The Best Of Both Worlds

chapter 13 - Norita

Norita

"What do we have next?"
"Study hall." Dale replies, she seemed a bit zoned out.
I nodded in acknowledgement.
"So you really ended up turning down that guy?" She asked, making me sigh just thinking of it.
"Yeah." Somewhere along the lines, I started having feelings for Matthew. At some point I couldn't stand his ray of sunshine personality but now everytime I look for him, I want him to talk to me, to say my name. Because when he says my name it feels different.
I knew he liked me, or at least I thought he did. Because it was a bit obvious, even to people like Thomas apparently. The dense Thomas.
"What about you, didn't you get asked out by someone too?" Dale laughs awkwardly.
"I did. It was an old classmate but..."
"But?" I knew the answer already.
"I didn't feel the same way." Liar, that wasn't all.
"Don't lie, it wasn't just because you weren't into him, it was because you still-" she stops me, squeezing my hand.
"Don't remind me." Yeah, she was trying her best to move on but she wasn't.
Soon we enter the study hall, finding a seat somewhere. Just then, my eyes find him. He was sitting with his friends in a circle as they played uno.
He was sitting with his usual crowd, Alex, Jack and marcus. Me and dale quickly walk over to them, I stand behind Matthew's chair, when he feels my presence he quickly looks up at me. The way we were so close actually made me feel a bit flustered.
"Hey." He warmly smiles up at me.
"Hi.." I trail off. I think the guys notice it because they give both of us a look.
"Let's go." I grab Dale's arm, dragging her backwards and she awkwardly waves at the guys.
"Weirdo." I mutter under my breath, trying to hide me being flustered.
As me and dale find a seat far enough from the guys, I still feel his eyes on me.
"Matthew, what are you looking at? It's your turn!" One of his friends impatiently whined.
Matthew quickly chuckled, playing his turn.
"Someone's in love." His friend says sarcastically as he begins looking at me again.
"And what if I am? Sue me." Matthew laughs, his voice being loud enough for me to hear.
I quickly get up from my seat but as soon as I do, he does too. Before I can walk away, he grabs me by the arm infront of everyone.
"What are you doing?" I ask him, he seemed a bit breatheless.
"I wanted to... Talk to you..." He finally says, earing both him and I stares from everyone in the study hall.
"Can it wait?" I try to escape his grip but he's too strong.
"No, don't pretend like it isn't obvious enough, please norita..." He pleads, leaning down closer to my face.
"I love you and you know it." He whispers, his breathe hitching on my face as I gasp for air, before I can do anything, he kisses me. His lips on mine, I quickly find myself pushing him off abruptly. He seems a bit taken back but guilty too. My face becomes hot from embarrassment. Everyone was looking at us, everyone. Before I know it, I find myself running away, pushing open the study hall gates as I run to the girl's bathroom. I can hear my name being called after me but I can't turn around, it was almost like my feet had a mind of it's own. I couldn't stop running.