Outburst

Chapter 4 - Chad's Offer

Days later, Emma told me that Lucy and Ivan were officially in relationship. For the last 3 days, Ivan had been coming to our school and met up with Lucy. New lovebirds, feeling like the world only existed for both of them. Yeah, so cute yet so annoying, especially for the single girls like me and Emma.

But, today was a bit different. Ivan wasn't coming alone. That familiar overconfident, dark-haired boy tagged along.

"Calista, right?" Chad approached me. I was sitting on the stairs in front of my school, waiting for Grant who was late again. I didn't dare to leave school without Uncle Luke's permission anymore. Besides, Lucy was with Ivan and Emma had already felt 'ousted' when she saw Chad also came, so she just went home.

"Callie, actually," I said. The only one whom I allowed to call me that was my uncle. Yeah, it was because I didn't dare to correct him. "What are you doing here, Chad?"

"Accompanying my buddy, of course," replied Chad with his 'cool' style. It was really obnoxious.

"No, you're not."

Chad grinned. "Okay, maybe not. See, I know you like basketball..." He took out something from his pocket. "I have 2 tickets to Lakers game tomorrow night."

I scoffed. "You don't need to brag about it."

"I-I'm not bragging," he said. He took one ticket and showed it to my face. "I'm giving you one."

I almost choked out. I looked at him and the ticket alternately for several times.

"I can't just sell it because I got it for free," he added, "and Ivan can't make it because of Lucy."

"You have like, three other friends to ask."

"I have hundreds, actually," he corrected, with his eyes saying 'Duh, Callie'. "But... I choose you."

It should've made me blushed and touched and babbled, OMG Chad, that's so nice of you, with high-pitched voice, but I ended up laughing and shaking my head several times. "For your information, cheap compliments don't work on me."

"But this is an expensive gift!" He felt offended when I said 'cheap'.

"Yeah, but," I enjoyed his expression when I arrogantly rose my chin up, "I don't accept gifts from someone I beat."

He was dumbstruck with what I just said, repeating almost the exact words he said when he didn't want to shake my hand. He was looking for perfect words to express, but in the end he just chuckled in disbelief. "Stop being so cocky and just accept this, Calista," he finally said.

I giggled. As a girl, it was fair for me to play 'hard to get', especially with a boy like Chad. Our first meeting made me think that he was not the kind who acted sweetly in front of girls. But coming to my school and offering me a basketball game ticket like this proved that he actually could be sweet.

But before I finally accepted it, I saw Grant's car slowly coming to the school. I quickly took my bag.

"I'm sorry, I got to go." Again. Every time I entered an interesting conversation with Chad, there was always a disruption and my excuse was always like that. This is what you call 'cheap', dumbhead. What would he think if you always excuse yourself in the middle of a conversation?

Shut up, ego!

"Wait—what about the game?" Chad's husky voice stopped me.

"I don't know," I sighed. I was too happy, I almost forgot that I lived with a strict and authoritative uncle now, who obviously wouldn't let me go. "See you, Chad."