An Asian Falling For An Italian. [EDITING]

Thirty.

Everyone started to interrogate me and ask me questions. "It's a long story. I'll explain later." Seconds after announcing that, I was met with Marcello's whisper, "Who is he your boyfriend?" I can tell he's teasing me, I roll my eyes and whisper back, "Oh baby, don't be jealous, we were never meant to be anyways." I laugh and start talking to Ate Joelle.

Soon after our food arrived. I smile as I smelled the food. I look at my plate and I noticed that next to my fries there was a piece of paper. "You have my number so you better put it to good use." I smile as I take out the book out. I decided to text the number.

3:03pm Hey give me a break

3:03pm Hardin : Eager aren't we? I see you got my note.

3:03pm Eager to eat? yes.

3:04pm Hardin : whatever you say shorty

Stressed, I start eating, having small talk every now and again. I look at my phone as it starts ringing. It's Hardin. Marcello answers. With my mouth full, I start to complain, I quickly wipe my hands and snatch my phone.

"Hello?"

"chocolate, vanilla or strawberry?"

"Uh what?"

"shorty shorty shorty, just choose."

"chocolate"

He hung up, confused I carry on eating, minding my own business.

"Why'd he call you?" Marcello asked. "Well he just asked me a question." He glanced to his food then back at me, "You two seem to be close." I smiled, "probably closer than we'll ever be" I say as I pat his shoulder.

"Is that so?" He smirked and I nodded. He put his hand to my ear and quietly whispers, "Even though he hasn't kissed you?" his breath made me blush. He quietly chuckled as went to carry on eating.

Eventually we shared our goodbyes and made our way back home. "Home at last" I say as I roll around in my bed. I check my phone to see if anyone missed me. Nope, no one so far. After just binging on old tv shows I decided to sleep.

The morning came and it was time for school, Joseph and I walked to school along with Marcello, Armando and Luciano. It was a normal day actually. Another day of pretending to be fake dating with Marcello. But today I managed to  get a chance to volunteer at the library, which means I can come earlier and stay in the library later.

It was break and I dragged Marcello to the iconic table to have a little chat.

I breathed in and out slowly a couple of times to get myself prepared, "Marcello, can I ask for a favour?"

He smiled as he said, "Sure, anything for you Mari"

I smiled, "Great. Can we break up?"

His smile slowly disappeared as he replied with, "What?"

"You heard me, can we break up? This lie is getting a bit too much for me, especially since I don't really like you that way."

There was just silence between us. It was awkward. It had been a while since silence filled the space between us. Neither of us were used to it, though none of us decided to speak up.

He nodded, "it was fun while it lasted. I was there for the chase." I didn't say anything, I felt as if he only said that to retaliate against my abrupt favour. I stood up and left quietly. News spread fast that we broke up and luckily everyone took it well, no one was harassing me about it. They were just shooting their shot with Marcello.

Since everyone was shooting their shot with Marcello, I chose to shoot my shot with Angelo. So I left a note in his locker,
"Hey, it's been a while. Curious as to who's writing this note? See me after school at the bench under the tree at 4:30pm"

Time passed and it was 4:30pm. I was waiting for him. Luckily he came after a few minutes. His smile was contagious, it got my heart beating, "I- uh um, I'm no longer with Marcello." I said nervously. "I've heard. News travels fast."

We sat there for a few moments before I gathered my thoughts, "I've had a crush on you for a while. Even before Marcello and I were a thing, we weren't really a thing— he just kind of made it a thing. If you know what I mean." Upon hearing this he just smiled, the same contagious smile that made my heart skip a couple beats. "I knew that too." I smiled, "so? Do you like me too?"

In a soft voice, he looked at me and said, "I did, but I realised that we couldn't be more than simple crushes." I furrowed my eyebrows, "so you don't like me?" I mean if he didn't like me he could've just told me so. He continued and said, "I realised, that you and Marcello have this sort of connection that we don't really have. Besides that, we haven't really talked so much."

I sighed as I had come to realise that most of my time recently had been with Marcello, though it had been a fake relationship, I had spent more time with a fake boyfriend than my crush. "Ah, well, I shot my shot." We laughed and I explained to him the whole Marcello situation.

"It seems like he actually likes you." I furrow my eyebrows, "everyone says that but I don't think it's true." I look at the time and notice that it's time to pick up Joseph. I exchange goodbyes with Angelo and leave.

Once I had picked up Joseph he started talking to me about his day at school. "You know when Marcello came to pick Armando and Luciano he didn't seem well." I shrug my shoulders, "not my problem." I tired to deflect the topic of Marcello several times.

A couple of weeks had past and everything had gone back to how it was before Marcello. In any classes that I had with Marcello I had already arranged or requested for a new seat. The strange, but familiar setting made me calm but uneasy. Though I tried my best to keep myself away from him I'd always hear about him.

For instance as soon as I left the library someone had already asked him out, they got rejected but that didn't stop the several other girls trying. As the weeks had gone by, I've given up and just stopped listening. It wasn't really a breakup for me as I never really liked him. Sure here were a couple moments of my heart fluttering but they were just that. I didn't feel a spark or catch any feelings whilst we had been dating.

This time, during break I would head straight to the library. Just like usual, I stacked books and reorganised them. Occasionally not being able to reach one. Unfortunately that was one of the occasions, I couldn't reach the Macbeth book that was on the top shelf where the encyclopaedias were. I tried stretching and jumping several times, until I felt a presence behind me.

"I told you to text me when you need help."

——
Ooo who is it?