You And I

Chapter 13: Hidden Feelings

I arrived at school, still unable to shake off the thoughts from yesterday. As I reached the entrance, there she was-Mei, waiting for me again. I couldn't help but smile when I saw her. We exchanged a few words, and together we made our way to the classroom.

The day started like any other until the teacher announced a pairing activity. "Today, you will be working with your seatmate. The task is to write about what you did during the summer vacation and reflect on what you should've done."

I glanced over at Mei, and she was already looking at me, her usual soft smile tugging at her lips. I tried to focus, but just knowing we'd be working together made it hard to concentrate. The room was filled with murmurs as everyone began talking with their partners.

"So," Mei began, turning toward me with a curious look, "what do you think you should've done this summer?"

I thought for a moment, trying to come up with something besides I should've confessed my feelings to you. But instead, I shrugged and said, "I think I should've spent more time outside... you know, instead of staying inside playing games."

Mei giggled softly, "You mean instead of obsessing over chess matches?"

"Hey! I like chess!" I defended myself, laughing along with her.

"What about you?" I asked, genuinely curious. "Anything you regret not doing?"

Her smile softened a little as she thought about it. "Well... maybe I should've been more upfront about how I feel about certain things."

I blinked, unsure if she was hinting at something deeper. My heart raced, but I played it cool, unsure of how to respond.

"Like what?" I asked, trying to probe without sounding too eager.

She paused for a moment, her eyes meeting mine before she looked away with a shy smile. "Oh, you know... just little things."

My mind was racing, but before I could dig deeper, the teacher called for everyone to start writing. We scribbled down our reflections, but I couldn't help but replay that moment over and over in my head, wondering if there was more to Mei's words than I first thought.

As I was quietly writing my reflection, I heard Mei softly say, "I should've confessed during the summer vacation, but I was so shy whenever I was around him."

Her words hit me like a brick. I froze, staring at my blank paper, my mind struggling to process what she just said. Wait... she likes someone? My heart started racing. She said she was shy around him, but she's never really shy around me... so it couldn't be me, right?

I swallowed nervously and asked, trying to keep my voice steady, "Wait, you like someone?"

"Yeah," she replied, her voice calm, almost like it was no big deal.

My chest tightened. I didn't know what to say. My thoughts spiraled out of control, wondering who it could be. I glanced at her, but she was focused on her own reflection, casually writing like she hadn't just dropped a bomb on me.

I turned back to my paper, my mind far from the assignment. The words felt meaningless now. I tried to act like it didn't affect me, but my thoughts were consumed with wondering who this person was. I couldn't shake the nervousness settling in my stomach, so I just kept writing, pretending like everything was fine, even though inside, I felt completely unsettled.

As soon as the teacher called for time, we handed in our papers. I walked back to my seat, trying to push down the uneasy feeling. Mei must have noticed my expression because she asked, "Is something wrong?"

I forced a smile, not wanting to drag out the awkwardness from earlier. "No, nothing," I replied, though it was far from the truth.

We headed to our club room for lunch, but my thoughts were still stuck on what she said. I tried to act normal, laughing at Ryan's jokes and chatting with Yvonne, but I couldn't help but wonder about Mei and the person she liked. It was hard to shake the feeling that maybe everything between us wasn't what I thought it was.

After lunch, we played some games in the club room like we usually did, but I couldn't focus. I lost every single round, my mind completely tangled up in what Mei had said earlier about liking someone. Ryan even teased me about losing so badly, but I could barely react.

When school ended, I found myself walking Mei home again, like always. This time, though, I couldn't keep my curiosity bottled up. As we walked, I blurted out, "Can you describe the guy you like?"

It was sudden, and I immediately regretted how direct I was. Mei hesitated for a moment, her eyes looking ahead as if she was searching for the right words. The silence stretched on for a few minutes, making me even more anxious.

Mei's words echoed in my mind, "Caring, handsome, beautiful eyes." I froze for a second, forcing a smile. "Wow, he really must be the one, huh?" I said, trying to sound casual.

"Yeah," she responded softly, her tone making my chest tighten.

"Wouldn't he be jealous if he saw me walking you home?" I asked, half-joking, but a part of me hoping to get some sort of confirmation.

Mei met my eyes, her gaze steady. "Why would he be jealous? It's not like he likes me or anything." Her voice was calm, but there was something in her look that I couldn't quite read.

Our eyes locked for what felt like an eternity, and I fumbled for words. "Well, I'm sure he does. You're pretty, Mei. I'm sure he likes you." My voice wavered just a little, and she blushed, breaking the tension with a laugh as she smacked my shoulder.

"You're so funny," she said, her laughter light, but I could tell she was embarrassed. I faked a laugh too, masking the uncertainty that was gnawing at me. We said goodbye as usual, but this time, it felt different-like there was something left unsaid between us.

When I got home, I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling. My mind was racing, trying to piece everything together. Who was this guy she liked? The more I thought about it, the more restless I became. For the first time in a while, I couldn't sleep peacefully.