Smiles {Tadashi X Reader}

Chapter 20

"What?" I ask, completely flabbergasted. "How have you come to that conclusion?"

"I don't even know," Hiro admits. "It literally just hit me this morning like a ton of bricks."

"And why Max? I know we're all seniors, but you're young enough to be a freshman," I point out. "Doesn't the age difference bug you?"

"Yeah, yeah, I've thought of that." He runs a hand through his perpetually disheveled hair. "I'm obviously not gonna ask him out while we're in high school. I know that would be weird. I'm just gonna have to get over it."

"Okay..." I say skeptically. From experience, I know crushes never go away that easily. Maybe Hiro's been too engrossed in studying for years to figure that out. He's in for a cruel reality if he doesn't get that soon. "Why don't we go find him and let him know you're okay? He's worried about you too."

"All right." Hiro looks down at the floor and begins to trudge past me and towards the door. I slowly follow him out, making sure no one sees me. Instead of searching the entire building for him, I just decide to text Max.

(Y/n): Hey, I found him.

Max: Oh, good. Is he okay? What's wrong?

"Can I tell Max?" I ask, already knowing the answer. "About your crush on him?"

"NO! I will kill you, please don't."

(Y/n): Yeah, he's fine. I had to go into the men's restroom to find him though.

Max: Oh, that's fun. Lol

(Y/n): Yeah, I'm dying to do it again sometime.

Max: Meet back at the cafeteria?

Just as I'm typing a reply, the bell rings. Hiro books it down the hall before I have a chance to say anything to him.

Max: Never mind, then.

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"How do you plan on fixing the arm?" I ask, staring at Tadashi as I sit on the foot of his bed, fiddling with my bracelet.

"I have to remake it, obviously, and then figure out what made it explode like that." He sets down some tools and peers over at me. "I'm so stressed out. Tell me something. How was your day? Something, just distract me."

"My day was cool," I say, pulling my legs up under me. I think of everything notable about my day except my chat with Hiro. "I had chicken for lunch, I got an A- on a chemistry test, this one teacher had to send five kids to the dean's office in one class period."

"Dang," Tadashi says, chuckling. "What'd they do?"

"I don't know. I think one of them had a snake in his backpack or something."

"A what?!" Tadashi exclaims. Then, he bursts out laughing. "That's so funny. I want to know how he managed to do that. Maybe I could sneak a snake to Fred."

"Have I met your friends?" I ask. "You've talked about them but I have no idea who they really are."

"Do you want to meet them?" He finally swivels his chair toward me. "Because I think they'd like you. I really do. They complain that I never shut up about you."

I make an "awwww" sound and hide the bottom half of my face with my hand. "That's sweet, Tadashi."

"Well, that's just how I feel." He swivels back around and gets back to work on making a new arm. "So, should I text them? Tell them you wanna meet them?"

"Yeah!" I bounce up and down a little for excitement.

He chuckles again. "You're really cute. Seriously."