Stumbling Over Love | ✓

Chapter 19 (Part 1)

_Chapter 19–1~ Messed Up_

"Just take the goddamn–"

"Reina! Calm down!" Daichi tugged on my arms to pull me back. "Down girl! Down!"

I growled in response, not in the right state of mind to listen. My glare was fixed on the frightened girl in front of us. "She knocked down and stepped on two cupcakes and doesn't even want to pay for it?"

Daichi groaned. "Say it in simple terms so she can understand. Yelling at her won't help."

"Why do I have to spell it out for her? It's common sense! I worked hard on those cupcakes and she thinks she can pass our stand, disrespect me by stepping on them, then walk away without even an "apology fund"?"

My glare grew more hostile and I lunged at her for the second time. Daichi immediately held me back.

"Pay for two more on top of the ones you dropped!" I shouted regardless.

The girl whimpered, trembling in utmost fright. "B-but I can't–"

"Don't you dare say you don't have money! I saw you stuffing your mouth with some mitarashi dango from the booth over."

"I-I do!" she squealed, throwing her arms over her face to protect herself. "B-but I can't eat your cupcakes!"

I gasped. "Are you calling my cupcakes disgusting?" I rotated Daichi's way. "She called my cupcakes disgusting."

Training a you're-dead-to-me look on my face, I reached for my earlobes. "Daichi, hold my earrings, this chick is–"

Daichi bonked me on the top of the head. I yelped.

"Ow!"

Glaring at me, Daichi sidestepped and approached the girl. "I apologize for her behaviour. She's a little... crazy sometimes."

I socked his arm, resisting the urge to snap something.

"I said sometimes," he defended. He faced the girl. "Look, don't worry about paying. Take one for free."

The student who clearly attended Seisein Academy—which I knew by looking at her blazer—had tears streaming down her cheeks. Upon Daichi's intervention and him extending a new cupcake forward, she sniffled, playing the perfect act of a victim. "A-actually, if they're free can I not take?"

Offended, I felt ready to attack her again. Daichi blocked me off.

"Why?" he asked. "I wouldn't turn down free cupcakes. And I can actually vouch to say that they're really delicious despite how they look."

The girl snuffled once more, hanging her head low. "Um, I-I have Celiac disease..."

"Cece-what?" I echoed from behind. "Lies! She's lying to us, Daichi! Grab her–"

"Oh, then don't worry about it," Daichi cut me off, smiling. "I hope you enjoy the other booths."

I gaped as the girl scurried away from us. "Hey! What are you doing? She's escaping–"

Daichi rounded to scowl at me. I flinched in response, my eyelids shooting up.

"Reina!" He rose his voice, something I'd never expected from him. "Are you an idiot?"

My mouth opened without hesitation. "Yes?"

Daichi's face scrunched up sourly and spun around. I followed his gaze to see that all the surrounding people and booths were keeping a wary eye on us, as if convinced we were dangerous. Every passing student steered clear of our booth as well, avoiding eye contact entirely. A premonition began to gnaw at the pit of my stomach.