Chapter 7: Crush or Crush

Naomi's POV

My last class was on the stop floor, since I didn't want to bum into the girls who were talking about me early I stayed back in the classroom for a while.

Mina found her way to where I was and a sigh escaped my body.

"Hey Naomi, did you talk to him?" She asks taking a seat on the teachers desk.

"He said no." I tell her plain and simple. They same way he told me.

"What?" Shock overtook her features as soon as the words left my lips.

"I bet she didn't even try." Her minion Joy scoffed at me.

"Shut up Joy, she's not like that." Mina surprised me by defending me.

"Look I told you that he and I aren't as close as you think." I tell them.

But I also had to wonder what he saw me as since he searched for me today just to give me my Scrunchy back.

Maybe he just didn't want to admit I was his friend so he could get into the clique of cool kids.

If that's the case maybe it's better we don't become friends.

"Tey talking to him again, if it doesn't work I'll leave you alone." She promises me before leaving.

I gathered my stuff and left.

Most of our schools population was in a some sort of club, so as soon as the bell went those who had club would head there and those who didn't would head straight home. Since there was nothing fun to do on campus.

As I stepped out the building I saw Riley's car speed put of the parking lot, I signed but quickly wiped it off my face when I saw that the bus was still here. I hurry to catch it, I quickly take a empty seat.

A random boy sat next to me without saying a word. I looked at him strangely and he gave me a timid look in return.

Looking at him now I realized that he must be a freshman and I doese look younger than me. That must be why he sat next to me.

When the bus was half empty he mustered the courage to talk to me.

"Hey, aren't you a senior?" He asks timidly.

"Yeah, why'd you ask?"

"Don't most of the seniors drive home?" I chuckle at his rhetorical question.

"Well I don't have a car." I tell him truthfully.

"What about you friends? Don't they have cars."

"Friends are overrated and goods ones are too hard to find." I tell him as the bus finally stops at my street. He smirked at me then nodded in agreement.

With that being said I got off and waved him goodbye.

When I stepped into the house I heard a mixture of laughter coming from the kitchen and out of curiosity I went to check.

To my surprise I saw, Riley, uncle Dave and Hero sharing the left over pizza from last night while laughing at something one of them said.

Not wanting to intrude turn to leave before they noticed me.

"So Hero, how's school been so far, do you like it hear?"  Uncle Dave asks him.

"Yeah, it's been great so far, things are a bit different from what I'm used to in Korea but I'm managing just fine."

"Good and have you made any friends?"

"Yeah I have Riley here to thank for that "

I swiftly walk past hoping they won't see me but I end u9 stubbing my toe because I was too focused on reaching the stairs.

"Naomi is that you?" My uncle asks and u sure under my breath.

"Yeah it's me." I answer trying not to wince.

"Arr you okay?" Hero asks noticing that I wasn't walking properly when I entered the kitchen.

"Yeah I just um, need an ice pack." I say in a weird tone.

"Are you sure your okay." My uncle insist.

"Yes I'm fine, see you at dinner I have a paper to write." I lie grabbing the ice pack and leaving quickly.

They probably tought that I was eavesdropping or something, so embarrassing! Dave must have figured out that I was trying to avoid them.

I hurry to my room so I can ice me dead to back to life. I let out a sigh of relief when I reach the safety of my room.

Wasting no time I kicked off my flats so I could ice my toe, at first it hurt but soon it became soothing. I iced it until it was nub to ensure it wouldn't hurt while I walked.

When I was done I rummaged through my bag for me phone. I didn't use it much so I always had a hard time finding it.

Here I we go. I pulled it out as soon as my fingers and wasted bo time going 9n facebook to check the group I was in.

I new fantasy book series is being dropped soon and I don't to miss the sale. The 100 buyers get 10% off and I wouldn't miss this sale for anything.

As I scroll through the posts checking the new information, I see a post saying the series go on sale Saturday.

"Yes!" I scream jumping on my bed excitedly. "Yes. Yes. Yes!"

A loud knock sounds on my door cutting celebration short, I stop and jump off the almost falling on my face to get to the door. I take a deep calming breath before opening the door.

"Yes." She say and nu eyes meet Hero's gaze. A stupid grin was plastered across his lips.

"You sounded pretty excited," he narrowed his eyes at me before trying to peek into my room, "who are you hiding in there? Do you have a secret boyfriend or something." His grin soon turned into a smirk.

"What! No way! Why would you even think that?!" I say little  louder than I should.

Her burst out laughing at me and I didn't know why. I rolled my eyes at him a tried to close the door in his face but he stopped it with his hand.

"Your so innocent." He mumbles catching me offgaurd.

"What?" I ask confused.

"Nothing, I just wanted to see if you were okay after what happened at school today." He says seriously. If someone saw him right now they wouldn't be able to guess he was laughing a few seconds ago.

"Oh, yeah I'm fine. It was nothing." I lie hoping he'll drop the issue.

He looks at my intensely as if trying to figure me out by studying my face. I notice the tiniest frown on his lips as he looked at me.We stand there for who knows how long before he nods than stalks away.

I decided to follow him downstairs before anyone gets any weird ideas.

When I got downstairs Dave was gone and Riley was in the kitchen cooking.

I know she's a great cook and all but she hates cooking.

"Hero are you staying for dinner?" Dave asks as he entered the kitchen, now changed into regular clothes.

"If you'll have me." He says with a shrug.

"Ofcourse." Dave says patting him on the back.

"Why don't you invite your mom too?" I suggest.

"That's a great idea." Uncle Dave agrees.

"I'll go let her know." Hero tells us as he left.

"So what beings you down to the kitchen?"

"I just wanted to see what you guys where up to." I lie.

"Hmm, that's unusual for you." My uncle scratches his head as if trying to figure out my reasons. His face suddenly lit up and my instincts tells me he has the wrong idea.

"Oh, I see. You like Hero." He says in a weird tone.

"What?" I ask him confused.

And then we her a sudden crash in the kitchen, our eyes automatically go to Riley.

"Tou need help."

"No, don't worry I'm fine." She tells her dad so he won't worry.

He looks back to me ready to continue the conversation. When he saw my face his expression changed to a confused one matching mine.

"So I'm wrong then? You don't like him."

"Yes." I simply say.

"I'm confused. Do you like him or not?" Riley blurts out cutting into our conversation.

"I- I don't." I stutter as I was caught offgaurd by he sudden outburst.

"So you have a crush on him?" He fathers asks laughing at Riley's expense.

"Shut up dad! Your so embarrassing!" She grumbles before slamming the over and walking out of the kitchen.

Her face was as red as a tomato and she was avoiding eye contact with us as she walked past us, Hero suddenly appeared out of nowhere and she walked right into him. Surprised by the sudden impact they both fall to the floor landing on their butt's.

Dave burst out laughing at then but I go to help them up.

"Are you both okay?" I ask holding out my hand to Riley.

She swats it away then gets up and run off to her room.

I offer my hand to Hero and he takes it, i struggle to pull him up for a few seconds when I finally realized that he was putting all his weight on my on purpose. I used both hands to pull him off the ground slightly before letting him go to fall back on his ass.

"Och!" He cries out when his body connects with the floor again and my uncle bursts out laughing at out antics.

"What happened when I left?" He asks Dave trying to figure out what's going on.

"That's a story for another time." Dave says before cracking up again.

I don't hear rye rest of their conversation since I went back to my room.