A hand roughly pulled me as I attempted to step out of the school's administrative block, pinning me violently against the wall. Panic surged through me, and I tried to scream, but the person was quick to stifle any sound from escaping my lips. With wide eyes, I raised my gaze to meet theirs, and I couldn't believe what I saw.
"R-R-Ren," I stuttered, my voice barely a whisper as I held his intense gaze.
"Shush," he hushed me, removing his hand from my mouth but still holding me firmly against the wall. "Let me take you home."
Confusion clouded my thoughts. What was Ren thinking? I forcefully separated myself from his grip, my heart racing with a mix of fear and frustration.
"What are you doing? Who do you think you are? I can go on my own," I hissed, my voice trembling with emotion as I started to walk away.
"Lee," his voice called out, stopping me in my tracks. I didn't turn around, but I felt his gentle footsteps approaching me, no longer in the haste of before.
"Are you going out with George?" Ren asked as soon as he stood in front of me, his eyes searching mine for answers. I couldn't help but chuckle softly, realizing he was the one on the phone earlier.
"Are you looking out for your friend?" I replied, unable to suppress a faint smile at the unexpected turn of events.
"Yeah, you can put it that way," Ren admitted, a hint of sheepishness in his smile. My heart fluttered at the sight, struggling to maintain my composure.
"Ask him yourself; you're friends, anyway. I'm sure he won't lie to you," I suggested, ready to walk away when Ren's next words stopped me in my tracks.
"He says he's courting you and you gave your consent to that..." he trailed off, leaving me speechless as I processed his revelation. The air between us crackled with tension, and I couldn't deny the tumult of emotions swirling within me as I grappled with the sudden realization of George's intentions.
"Princess?" George's voice broke through my thoughts, and I instinctively turned around to face him. He stood there in his sporty vest, looking sweaty but undeniably sexy in a way that made my heart skip a beat.
"George-eeh," I said, surprised by his sudden appearance, my eyes flickering towards Ren, who I could tell was hiding a smirk. Without hesitation, I walked towards George, taking his hands in mine. "Let's go."
"Hey, man," George called after Ren as he noticed him walking away. "Don't wait for me; I'll be heading home after dropping her off."
I held onto George's hands as we made our way to the school garage. The ride home was silent, and I wished one of us would break the tension, but neither of us was ready to do so. When we arrived at my house, I dismounted the bike, feeling the weight of the unspoken words between us.
"What did you say to Ren?" I asked nervously, playing with the hem of my dress as I avoided looking directly at him.
"Say? What in particular are you referring to?" George replied, seemingly oblivious to my discomfort.
"About me, of course. Like I'd ask you to fill me in on all your gossip," I huffed, feeling annoyed and exposed.
"Like what?" George questioned, clearly not grasping the situation.
I threw his helmet at him in frustration. "Don't try this again. Don't pick me up again, and don't go telling people about what we're not," I snapped before storming off towards my room. I glanced out the window and saw George still standing there, typing vigorously on his phone.
A beep from my phone interrupted my thoughts, and I walked back to my bed to check it out. George's message left me feeling uncomfortable and uncertain about where we stood. We had only started talking four days ago, and now he was saying he liked me. What if Ren got the wrong idea? What if George's confession made him take a step back?
After contemplating for a while, I dialed Ren's number. "Princess?" he answered, his voice soft and familiar.
"Hey, Georgeeeh," I replied, the tension between us palpable.
"Hey, Anna," Ren replied, the silence hanging heavy between us. I struggled to find the right words, the weight of George's confession weighing heavily on my mind.
"My message got you surprised, right? I know I shouldn't have said so to Ren when I clearly know you liked him. I'm so sorry…" George's voice trailed off, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.
"Wait. What? What did you say?" I blurted out, my mind racing with confusion. I thought my superpower was concealing my feelings. This was such a heavy blow to me.
"Don't go denying it. It's not like it's a secret...everyone knows. You actually wear your heart on your sleeve," George continued, his words hitting me like a ton of bricks.
I felt a wave of sadness wash over me as George spoke, his words resonating with a truth I had been trying to deny. How much had I given away without even realizing it?
"You've loved or liked or been having a crush on Ren for over a decade now… isn't that silly?" George's words echoed in my mind, and I felt tears welling up in my eyes.
"Oh my God," I whispered, feeling overwhelmed by the flood of emotions crashing over me.
"In all those ten years, I've been looking at you with the same eyes, waiting patiently for you to also look my way," George confessed, his voice filled with a mixture of longing and regret. "So please don't feel like a fool for having your eyes on one guy for 10 years. If you do, then I'd be considered a bigger fool for falling in love with a girl while watching her fall in love with another guy."
"George...I'm so sorry," I choked out, feeling tears streaming down my cheeks.
We were both silent, lost in our own thoughts and emotions. The revelation was heartbreaking, and all I wanted was to see George, to talk to him, to try to make sense of it all.
"Can we meet up?" I finally asked, my voice barely a whisper.
"No, not right now," George replied, his tone filled with a sadness that mirrored my own.
"So when then? What time is convenient for you?" I pressed, desperate for some kind of resolution.
But there was no immediate answer, only the heavy weight of uncertainty hanging between us, as we both grappled with the aftermath of our revelations.
