June In May

Chapter 22 - Missed Confrontation

"She won't. We are on the last bench, remember?"

Right, we were. It wasn't like I held the last benches with prejudice, but I preferred to sit in the front rows as it helped me have better attention. However, Methane insisted on sitting in the back today, and I listened as we would also have the last bench in the chemistry lab.

I tried to pull my hand back. Even if nagging thoughts about Methane weren't in my mind, I still wasn't comfortable with physical intimacy. Not so soon, anyway.

Methane didn't budge, though.

It made me realize that for the last few days, he should have noticed that public display of affection wasn't my thing, either. Yet, it never stopped him from holding my hand or wrapping his arm around my shoulder or waist in front of others.

Sure, maybe a lot of girls like that stuff. Maybe I would, too. But in the future. It was my first time dating. I wasn't experienced with these gestures. Heck, I didn't need cliche boyfriend gestures. I needed care, support, and understanding. He needed to understand that. But I didn't know how to make him understand that, except show him my discomfort through facial expressions.

###

"Babe, let's go to the rooftop for lunch today. The weather is nice as well. The sun isn't too bright," Methane told me once we got our food from the cafeteria.

I shook my head with a smile. "I promised my friends I would eat with them today," I lied.

He frowned. "Isn't that selfish of your friends to ask when you have only started dating?"

I just smiled tightly at him and didn't bother replying to him as I walked over to my friend's table.

After we were seated, a bubbly conversation went around the table, yet Methane never made an effort to join in. He only answered curtly when questions were thrown at him. My friends were trying to accommodate him and show his introverted nature a respect, yet he was royally ignoring them.

"Hey, can you please show more interest?" I whispered to him.

"I don't really like being around too many people," Methane replied, chewing on his fry.

I tried to be patient as I said, "There are only four of them." Ella wasn't here today because of her drama rehearsals, and Michael was, of course, not here. Only Neil, Violet, and Ella's friends were there. "But they are my friends. They are important to me. The least you can do is fake interest when they are talking to you and not just rudely brush them off."

"Hmph. I will keep that in mind," he said and abruptly got up with his tray.

###

I was anxiously glancing at my watch for the time. Only twenty more minutes before school broke out, and I would inevitably need to have my confrontation with Methane. I couldn't pay attention to a single thing Mr. Tyson was uttering. I couldn't even muster my courage to look at Methane.

I was feeling hot. Maybe it was due to my stress. I decided to pull my hair up in a semi-high ponytail. While wrapping an elastic around my gathered hair, I felt someone looking at me.

"What?" I asked, a grin automatically forming on my face.

Methane just shook his head and reached for a strand of loose hair from my face before tucking it behind my ear. "Nothing, you just look so beautiful."

I could feel my face getting redder than it usually was, but I couldn't help but giggle when I realized how sincere he looked while complimenting me. Whatever inner conflicts I had inside me, it didn't erase the fact that I liked Methane and his actions affected me.

"Stop flirting with me. We're in class," I rebuked lightly and poked his arm before shifting my gaze to Mr. Tyson who just finished explaining how to make an 'Elephant toothpaste.'

"Okay, now. Get to work, everyone," he ordered, and I realized with horror that I had no idea how to do the experiment.

"Follow me," Methane whispered, and I heaved a sigh of relief. Just like every time, he was helping me in the lab. He really was so sweet. Yes, he may need to work on a few areas due to his aloofness to reality, but could he really be that bad? Could he really be hurting other people behind my back?

I placed all the elements in the Erlenmeyer Flask, copying Methane.

"What's got you so distracted? Is it just the lack of proper sleep?" he asked, his eyes now on me.

I averted my gaze from him and said, "Yep."

His gaze turned concerned. "You're not hiding anything from me, are you? You know, you can talk to me about anything. I will do anything for you."

My heart squeezed at his care for me.

I reached out to take his hand and smiled truly. "You are really sweet, you know that?"

He grinned and replied, "I'm nothing, babe. You're the one who is sweet, smart, beautiful, and hot—all at once. You are too good for everyone."

"You are crazy."

He winked at me and added, "For you."

I shook my head at his silliness, then turned to my experiment.

He received a text right then, and his entire body tensed up. He pursed his lips and went to talk to Mr. Tyson in the front. I kept looking at him in worry until he came back and said, "I need to leave. I have something important to do. I'm sorry I have to cancel our after-school date."

"That's no problem, but what happened?"

"I can't tell you right now. I just..." He glanced at his phone and said, "I need to leave." He kissed my cheek and grabbed his stuff before rushing out.

A minute after Methane left, I received a text from Troy.

Troy: Officer Dalton came by, and he took the footage of the day of Mike's incident. I couldn't deny him. I'm sorry :(

Shit.

I got another text.

Troy: Did you confront Methane yet?

No! What should I do now?

God, what is happening?