Chapter 6: Scrunchy

Hero's POV

I woke up to the sound of the special ringtone I set for my mom. It was a recording of her nagging me.

I quickly opened my eyes and grabbed the phone to answer.

"Good morning omma." I say trying not to sound sleepy.

"Why do you sound so sleepy, did you just wake up?She asks instantly catching on.

"No I've been up for 15 minutes now. I just waited on Rily to take us to school. I have to go omma I think she's ready." I lie handing up on her.

I know she was going have my head for hanging up on her later but I wasn't going to miss my ride since I don't how to get to school.

I don't waste any time ask I pack my bag first before washing my face and brushing my teeth. If I stop to shower Riley is definitely going to leave me.

After washing my face I look put my window to check it she's still home, I feel instant relief when I see Riley getting into her car and starts pulling out of the driveway. I was shoving my final book my last book into my bag when I hear her car revving loudly then speeding off.

I run back to my window and her car was go and i only saw Naomi standing at the door watching her drive off with a sad expression.

Why would she leave her behind? Was the first thing that popped up in my head.

I get why she would leave me but not her.

Naomi wiped the sad looking her face and started walking down the road, I ran as quickly as I could to catch up to her.

"Hey! Wait up." I yelled hoping she'll stop. She looked unsure of whether she sould look back or not then she finally spared me a glance.

When she noticed it was me she stopped under a tree and waited for me to catch up with her.

I slouched over pretending to be catching my breath since I didn't know what to say to her.

"Is your shoulder okay?" She asks out of nowhere. I quickly stood upright and fixed my shirt and bagstrap before she could get a better view.

"I'm fine." I say in a flat tone so she'll know I don't want to talk about it.

I start walking ahead of her not saying anything else. It was clear she got the memo, she never said another word as we walked to school.

She silently lead the way, suprisingly she didn't seem upset by my reaction to her nosey question.

How odd. Most girls would get upset or defensive and sprout some nonsense like "sorry for caring" or "sorry I asked"  trying to guilt you into telling them what's wrong. But she was different, she really did care but she wasn't going to force me to tell her.

Anyways I need to be more careful with my shoulder. If she noticed anything cold.

So why are you late?" I ask hoping to get some kind of comeback out of her, since I felt a bit guilty.

"I overslept. You?" She said simply.

"Same, I stayed up late watching a movie with your cousin." I explain watching her reaction keenly.

None.

"Oh. Then why'd she leave you if it's her fault?" She asked not phased at all by what I said.

"She tired to wake me up this morning but couldn't." I lied to get another reaction.

None.

She didn't care at all. Most people would be be curious and try to figure out every little detail.

I don't know why but it kind of bothered me that she didn't care at all. Not only that it bother me even more that I cared.

Even when we got to school she didn't say a word.

"I'll see you around." I tell her as I hurry off to my class.

She didn't bother answering so I looked back at her only to find she was just hurrying off to her own class.

As I was in class I found myself thinking about the look she had on her face this morning when Riley drove past her, not only that but the way she covered it up with a smile without even knowing it.

She wasn't even angry about it, she just accepted it like it was nothing. And after that long walk she didn't even complain about it.

Was she even normal at this point?

As I walked to my locker I noticed Naomi not to it changing out her books, she had weird look on her face as if she was distracted by something.

"Hey." I say and she jumped as if she was started.  "Are you okay?" I ask. Was there someone bothering her?

"I'm fine." She says and goes but to her books.

"If you say so." I tell her taking as I change my books and closed my locker.

"She's so weird" I see a short girl with straight brown hair whisper to her friend.

"I know." Her friend agreed and they started laughing, I looked around trying to figure out who they were talking about but didn't see anyone.

Maybe the person walked by already. As I turned to walk away Naomi stopped me.

"Hey before you go I wanted to ask you something." She said nervously.

"Can't it wait till later?" I say a bit irritated as I tried to find who the girls where talking about.

The girls started giggling and I realized that they were looking at Naomi.

"Its just that this girl wanted you to check out their club, plus I think you'd fit right in-

"No." I reject the offer before hearing her out. I realize I said it louder thanI than I should when I saw a flash of hurt in her eyes. Not wanting to make her feel any worse I let her alone and walked away.

As I walked away I stopped when I heard the girls gossiping again.

"What do you think she asked him?" The other friend spoke first this time

"Maybe to sleep with or something, such a slut." The brown haired one siad

"I know!" The tall agreed and for some reason it made me upset.

Not wanting to say or do anything I'll regret I decided to continue walking away.

I hear the slamming of a locker and as I turn to see if Naomi was okay someone bumped into me.

I quickly grabbed the person before they hit the ground, when I looked at them I realized it was Naomi, I quickly pulled her to her feet and her hair suddenly tumble out of it's weird bun farming her face.

She mumbled a thanks before running off.

I was taken back by her hair, I've never seen her hair like before.

It suited her.

Someone bummed into me knocking me out of the trance I didn't even realize I was in.

I looked down to the floor and noticed the scrunchy from her hair and when I went to pick it up I noticed a few dropped tears.

I realizes that even though she was acting unaffected by what the other girls were saying, it really got to her.

I ran after her trying to she where she went but I couldn't find her through the crowd, everyone was changing classes so the halls were packed. And the fact that I didn't know the school that well wasn't helping.

I wasn't long before I got lost and the halls were completely deserted.

I spent the rest of my class time searching the school for her with no lucky. I decided to go back to the floor it all happened on and that's when I saw her coming put of the the girls restroom.

"Naomi!" I call out to her as relief filled me.

She looked at my shocked, with bloodshot eyes and her face looked puffy. It was obvious she was crying.

As I got closer to her she seemed different, I couldn't put I finger on it but something was different about her.

She didn't answer me, she just stood there seemingly embarrassed about what happened. I don't bother asking her anything I just hand her the scrunchy I was holding.

She gave me a meek smile before pulling her hair back into it usual style. I wanted to te tell her to leave it as is but it wasn't my place.

"Where you looking for me this whole time?" She finally asks after awhile.

"Yeah I figured you'd want it back."I say giving her a friendly smile.

"Thanks but you didn't have to do that."  she said then started walking to where I guess was her next class.

I followed her to her next class and suprisingly it was the same class I had.

She went up the the teacher and told him something he nodded and gave her a look filled with sympathy before motioning for us to take a seat.

There were only two seats left in the back and we took them.

"Hey, what'd you tell him?" I asked her. This wouldn't have been acceptable in Korea. She must of lied to him.

"Nothing she mumbles." Before ignoring me for the rest of the class.

We got a few judgemental glares, and few curious glances but no one said anything to me nor Naomi.

When class ended she hurried out, I tried to follow her but it seemed as if she dissapeared and I didn't see for the rest of the day. Not even when shool was over.

As I walked through the parking lot I scanned the grounds for her with no luck.

"Hero! You ready to go?" I heard Riley yelling as she run over to me before grabbing onto my arm.

"Yeah." I say as I contune looking around but I just didn't see her.

Maybe she left already.

As we got into the car Riley spoke up.

"How'd you get to school this morning?" She asks as she starts her engine.

"I walked."

"What?" She asks in a surprised tone.

"Yeah, me and Naomi." I tell her.

"Oh." She says her voice completely changed to a different tone.

What was that about?

As I looked at her her eyes widened when she saw someone and she quickly pulled out of her sparking spot and sows off.

I looked back trying to see who it was but I didn't.

I don't bother asking since she looked like she didn't want to talk about it.

It didn't take long for my mind went back to Naomi.