Back To You;

CHAPTER 11

The next day, I found myself in the middle of a mental tug-of-war. Lauren had asked me out. Lauren Chiu. And I hadn't given him an answer yet.

John and Mae, of course, noticed my distracted state during lunch.

"You've been staring at that sandwich for five minutes," Mae said, nudging me. "What's up with you?"

"Don't tell me it's another grade crisis," John teased, biting into his own food. "Or wait, is this about you-know-who?"

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "Okay, fine. Yes. Lauren asked me out last night."

John choked on his drink. Mae dropped her fork.

"WHAT?!" they both yelled in unison, drawing the attention of half the cafeteria.

"Shhh!" I hissed, glaring at them. "Do you have to announce it to the entire school?"

Mae leaned in, her eyes sparkling. "Okay, spill. What did you say?"

"I... didn't," I admitted, cringing.

"Marie," John said, looking at me like I was a tragic case study. "What do you mean you didn't? You've been pining after him for years!"

"I panicked, okay?" I shot back. "It's not every day your long-time crush asks you out."

Mae sighed, shaking her head. "Well, you'd better give him an answer soon. You know Lauren's dense enough to think you're ignoring him."

That thought sent a jolt of panic through me. "You're right. I'll talk to him after class.

Later that afternoon, I caught up with Lauren by the lockers. He was chatting with some friends but broke into a smile when he saw me.

"Hey, Marie," he said casually, like he hadn't turned my entire world upside down the night before.

"Hey," I replied, fidgeting with the strap of my bag. "Can we talk for a second?"

"Sure." He excused himself from the group and followed me down the hallway.

My heart was pounding, but I took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. "About last night..."

His expression turned a bit cautious. "Yeah?"

"I thought about it," I said, my voice trembling slightly. "And... yes. I'd love to go out with you."

For a moment, he just stared at me, and I panicked, wondering if I'd misread everything. But then his face broke into the biggest grin I'd ever seen.

"Really?" he asked, his tone lighter than air.

I laughed nervously. "Yes, really."

He let out a relieved chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. "That's... awesome. So, uh, when are you free?"

Adventures Begin

Over the next few weeks, Lauren and I started spending a lot more time together. It was strange at first, adjusting to this new dynamic, but it didn't take long before it felt natural-like we'd been meant to do this all along.

One Friday, we went to a nearby arcade. Lauren insisted on showing off his skills at the basketball machine, and I teased him mercilessly when I beat his score.

"You cheated," he said, narrowing his eyes at me.

I smirked. "You're just mad because I'm better."

"Better, huh?" He grinned mischievously before pulling me toward the air hockey table. "Let's settle this once and for all."

I lost, of course, but only because he distracted me by making funny faces every time I tried to hit the puck.

The following week, we hit up a night market. We tried every street food stall we could find-fish balls, kwek-kwek, takoyaki, and even some questionable-looking balut that Lauren bravely ate (while I gagged dramatically).

"Come on, it's not that bad," he said, laughing as I made a face.

"Easy for you to say, Mr. Iron Stomach," I retorted, shoving a stick of isaw in his face.

The more we hung out, the easier it was to forget the nervousness and overthinking that used to plague me around him. Lauren was funny, thoughtful, and surprisingly attentive. He made me laugh until my stomach hurt and listened to me ramble about everything from school stress to my favorite childhood movies.

One evening, after a particularly tiring day, we found ourselves lying on a grassy hill just outside the city. The stars were brighter than usual, and the quiet was comforting.

"Thanks for today," I murmured, glancing over at him.

Lauren turned his head to look at me, his expression soft. "Anytime, Marie."

And for the first time in what felt like forever, I didn't feel like I had to be perfect. With Lauren, I could just be me.

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