walking home?"

"Really? But there's usually a fancy black car coming to pick you up every day..."

An amused smile tugged at his lips. "Oh, you saw that?"

Vicky immediately felt her heartbeat quicken. Of course she saw that. Her eyes were always looking for him, even when it was time to leave school. But it was better for Ricky not to know how much she looked at him. She didn't want to look like an obsessed fangirl. He had enough of those. She liked him, truly. And could anyone blame a girl, for staring at the boy she liked?

"My dad couldn't come today, so... Walking home it is." Ricky shrugged. "Since we're both here, we might as well walk together. Right?"

This was an offer Vicky hadn't expected to hear. In so many of the heart-fluttering romances she'd read, going home together was always something special. Standing side by side, your hands brushing against each other, a comfortable silence in the air... It was something Vicky had dreamed of. To think it was about to happen right now was enough to make her feel dizzy.

"Sure," she managed to murmur, her cheeks warm.

Ricky gave her a smile, and the two started walking side by side.

He'd even placed himself on the side of the road, as if ready to protect her from any bike or car that would pass by. He was such a gentleman, truly a prince come to life. Ah, if only she were brave enough to tell him how she felt. Her eyes darted to his hand, swaying next to hers, and she felt her heart banging against her ribcage with the urge to grab it. But she couldn't, and she knew that. She swallowed the lump in her throat and diverted her gaze, trying to keep her composure.