"Hey, why are we the only ones carrying all this food?" said by Jacob
"Because you're a guy," Sofia replied, avoiding my gaze.
"Then what about him?" Jacob pointed at me.
"From the start, you were being punished," Chloe said, glaring at Jacob. "Just be thankful to Liam for helping us."
"See, Michael? He's not even complaining."
"Of course he isn't; he's on the verge of collapsing," Jacob retorted, looking at Michael, who was sweating and struggling to carry his load.
Michael's thoughts: Don't fall down. Don't fall down. No, no, no, no, no.
"Here, I'll help you," I said, taking some of the food from Michael's hands.
"Ha... ha... thank you, Liam," Michael panted, clearly out of breath.
"But you already have your hands full," he continued, glancing at my already occupied hands, filled with food and gifts.
"No, it's okay. I can manage somehow. Besides, we're almost at the classroom."
"Ah, thank you again. You're really a reliable person, Liam," Michael said gratefully.
"Haha, not really," I replied modestly.
As we talked, I noticed Sofia watching us from the back with a serious expression. I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching me.
"Ring ring," Sofia's phone suddenly rang. She answered, "Hello? Oh, teacher... Yeah, we're almost there... Okay." She hung up and put her phone back in her pocket.
A minute later, Jacob, who was struggling up the stairs, said, "Okay, we're almost there."
I showed no reaction, but inside, I was at my limit. 'It's okay, it's okay, we're almost there.'
As we turned the corner, I saw a familiar face standing at the entrance of our classroom. It was Ashley Perez.
"Good morning, Ashley," Chloe greeted her with a smile.
"Morning," Ashley replied in a barely audible voice, giving me a strange look. Feeling confused, I averted my eyes to the right, unable to meet her gaze.
Ashley walked away, pulling out her phone.
'What's with her?' I thought, amused.
Like Sofia, I admired Ashley, but for different reasons. Ashley was the top student in our class, excelling in all her subjects. She was always alone, which I admired. She had a strong mentality and personality, participating actively in class but avoiding leadership roles. In group activities, she preferred to work alone, often doing all the work while her groupmates did nothing. Despite being chosen as class president, she refused the role and responded to classmates with a cold shoulder.
I couldn't help but admire her strength. I wished I had her mentality so I could avoid groups that didn't fit me.
We continued walking and stopped at the classroom entrance. Our teacher, Olivia Ramos, praised us for bringing the food.
"That's why next time, don't run, okay?" Ms. Ramos said.
She turned to me. "Why do you have so much food in your hands, Liam?"
"Ah, this?" I replied, unsure.
"Is that your contribution for today? Why is there so much?"
I glanced at Michael and Jacob, who were looking at me with pleading eyes. 'Say yes,' their expressions begged.
"N-" I sighed and said, "Yes, teacher."
Chloe interrupted, "No, teacher. They made Liam carry all this food even though he was already struggling."
"So that's the case, huh?" Ms. Ramos said, visibly annoyed. She turned her gaze to Michael and Jacob, who looked as if their souls had left their bodies. "Go fetch the water from the first floor!"
"Whaaaat?" Michael and Jacob protested.
"Are you complaining?" Ms. Ramos asked, glaring at them.
"Nope," they replied in unison, quickly walking away.
Ms. Ramos left the room, and I couldn't help but chuckle. But a second later, I felt the food slipping from my left hand. I tightened my grip, but the gift in my right hand fell. I managed to catch it before it hit the floor, but I lost my balance. Suddenly, I felt something smooth press against my back, holding my left hand and my stomach.
'W-w-w-who?!'
I was grateful the food and gift hadn't fallen, but my mind was racing with questions. 'Who's holding my hands? My stomach? Something smooth pressing against my back?'
I turned and saw Sofia, her face mere centimeters from mine. We locked eyes for a second, and I felt my face turn red. I quickly looked away, too embarrassed to meet her gaze.
"Th-thank you," I stammered, still unable to look at her.
She didn't reply, walking past me. I glanced at her face and saw her left cheek was reddish. It was obvious she was embarrassed, but then I noticed something surprising. 'Am I hallucinating? There's no way she would SMILE.'
The scene ended with a girl who had witnessed everything between Liam and Sofia.