Maybe This Time

The Basketball Star

I should be feeling triumphant now because I got Aimee pretty hard. But instead, I feel guilty as hell. Maybe i was a little out of line. I couldn't say its her fault, I shouldv'e just let it go. That's what I have been practicing all summer right? Ignoring bullies. Maybe I should look for her and apologize. See, I know the feeling of being humiliated infront of a lot of people, and I never wanna make anybody feel that way. Not even Aimee Johnson.

I pulled back my hood over my head and I craned my neck and started dodging my way through the crowd looking for Aimee. I checked each corner, I see no Aimee. I continued to search for her and I saw a familiar face. Just like that, I started hyperventilating. Levi.

"Hey Zoe!" He greeted, giving me a wide smile. Gosh Ive missed that. Ive missed that smile, that messy hair and those blue eyes.

Levi is probably the only nice guy in LE High. Nice to me, I mean. He is handsome, and is the team captain of the basketball team. A lot of girls are dying to date him, but he stays single for some reasons. He didn't have a girlfriend since Ericka, his girlfriend during sophomore year who left for France and never came back leaving him alone. Maybe he's still waiting and hoping. Poor him. I read from Ericka's twitter account, she already had 3 boyfriends since she and Levi broke up and currently dating a model.

This is what me and Levi have in common. We were both abandoned by the ones we love. Maybe thats the reason why he is so nice to me. We share similar heartbreaking love story.

"Zoe!" Levi snapped his fingers infront of as if trying to bring me back to my sanity. "Are you ok?" I blinked a few times and thats when I saw him offering me a small smile, with concern evident in his eyes.

"What?" I asked and I mentally slapped myself. He has this effect on me, and this happens all the freakin time. With his presence I always dont know what to say. Whatever, he probably knows this is all his fault, anyway.

"I said, are you ok?" He repeated.

I smiled at him, and gave him a nod. Again, I didn't know what to say.

"How've you been?" He asked, with a confused expression on his face. How can he be still perfectly handsome no matter what expression he puts on his face?

"Uhhh. Uhmm." I smiled nervously. What the hell is wrong with me? I can't even answer a freakin simple question.

He stood there just watching me and wiating for me to answer his question. He probably thinks I'm such a freak now. He'll think that I'm one of those girls who stalks him in facebook and twitter and instagram and print pictures of him and hang em all over my room. The thought scared me. I shudder.

He had a more confuse expression now, and I giggled. "I'm sorry. I just. Uhmm." I looked down on my shoes shyly. I can't even look at him straight in the eyes. I'm too scared I might melt. "I'm just always speechless with you around." I finished.

HOLY MACARONI. Did I just say that? Oh my god! I am such a freak. I just lost probably my only friend here in LE. This time, I slapped my forehead real hard. Physically.

"I mean I could leave if I'm making you uncomfortable." He said sounding serious. Oh God, did I offend him? what?

"NO! No no. I didnt mean it that way. Ofcourse not! Uhmm. You're fine. I just. Uhmm. Well, you know you're probably the hottest guy in LE and everybody here hates me, and yet here you are, being so nice to me. It just amazes me, Levi." I finished.

I heard him chuckle, and pinched my cheeks. "You're so funny. I knew what you meant Zoe. I was just giving you a hard time." He smiled.

"Oh." was all I could say.

"Were you looking for someone?" He asked. I have no idea why he is still talking to me. He should just leave. I'm probably ruining his reputation now. Or there are probably 10 girls watching and are already planning how to kill me.

"Uhh yea. I was looking for Aimee." I answered. I was just waiting for him to say, "oh" and then leave. But instead, he asked, "Why?"

So I told him what happened earlier with Aimee and how I was guilty for what I did. I also told him that I was looking for Aimee because I want to apologize. At first he looked angry when I told him about what Aimee called me, and later he laughed, as in a real laugh, when I told him what I said to Aimee. He convinced me that Aimee deserved all of it.

"But my conscience is killing me. What if I really hurt her feelings? I felt like I was the bully, and I dont wanna be that, Levi. She might've been hurt, and I'm resbonsible for that." I said, still determined to look for Aimee and apologize.

"Trust me, Zoe. There is no reason for you to feel guilty." He said, looking behind me. He nodded on that direction gesturing me to look at whatever he is looking at.

Aimee.

There she is, sucking the life out of her boyfriend Alex by the elevator, not giving a single crap about the people around them. Don't they realize there are freshmen around?

"GET A ROOM!" said someone who probably doesn't know Aimee at all.

She lets go of her boyfriend for a while, glared at the blonde girl and yelled back, "Mind your own business, little bitch. Then she gave the poor girl the dirty finger. Well I guess she will never change. And Levi is right, I have nothing to be guilty about. She is so not worth it.

Levi. I smiled as I turned to face him.

I was suprised that he was closer than I expected. His face was only inches away from mine. He was a little taller than me that his lips was on my eye level. That pinkish kissable lips. I looked a little higher and my hazel eyes found his blue ones. That's when the butterflies in my stomach started doing the harlem shake. It's a good feeling, but they were being too wild, it hurts.

"I told you." He breathed on my face, smiling at me shyly. And that's when I died after hyperventilating so much.

I gave him a small nod, and I feel the blood rush to my cheeks. I immediately look down my shoes so he won't see me blushing. Why is he doing this? Maybe there's a plan behind this. But Levi is too nice that I refuse to accuse him of anything. Maybe its about pity. Maybe he thought I was so pathetic and that I needed a friend, and he's just trying to help. Maybe...

"Hey." he said softly as he cupped my face with both his hand so I am looking at him.

"You're a strong girl, and you're special. Don't let Aimee freakin Johnson dull your sparkle. Don't let anybody bring you down. Ok?" He said sincerely and my eyes started to water. That was probably the sweetest thing I have ever heard since 6th grade. To think that it came from Levi Evans. The basketball star. The popular guy.

I want to say Thanks but I'm afraid that my tears will flow freely if I dare to talk. Instead, I closed the distance between us, and I gave him a hug. It was the only gesture I could do to let him know that I really appreciate everything he said.

It didn't even take 5 seconds for Levi to hug me back. He hugged me a little tighter than I expected as if he have been wanting to do it for a long time. It felt really good But who I was kidding? Yea sure, Zoe. Levi so likes you and he had been wanting to hold you in his arms for a long time. In your dreams.

The first bell rang, but he still didn't let me go. I saw a few girls shot me their best glare as they watch me being held in Levi's arms. I am so dead.

"Do you have Mrs T for English, first period?" He asked, still holding me.

"Yes" I murmured against his chest. Such a nice chest. Not to mention those biceps! If he hugged me a little tighter, my bones will surely crush.

He finally lets go of me, facing me with a big grin on his face.

"Good, me, too." He beamed.