The Exchange Students

Chapter 6

I kept leading the boys into different shops that our downtown area had to offer. Most of the shops we went into were little boutiques.

I was looking through the rack of clothes when someone came up behind me.

"I like your outfit." I turned around and saw Finn, forgetting that he worked here.

"I forgot you worked here," I told him with a small smile. He nodded and helped me pick out a few clothes.

I would occasionally look up from the clothing rack to check and see how everyone was doing. I saw Layla trying to convince Shuyang to put on a dress she had found. I let out a little laugh that caused Finn to look at me.

"What's so funny?" he asked me. I motioned to where Layla was still looking through dresses for the boys to try on.

"Oh. How much longer are they going to be staying with you guys?" he asked me.

"For at least another year. The two oldest are juniors and I think they signed up until the two of them graduate. Why?" I looked at him with a raised eyebrow. He looked straight into my eyes before letting out a sigh.

"I wanna know if I have a chance with you," he mumbled. I thought that's what he said, but I wasn't completely sure.

"Excuse me?" I was even more confused than before.

"I said I want to know if I still have a chance with you. I see the way that one guy holds you. It's too much for it to be 'just friends'." I gave him a look of disbelief.

"You had like three chances before this. What makes it so different now?" I could see a not so subtle glare thrown towards the direction of Layla laughing. She had managed to get Zeyu in a dress and he seemed to be enjoying himself.

I smiled to myself before facing Finn once again.

"You could've had a chance, way before they showed up. Now, as one of my guy friends, you should be happy that I found someone who makes me so happy. Yes, friends. As of now, that's all we can be." I walked away from him, not forgetting to hang the clothes back up.

"Sarah! Doesn't he cute!" Layla exclaimed as she spun him around.

"Please don't make him sick," I told her and moved towards XinLong.

"That's the guy that sat with us for a bit at school," he pointed out, looking over at the register.

"Yeah," I said and looked over at him. I moved slightly closer to XinLong and took ahold of his hand.

"Did you make XinLong blush, Sarah?" Zihao asked me. I looked at his face and it was a slight shade of pink.

"Huh, looks like I did," I said and interlaced our fingers.
~~~
After the little event in the boutique, I think XinLong made it his personal mission to make me blush. So far, it hasn't worked.

"Come on! I do the littlest things and you're usually red! Why not now!" he whined. 

"Let me say I'm used to them now," I told him with a sly smile. He nodded his head and he had a newfound confidence.

"Should we eat out tonight?" Hanyu asked me.

"I have fifty dollars with me so we could," I told him.

"Oh! There's this little cafe that has different foods. We could eat there!" Layla looked at me with puppy dog eyes, hoping I'd agree with her idea.

"You lead the way, ma'am. We'll follow," I told her. She did a little victory dance and lead the way to the cafe she was talking about.
~~~
After our meal, we were all full and ready to end the day.

"I'm tired," I mumbled and leaned on Layla. She patted my head lightly and we walked in silence.

"Are you gonna go home or you gonna stay another night?" I asked her quietly.

"I'll go home. I should really pack a bag just for when I want to leave and stay with you for the night," she thought out loud. I nodded my head, agreeing with her statement.

"Or you can just have half of my closet," I offered. She shook her head and wrapped an arm around my shoulder to keep me walking in a steady line.

She soon spoke up once again, "I have a feeling XinLong's gonna try and do something big soon. They've been here for almost three weeks now, right?" 

"Yeah, he had a look on his face that showed me he has something planned. Kinda nervous," I confessed.

"Well, I know that he's good for you," she told me. 

"Yeah. Hey, when we went to the boutique, Finn confronted me and asked me how much longer the boys would be staying with us. He wants to give us a chance and I told him no," I told her. 

"That's my girl. You know what man wants you and which one doesn't," she patted my head once again.

What is XinLong gonna do?? I know. Anyways, bye!! Love you all!! <3 (ps, this is the fastest that I think I'm gonna finish something. I have like three chapters left to edit, then the epilogue is something I'm excited for)