James Miller?

Run practice was after breakfast and, to make matters worse, James Miller was in the practice, too, making the whole session awkward for the both of them.

“I’ve never walked to school with a guy other than my brother,” Nuiz said in a matter-of-fact tone to James as they sat on the bench, taking a five minute break. James’s hair had gone all messy from the exercise and running. 

“Yeah, I figured,” He said as some runners stared at the both of them. Some with cheeky grins and some shook their heads that gestured how idiotic James, getting over Layla so quickly and dating your junior instead.

“What y’all looking at?” James said angrily as he got up. The runners fastened their pace and ran away in a line. James sat back down next to Nuiz.

“This is so going to go viral,” Nuiz heard one of the passer by runners say to their friend. Nuiz gave them a glare with an eyebrow raised. “Repeat that in front of my face, gossiper.”

The two runners stopped in their tracks and scoffed. “It’s not gossip if it’s true.” One of them said slyly.

James could see that Nuiz was tongue tied so he spoke up. “I love people who talk about others behind their backs. Because that’s exactly where they belong. Behind their backs.” The two runners looked disgustingly at James who gave them a wink.

“You know, if you’re jealous that I walked with the hottest senior in school, I get it. You guys don’t have a chance with anyone so,” Nuiz scoffed sassily. “Too bad.” She smiled wickedly and the two runners rolled their eyes at the two friends and set off running. Nuiz and James high-fived. A short silence remained between them.

“I didn’t mean what I said, by the way.” Nuiz broke the silence. “Didn’t mean what?” James asked.

“That you were the hottest senior in school.” Nuiz said as she laughed her head off. James was flabbergasted. “How dare you!” He yelled in a laugh, pushing Nuiz almost off the bench.

“Hey Miller! Paltrow! Stop fooling about and get to running!” Their coach yelled from a distance. James and Nuiz looked at each other and laughed.

“He got me mistaken for Layla Paltrow.” Nuiz laughed again. They both got up and started running.

…

Nuiz was in the locker room when she got a text from Syazee. And she knew what her friend was going to say immediately when she got the notification.

You’re dating James Miller? When? How? Isn’t he with Layla?

Nuiz groaned in annoyance and rolled her eyes. Lou, a fellow runner in her class, say her groaning and asked, “What’s up?”

“I’m sure you’ve heard of the James Miller thing,” Nuiz grumbled.

“Oh, the rumour of you and-”

“Yes, that.”

Lou just whistled and walked away, obviously couldn’t be bothered to give Nuiz a pity party in which she did not want or need.

It’s just a stupid rumour. I’m not dating Miller.

PS, he broke up with Layla Paltrow a little while back. Nuiz texted. She shoved her phone in her pocket and walked back to class. She was surprised to see her book, ‘Holding Up the Universe’, on her desk with something sticking out of it. She took out whatever was sticking out of it and realized that it was a letter.

Git Gud.

Nuiz,

I’m sorry if I’m not making myself realizable to you but I believe that there is no need to tell me to stay out of your life by dating James Miller. You could’ve at least told me that you had no certain feelings for me.

Git Gud. 

“Ugh, how cheesy.” Nuiz groaned to herself.

Git Gud,

You have to admit, it’s your fault that I can’t like you the way you like me. I’m not dating James Miller but I might be if you don’t tell me who you are.

Nuiz.

…

Zaid, James and Nuiz walked back home together after school. “So, I heard the rumours,” Zaid mentioned, a smile curling on his face. James and Nuiz took one look at each other, rolled their eyes and groaned exasperatedly.

“We’re. Not. Dating!” James yelled.

“Not that rumour. That was bound to happen though,” Zaid said with such enthusiasm that even Nuiz felt like slapping him. “The rumour about you and Layla Paltrow. You guys are over? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I did tell you. Through a text.” James told him, taking out his phone. Zaid did as well and lifted an eyebrow. “No latest texts from you. Just Nuiz, Syazee-”

“Wait, she texts you?” Nuiz asked, her eyes widening. Zaid shrugged and told her, “She has a crush on me. I’ve known it for a long time even without you or her telling me.”

“Looks like you and Paltrow are a match for each other,” James muttered, still looking at his phone screen. “She’s always so full of herself. It was sickening.”

“Yeah well that’s Lewis’s problem now.” Nuiz said.

“Yeaaaah…” James sighed scrolling down to see what he’d last text Zaid. It was whether he was going to meet him at the mall with a reply from Zaid, Yeah okay. Just gotta help Nuiz here with her broken doorknob. She’s stuck inside, screaming, saying that she has to go to the toilet. Probably should bring her a bucket or bottle, aye?

