𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐗𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚 [Xandra x Reader]

10 | Friends and braggarts

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Boris seemed to be lost in his own world as soon as he was waiting every Thursday after last period in front of art class for me, leaning against the wall, observing me and Linh making our way towards him. Linh and me had become friends and she often helped me with body references in art class as she was burning for art not only in school but also hobby-wise. I occasionally called her the born artist and was certain that she would make a good designer later but Linh would just always give me a sheepish smile and controvert it.

„See you tomorrow!", Linh gave me a quick hug, standing on tiptoes as I was a bit taller than her, then fleetingly glanced at Boris before rushing to her locker with both hands wrapped around her pink folders.

I approached Boris who was wearing a sleeveless dark green t-shirt with white stripes today. „Are you alright?", I curiously asked as I noticed his empty gaze.

He flinched slightly but tried to play it cool. „Uh yeah, I was just thinking about something. Nevermind. Let's go" Boris ushered me with his hand to the next corridor but I decided that I wouldn't let him get away that easily, so I threw my head back and grinned. I had an inkling that he was hiding something behind his mask, something dealing with Linh.

„So, what do you think of Linh?" I could swear seeing his brown eyes widen, almost imperceptibly. Did his cheeks just slightly turn red or did it just happen in my imagination?

„Linh?", he tried to act confused but his stiff body language betrayed him.

„Yeah, the girl who came out of art class with me", I jogged his memories.

Boris just shrugged, his brown eyes staring everywhere but at me. "I don't know her that much. She seems to be okay"

"Just okay?", I furrowed my eyebrows in disbelief, walking next to him and passing some students on our way out.

"Yeah, what about it?" As we stepped into the schoolyard, a big wave of heat hit us.

"Frankly, I think you like her", I explained, earning an incredulous look from Boris. "A lot.", I eventually added, stressing every word and making him harrumph and shake his head in response. "You should take her to ROSE'S. I caught she worships their vanilla chai latte"

"Wow, wow, wow. Hold on a second. I never said that I -...."

I giggled, holding a hand up, making him quieten. „You're a bad liar. I see the way you always observe her as soon as we leave art class together but who can blame you?She's cute" Boris was about to retort something but I quickly advanced towards the bike racks, not giving him a chance to respond. "See you tomorrow", I shouted back, leaving a completely dumbfounded Boris in the schoolyard.

***

A few days later after Boris more or less willingly had admitted that he really liked Linh and would love to get to know her better after my assumptions and teasing, I was sitting in art class again chewing on my pencil as I stared on the blackboard. At some point my eyes caught Linh's back in front of me, her black straight hair in a low bun as always. With quick, jerky movements she doodled in her sketchbook, paying no attention to the teacher who was talking about Japanese wood-engravings and Renaissance paintings. Eventually I decided to take notes but Boris would occasionally cross my mind. I really wanted to help him to get in touch with Linh but I didn't quite know how because the problem was they had no classes together, had barely talked before and Linh might not be interested in Boris after all.

The bell rang, thus class was dismissed and as Linh and me walked out of the classroom, chatting about the new hot drink machine on the second floor, I was surprised to spot no Boris waiting for me. Students were hustling into every direction but Boris wasn't among them. Suddenly Linh slightly prodded me and as our gazes met I could see she tried to read my face with growing worry. "Are you okay?"