Collateral

1. Belle

Kings Primary School was known more for the food offered here than its education. Not that the education was not worth the expensive fees, however, the canteen food was the reason most children avoid skipping school.

The smell of freshly baked goods was still fresh in the air as all the students collected their food and sat around their tables talking to their companions. I collected a plate of fish and chips and a cup of tea, unaffected by the usual bustle, and made my way to the table where I could see the two similar heads with dark brown locks already sitting.

Nervous butterflies approached my stomach for two different reasons, one making me want to walk faster, and the other making we want to run in the opposite direction.

No Belle you can't stall this any longer, she deserves to know and you will tell her before the lunch break is over. The head with longer brown locks looked up and as we shared an eye contact she enthusiastically waved her hand. She is such a kid sometimes. Sometimes? No, all the time!

I offer Emma a smile as I sit down across from her and diagonal to the other head with shorter brown locks, whom I still haven't taken a look at, afraid I might just trespass the mental boundary I have created.

Emma starts blabbering about her favorite Miss Colston but I am deep into my thoughts to even consider paying attention to her words.

"Do I need to tell her? What if she takes it in a bad way? What should I even say? Will she be disappointed? I mean liking your best friend's brother is not that big of a deal!" I thought but the hundreds of novels I had read told me otherwise. Then again this is Emma who has been having weird moments of pairing me with Ethan the past year.

Seriously Belle get a grip on yourself and be out with it already. With this final thought I stop sipping my tea and suddenly speak up,

"Emma, I have something to tell you" though I did interrupt her fan-girling session but a small grin appears on her face as she hears my words. She looks happier to know that I have something to tell her, which honestly is surprising. She nods, trying her best to keep the eagerness away, and asks me to speak up.

I look around, finally looking at Ethan who is laughing and has his brown locks all messed up. I wish I could just touch them.

Belle that was a horrible thought! Stop being a creep. Get a grip on yourself!

I am snapped out of my trance by a smirking Emma, something is wrong with her today.

"Not here Em lets go to the grounds"

She answers with a simple 'of course'. We pick up our trays and start moving towards the exit which opens on the school canteen grounds. Our school has a huge campus and the canteen grounds are the most common hang out place for students, especially during free slots.

I can feel Emma's gaze on me and I start,

"So, I need to tell you something."

"Yes, I know and I am all ears." She says narrowing her eyes at me knowing very well that I am having second thoughts about it.

"You know it might come as a surprise to you or more like a shock..."

"I like surprises...." Emma is giving me a glare and for once I would have said her glare looks scary but she spoiled it by taking a lick of her ice cream. Wait! We got ice cream today?

"I didn't get an ice cream!"

"Belle..."

"You know what forget it. It's nothing really." I say as my conscious finally gives up but Emma doesn't.