James laughed at this text and Zaid and Nuiz were wondering why he was laughing. Nuiz stood on her toes and looked over James’s shoulder and gasped after she read it.

“Zaid! What the heck?!” Nuiz grabbed the phone from James’s hands and showed the text to Zaid. Zaid burst out laughing, his face going red.

“Hey but you got out in the end right? Besides, I had to give Miller here a reason why I was going to be late.” Zaid told her, still laughing like mad. James had the sudden urge to laugh along but Nuiz stared at him like a hawk, making that urge even more tempting.

“Don’t you dare,” Nuiz warned him, trying not to laugh herself. James say this and couldn’t help it. He just had to. He burst along laughing with Zaid, their hands on each other’s shoulders, trying to stop. Nuiz managed to straighten herself despite wanting to breakdown into a fit of laughter.

They got to the two siblings’ home soon and James and Zaid looked worn out. Zaid unlocked the front door and stepped in. He took one look at James and started laughing again. Nuiz rolled her eyes and him and was about to step into the house when James took her hand.

She looked back and asked, “What is it?”

“I’m sorry,” He said, letting go of her wrist.

“Sorry for laughing that I had to control myself for half an hour inside my bedroom while Zaid broke down the door? Don’t sweat it.” Nuiz said, walking into the house. She was about to close the door when James held it back with his hand. She craned her neck to look at him.

“No, not that. Though I am sorry about that, too.” He said, grinning. “But I’m sorry for making today, well, awkward and rather horrendous.”

Nuiz waved her hand in the air in a gesture that meant, doesn’t matter. “The kids at school will get over that soon.”

James smiled before leaving. Nuiz closed the door and leaned onto the door, smiling.

“You are dating him.” She heard Zaid say from behind her. She turned back and raised an eyebrow disgustedly.

“I thought you said you didn’t know about that rumour,” Nuiz reminded him, crossing her arms. Zaid walked over to the kitchen and opened the fridge, Nuiz trailing behind him.

“I said ‘not that rumour’ not ‘I don’t know that rumour’, remember?” He grabbed a soda from the fridge and drank it down. He raised an eyebrow at Nuiz and she raised hers back.

“The school may have enough students to form a Trojan army but when gossip’s around, it spreads like wildfire, sis.” He said, taking out some chips from the top cabinet and walking out of the kitchen and onto the couch.

 Nuiz just walked up to her room and laid on her bed with a sigh.

“Damn it, those gossipers.” She muttered.

…

1 month later

It’d been a month since Git Gud had given Nuiz letters, notes or anything. It got to the point where Nuiz had just forgotten about him so she moved on.

James and Nuiz had gotten pretty close. Rumours kept on coming every week until the point where Syazee was even unsure whether her friend really didn’t feel any sort of affection for James.

“I have no feelings for him, really.” Nuiz would assure her, waving a hand in front of her face. Nuiz was being honest every time she told Syazee the same assurance. She knew deep down she was still looking for Git Gud.

It one day occurred to her that she hadn’t received any letters from him (finally). She felt empty, lost. She felt guilty about her last letter to him.

You have to admit, it’s your fault that I can’t like you the way you like me. I’m not dating James Miller but I might be if you don’t tell me who you are.

She looked outside her bedroom window and sighed. “Where have you gone?” She whispered to herself.

Suddenly, she realised something that never was there before. There was an envelope on the window sill outside. She lifted her window open and grabbed the envelope. She tore it open and took out the letter inside it.

Nuiz,

She recognized the cursive handwriting. It was Git Gud’s. She closed the window and read it on her bed. She took a deep breath and continued reading.

I know there’s a very low possibility of you realizing this letter as I deliberately left outside your window, in hopes that a miracle will happen one day and you’ll realize this letter.

Look, I know that you’ve probably forgotten me already but I never will. I meant what I said in the first few letters I sent you. I like you, a lot; and I mean it.

If you somehow read this, just know that I’ll be waiting in the park, on the bench that’s located near the park’s lake. If you want to know me, and if you really love me, you’ll come down to the park.

Git Gud.

21^st Nov 2017.

A tear ran down her cheek and she gasped. She hugged the letter to her chest and wiped away her tear. She checked her phone to see what the date was.

15^th December 2017.

It’s been a month, she thought. Will he still be waiting?

There’s only one way to find out. She grabbed her coat and scarf and set out of the house, riding her newly bought bike to the park, paddling as fast as she could.

…

To be continued in: I Missed You.