I'll Be Right Here | ✔

35 | he did that?

Aaliyah

IT'S AMAZING THE things people do for others, but I never thought it would happen to me. Especially after what Derek just did. God, I still can't comprehend he would do something like that... for me. "It's unbelievable, right?" Kat exclaims.

"Yeah," I ponder about Derek's whereabouts.

"Although, I'm not sure he did for you."

I eye Kat absurdly. "What? Are you crazy?"

"Relax. I didn't mean it like that, I meant like he was overcoming his own fears while fighting for you." I wrinkle my eyebrows in confusion. Kat really was the only one who witnessed everything, as she had come in late to Gym from her Orthodontist appointment, just at the time she entered the Gym.

"Okay, whatever," I shrug off, "but what should I give him as a congrats?"

Kat shrugs her shoulders. "I don't know, just say thank you and move on?"

"God, it's not that simple, Kat!" I groan.

"Alright, well I'm sorry, " Kat rolls her eyes.

"No, I'm sorry," I remark. "I- I just never had someone to be there for me, I guess. It's kinda of overwhelming."

Kat smiles. "I get it." She suddenly eyes the place that we're in, decked out with tables and the PTA's Snack Shack (which is right near the Gym). "C'mon, I think I might know someone who knows Derek's plans for the weekend." Kat had found me, crying my eyes out in the bathroom once again and brought me downstairs to where the Snack Shack was set up and treated me with a Twix, before telling me everything.

"Okay," I follow Kat into the Gym hallway, preparing myself for anything — and everything.

---

I FOLLOW KAT'S hand, which points at the same boy who I met a couple weeks ago. "Philip?" I call out.

"Yeah," Kat says, "I saw him talking to Derek after the fight, but how do you know him?"

I recall the incident with Spencer in the English hallway. "Uh I just bumped into him."

"Just?" Kat raises an eyebrow.

"Well I ―"

"Aaliyah!" I turn around to spot Philip waving at me, "What are you doing here?"

He glances at Kat, before looking back. "I just wanted to uh..."

I glance at Kat for help. "We just wanna know Derek's whereabouts, or she does. Since, ya know, she wants to..."

"Oh yeah, I get it," he runs a hand through his hair, "but he's actually with the Principal right now. I think, I mean, I know." He blushes profusely.

"Uh okay, well do you know his plans for the weekend at least?" Kat asks.

Philip shrugs his shoulders. "I don't know. I mean, he was talking about the movies earlier today before, but I don't know exactly when..."

"The one near the market, right?" I pipe up. I had been there way too many times to know the exact showtimes for each movie.

Philip glances at me. "Yeah," he looks at Kat, "I guess I better get going now."

"Uh yeah me too," Kat says a little too fast. "C'mon Aaliyah!" she pulls my arm and together we run away from the baseball field.

"What was that all about?" I grimace, as soon as we're ten feet away from the field.

Kat blushes. "He likes me, Aaliyah. That's what!"