" I have a sore there." He snapped, " What are you thinking?"
" I have been thinking it's an injury mark too.Try taking medications when you get home."
But he said nothing. I smacked my lips as silent crawled in again. Nevertheless, I was just happy inside. The rumors about us can spread as far as they want and the school gossips can say whatever they want.
**********
" Lover girl!" Milo teased, walking into the class with Lily.
" Love is beautiful. The bond is strong!" Lily sang.
" I wonder why our lover girl comes early these days." Milo patted me," My dear, hope nothing fishy is going on?"
I glared at them," I don't understand you both..."
Lily arched her eyebrow, leaning closer me," What don't you understand about us? That we saw you and Liam in the library together?That..."
" He asked me to join him for study!" I snapped," Why does everyone in this school seem to be an unnecessarily spy? "
" C'mon baby, everyone has eyes. Your closeness with him draws attention. You know...A Cinderella meeting a prince charming. How does it sound?" Lily smirked," But I thought you wanted to be nonchalant at him? Now, you see it didn't worked out!"
" It kinda worked!" I pouted my lips at her and looked away.
" Have you tried asking him about his Zodiac sign, girl?" Milo asked.
" I won't."They both widened their eyes like little puppies," Why?"
I said nothing, clenching my jaw.
" Our lover girl is angered... let's let her be!" Lily told Milo and they left.
**********
I was about mastering those areas of concentration of Physics which Liam had asked me to study, before our class rep Amy accosted the both of us... I and Liam.
" The principal needs both of your presence in her office right away." Amy said and walked away.
Everyone was staring at us.My heart joggled. What else would it be if not about the trending rumors about us? That moment,the hotness that left me the previous day came back with full velocity. My belle ached desperately.
" Let's go." Liam whispered at me and walked past me.
I followed him to the principal office, trembling. I wish I was bold like him.
I almost bumped into him in the principal office, in fear.
We stood some steps far from each other.
The principal,Mrs.Helen stared observing- like at us, especially me. I lowered my gaze, trying to cook a word of defense.
" Why is the news spreading everywhere?" She jabbered suddenly.
My heart raced faster. What should I say?
" Ma, honestly speaking, it's a rumour." Liam defended.
Mrs. Helen widened her eyes and arched her eyebrows," Rumour, you said?"
We nodded.
She pulled out a pamphlet and showed us a familiar picture. It was a picture of me helping Liam with the honey into his mouth. It really looked romantic. Who did such troublesome act?
" What can you say about this?" Mrs. Helen asked.
My eyes were moist. I hated myself for once.
" She's just a classmate to me who tried helping me. I had cough then." Liam said.
" Must you be close to each other, even as classmates?" She asked, with a strained voice.
But I weren't that close to him. I could remember...The picture in the pamphlet made it looked like we were close.
Mrs. Helen pointed at me," You are a girl and I'll advise you to avoid puppy-love! You are too young for it. How old are you?"
"Sixteen." I said in a low tone, feeling overwhelmed by what she said. So... trying to be in a friendship with someone is a puppy love?
She pointed at Liam." And how old are you?"
" I'm Eighteen."
" Don't you see that being in a relationship is too young for the both of you?" She snapped.
Who's relationship with who?
" We're not in any form of relationship, Ma." Liam said,with some pinch of hoarseness in his voice.
" Then act as normal students and stop raising alarm in the whole school!"
I nodded.
" Everyone came here for educational purposes and every other purposes are not allowed here." She said.
I nodded.
She pointed at Liam," Is that clear?"
" ...Yes Ma."
" Now leave!" She screamed. She was always weird though.
I left first but turned back at Liam," I'm sorry for causing all of this inconvenience..."
He said nothing but walked past me. I felt like a fool, the one being used in all this games, but I shrugged.
Should I bring back the nonchalant me?
**********
It was recess period but I was doing my classwork. I was almost done. I peeked at Liam.He just laid on his locker, facing the window and letting the sun penetrate into his eyes.
Who knows if he's angry with me.
" Chloe-Annie!" Someone called from the window. I turned to the direction and saw Xander, walking into the classroom. He approached me and sat on a locker closer me.
"My friend, what are you doing? Aren't you going out for break?" He lowered his voice.
" How did you know this's my class?" I asked Xander.
He shrugged," I asked some students. They directed me here."
I nodded," Okay..." I fiddled my fingers subconsciously.
" So..." He tapped me on the shoulder," Are we going to the canteen today?"
" Err..." I glanced at Liam but he still laid, facing the window.
" Is that your brother? The both of you look alike, from what I saw yesterday." Xander pointed at Liam," He's really hottempered!"
I smiled, trying not to say anything.
Xander nabbed my classwork note from my hand," Aren't you going out for break?"
Why was he now kind of acting like he was the boyfriend that Liam was talking about the previous day? When did this close relationship started? Because I showed him to the canteen and told him about school?
Gee, that's too weird.
" Break?" I widened my eyes in disbelief at him.
" Yes!" He smirked," There's even a basketball game going on in the sportsfield. Aren't you going with me?" He asked.
" Okay." I smiled," Let's go." I packed my classwork notes inside my locker and left the classroom with him.
" Are you good in basketball?" He asked,as we went to the canteen.
I shook my head," No, Xander. But I always wanted to be perfect in it."
" Well, you have met someone so perfect who's enough to teach you very well about it." He said.
" Who's that?" I looked up at him.
"Me,of course.Will you like to learn from me?"
I nodded, but not too sure," Yes."
" Alright then." He said.
We bought sausages and omelettes and walked to the sportsfield.
We met Lily and Milo there.
"Meet our newcomer, Xander." I told them.
They both gazed at him.
" I'm Lily. Nice meeting you, Xander" Lily had shook hands with him, grinning.
" Nice meeting you too." Xander beamed with smile.
Milo said, with a weird look," Milo, by name. Nice meeting you"
" Nice meeting you too," Xander smirked.
Xander glanced at me," Watch me play the basketball,Chloe"
I nodded.
He joined his team and the match began. More spectators gathered to watch such interesting sports, including Milo and Lily.
Xander was really athletic, wow. Maybe I would actually learn from him, even though I don't feel like.
But while the game was on, I really felt uneasy with the way someone was staring at me from afar. His stare looked suspicious; he would glare at me for a while and walk away,then come back with that same glare.
Who was that?
" Chloe, do you feel something?" Lily asked.
" What?"
" Someone is spying on you. Do you know?" She said.
I nodded," He goes and come back staring at me... I'm kind of afraid. Who's that?"
Lily shrugged," Don't really know, but kind of looks like Liam."
I widened my eyes,my heart skipping so fast,"Liam? I thought he was sleeping?"
" C'mon girl, it's him..." Milo said, munching peanuts.," There's no two ways about it.And it's obviously seen that he came to watch over you!"
I shook my head," No,it can't be!"
" Why don't you go to the study library with him? Who knows if he's signaling you to come over?" Lily said.
" I feel bothered about what people would say about us. Everyone thinks we're in a relationship and we're having puppy love... and I hate it!" My eyes were moist,as I jabbered.
Lily patted," If everyone thinks like that, just know we got your back, alright?"
" You think it's just so easy...I think we even have an eye on us!"
Milo tapped me," How do you know, girl?"
" When we went to the principal's office, she showed us a pamphlet of our photos. Someone took a photo of us in the class, while I was helping him with the honey...She made it look like that moment was romantic, making it look like a puppy love!" I told them.