Submerse

~Chapter Three~

Zane doesn't respond to Levi's words. Instead, he turns around and continues talking to his friends, acting like he didn't just verbally abuse me in front of half the school. Taking the bus is the last thing I want to do right now. I'm still on an adrenaline high from sprinting down the hallway and across the school grounds. I'll just walk home, it's only 20 minutes. I leave the bus stop, walking at a brisk pace and take an earbud out as I'm walking to the stop light.

A few seconds after waiting at the stop light I feel a hesitant touch against my shoulder.

"Uh, hey. You okay?"

"Fucking Hell!", the somewhat familiar voice startled me.

I hear a soft chuckle and turn around to see Levi with deep set dimples. He looks utterly adorable as his eyes turn into crinkled crescents, framed by his round glasses.

"I just wanted to see if you were okay after what happened at the bus stop", Levi asks with a gentle smile on his face.

"And just in general", he seems genuinely concerned.

"I've been better".

"I know you didn't steal anything, I was sitting near you and you didn't leave your desk once". I'm relieved to hear that he believes me.

"Thanks".

I smile at him with tired eyes. I'm grateful for his attempt at comforting me. Although I feel safe for the time being, I still dread having to return to school tomorrow.

"So, how do you like the school so far? Zane and Damian set a great first impression, huh?"

"Most of the people in our class are ... bearable."

"As you can see, there are different cliques and friend groups and they all stick to their own."

"Like what?"

"Well, there's the popular people, Damian, Ethan, Caine, and Jennie. The bitchy gossipers, Julia and Trish. The Cheerleaders, Lauren, Talia, Dean, Lisa, and Chelsea. The Jocks. Leo, Clarke, Chris, Zane, and Lucas. Nerds, James, Natasha, and Rhia and the nobodies, Emma and I."

"So where do you think I sit on the spectrum?"

"A nerd", I snort, "or a nobody". For a second I think that it might've been too brash. Fortunately, Levi takes the joke well.

"I admire your honesty... but I think you're so much more than a nobody", he gives me an adorable crooked smile. I can't help but smile back.

"The way I'm treated by everybody else in the class says otherwise."

"You don't deserve to be treated like that, you deserve so much more but you can't see it."

He's been so kind, I don't know if it's out of pity or if he wants something from me but it's sort of confusing. After all, I've been treated like shit from the moment I joined the class.

I don't really know how to respond to him with words so I flash him a genuine smile. We continue walking after the green man appears at the zebra crossing and conversation seems to flow naturally between us.

***.

I'd learned quite a bit about Levi in the past 15 minutes. His favourite colour is a really bright shade of yellow, his favourite authors are John Green, Stephen King, and Rainbow Rowell, he's not very sporty but he likes playing basketball, and he absolutely adores cats.

"So you're a 90's kid, huh?"

"Barely. I only just made it in '99, I was born on the 23rd of April, 5 minutes before Zac".

"Well, You're only 3 months older than me, I was born on the 17th of July". I thought he'd be older by more than just 3 months because of how mature he looks. Maybe that's just because I look like an oversized toddler. Being 5"2 and having a baby face definitely did not help.

"So Zac told me you guys lived in Washington for while and then moved here, how come?". As a person who's moved house more times than I can count on both hands, I'm usually curious about other people's reasons.

"Well, Zac and I lived in Washington for about 7 years. Our parents sent us from Korea when we were ten to stay with a relative so that we could study abroad but, uhh... something happened at our old school and Zac got into a lot of trouble. So we decided to come here since we're probably going to go to university here anyway."

It was clear from the discomfort Levi showed that he didn't want to continue talking about that topic. I was curious and kept thinking about what had gotten Zac in trouble but I didn't want to push Levi out of his comfort zone. So I stayed quiet but barely being acquaintances, the silence was a little stifling.

He continued strolling along next to me with his hands in his pockets. I realized that we were quite close to my house, is he walking me home? I mean, I'm capable of getting myself home. He doesn't have to walk me all the way... "Uhm... Levi?",

"Hmm?", He hums in response.

"Well, I really appreciate the gesture but you know you don't have to walk me all the way home."

He hesitates before replying, "Oh, uh, I live on this street too, I thought you were walking me home for a second, haha".

His laugh is dry, it's supposed to break through the awkwardness but it only adds to my embarrassment.

***

"Well, Naomi, this is my house", his parents must be fucking loaded.

"Woooah, it's huge!" The ginormous house towers over a well-kept garden filled with various flowers in the front. "Your house is so nice, your parents are taking good care of the place". Levi gives me with a melancholic glance and a smile that doesn't quite hang right.

"Uh I guess but my parents don't really live here," I look at him quizzically.

"I mean, technically they do but they're always on business trips, like, always."

"Same with my Dad. He's always away", I sigh. My dad is on a business trip in Hong Kong right now, I haven't seen him in 3 months...

"Anyway, I better go, I've got to go to tutoring soon. I only live ten houses down, so if you need anything you know where I am."

"Okay, well bye". We both exchange stiff smiles before going our separate ways. As soon as I get through the door I mentally scold myself for jumping to conclusions I must have come off as so self-conceited! I grab a packet of chips before retreating to the safety of my pillow and duvet.