A month passed and what Emily seemed to be looking forward to be happening is just her own expectation and imagination. She hadn't got a chance to talk to Matthew about anything aside from school works. Their longest conversation was about a group activity in which Matthew was the leader so all of the reports will go straight to him, and that's about it. Emily didn't had enough confidence to approach him and say interesting stuff other than academics, until she saw Matthew in the library one time, reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Little did she know that her life will change at that very moment.
"Hey." Said Emily as she stood up in front of Matthew.
"Hey." Matthew responded as he slowly put down the book he's reading and looked at Emily. He stared at her for a while and, as if remembering something, he said, "You're Emily, right? You're in my class?"
Emily felt a bit of pain as Matthew cannot remember she is his seatmate.
"Yeah. We're seatmates." She said and slightly smiled.
"Oh yeah, sorry. I'm really bad at remembering faces and names."
"Yeah, right." Emily sarcastically said as she always sees him with a lot of people gathering around him.
Matthew sensed the sarcastic tone and asked Emily about it. To break the awkwardness around them, Emily asked "You love reading too?"
"Yeah. Sort of. It's what I do whenever I have free time."
"Oh wow, I didn't know that! I also love reading by the way. Is Harry Potter your favorite?"
"Really? That's cool! Yeah, I love this series. It never gets old."
"I have been also reading that! But I'm still on the 5th book, Order of the Phoenix."
"OOHH that's one of my favorite from the series! But Deathly Hallows is like an exception."
"Tone it down, you two!" said the librarian at them.
Emily and Matthew looked at each other, and smiled. They went outside to continue their conversation about Harry Potter, and other books they've both read.
This is it. This is the beginning. Emily thought. I'm not aiming for anything, just friends will do. She told herself. She told herself so many times as she is controlling her emotions towards Matthew. This is just a simple crush, don't be silly Emy. So what if both of your fingers almost touched when you're showing him a line from a book that made you laugh? So what if the group projects you're both participating in became more exciting and fun now that you two are friends now? So what if...what if Matthew invited you to his house to have a look at his book collection?
"Emily? Emily? Hey, Emy! Are you listening to me?" Emily kind of forgot that she is with Zoey and they're now walking down to the canteen to grab lunch.
"Huh? Sorry Zoey, what were you saying?"
"What's wrong with you girl? You've been spacing out lately. Did you hear what I said?"
"Could you repeat that again? Sorry."
"I said I can't believe it has been 3 months since this term started. It feels like 3 years! Why is that? 3 months with Jordan as your seatmate will let you have a free taste to hell." But as Zoey was speaking, she noticed that once again, Emily wasn't paying attention at all.
"Emy, are you okay? You're not sick, right?"
"What? No, of course not. Just...just thinking lately."
"Thinking of what? Hmm, let me guess, Matthew?"
Before Emily could answer, she was interrupted by a group of second years who's smothered with thick lipsticks and blush on.
"Hey, you! The one with the glasses. Are you Matthew's girlfriend?!" they indignantly asked.
"What? Of course not!" answered Emily, shock and embarrassment are printed all over her face.
"Then, why are you always with him lately? We're always seeing you two together! Whether in the library, the canteen, the gate, the hallway, you're all over the place!" one of them furiously shouted to her.
"It's because we're friends! And it's not my fault we're always paired up for a school work, or we're always members of the same group! What's more, why do you all care?!" Emily getting irritated, started raising her voice back at them too.
"It's not only us, you know? There are a lot of girls who admire Matthew in this school. Plenty of us are fuming mad now that we always see Matthew with some kind of girl like you!"
"What do you mean, 'some kind of girl' huh?" Zoey interrupted in, attempting to throw a punch to all of them. Students are now looking at them.
"Whatever, know where you stand! Watch your back, because this is not yet over." One of the girls said as they scurried off away.
"Wow, those girls sure know how to ruin one's afternoon. My day was doing just fine until they came out of nowhere! Ugh, I'm so irritated now!"
"Let it go, Zoey. Let's just grab lunch."
As they have their food tray and sat down at the table, Zoey immediately asked Emily what was earlier about.
"What's with you and Matthew? What were they saying?"
"Nothing! Like I said, we're just friends!"
"Really?" Zoey is now having dubious looks at Emily.
"Really now, you don't believe me?"
"It's not that I don't. I know you two are just friends. If you weren't you'd probably tell me firsthand. It's just that, those girls were kind of right about you two being extra close to each other, like you're not....just friends. You know?"
"Why would anyone think that way? A month past and Matthew doesn't even know I'm his seatmate. And now I'm enjoying Matthew's company for two months now, this is what it looks like to everybody? Gosh I can't believe this."
"Hey, Emy!" Matthew called behind her back.
"Oh, you're here. Hello." Emily exhaustingly greeted back.
"What's wrong?" Matthew said as she touched Emily's shoulder and looking worried.
Emily moved a bit to remove his hands, and answered. "Nothing, I'm just tired. Didn't had enough sleep last night."
"Oh, really?" Matthew said, still looking worried.
"Yeah, really." Emily said as she averted her eyes.
"Then, does that mean you won't be able to come later to my house?" Matthew asked, now looking glum.
"Wait, what's going on later?" asked Zoey, looking confused.
"I asked her to come by my house to look at my book collection. And maybe she would borrow some if anything's to her interest. I wouldn't mind, you know." Matthew smiled and winked at Emily. Zoey's mouth dropped and her eyes slightly widened by what she saw.
"Hey, Matt! Let's go grab lunch already!" Jordan said as he walk towards the counter. Zoey's eyes rolled so deep to Jordan and is now back to the usual doesn't-give-a-damn eyes.
Matthew then tapped Emily's shoulder and said "Later!" and smiled again.
Before Zoey could speak, Emily already confessed her feelings.
"Okay, I admit! I don't know if my feelings for Matthew are 'just friends' or way beyond the borderline!"
"Gosh Emy! He even called you 'Emy'! Only a few could call you on that nickname and him? You let him?"
Emily winced and said, "well...you know. He's Matthew after all." then shrugged.
"You need to settle down and clear things between you two. I'm sure he knows you admire him so much! He's not that naive, you know. I can feel it. But if he doesn't, then girl you're in trouble. Stay away from him now that you still have the time and chance, because once you don't, you're doomed. I'm telling you. Being in love sucks."
"Wow, that sounded like from experience, Zoey" Emily said, laughing.
"Shut up! I know it from...books." Zoey awkwardly answered.
"Yeah right, books!" Emily said, still laughing.
"Anyway, what's gonna happen later? Will you ask him? Or will you continue "being friends" with him even though you know to yourself your feelings for him are beyond that?"
"I don't know, Zoey. I'm confused. All I know is I like the feeling of him knowing me better and vice versa. I don't want to lose him, either as a friend or classmate."
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