Boy vs. Girl ✔️

•XXVIII•

happy early birthday you dummy RedCheetahMusic 🎉

•••

"We need to talk," I proclaimed, wrapping my hand around Asher's arm, dragging him away from whoever he was talking to. His alarmed look snapped me back into reality, and I shot him a comforting smile. Now that we were hidden in between a wall and a door, I released my grip on him.

"What do you want to talk about?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. Butterflies flitted in my stomach as I considered my next few words.

"Kate told me you've been asking her questions... about me," I explained, my teeth gnawing at my bottom lip.

"Uh, yeah," he chuckled, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Specifically about my eating habits," I continued. "I really don't see how that's any of your business."

"I'm just concerned," he shrugged, taking a small step away from me. "You fainted, Kara. I just want to know how to help you. I care about you Kara."

"I get that. I do. But this is my problem to deal with," I sighed, trying to avoid the fluttering feeling I felt as Asher confessed that he cared about me.

"It doesn't have to be," he soothed, placing his hands on my shoulders. "You have people who want to help."

"But you can't help," I confessed, pursing my lips. Without waiting for his reply, I fixed the strap of my bag slung on my shoulder, and turned to walk towards my next class.

•••

My walk to the cafeteria was an awkward one; everyone seemed to be staring at me for some reason. As I reached my lunch table, Kate gave me a quizzical look, her gaze focused on my back.

"Do you know you have a kick me sign stuck to your back?" she asked, as Hadley burst out into laughter.

"What?" I exclaimed, hopelessly snatching fabric as I reached for the filmy paper. When I finally caught a handful of paper, I tore it from my back, groaning in absolute frustration. Crumpling it up quickly, I tossed it onto the table.

"Wait," Hadley interrupted my thoughts. "Uncrumple that. I saw a flash of red on the back."

"It was probably just the 'kick me' bleeding through to the other side of the paper," I explained, sitting down.

"Uncrumple it," Kate commanded, handing me the paper again. I sighed as I unraveled the paper, looking at the back of it.

Meet me at the courtyard at lunchtime.

I glared at the both of them, saying, "this isn't written in red."

"It was a good guess though?" Hadley shrugged hopefully. "Besides, that's not what's important. You need to go."

With another heavy sigh, I gathered all of my books once more, and the paper, making my way to the courtyard.

•••

Boy: 18          Girl: 18