That's My Spotlight | ✔

xix. smitten

"INEZ HUGGED ME YESTERDAY," Alexander exclaimed all of a sudden as he ripped open a small container of ranch. He dipped a baby carrot into it before he took a large bite, grimacing at the dressing's sweet, yet bitter taste. One thing he knew for sure the dressing wasn't real ranch, and the baby carrots weren't real baby carrots. But that was far from the point.

Significantly distant from it, in fact.

Jayden and Alexander had just begun their lunch period, which they highly looked forward to. For almost an entire day, Alexander managed to keep the whole incident that happened the day prior to himself. That was only because his brain was trying to comprehend what happened — and why it did. Keeping it to himself was useless, however. His brain failed him once again by not penetrating the new, baffling information that happened.

Frankly, he only had one choice, which was to turn to his forever trusted best friend, who always had something to say about every situation. But what will Jayden say about Inez Archer unexpectedly giving him a hug? That was all Alexander Choi could think about as he waited for an answer.

"Inez hugged you yesterday?" Jayden exclaimed, which echoed the exact way his best friend told him the new information. "Oh, my Lord, you should've told me much sooner. What was it like?"

"I'm not sure," Alexander replied as he felt a dry taste rush through his mouth. The baby carrots and ranch weren't helping his situation one bit, so he pushed away his lunch tray in an instant. "I have to admit — it felt good. But I'm still trying to figure out why."

"Okay, back it up, back it up, back it up," Jayden persisted as he held his hands out. "What even happened before she gave you a hug? That could help us both figure out what caused her to hug you, maybe."

"Well . . ." Alexander felt his cheeks flush as he placed his hand on the back of his neck. "She got her period and was unaware, so I reached out and helped her out. I let her borrow my jacket to cover up the stain."

"Oh, so that's where you went yesterday. I was looking for you, but nevermind that," Jayden remarked as he folded his hands together. "Did she give back your jacket yet?"

"No, not yet," Alexander mused. "Sometimes, she visits me in the library during my free period, but I didn't see her today. Maybe in choir?"

The mixed boy's eyes lit up. "Y'all hung out at the library before?"

"I wouldn't word it like that, but yeah. Last time we did, we got kicked out of the library by knock-off Kris Jenner," the Asian boy mused.

"Ain't no way you guys got kicked out by Ms. Dunn," Jayden began to laugh as he shook his head.

"Well, we did, but that's beside the point," Alexander said. "If she brings me back my jacket, then she does, and if she doesn't, then oh well. It's alright."

Then, there was a pause. A smirk began to crawl across Jayden's lips.

"Aww, that's so cute and considerate of you to do," he folded his hands together. Hearts literally bursted out of his eyes. Figuratively speaking, of course. "Considering how close you've gotten to her, do you . . . like her?"

"Jayden, I don't," Alexander shook his head in denial. For him, it was weird to think of. The whole idea of loving someone he's argued with for years put a salty taste in his mouth. But things have changed. The shit that happened between them in the past would remain in the past. Still, the idea sounded strange to Alexander.

"You're just in denial. Like I said once, her and you would make a cute couple, I'm not gonna lie," Jayden reasoned before he took a sip out of a crisp cold-water bottle. "But it's all your choice."