A long day it was, indeed.
After History, Stefan had rushed out immediately and my plans to confront him and ask him to stop this wooing were washed over, not that I had enough courage to go and face him, both because of Sunday night mortification and because of the fear that I'd be a blabbering mess if I do. Notes and flowers are too damn romantic, don't blame me.
During lunch, the lunch lady told me that my lunch was paid for and that I had a special reed velvet mini cake and Italian omelette wrap for lunch, prepared on a special order by someone. I damn well knew who the said someone was but Hannah and Keith began screaming that I had a secret admirer and the news had spread throughout the school.
I have even lost the count of how many times I had been asked, "Is it true that you have a secret admirer?" by these nosy students.
Even Stefan had managed to brush past me soon after lunch and whispered, "A secret admirer, indeed." in my ear making me shiver.
Other than that, I had received five beautiful peonies in the fourth hour with a cute little note that said :
I like it when you dance but I love it when I'm dancing with you.
xx
I had sighed and thought that I loved it too, even thought we had done it only once but I had imagines us at the Talent show too many times to count. Next was six sticks of gladiolus and another note that said :
You and me would be the mot awesome pair, just picture it. You agree, don't you?
xx
I had indeed pictured us together, entering the banquet hall for the dance and everybody's eyes on us as we slow danced. When I realized how dangerous my thoughts were, I had shook my head and let them be.
In gym class, our new coach Miss. Bradley had been the one to hand me a bunch of seven sticks of indigo colored delphiniums and the note was hidden between them, most probably to hide it from the teacher because the contents would surely have landed us in trouble, or was I just exaggerating?
The note seemed simple but had me running almost immediately to make my crimson cheeks appear as the courtesy of exercise and not the note itself.
Is it bad that I don't want you to wear those damned shorts for anyone else but me to see?
xx
Our school's practice suit was the plain and simple green and white sports wear, our school's colors. The girl's tank tops were green with Ridgeview High written in white and white practice shorts with two green stripes on the side. It was the same for cheer leaders and girl's soccer team too but when we performed on the field, out tanks were changed into green tee-shirts with school's name and logo on the front and our names and numbers in the back. The cheerleaders had their own costume.
Although the shorts were of decent size, at least mine were, I still wore black underpants under them for personal satisfaction. Stefan's note made me feel as if I was running around in plain underwear or maybe even the lack of that.
Throughout the gym period, Miss. Bradley had been lenient and made us play softball the typical girls vs boys and we girls obviously won. I mean, the boys were paying more attention to the sports bra under our tanks to pay attention to the game.
After that, Miss. Bradley called me and Stefan to talk to us.
"Mr. King, Miss James, I assume." She asked even though she knew damn well who we were.
I refrained from rolling my eyes and nodded, too conscious of Stefan standing beside me, way too close.
"I have your reports for the past two years here on my table. I have talked to your old coach as well and she has praised both your skills. I'd say she even had the name of the new captain ready but she had to withdraw for a few months. Now that I'm here, I'd like to see for myself how much praiseworthy you are and then assign the captain by the end of the week, clear?"
Stefan and I both nodded in agreement.
"I have also hear from the students as well as the other teachers, Mrs. Densie included, that there's some animosity going on here?" Miss. Bradley asked quirking a brow and motioning between us as she said animosity. "What I saw and performed at the beginning of the class sure didn't seem like what enemies do."
I instinctively shifted away from Stefan and he cleared his throat. "A dare, Miss. Bradley." He said and I felt my heart ache a little at that.
"Oh." Miss. Bradley said in realization. "I guess that's personal then. I'll let you two be. Now go and prepare yourself. It's going to be a touch week." She dismissed us.
We both went in two different directions only to meet in the ground five minutes later. Practice was indeed tough as Miss. Bradley made Stefan and me work extra hard and by the time we were let off, I was ready to collapse on my bed and never wake up.
After I showered and got back to my locker to collect my things, I made sure to count and staple all the notes together and then secured them inside my bag. Then I collected all the flowers and made a makeshift bouquet out of our school's old newspaper and went outside to meet Hannah and Keith at the latter's car.
They both were there already and their back was facing me. Upon reaching them, I realized that they were staring at a bouquet of multi-colored tulips and a note tucked in the car's bonnet. I immediately face palmed and cursed Stefan to leave it here like this.
I picked up the note first and read what was inside.
I would have never admitted before but you're one hell of a gorgeous, talented and strong woman, Emery. And even if I don't say it doesn't mean that I don't agree with it.
I hope you know how amazing you are.
xx.
I swooned right then and there and I would have even jumped on the guy who put this here for me and hugged the hell out of him.
"I'm sorry I read it before you but I was confused why would someone give Keith flowers." Hannah says and I look at her and smile.
"It's fine, you wouldn't have know." I say honestly.
"So Chase is really doing all the wooing thing, huh. I guess I have competition." Keith says.
"And it seems like he has been doing the wooing since the beginning." Hannah says eyeing the other flowers. "Can you guess who the secret admirer might be, huh Keith?"
"Let us see, does his name begin with an S and ends with an atan?" Keith snorts mockingly.
I blush and gather all the flowers together and tie them with my scarf for now. "It's because of the dare, guys."
"Dare or not. He is putting effort and he is making you blush." Hannah points out. "I swear that if Ethan doesn't up his level even his dick won't be his date for the dance." She grumbles.
