Deep Red

6

>> I can't take it anymore, I swear. I'm going crazy without Cho. I started talking to my fridge. MY FRIDGE.<<

I put my phone away and turned my attention back to my salad. I was trying to save money and eat healthy (once again), but this was the second day on salad and it really just wasn't it. At all.

I felt a buzz from my phone in my pocket. Man, Aiko was answering quickly. It had been a week since I had said goodbye to my beautiful little kitten and Aizawa had taken her away. And it was keeping me on edge.

Every day I was just looking out for Aizawa to ask how she was doing and whether she was okay. We had arranged that I'd bring cat food every week and today was the first time to hand over the cat food. I had it with me at school, but I hadn't really seen Aizawa yet. I had made a plan today that I would ask him for his number, so he could send me cat updates every single day. I'd go insane any other way.

>> WHAT? Did you actually give her away? To who?<<

I hesitated a little when I read that last question. Should I really tell her...? Then again, we weren't in high school anymore (well, I was, but in a different sense). I guess I could just get it over with.

>> Aizawa took her. He has a cat himself, so he offered. It was really sweet of him. Plus, Cho really likes him. <<

I put my phone next to my salad bowl, as I was about to eat up another leaf. Ugh, leaf. I couldn't believe I was eating that. This would never get me through a whole day. I'd collapse or something.

>> Seriously? Aizawa, as in weird kid Aizawa? Gloomy boy? <<

I rolled my eyes. This was years ago. Couldn't she just let it go? Like, there was no point in holding onto all that stuff from back in high school. Which was ironic of me to say, because I was still feeling a bit weird about admitting that Aizawa wasn't that bad. When really, he wasn't.

>> He's not a gloomy boy. He actually is pretty nice. Once you get through twenty layers of sleepiness and grumpiness. <<

I took another bite of salad and decided to give up. This just wasn't worth it. I couldn't do it. I might die 20 years earlier from eating unhealthy, but at least I'd have a good time with it. I put the lid on my lunchbox and packed it away quickly, before anyone could see that I had only eaten about half of it.

>> OMG. Please tell me you're not crushing on him. <<

I almost choked on my salad. What the hell was she on about? I might've had a tiny little secret crush on him back in high school, but that was ages ago. He had been taking care of my cat for a week now and had been helping me to deal with the consequences of my own stupidity. Of course I'd say he was a nice guy. I was shaking my head as I was typing my reply.

>> Oh, come on. I'm not 14 anymore. We work together. He's taking care of my cat. Dude is helping me out. Why would you think I have a crush on him? <<

I quickly sent the text as I heard the door to the staff room open behind me. I didn't want anyone seeing something about me having a crush on anyone. Especially when I didn't. Not that anyone would be rude enough to actually look at my phone and go on to read the text, but I was paranoid.

It seemed like it was for a good reason. I saw Aizawa walk into the staff room, an exasperated look on his face. He usually looked slightly annoyed, but it seemed like he was more annoyed than usual today. I wondered whether that had to do with all the reporters that were basically camping outside the school. It was kind of annoying, but I was lucky that I got to school early when there were only a few. So I got through them pretty quickly. Plus, he probably only saw them in the morning and it was lunchtime now. What the hell was going on?