The rest of the week goes by pretty smoothly, and finally, it's Friday. I really need a break right now. Tomorrow, I'm planning to sleep in—alright, maybe not until noon, but at least as long as I need.
Saturday is also the rugby team's game. I usually don't go, but Julian practically begged me this time, saying Joey would be really happy if I did. Not that Joey's said anything like that to me directly. Still, I agreed to go, mostly because I actually like Julian. Besides, Olivia and Charlotte have been pestering me to attend a match all year, so it feels like a good excuse to shut them up.
Right now, I'm sitting in English class with Olivia, chatting as we wait for the lesson to start.
"You know, for the party after the game, I was thinking we could get ready at mine," Olivia says, grinning.
"Yes! That's an amazing idea," I say, already feeling relieved. "And good, because I need help curling my hair. It never works when I try." I let out a frustrated sigh, shaking my head.
Olivia giggles. "Of course! I'll make sure your hair looks the best it's ever been," she says, her excitement bubbling over.
The classroom door opens, and Julian walks in with Joey close behind him. Julian heads straight towards us, plopping down on the desk behind me. I turn around to face him, smiling.
"Hi," I say, catching his eye.
A moment later, Joey sits down next to Julian, his seat perfectly aligned with mine. He
"Good morning, Deli, Olivia. How are my two new best mates?"
We both laugh at his over-the-top charm and reply in unison, "We're good, thank you."
"So..." Julian starts, a teasing tone in his voice. "You're still coming to the game, right?"
"Yes, I am. Why?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at him.
"Good, because we wouldn't want Mr Grumpy over here to get disappointed," Julian says, nudging Joey's shoulder with his own.
"Piss off," Joey mutters, clearly irritated, but I can't help noticing the faint pink creeping up his cheeks. Is he... blushing? That's kind of cute.
The lesson begins, so I grab my notebook and start taking notes, though I can't help sneaking a quick glance at Joey before focusing on the board again.
***
After class, I make a quick trip to the restroom. I stop in front of the mirror, checking my reflection to make sure I don't look too disheveled. Running a hand through my hair a few times, I smooth it down and dust my hands off on my skirt. Satisfied, I take a breath and head out, pushing the door open.
I don't even make it two steps before I collide into a solid chest—hard enough to knock me back a few paces. I stumble, regaining my balance, and glance up to see who I've just walked into. Of course, it's Joey.
Damn, his chest is hard.
I blink, realising I've pressed a hand to my forehead like I've been struck by a brick wall.
"Sorry," I say quietly, my voice barely above a whisper.
He's looking down at me now, and the weight of his gaze makes my stomach twist nervously.
"Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" Joey asks, his voice low but laced with concern. He reaches out, gently moving my hand away to get a better look at my forehead.
"Yes, it's fine," I say, my tone lightening. "If I ended up bruised just from running into someone's chest, I'd probably have bigger things to worry about."
Joey's lips twitch, and for a moment, I think I see him trying to suppress a smile. His eyes hold mine, and something about the moment feels heavier than it should. I swallow and step back slightly, breaking the tension.
"Seriously, I'm fine," I add, brushing it off, though my cheeks feel a little warm.
"Alright," he says, dropping his hand but still watching me for a moment
Just as I'm about to say something, another voice breaks through the air.
"Delilah!"
I turn towards the sound and spot Sean, one of my classmates. Not really my friend, but he's always around.
"Hi, Sean," I say, trying to sound casual. I feel Joey's presence behind me, his body heat radiating onto my back, almost like he's leaning in a bit closer.
"I was wondering if you'd maybe want to do that assignment together, later tonight?" he asks
Before I can even answer, Joey steps in for me, his tone sharp.
"She's busy. Now piss off."
That was... not nice.
I glance over at Sean, feeling a twinge of guilt. He looks a little taken aback, but then his expression softens, and he shrugs.
"Okay, no worries. Maybe another time," Sean says, sounding a bit defeated. He turns on his heel and walks away, leaving us standing there in the silence.
I turn to Joey, trying to look stern, but I'm pretty sure my attempt at a "mean face" isn't that convincing. He's already looking down at me with that unreadable expression of his.
"Joey, that was mean," I say, my voice low. "You didn't have to say it like that. I could've handled it myself."
He shrugs, his face almost blank. "I couldn't care less how he feels."
"Well, maybe you should," I reply, my voice softer but firm.
There's a long pause, and we just stare at each other. For some reason, the air feels thick between us, like something unspoken is hanging there. Then, Joey breaks the silence.
"Are you upset with me?" he asks, his voice low.
"No," I say quickly, though I'm not sure if that's entirely true. "I just think you could've handled it better. And... not used your scary voice."
"Scary voice?" He looks at me, genuinely confused.
"Forget it. It's not important," I mutter, then take a deep breath.
"I should probably go. Olivia and Charlotte are waiting for me," I say, trying to change the subject. "I'll see you at the game tomorrow, maybe."
"Yeah, maybe," he replies, stepping aside so I can walk past him.
"Bye, Joey."
"Bye, Delilah."
As I walk out of the school and head toward the parking lot, where Olivia and Charlotte are waiting, I can't help but think about what just happened. That was the first real conversation I've had with Joey.
Maybe he doesn't dislike me that much after all.
