Just Another Clichè Love Story

3

🏈 Forth

I just stared at him the entire time until the bell rang. He never once looked my way and kept his head down. Come on, Shorty. After I apologized yesterday he hasn’t said a word or given me any glance at all. Except when he handed me the carefully wrapped toast this morning. I smiled at the thought, he still gave me breakfast so I guess we’re fine. I really wanted him to forgive me. Maybe he was still mad at me. I feel nothing but remorse when I recall the look of fear in his eyes that time. I swear I am not that type of person. I might have like teasing him but I make sure I don’t go too far and I make sure my friends don’t as well.

My thoughts got distracted when I saw him stand up and hurriedly get out of the room. I shoved my things in my bag and ran after him. Don’t tell me he forgot.

“Hey, Shorty wait up!” I called after him.

He stopped right outside the door.

“It’s tutor day,” I said.

“I know,”

“Are you still mad at me?” I asked in a hushed voice.

“N-no,” he said quietly.

A smile broke into my face and I ruffled his hair. He squeaked and I caught myself and stopped immediately. It was like my hands have minds of their own, always finding their way to his hair.

“So… we’re going to your house, right?”

He nodded.

“I assume we’re riding in my car,” I asked.

“I uh- yeah, my mom and brother already knows. Besides my brother’s club meeting ends later,” he said.

“Alright, how’s Wayo by the way?” I asked as we make our way to the lockers.

He just stared at me blinking.

“You know my brother’s name?”

“Of course, Beam Baramee Vongphipan,” I said.

He looked so surprised.

“What?” I asked.

“That’s my full name,” he said in a small voice.

I chuckled. “Just because I call you Four-eyes or Shorty doesn’t mean I don’t know your real name.”

“Oh, yeah, okay,” he said it like he was talking to himself.

We were walking towards the parking lot when I hear someone call my name.

“Forth, babe!” It was Jessie, the cheerleading captain. I don’t really consider her my friend because we’re not that close. But she insists that we hang out together since we were the ‘cool’ kids. She thinks my friends and I should be friendly with her group, because popular boys should hang out with popular girls. But I don’t think so. She just comes out to me as stuck-up and snobbish. She might be very pretty but that was it.

“Hey,” I forced a smile at her.

“I know you don’t have practice, wanna hang out with us?” she said as she hugged my arm and placed her chin on my shoulder. Okay, that was just a little too close for comfort.

“Uhm, no. I need to study with Beam,” I said and pointed to Beam at the same time prying her hands off me.

“Who? With that skinny nerd over there?” she pointed to Beam who was standing there with his head down, looking at his shoes.

I gave her a glare which either she didn’t notice or completely ignored.

“Well, that must have sucked for you,” she said and pouted.