STAR FRIENDZONED |COMPLETED✔|

Friendzoned|Pretending

C H A P T E R  E L E V E N -
P R E T E N D I N G

A week had passed since that event and I remember crying my heart out, trying to forget every feeling I felt for him. But I'm fine now, I give up. I even already had a crush now. If I just keep thinking this way then I'll completely forget him.

"What's with that look, twat?" Laxus looks at me whilst he picks his nose. I scrunched my nose in disgust as I look at him warily. "Don't you dare touch me."

He paused mid-way and grinned. I stood up from my seat and started dashing upstairs trying to get away from his booger filled fingers. "Mom! Laxus is going put his boogers on me!"

And just then, the sergeant of our family arrives as she crosses her arms and gave Laxus an intimidating look. I hid behind Mom and pulled out my tongue to taunt him. "How old are you Laxus? Stop acting like a child and get a life!"

I mouthed an 'O' as Laxus narrowed his eyes at me, threatening to kill me. "You better watch out, my sister."

"I'd like to see you try," I grinned.

///

"That's disgusting Star!" Jackie says as she stops eating. "--can't you see we're eating and you keep mentioning boogers!"

"Geez, Jackie, we get it! Stop repeating that word will you?" Janna gives Jackie a glare and then looks at me. "What's the matter with you? Aren't you disgusted by what you're saying?"

"Not really," I grinned. "--a petty payback for what you did last time."

"So what really happened last time?" they leant and stared at me like hungry starved beasts waiting to pounce. "Nothing happened."

"What do you mean nothing happened?!" they scream and I covered my ears. "--you're too loud."

"I said nothing happened," I blew a deep sigh. "--I gave up."

"You can't give up!" Janna nudges me by the shoulder and I hear Tom say something. "Janna, that's enough."

"B-but," she looks at Tom with conviction. "I just want her to be happy."

"I'm happy now, Janna," I smile. "--I just want to move on and forget."

"What's the matter guys?" Marco appears with a tray in hand. I grin at him. "Nothing."

. . .

Today was free time and we were allowed to go anyway but outside the school premises. I chose to isolate myself at the playground of the school as I swung myself back and forth with the swing.

A figure comes close and I look at him in confusion. "Tom, why are you here?"

He sat beside me and stared ahead with that monotone expression of his. "I'll listen."

"W-what should I talk about?" I scratched my head.

"I know," he trails off. "--you're not really fine."

"Is it that obvious?" I stare at him and he shakes his head. "You're good..at hiding your emotions."

"I guess you can call me a great actress," I grin as I swung myself as high as I could and let out a squeal as I felt like I flew through the sky. "I don't know why, but it seems that I can't hide anything from you."

"Well, you're quiet," I looked down and tapped on the grass. "--I guess I felt that kind of trust from you."

"I guess I cried a lot. I haven't actually moved on from Marco," I gripped on the rail. "--but I'm pretending that I'm fine since I don't want to bother them. I thought that if I act happy and obsess over someone I don't know, things will be alright."

"Don't give up," he mutters.

"But I said I already given up," I sigh. He looks at me and my heart skips a beat. "Jackie didn't like Marco, so you still have a shot."

"Don't regret about things you haven't tried," he murmurs. "--have courage."

I smile and stood up, then pulled him in a hug. "You're really a good guy."

He hugs me back and holds me tighter. "I'm pretty sure everyone would be lucky to have someone like you."

We stayed hugging each other for a while. I never felt such warmth and comfort before. I didn't want to let go. It was as if I belonged and didn't want to go anywhere. "Star----"

I pulled away from the hug and looked at Marco with widened eyes. "Oh, Marco. You scared me."

"Am I barging at a wrong time?" Marco looks back and forth at us with an awkward look. "You got it wrong, Marco. He's just comforting me."

"Ah, I see," I look into his eyes and see a glimmer of disappointment through it. "I'll just talk to you later, then."

What am I going into?

April 7,2020