Toward the Walk of Shame

7 {Suzy}

Even though the weather reporter said it was going to be sixty degrees fahrenheit this morning, I still layered up in boots, and an overcoat, and a beanie. I'd been played by the weatherman too many times to take the chance.

Sure enough, halfway to the bus stop I couldn't feel my fingers anymore. Sixty degrees, my butt. It had to be at high thirties in the wind. If this crazy weather wasn't a sign of global warning, I didn't know what was.

A loud yawn escaped my mouth, piercing through the quiet morning air. I'd barely gotten any sleep, since Soyeon had kept me on the phone practically all night. After Sehun left, I'd been in stunned disbelief for so long that I didn't call Soyeon to tell her about my new relationship until after dinner. My ears were still hurting from her squeals and cheers. I swear, I hadn't seen her this excited since we sneaked backstage after the Wizard of Oz musical last year.

I was still walking around the bench and securing my beanie more firmly around my head when a loud engine roared from down the street. It sounded like a large truck, but it turns out to be a slightly small, grayish car that pulled up beside me. There was a loud, clinking pop, and the engine died. The driver's side window rolled down, and an dark hair popped out. "Come on, I'll give you a ride to school."

Sehun.

I knew he was talking to me and not the two old women behind me, but I still had to look over my shoulder to be sure. Talking to him felt weird. Was weird. Like this wasn't real. "That's okay." I tucked my hands in my pockets and resumed my walking. "I like the bus."

When it became obvious that I wasn't going to change my mind and jump in, Sehun let out a sigh, rolled up his window, and climbed out of the car. Despite the cold, he just wore a plain white T-shirt, and dark gray jeans and black hoodie.

Within seconds, he was in step with me, hands shoved in both pockets. Up and down the sidewalk we walked. No matter how slowly or quickly I walked, he would just adjust his pace. "Are we going to just pretend we don't know each other?"

I gave him a sideways glance. "Of course not. We do know each other."

"Yeah, kind of a shame we don't remember exactly how much." My cheeks flushed. To make matter worse, the wind carried his voice, and I swear, everyone at the bus stop grew quiet. Sehun continued as though he didn't notice the two nosy old women obviously eavesdropping on us. "So are we only supposed to friendly when we have an audience, or can we at least be friends? Real friends?"

"We are friends." The word sounded foreign on my tongue. I shook my head and tried again, stressing each syllable. "Seriously, friends."

"Okay, then as friends, we should go to school together." Sehun touched my wrist to make me stop. "Come on, I said I'd take you."

Despite all the layers I was wearing, I could feel the heat radiating from his fingertips. How in the world did he manage to stay so warm in so few layers?

"And I said no thanks." The two old women were blatantly staring now. I resisted the urge to shoo them away and softened my voice. "Like I said, I like the bus. It gives me time to . . . think."

To my surprise, Sehun laughed like I had told him the funniest joke and pulled me in for a tight, one-arm hug. "Man, you're stubborn," he muttered through beaming, clenched teeth. Shocked by his closeness, I blinked and stayed still as his breath tickled my ear. "Did you forget we're supposed to be dating now? How would it look if I let my girlfriend ride the bus when I have a perfectly good and comfortable car right here?"

Oh, right. Duh. I looked over his shoulder and frowned at the rust stains up and down the passenger door. "Are you sure you know the definition of comfortable?"