The Love Score || Zhuo Zhi

33: Saving the Best for the Last

... And I tripped.

I was leaning too far back against the door of the closet, and the door ended up giving way, leading me to fall out of the closet and crash onto the floor awkwardly.

I buried my face in my hands as I sat on the floor, snapping back to reality as I opened my eyes to the glaring afternoon sun. Did Zhuo Zhi and me... almost...

A hand was offered before me, and my eyes trailed up his arm to meet Zhuo Zhi's face. The corner of his mouth was lifted higher than the other in an amused smile. I also noticed how his ears seemed redder and he looked embarrassed. "Need some help?"

"Jesus, yes," I mumbled, taking his hand and pulling myself up from the ground. Great, not only did we have a very awkward almost-intimate moment with each other, but I had embarrassed myself by falling out of the closet and landing in a mess on the floor. Although, I was thankful that we had managed to avoid that kiss. Who knew how awkward things would have become then. I hadn't even been thinking straight about whether I wanted to accept the kiss or not.

"Are you blushing?" Zhuo Zhi tilted his head to face me. My eyes widened as I only realised now that my cheeks felt warmer than usual and the hair on my arms was standing straight.

"I'm not!" I exclaimed indignantly while avoiding his eyes. Cool down, cool down, I willed my face.

Zhuo Zhi chuckled, ruffling my hair. He seemed like his usual self, now looking unaffected by the events that had happened just a minute ago. "Don't worry, this will only be between us,"

"It had better be," I muttered. "Let's pretend that had never happened at all,"

Zhuo Zhi dusted his pants, nodding. "Whatever you say, Yue En,"

I smiled sheepishly. "Come on, we got to get back to school now. I think Ai Qi might just murder me for missing out the last fifteen minutes of class,"

♡♡♡

"I swear to god, Yue En--"

"Okay I know I know!" I groaned, waving Ai Qi away. "I'm sorry I skipped lessons! That'll be the last time I do that, okay? I promise to take care of my grades!"

Ai Qi raised her eyebrows in surprise at my interruption. "I wasn't about to lecture you on neglecting your grades, Yue En,"

"I-- what?" My file slipped out of my hands as I stared at her in shock, my jaw dropping. I was a hundred per cent expecting her to scold me for missing out Chinese class, especially at the fact that our termly exams were just next week. I was already feeling slightly guilty about that, partially hoping that Ai Qi would chide me for skipping class so that I would feel less bad about myself.

Ai Qi rolled her eyes, picking up my notebook for me. "Is that seriously what you think of me? I was about to yell at you for not bringing me along with you. I want to get away from our teacher as much as you do,"

A grin emerged on my face as I laughed at her unexpected reaction, taking the notebook from her hands. "Ai Qi, you should have come with me, gosh,"

"Did you go out by yourself? No one else?"

Zhuo Zhi's name was about to leave past my lips when it got caught in my throat. I hesitated for a fraction of a second, contemplating on whether I should tell her what had happened.

But it was more of a... private moment. And she might ask me why Zhuo Zhi was up there too, which I don't want to tell her why since I respect Zhuo Zhi's privacy. Moreover, it's probably better if no one knows how close our friendship is.

Friendship, Yue En? Really?

I hate you, inside voice.

I swallowed thickly. "Yeah," I nodded. "I just wanted some alone time to myself,"

Ai Qi sighed, then slid her notebook over to me. "Here were the notes you missed while you were gone, you can return them to me tomorrow, yeah?"

"Ai Qi, have I ever told you that you're the best?"

"I don't need you to tell me to know that already," Ai Qi joked, giving me a playful grin. "Are we going home or not?"

"Thanks for waiting for me, by the way," I smiled at her, hauling my bag over my shoulder as we headed towards the door. "How's your revision going for exams?"

Ai Qi shrugged. "I still have a chapter or so of biology to go through, my geography and physics just need some brushing up, the rest seems okay... oh no, I still have chemistry to catch up on," she sighed stressfully. "I hope you're having better luck than I am?"

I ran my tongue over the front of my teeth nervously. "Uh..."

"Well, nevermind!" Ai Qi chuckled. We trudged down the long flight of stone stairs towards the entrance of Yu Qing. "Anyway, I can't wait until our termly exams end. The tennis team is going to be competing again, and I'm looking forward to it,"

"Oh yeah, me too," I agreed. I recalled how Si Yang had been speaking over the phone to one of his teammates before, discussing the placings and strategies. He seemed to be anticipating the competition against the next school, although the results haven't been revealed on who was their next competitor. "Qi Ying and Peng Xiang didn't use their dragon prop the last time! Hey!"

"They told me they were saving the best for the last," Ai Qi gave a small laugh as we were reaching the bus stop. While we waited for the bus, we continued our conversation, idly talking about our recent events. I told Ai Qi about how the dance club was already preparing for the Festival, which was likely to come after the next tennis match. Ai Qi also promised to come to watch the performance if she could. The whole time while we were conversing, I was pushing back the memory of Zhuo Zhi and me earlier today to the back of my mind.

Once Ai Qi got off at her stop, I had no other distraction to obstruct me from thinking about Zhuo Zhi. Stop it stop it stop it. I stared out of the window watching the trees and people run past us as I was left to tend to my thoughts.

Zhuo Zhi was the one who made the first move. Does that mean he likes me? Or maybe it was just a mistake. After all, we were just two teenagers cramped in one tiny space together. Holy crap, if I hadn't fallen through the door, who knows what might have happened between us.

But after Zhuo Zhi had made that first move, I didn't back away or reject him either. Does that mean... I like him? Am I getting a crush over Senior Zhuo Zhi now? Oh my god. I mean, he is attractive and athletic, he is academically smart, he is talented in tennis too--

Mu Yue En, this is not the time to be crushing on Zhuo Zhi. Or anybody! Stop fantasizing about him for god's sake! He probably isn't going to like you back. That was probably a one-time episode, it was just the result of two horny teenagers trapped in the closet together. It meant nothing at all.

You know how once you're going to start crushing on a boy, you're not going to focus on school either! Plus, what about your friendship? If you end up blushing or stammering every time you speak to him, it's going to ruin everything between you two.

"Argh!" I groaned quietly, banging my head on the window of the bus. 

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~ Snowy ♡