Sign of the Times [Weak Hero x OC]

Chapter 5: pinky promise

"I'm stuffed! Thanks again for paying for all this Graham!" Mei said leaning back in the seat. After the whole pool hall fiasco with Jimmy Bae, one of the guys offered to pay for her food, as thanks. 

"Y-yeah of course." He said.

Mei got up and stretched, "Hey Alex, come help me pick out a drink."

"Huh? Oh, uh sure." He scrambled up and winced. 

Mei stopped the fight, it would've been much worse, but Alex had still taken a lot of damage. She mentally cursed herself for not getting there sooner. 

They went back into the convenience store and Alex followed Mei to the drink fridges. But instead of asking for his opinion she just went straight for the Yoohoos. 

"So if you already knew what you wanted, why'd you bring me?" He asked, brows creased in confusion. 

Mei turned to him and poked to finger on his forehead, right in between his brows, "Don't crease your eyebrows so much, you'll get wrinkles." She said and dropped her hand. 

"Come over to my house after this is done." She said bluntly. 

Alex was caught off guard, his face flushed, "Wha- what??" 

"You got beaten up pretty bad, I'll help clean up your wounds, I have the stuff to do it at home." She said. 

"Are- are you sure?" He asked still taken aback. 

"I wouldn't ask if I wasn't." She said lightly flicking his forehead before walking past him to the counter to pay. 

"Okay then, thank you, Mei." 

The pair head out of the convenience store with her drink. 

"This has been fun, but I think we're gonna head out," Mei said with a small wave. 

"Oh, sure! See you later!"

"Bye Mei!" 

"Thanks again!" They all chorused their goodbyes and the two began walking toward her apartment building. 

"Those jerks, not a single one said bye to me," GoGo grumbled. 

Mei laughed. They walked quietly for some time. 

"You knew him" her tone was neutral, she just looked out at the city. 

"Yeah, me and Big Ben, he... he caused us some trouble, Ben got the worst of it. Ever since then, Jimmy, he had this hold on me. I've been so scared of him." Alex's fists clenched and his teeth were gritted. 

"Don't feel weak for feeling fear GoGo." Her words caught him off guard. "Everyone is scared of something, and from the looks of it, he did a number on you two." 

Alex stopped walking and looked at the girl, she walked a couple more steps before stopping and looking back at him. 

"But you weren't scared at all, you were so brave, and I just buckled." 

"Someone I used to know," an image of bright orange hair flashed in her mind, "told me that courage isn't the absence of fear, but the action despite it." She paused and then laughed, "He got it from the wrapper of one of those Dove Dark Chocolates, but it stuck with me." 

Alex smiled and started walking again, and she matched his step. "You're pretty strange ya know?" He asked chuckling.

"What's that supposed to mean? Huh?" 

<3

"Here we are!" Mei exclaimed and GoGo looked up at the tall, mostly glass, building.