The Wallflower's Revenge

AWR Chapter 15: Revealing, rebelling

"Where are we going?" Leylah giggled as she pulled Lea to a small basketball court near the cafeteria. They could hear a lot of girls screaming as they were crowding around the basketball court. Good thing it was surrounded by a steel matting fence around it. The girls cannot storm or block those basketball players who are playing inside.

" Oh my gosh, don't tell me…" Lea held Leylah's hands tightly as she grinned. 

"Surprise!" Lea giggled as she hugged Leylah from behind her.

"Thank you. It is more than enough." She said while blushing. Leylah laughed at her best friend's reaction. She looked very cute and charming as she spotted Walter playing inside the gym.

Many girls were shocked a bit when Walter was hit by the ball on the stomach. There was a bit of a commotion because his so-called 'fans' were too worried at him as he went back to the aluminum side bench seats that's around the basketball court.

As Leylah glanced at her boyfriend, she could see him looking in their direction. Leylah assumed that he was hit by a ball because he was distracted by her presence. For Leylah, it's more than a compliment of flattery. She's not that beautiful but the most sought-after idol is crazy for her.

Some girls looked to where they were standing because they saw Walter looking in their direction while smiling. It's as if he used his minor injury to enjoy his rest a bit.

Leylah winked at her boyfriend and she could see him enjoying what she's doing. Lea couldn't see her reaction because she was also busy daydreaming about her crush and what she thinks of him.

"Ley, Ley! Walter is looking at me!" Lea almost screamed in her most discreet way as she tugged Leylah's sleeve.

"Yeah, I can see that too," Leylah answered Lea  but she's not looking at her best friend. Instead, she's winking at Walter, who's smiling at him right now. It happened that she's beside Lea that's why her best friend thought that she was the one Walter is laying his eyes upon right now.

Her best friend never noticed the reaction of Leylah, instead her face was also glued gazing at Walter's handsome face while projecting her widest smile.

"My goodness, they're both looking horrible and creepy at the same time." Leylah could hear other girls murmur to each other.

"Are those girls really the ones Walter looking at?"

"I'm not very sure…"

Those girls looked at the both of them as if they were stalkers but they both didn't care about it. They both enjoyed the attention given by the guy they both adore.

"Sorry, man, I have to take a break." He said to his other teammates while the other guy handed him a bottle of water.

"Do you think he will accept my snack if I give it to him?" Lea asked Leylah excitedly.

"Why don't you try it?"

"Gosh Ley! I think I will pee on my underwear any time if I am the one who will give it to him." She pouted her lips as if she's planning on something.

"Nope. I am not going to do you any favors, okay?"

"Even if I got two perfect exams?" Lea smiled as she said those words. It's as if she wants to be charming to Leylah right now.

"Seriously, Lei? My goodness! You didn't know what I've been through just to know where Walter is and then I will be the one to hand him your snack?"

"Since when did you learn how to read people's minds, Ley?" Lea answered between chuckles.

"Because that's what you're going to do next, you know." Leylah smiled at her as Lea raised her eyebrows up and down.

"I won't take no for an answer because it's your choice of surprise for me." Leylah sighed as she received a box of chocolate drink and a pretzel snack to give it to her boyfriend.

Her boyfriend, whom Lea didn’t have any idea about.

“Please? Pretty please? I know you can do it!”

“What if I can’t?” Leylah whispered to Lea. Many girls were fuming mad as they were all looking at them because Walter is looking to where they are standing. 

“You need to remember about this kind of surprise. I am not content with seeing Walter this time, alright? I want to do something for him. I want him to remember a girl named  Lea who was very thoughtful and gave him some snacks.”

“Correction my dear, it’s me who will give these to him.”

“Oh, c’mon my best friend! Just remember that you’re not doing this just to please  him or to make him fall in love with you, but you are doing this favor for me.” Lea pleaded with sparkling eyes. However, Leylah held his arm firmly.

“Alright. I will not argue at all if  you’ll be the one to hand all of these to him, okay?” Leylah insisted. Lea looked down and blushed so hard. She grabbed the opportunity to chat with Walter using her phone while she’s not looking at her.