"Woah, babe. Seems like you're obsessed with my dick." Ethan pops out of nowhere and puts an arm around her shoulder.
Not only him but Emily, Drew and Stefan are also there. Seems like they stopped on their way to Drew and Stefan's car.
Emily rolls her eyes. "You suck, E. And so does Keith. You guys don't know the R of romantic and you can seriously forget about bringing dates to the dance."
"Is that so?" Keith asks with an arrogant raised brow.
"Yes." Hannah and Emily answer together and fold their arms like psychic twins.
Ethan and Keith exchange secretive glances and say, "Oh, you're on." Together like another pair of twins.
The four of them dive into an intense staring contest and I groan while leaning back against Keith's car. Stefan comes to stand beside me and I glance at him before looking away immediately, blushing at his close proximity. I look for Drew who is talking on his phone a little farther away from us.
"So." Stefan starts bringing my attention back to him. "what's my score after today?"
"Um," I pretended to think, "Six out of ten."
"Six?" He asks incredulously and I nod, not meeting his gaze. He's know it was hundred out of ten if I do. He composes himself and tries again. "With the brownie points I got on Saturday?" He asks reminding me of when he asked me to be his Talent Show dance partner.
I scrunch my nose. "Six and a half then."
Stefan sighs and lets out a chuckle. "You'll make me work my ass off, won't you?"
I grin and nod, turning to face him. "Yup. So honey, I hope you've got some good tricks up your sleeve."
He leans down smirking and whispers in my ear. "You bet, baby."
I don't get to react to his words before Keith is pulling me towards him. "I need to prove my romantic genes, C. So I'm taking Miss. Barbie out to prove it to her."
"And this asshole is dragging me with or without my permission!" Hannah yells as Ethan hauls her over his shoulder and walks towards his car.
"How am I getting home?" I ask, frantic.
"I'll take you." Stefan speaks behind me before Keith could.
"Yeah!" Keith perks up. "You guys even live together so you can catch a ride with him." He doesn't let me respond to the idea but moves behind me and clasps Stefan's hand in a manly handshake kind of thing. "Thanks man. Take care of her for me for a while."
"Don't worry about it. She'll live nicely until Homecoming, at least." Stefan joks and my best friend actually chuckles.
"And after that I'll kick your ass to save her." Keith plays along.
He then walks towards Emily, lifts her up and practically dumps her in the passenger seat and drives off.
"So I don't get a say in this?" I grumble.
"Seems like you don't." The guy beside me whistles. "Come on, now. I have to drop Drew off too."
Drew's eyebrows crease in confusion when he sees me walking his way with Stefan and Stefan explains everything in short to him. "Keith and Ethan are out proving to Emily and Hannah their romantic genes." He snickers. "I'm taking her home since we live together."
Drew nods. "That makes sense, of curse. Just don't kill each other before you get back." He warns as he gets in the front seat and I in the back. We drop him off soon after small talk and I drag myself into the front seat over the console.
"Are you and Keith dating?" Stefan blurts out his question when I settle in.
"What?" I furrow my brows. "Where did you get that idea from?"
He shrugs. "Well, for one, you're always kissing his cheek."
I roll my eyes at that. "I kiss Carl's cheeks all the time too. And to answer your question, no, I'm not dating my best friend. If I was, I wouldn't let him take anther girl to a school dance as his date. I don't share even if it's for a dare."
Stefan visibly sighs at my answer and then smirks. "Possessive, are we?"
"Are only guys allowed to be possessive?" I retort back. He doesn't say anything back for an argument. "You were so jealous." I grumble under my breath but he hears it.
"So what if I was? I don't share either, I'm sure I have said it before." He says reminding of the morning after Friday where he had kidnapped me to his room. "If someone or something is mine, they're only mine."
"That doesn't mean you guys can manhandle your women." I point out.
Stefan shrugs. "It's the only way we men know how to show it. I'm not saying it's ideal but we don't know what else to do without appearing clingy assholes." He says. "We have to let our women know that they're ours and that we're into them just as much they're into us."
I don't say anything as I begin to think of the woman who'll get to be with Stefan. She sure will be a lucky one, I'm certain.
We reach Josie's place sooner than I'd like and I curse myself for wanting to spend extra time in the car with Stefan. Without another word to him. I grab my bag and makeshift bouquet from the backseat and retire to my room, losing myself to sleep.
Maybe after I wake up, things will make more sense than they are right now.
* * * * *
Happy January guys!
I'm sorry for being so late but I have something amazing to share with you guys. So my mum (45) begun a fashion designer's diploma course last July and on January 12, she had her very first fashion show. I also happened to debut as a runway model at the same event - for my mum and four other designers.
Amazingly, I got numerous more offers to walk for many other budding designers in upcoming runway shows in my state as well as one on a national level. I have also been approached to walk the Asian Fashion Week Runway in March 2020 by three Indian designers (budding and growing one's) as well as my mum.
I'm so excited to start this new career. I just hope I don't get too caught up in the glamour world to forget where my real happiness lies, i.e, in writing.
Anyway, vote and Comment for Stefan and Clara too and thanks for reading!
ALSO CHECK OUT LOVE HAPPENS, MY NEW BOOK. THE FIRST CHAPTER IS OUT NOW. Love Happens https://my.w.tt/9nMLjUPWh3
Yours truly,
Renelicious <3