Astilbe

CHAPTER 3

“M-miller?” he stupidly asked when she was in front of him holding out his white case. She looked quite confused

"You know me?" She asked as she furrowed her eyebrows.

Maximillian stood up and suddenly got flustered seeing the girl in front of him "Yes. I mean you're pretty popular already," he explained while trying to avoid eye contact. Now he feels ashamed about how he looks.

'Why now of all time?' He asked himself. Today is his unlucky day; well it's not like he's ever been lucky.

"and we're also in the same class..." He added

"I see" she reacted as handing the white case to him

"This is yours, right?" She asked again 

He grabbed the case "Right, thanks.." Now he's thinking of finding a way to get out of this situation. This might be a God-given chance to him but he would rather cut short of this meeting. This is not how he imagined his first conversation with her crush.

"Who did this to you?" She unexpectedly asked which made him taken aback, As sweat dripped down his temple, he's looking for an explanation 

"Oh, this? I just...tripped" He mentally slapped his forehead as he scolded himself for his poor choice of words.

"Doesn't seem like it" she refuted back as she got closer to him. Maximilian can only hold the bag tightly using both arms as she examined him closely.

"Why do you even care?" Out of embarrassment, he asked. 

She stopped for a second and smiled at him "Because I want to help you" 

"Don't bother" he muttered as he began to storm off. He left her hanging there without looking behind. He feels bad for being rude to her but he can't make himself turn around and apologize to her.

As he was walking away the bell rang loudly which ended the lunch break so all students hastily went back to their rooms. But before he went to his room, Maximillian decided to fix himself so he went to the men's room and washed his face. 

After splashing his face with water he looked himself in the mirror and asked after wiping his face with his sleeve

'What's the point?' 

It's not like it's new news that he is getting bullied every day. Usually, when students see him getting bullied they tend to avoid and ignore him. It's like he's an outcast. Going back to his room he quietly opened the back door hoping not to be noticed by their female subject teacher who's already writing at the board

" You're late again Hunter," his teacher said when she noticed him secretly walk-in 

Maximilian stopped for the moment he got caught and lowered his head " I apologize miss"

His teacher motioned him to take a seat as she continued her class. After sitting down he quickly glanced at Ashley who is also unexpectedly staring at him. They both stared at each other for a while until Ashley broke eye contact and turned her head to pay attention to the lecture. 

'Was she staring at me?' he thought but he dismissed that thought as she remembered what happened earlier.

Maximillian spent his whole day staring into space and being inattentive. Little did he know that Ashley was constantly observing him from afar.

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After school, Maximillian walked home to his usual route. The sun is setting and the air is getting a bit windy. As he  is staring at the clear streaming water in the aqueduct, someone called him from behind

"Hey, Maxie!" 

He immediately turned around to the person who called him; It was Ashley. She waved at him and jogged to Maximillian. Was she following him there? Or are they just coincidentally going the same way?

"What do you want?" He asked 

After catching her breath, she composed herself and answered as she smiled softly at  Maximillian "I know you're going through something" 

He didn't know what she is trying to imply so he stayed quiet

"..."

"What I'm trying to say is that I want to help you" she explained 

Maximillian didn't expect her to hear this again, he thought that she would lash at him for being rude to her at lunch "Why would you want to help me? We're not even close" he said as he suspiciously stared at her.

Ashley tilted her head slightly at the side to think while looking away to think then she immediately said after a few seconds "Then let's be friends" His eyes widened as her declaration took Maximillian by surprise.

"What?"

"I want to be friends with you" as she smiled sweetly at him.

He gazes at her in bewilderment and rebutted "Don't bother, I know you're just doing this out of pity"

"No, rather I think you are brave," she said reassuringly, giving him a thumbs up. Maximillian suddenly realized that no one ever called him a brave person. He is usually called a loser or seen as pathetic. He wonders what part of him she sees as brave.

"Look, it's okay if you don't want to be friends with me for now, but let me help you," she said convincingly as he placed her hands on his shoulders. The sudden physical touch made him jump in place as she got a little bit closer to him

"Okay?" She asked again while staring deep into his eyes hoping for him to agree.

He sighed and said, "What do I have to do?" 

"Trust me, I have a plan"