“Love, please call my best friend’s name, “Lea” ASAP.” Leylah glanced at Walter who grabbed his phone in his pocket. He seemed to receive the message right away because he put it in ‘vibrating’ mode. He scanned the message quickly and returned his phone to his pocket right away.

“Hello, Lea Ratcher!” I felt Lea hold my hand firmly as she heard her name. When I looked at her reaction, I could see her eyes widened because of shock.

"H-He mentioned my name, r-right?" Lea tugged my sleeve more, it made my shirt hang to my shoulder tightly.

"Can you please, not my sleeve? It's not Walter, that is Walter in there," Leylah pointed at Walter , smiling at them. All the girls murmured to each other as if resenting the whole scene that's happening right now.

They all murmured to each other about what they had heard.

"That is not fair! Who is she? She's not even popular enough that Walter will mention her name." They could hear some girls saying those words.

" Why don't you go near him? He already mentioned your name! There's no backing out this time," Leylah encouraged her more that she sighed and went straight to where Walter is standing right now.

Leylah could see her best friend handing Walter the snack that she wanted to give him. It was a box of chocolate drinks, and a pack of pretzels.

"Let's go!" Before Leylah could react, Lea pulled her hand and they both ran away from that crowded place.

" That was so epic!"

" I regret even forgetting to ask for his number before we run away." Lea answered in a remorseful manner. Leylah couldn't help but chuckle because of her best friend's reaction to everything that happened that afternoon.

"Wow the 'Walter effect' is really very strong in you. Well I can see that he is indeed handsome," Leylah commented as she smiled at her best friend.

" See? I told you. That's why he is my all-time crush."

" You really have the taste I believe in you now." Leylah couldn't help but to agree. Secretly, she can't be persuaded if Walter is not that attractive in the first place.

" What now?"

" What do you mean, 'what now'?" Leylah repeated what she just said to her.

" I realized I already made a move. What shall I do next?" Leylah swallowed as she awkwardly smiled at her best friend.

She wanted to regret everything that she planned all the way because of what Lea is acting right now.

"I don't know. I can't relate." Leylah tried to chuckle so that it would not be too obvious that she's affected already.

"That's so unfair!"

"I only did my surprise for a day. That's all I can do for you, Lea." She said it in front of her face. Lea looked at Leylah and never blinked.

"A-Are you alright? I am just joking, okay?" Lea started to laugh as she put her arms around Leylah's shoulders.

"Nope,"

"Sorry, Ley. I should never insist on making you do the things that you don't want to do."

" It's okay," Leylah tapped both Lea's shoulders and she walked forward. She heaved a sigh of relief when her father's car stopped in front of them. They almost forgot it's already the class dismissal.

" See you tomorrow, Lea." Leylah waved goodbye when she was in the car. She saw Lea waving goodbye at her, too. Her smile couldn't be easily erased on her face even though everything is over now.

When Leylah got home, she decided to go straight to her room to talk to her boyfriend. She knew that she would be waiting for an hour and a half for their dinner to be prepared.

"Hello?" She started the call. She could hear Walter sigh on the other line.

" What does it mean with what happened earlier?"

" I just want to make my best friend happy."

"Seriously, love? Am I some kind of toy for you to play with, any time?" She swallowed as she listened to her boyfriend's sentiment. Now, she realized things could really go out of hand.

"Look, I am really sorry, okay? I will not do it again, babe." Leylah said in a low voice.

" I just don't want you to do it again. It feels like you are giving me away that simple.”

“Look, if I have to explain everything to you, I will. Just please let this one pass. I promise I will never do this one again.” 

“How will I ever get upset with you? I can’t even do that…” Leylah giggled that Walter heard it on the other line.

“So, do you forgive me now?”

“I’m not even mad in the first place. I’m just saying to remind you that you have to be selfish of me, too. Don’t give me away.”

“Alright. I promise I will never do this one again. I love you so much.” Leylah smiled as she heard her boyfriend’s response on the other line. She excused herself for dinner and they both hung up. Her eyes widened with what she saw next…

“Dad?!”