Hey, do you like me? - True Crush story

Hey, do you like me? - Part 10

<Late Merry Christmas and Happy New year!!  🎉>

Reina was absent the whole day. I didn't feel wholesome, as if a part of me was broken off and lost. I couldn't help but pass by Reina's locker, hoping that she might show up in the middle of the school day. Nope, she never showed up. I sat next to no one during English and Spanish class. I kept on staring down at her chair. She wasn't sitting next to me, but it felt as if she were. It felt like I could hear her talking, laughing, breathing. My heart ached because I knew that everything was my fault. It was my fault that Reina's heart was hurt, it was my fault that Josh is getting closer to her than me, and somehow it felt like it was my fault that she got hurt in gym class. I gripped the edge of my notebook and bit my bottom lip. 

For both English and Spanish class, I received Reina's homework for her, and the teachers told me that I had to tell her the homework for the day and give it to her. I took Reina's homework and put it in a clear file, after smoothing out a few wrinkles, the least I can do for her is to keep her homework clean for her. 

It was the end of the day, and I was about to go home when I realized that the Valentine's dance tickets were still stuffed in my bag. I took them out and smoothed them out. I was about to put them back in my bag when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I spun around with the tickets still in my hands. It was Megan. As soon as she spotted the tickets, her eyes widened and a smile spread across her face. A sly smile. Loudly she exclaimed,

"Aww, Michael! How nice of you for asking me out to the Valentine's dance!" Everyone spun around quickly, Kian was shaking his head disapprovingly, while Megan's girl gang were squealing and jumping up and down, and everyone else was smiling. My heart stopped. I gripped the tickets and stuffed it into my pockets before Megan can get a hold of them. 

"W..what!? No! I wasn't planning on giving it to you!" I started to explain. But Megan replied smugly,

"Then who were you planning on giving the tickets to?" My mind went blank. everyone was staring at me, waiting for my response. What was I supposed to say!? 

"I... I was planning on giving the t-tickets to R-rei-," I started to mumble, when Megan interrupted me mid-sentence and said,

"Sorry, could you speak up a bit? I can't hear you!" I gritted my teeth. I want to give the tickets to Reina. To Reina. I looked around and everyone was standing around us looking at me, waiting for my response. I knew that everyone in the hallway was expecting me to give the tickets to Megan. They all expected me to take Megan to the dance, they didn't have a clue that I actually wanted to go with Reina. I glared down at the floor as I answered,

"The tickets are for... you." Megan's smile grew even bigger and everyone was clapping. And as expected, Megan's gang was squealing louder than ever. Megan's evil eyes turned soft and friendly, as she said,

"Aww thank you, Michael!" She stuck her hand in front of me, motioning me to give her the ticket. I took out my ticket and slapped it into her hand. I took my backpack, slammed my locker door and walked home. My face heated up with sadness, but mostly rage. That ticket was meant for Reina, not stupid Megan. I only gave her the tickets, because... because I didn't want people to know that I liked Reina. Soon, I got mad at myself. I hated myself for giving the tickets to Megan. I hated myself for not telling Megan and everyone else that I was going to the dance with Reina. I hated myself for being too weak and shy of telling people that I like Reina. 

"Michael! Wait up!" I turned around and it was Kian. He was running after me, and I waited as he caught up. After he caught up, we both fast-walked out of the school. "Why did you give those tickets to Megan? I thought you liked Reina!"

"I do, it's just... it's just I didn't want Megan and everyone to know that I like Reina!" I explained. Kian sighed and replied back, 

"I know, but you're going to have to confess to everyone someday. This isn't going to last forever!" 

"I know." 

"How about Reina? What are you going to do? Are you still doing to take her to the dance?"

"I-I don't know."