LOVE YOU, LOTTIE.

Ch. 3 - Nail biting + Carrots

“Lottie?”
Fuck fuck fuck.
AP Lit, usually Hoya's there before Lottie, but today he isn't.
“Keep biting your nails like that, they'll come off!” Mr. Mackus whispered gingerly behind her.
She jumped hearing his voice and snatched her nails from her mouth.
“Everything alright? If you need to step out to collect your thoughts that's okay.” Mackus placed a gentle hand on Lottie's shoulder.
“I'm okay! Just thinking.” She chided.
Nodding his head, Mackus walked back to his desk to complete some paperwork.

Lottie wasn't concerned about the fact of Hoya hurting himself. She was scared of the evidence that may lead back to her if he really does die.
She did quite literally tell him to kill himself.
That's equal to aiding in murder if he's dead.
Frankly, the girl was tired of courtrooms.

Suddenly, the door opened and she was able to breathe a sigh of relief internally.

“Ah, Hoya! So nice of you to join us!”

The boy ignored the teacher's words and went to his seat.
He has new bandages on, they're blue.
Dark circles and a bruise under his right eye.
What a night he must've had.
“Lottie?”
“Yeah?”
“Can I see your notes?”
“Yeah.”
Shifting her notebook to the side she noticed a pill bottle in Hoya's uniform pants pocket.
Xanax! Interesting!
He copied her notes on his own notebook vigorously, eyes darting between the pages (and occasionally scratching at his new bandages).
“Lottie?” He asked, eyes never leaving the paper.
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
Her breath stagnated in her throat.
What on earth was he on?
“..What?”
She must've heard wrong, she had to.
Hoya paused, bottom lip pulled under his teeth.
“I-”
The bell interrupted him. Saving no time, Lottie snatched her notebook away, stuffed it in her bag and halfway sprinted to her next class.
Hoya stayed seated, hand slightly trembling, his face never looking up.
“Hoya?” Mr. Mackus questioned, “You okay? Nothing happened between you and Lottie right?”
This time, Hoya finally looked up.
“How do you prove to someone you love them?”
The teacher stumbled back from the question, letting out a hardy laugh, “Aren't you like, seventeen? You can't love love somebody already!”
With that, Hoya stood up and left, leaving a confused Mr. Mackus to grade more essays.

He just didn't get it.
The boy's thoughts swarmed him while he marched down the hallway.
I knew something was different about you the moment I saw you, Lottie.
You're perfect for me.
You will save me.

Lunch.
So awkward.
Doris and Kason sat in front of Hoya as if conducting an intervention.
Sora stayed to his side while Lottie tried her best to eat some carrots without looking at him.
“Last night's live-”
“I'm okay! Promise! You guys know how I can get.” Hoya reassured Doris.
“Well where'd that bruise come from?” Kason added.
“Oh this?” Hoya gestured to the purple-ish bruise under his right eye, “Just a little fender-bender.” He giggled.
Sora realized how light and talkative he was.
It's very rare that he's like this.
She also noticed how he kept sneaking glances at Lottie.

Oh shit.
“Lottie, you saw Hoya's live last night.. right?” Doris questioned, embarrassed for her friend.
“Yeah.”
“You see, sometimes Hoya has his moments. How did you feel when you, uhm, watched it?”
I felt like those Benadryls should've done the job.
“So so worried, life is so valuable, I never even got the chance to know him very well yet.”
Doris soberly nodded her head in agreement while Kason looked down.
“See Hoya? There's people out there that care about you.”
“Yep.” He replied, eyes never leaving Lottie's frame.
Sora shifted in her seat uncomfortably.
Shit shit shit.
Lottie you're in trouble. She thought to herself, biting her nails.
After Doris's therapy lesson the lunch bell rang and Lottie was particularly sad that she didn't get to finish her carrots.
But, while throwing her book bag on she noticed a note hanging out one of the small pockets.

What the hell?
Lottie's throat filled with bile but she swallowed it down, grimacing.
Yeah this guy's lost the plot.
Crumbling up the paper, she threw it and the leftover carrots in the trash.
A second later she felt a tap on her shoulder.
“Hey, got time to chat?” Sora asked.
“But I have class-”
“I'll get you a pass.” She took Lotties wrist and dragged her out of the cafeteria.
“Where are we going?” Lottie beckoned, struggling against Sora's grip.
“The student council room. We need to talk about this in private.”