You And I

Chapter 2: Almost Late

"Levi, breakfast is ready!" my mom's voice echoed up the stairs, pulling me out of my half-asleep daze.

I glanced at the clock-8:00 AM. "Oh no!" I shot up from bed, realizing I had only 20 minutes to get to school. I threw on my uniform, grabbed my phone, and rushed downstairs.

"You're always rushing, Levi," my mom said as she set a plate of eggs and toast on the table. "One day you're really going to be late."

I grabbed a quick bite, practically inhaling my breakfast. "I know, Mom," I replied, trying to finish eating while slipping on my shoes at the same time. "I've got this."

She gave me a skeptical look but didn't press the issue. "Just be careful, alright? And eat properly."

I nodded, stuffing the last piece of toast into my mouth and slinging my backpack over my shoulder. I ran out the door, checking my phone as I went. "Crap, I'm really cutting it close today," I muttered under my breath.

The streets were busy, filled with students heading to school, but I weaved through the crowd, pushing my pace. By the time I made it to the school gate, the warning bell was ringing. I sprinted up the stairs and dashed into the classroom just as the final bell sounded.

Sliding into my seat, I let out a sigh of relief. "Made it," I muttered to myself.

Mei, sitting next to me, turned and raised an eyebrow, a playful smile on her lips. "One minute later and you'd be in detention."

I grinned. "But I wasn't, right?"

She chuckled softly. "You always seem to live on the edge, don't you?"

Before I could answer, the teacher walked in, calling for silence. But that didn't stop Mei and me from exchanging quick whispers here and there.

"So, almost late again?" Mei whispered under her breath as the teacher wrote something on the board.

I leaned in slightly. "Almost. But you know me-I thrive under pressure."

She rolled her eyes, her smile never fading. "You're impossible."

Just then, the teacher turned around, his gaze locking onto the two of us. "Levi, Mei," he said sharply, cutting through the class chatter, "if you're done with your conversation, maybe you'd like to share with the rest of us."

The class went dead silent, all eyes on us. I glanced at Mei, and we both tried to stifle our laughter.

"Sorry, sir," I mumbled, trying to keep a straight face.

Mei gave a small nod, biting her lip to stop from laughing. "It won't happen again."

The teacher narrowed his eyes but continued with the lesson. As soon as his back was turned, Mei and I exchanged a quick glance, both struggling to contain the quiet laughter bubbling up inside us.

As the lesson dragged on, I couldn't help but glance at Mei every now and then. There was something about the way she smiled-genuine, kind, and a little mysterious. She seemed like the kind of person who kept her thoughts carefully hidden behind those calm eyes. And for some reason, I wanted to figure her out.

---

During lunch, Ryan found me as I sat outside, Mei reading quietly next to me. He plopped down on the bench with a wide grin, balancing a tray of food on his lap.

"Dude, you almost didn't make it today, huh?" Ryan teased.

"Yeah," I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck. "It was a close call."

Mei looked up from her book, giving Ryan a small nod in greeting. "Levi barely avoids detention every day. It's impressive, honestly."

Ryan laughed. "I'm sure it is." He looked at us both, noticing the easy banter between Mei and me. "So...what's going on here?"

I shot him a warning look, but Ryan just grinned wider.

"Nothing's going on, Ryan," I said quickly, trying to keep my voice casual.

Mei glanced at Ryan, her eyes curious but calm. "What do you mean by that?"

Ryan leaned back, a smug look on his face. "Just that you two seem to be getting along pretty well. I've noticed Levi can't seem to stop talking to you."

I felt my face flush slightly, and I quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, have you guys heard about the festival coming up next month? I'm thinking of going."

Mei didn't say anything at first, but then her voice came softly. "I've never really been to one of those festivals before. They always looked fun, though."

I raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Never? Really?"

She shook her head. "I've never had anyone to go with."

There was a hint of sadness in her voice, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. Ryan, oblivious as ever, took a huge bite of his sandwich and shrugged. "Well, no problem there. You've got Levi to drag you along now."

I looked at her, offering a small smile. "If you want, we could go together. It's always more fun with someone else."

Mei blinked, taken aback by the offer, but then she smiled-soft and a little shy. "That sounds nice."

The rest of the school day went by in a blur. As the final bell rang, I packed up my things and glanced over at Mei. She was still gathering her books, carefully tucking them into her bag.

"Hey," I said as I slung my backpack over my shoulder. "See you tomorrow?"

She looked up and smiled. "Yeah, see you."

As I walked home, I couldn't shake the feeling that today had been different somehow. Mei and I had only known each other for a short while, but already, something was changing between us. I wasn't sure what it meant yet, but for the first time in a long time, I felt like maybe I was looking forward to tomorrow.