The Lying Serpent

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Zombie

I trudged into school, dead on my feet. I had stayed up all night reading To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han, and may or may not be having regrets.

"Why do you look like a zombie?" Ryan asked as I walked past him.

"Because I got turned into one last night. Let me eat your brains," I replied monotonously.

"Wow, you are beyond knackered, aren't you?"

"Shut up."

"Were you doing homework or something?"

"I was reading, for your information."

"Wait, for fun?" I opened my mouth to answer him but he cut me off. "That doesn't surprise me actually."

"Well considering that you've known me for at least 2 months, I would say that it shouldn't surprise you. Now scram, I have to get to class." I pointed my finger up at the ceiling, where the bells were placed, and the bell rang a second later.

"Weirdo."

I scoffed. "Says you. Anyway, gotta go, don't wanna be late!"

I raced off, trying to find Lissie on the way to English. Not wanting to risk being late, I gave up and hurried to English without her. When I entered the class, I found that she had in fact already set off to the classroom without me, and was waiting for me at our usual table.

"There you are," I exclaim. "I was looking for you, it almost made me late."

"Sure, I'm the reason you were almost late. Where were you? I went to your locker, but you weren't there."

"I got held up, Ryan was busy making fun of how I stayed up all night reading."

"Mmhmm, when are you gonna ask him out already?"

"I don't want to go out with him, we're just friends!"

"So, you don't feel attracted to him in the slightest?"

"Well-"

"Aha! So you do want to go out with him."

"If I say yes will you shut up?"

"Nope, but if you actually go out with him I might," she replied with a smirk.

~~~

"Linda, wait up!"

It was the end of the day, and I was walking to the doors when I turned around to see Ryan jogging up to me, a panicked look on his face.

"Hey Ryan, what's up?"

"I was just wondering if you could drive me to the elementary school? I forgot that I need to pick Eve up today and lent my car to Ollie for the afternoon."

"Yeah, sure. Do you want to go now?"

"That'd be great, thanks."

We exited the school and made our way to my car, clambering in once we'd reached it. It seems like so long since I had car issues, and after God knows how long, I had finally gotten it back.

WIthin ten minutes we were at the elementary school, and Ryan went to collect Eve from inside. A few minutes later he returned with an adorable little girl, bright blue eyes and blonde hair pulled up into pigtails.

"Hello," I greeted with a smile as she clambered in the back seat.

"Hi, I'm Eve," she timidly replied.

"I'm Melinda, but you can call me Linda."

"Oh, I know all about you."

"How so?"

"Because Ryan-"

"Eve, what homework do you have?"

"Just some books to read and a few spelling words. Oh and math sheets."

"Read your books while we drive home, ok?" She nodded her head in agreement in an adorable fashion.

"Eve, why don't you read out loud for us?" I suggested as I pulled the car out of the parking space.

We spent the next twenty minutes in the car listening to Eve read her book for us. As I pulled up into their driveway, she finished her sentence and shut the book with a big smile.

"How did I go?"

I smiled. "You were brilliant Eve, I really enjoyed it."

"Yay! Thanks for the ride Linda." She unbuckled her seatbelt and ran into the house, stopping at the door to call out to Ryan.

"Hurry up Ryan!"

"Coming!" He turned away from the window, and angled his body towards me. "Hey look, so I've been meaning to ask you something...would you like to go out sometime?"

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A/N: Ok, so there's one more chapter left and then the epilogue. I started this story off with the intent of writing a cheesy teen fic story...but nothing ever ends up the way you think it will and there were some major alterations made to this story. I may have begun wanting it to be mainly romance but towards the middle of the story, I realised that it's like my story is a carnival, with the drama as the huge main attraction and the romance is a bonus. This is why the romane will seem rushed and minimal, and for that I am sorry. But, whatever. SO, one more chapter then the epilogue! Stay tuned xxxx also deds to @frazels because I need a favour but also because she's amazing and deserves the worldddd (long time no talk hun)