Colliding Stars |✔️

32. Rejection

"He likes Mario Kart," I said, bluntly.

Everyone around the table burst out laughing. Everett grinned widely at me.

"Seriously? That's all it took?"

"He rambles a lot too," I added.
They laughed again while Everett's cheeks blushed bright red and he shyly dropped his gaze back on Isha's notebook. I couldn't contain my smile.

"Consider yourself lucky, Weston. It's not every day Lana Takumi makes a friend and lets him eat lunch with us and smiles like that," Carmen said, pointing at my smile with her spoon.

Everett smiled proudly and as the others fell into conversation about how much I despised making friends and socializing in general, Everett said very quietly but just loud enough for me to hear, "Yeah. I guess I am lucky."

~

"Your friends are actually really nice," Everett said an hour after school had ended. Everett and I stayed behind in the student council room, doing our math homework together.

Well, I finished mine already and was now seated with my legs crossed on the table across from Everett who was hunched over the table, head hung low as he was scribbling calculations in his notebook.  

I was playing Mario Kart and was busy getting Shy guy in the first place when I looked up from my game and met Everett's warm brown eyes set on me.

"Our friends," I corrected him.

Everett smiled. "I mean it though. The Sirens purposely let the town dehumanize them but you all are genuinely humble and natural. Jada isn't scary unless you piss her off. Carmen's protective but she's chill and cool. Isha is kind and friendly."

"And me?"

He suddenly looked at me admiringly. "You? You're lazy, stoic, seem cold and act like you don't care about anything, but you're a softie, selfless and understanding as I've gotten to know you. You kinda hated me but I got to you."

"I didn't hate you," I corrected him again, this time feeling slightly guilty that I made him think I did. Everett chuckled and got up from his seat by pushing his chair back and jumped on the desk next to me, our shoulders lightly brushing against each other.

"You mean that?" He asked, raising his brows, teasingly. Now that we were looking into each other eyes, his face felt close to mine. Usually, I would've jumped away by this closeness, but while a part of me wanted exactly to do that, another part of me wondered what would happen if I moved closer.

"Yes," I whispered, suddenly breathless. My heart was thundering in my chest.

"That's funny because most of the time you looked like you wanted to punch me in the face."

"Only when you rambled," I confessed, quietly.

"And what about now?" He grinned.

I avoided his gaze while mumbling, "I guess, it's kinda cute."

Everett tipped his head back and laughed. I scowled and mock-punched his jaw. His laugh suddenly faded when my palm continued to rest against his cheek. I was about to pull away but Everett covered his palm over my hand. My heart did a small jump in my chest and I swallowed hard.