"How do I look?"

"Jordan, you look fine," I said in exasperation.

"You shouldn't lie to him, Naomi," Declan said.

Bennett coughed but didn't say anything as he continued to drive the car.

"Whatever," Jordan said as he checked his reflection in the window some more. "I just want to look good in front of all these girls."

I stared at the window and muttered, "You never do that with me."

"That's because I always look good for you," Jordan told me.

"That doesn't make any sense," Declan said. "If you always look good, why bother?"

"For this moment!" Jordan exclaimed. "So you admit, I look good."

Declan looked like he wanted to throw Jordan out the car.

"Bennett," Declan said, "I want to throw Jordan out the car."

"Another time," Bennett replied. "I'm concerned people will see my license plate if we were to do that."

"Does no one care about me?" Jordan cried.

I turned the radio louder in response.

"Are you guys excited going to an all-girls school?" I asked them.

Jordan snorted. "What kind of question was that? Of course we are."

I nodded slowly and paused. "When I said before about you guys being my bodyguards... I was joking."

Bennett turned the radio off.

"Is something wrong, Naomi?" Bennett asked me.

"Was it something I said?" Jordan asked while Declan asked at the same time, "Was it something Jordan said?"

I shook my head. "No, it's not that. I just looked back and saw it was selfish of me."

"How can it be selfish of you?" Bennett asked.

"It was just that the reason I invited you was to be your wingwoman," I said. "You should be concerned about looking for that special someone. Who knows, maybe the only reason you haven't met is because of that 10-foot fence guarding them." I couldn't help but laugh at that last part.

"I'm more concerned about you," Declan said.

We shared a look and I quickly looked away, feeling a bit warm.

"Yeah I mean, Girls-shmirls," Jordan waved off. "They're nothing compared to you."

"Besides," Bennett said. "We're here to meet this new friend of yours."

"And it was Jordan who focused on the girls part instead," Declan told me. "So Bennett and I are your only friends. You're free to leave Jordan there."

I laughed at that. "Don't say that. You're all my friends. And I don't think Jordan will mind being left in an all-girls school. Whether they actually know he's there or not."

"Hey..." Jordan began, but couldn't find anything to defend himself with.

I looked at all of them before I turned back at the window, frowning.

I didn't want to go there by myself but...

I regret bringing them.

Bennett was able to find a parking spot and we all left the car to head to the school. From the distance, we already saw a congregation of people at the school gates. There were many people walking along side us as we head towards the school. I texted Lynn informing her that we're heading towards the gates and she told me that she'll find me inside.

-

When we arrived at the front gates, it was what I expect. It was a big school festival with booths lining down the front courtyard. The booths ranged from information on the school, club recruitment, games, and food. And what of course made it different from other school events was the number of girls throughout the festival. They all wore their school uniforms, despite it still being a weekend, so it was easy to distinguish them from a student or visitor.

I turned to the guys to see what they thought of this, although I don't know why I even bothered. Bennett was, well, Bennett. But Declan and Jordan's faces said it all.

"This is girl heaven," Declan whispered. "I've only dreamed of this."

"It's so beautiful." Jordan reached his arms out hesitantly towards them. "I can die here."

They froze and suddenly turned to me. But they were relieved to see that I was snickering at their reactions, but not at Bennett's look of disapproval.

"I still don't understand why you said it'll be a war zone," Bennett said.

Suddenly, every girl with radius was able to sense the guys' presence. It was too late to get away as they all rushed towards them at once. I was pushed out of the way and found myself on the ground. I crawled away and was able to free myself from the crowd. They practically shoved flyers, pamphlets, and foods at their faces. I was too far away to see if they were enjoying this or not.

I was conflicted if I should feel happy or bad for them.

But this sick feeling came back again.

"So you really did come," a voice said. "I honestly thought that text was a joke. I'm sorry for ever doubting you."

Lynn was next to be with her usual grin.

"Well you better not doubt me again," I told her. "Although now you've tempted me to come up with actual jokes in our texts."

"Oh no, what have I done," she said in horror.

Some more girls shoved past us and merged into the growing crowd around the guys.

She made a face. "I swear, being in an all-girls school makes these girls become hypersensitive to testosterone levels from guys within their age group." She then added, "And boyfriend material requirements, but as I said before, being in an all-girls school, you tend not to be very picky."

Lynn grinned at me. "Naomi, this is our chance. The food booths are probably empty right now. Let's go before they lose interest -although who knows when that'll happen- and hit all the booths."

"I like the idea but I think I should get my other friends first," I told her. "I don't think they'd appreciate it if I left to eat food without them."

Lynn looked very embarrassed for a moment. "Oh right, you brought your friends here. I apologize, I forgot about that." She looked over at the crowd. "Do you think we can find them in that mess?"

Now it was my turn to be embarrassed. "Well, it might not be that hard to. They're probably in the middle..."

She let out a laugh. "Wow, they must be fast to be the first ones to reach to those guys."

Struggling to find a way to explain this, I said slowly, "Um yeah... The thing is, they are the guys."

She stared at me. "I don't understand."

"I don't blame you."

"So you're telling me that you willingly brought a bunch of guys to an all-girls school event just to introduce them to me as your friends. Did I get that right?"

"Yeah..." I didn't know where to look, so I looked down at the ground.

Lynn grabbed me by the shoulders. "You're smart, right? Like good grades, study nerd smart?"

"I don't really appreciate how you're able to classify me that easily, but yeah, I think so?"

"Naomi, sweetie. You're book smart, but not street smart."

"So I've been told."

Lynn looked at the guys who were being flooded with the swarm of girls.

"But why do you call them your friends? Isn't one of them your boyfriend at least?"

I blushed deeply. "Of course not!"

She turned back to me. "Oh, so do you play for the other team then?"

I blushed even deeper. "No. I'm pretty sure I like guys."

Lynn looked disappointed. "Darn, and here I thought you were going for my team."

"Wait, so are you..."

"Gay?" She finished with a laugh. "Quite. It's a pity you aren't though."

It's a pity? I didn't kow how to properly react to that.

"I'm flattered," I admitted, feeling a bit red. "But is the only reason you're friends with me is because you just wanted to date me?"

She snorted. "Of course not. Friendship first, relationships later. I just wanted a friend, if you were out of the same closet as me, it would've been just a bonus." Lynn smiled at me. "Honest, Naomi, I have no ulterior motives."

"I believe you, Lynn," I told her. I was really happy about this. As much as I was flattered by this, I wouldn't appreciate being played again. What I wanted was a friend, not a girl-friend. "But what I'm confused about is..."

"Why I'm in an all-girls school?" Lynn finished for me. "That'll be for another time. Now, it's my turn."

"Your turn?"

"My turn to ask questions." She crossed her arms. "Why are you single with friends like that? Are they single?"

"Y-yes."

"Are they gay?"

"No. I mean, maybe Jordan and Declan together." She raised an eyebrow. "No, I'm kidding, I don't think so."

"Which one of you guys are dense? Is it them? Is it you?"

"I don't know how to respond to that."

We heard some more screams from the crowd. I couldn't tell if it was excited squeals from girls or Jordan; it was hard to tell them apart.

"Maybe we should try getting them out of there," I told Lynn.

"Yeah, I have to meet them now. I need to understand this phenomenon."

I scratched my head. "But I don't really want to ruin their fun. I promised them to be their wingwoman and, well, I just served them on a silver platter to all of the girls in this school."

"Who cares! Ruin their fun! They're probably used to this anyway. What's to end one of many boy band meet-and-greets?"

I snickered at that analogy. I went to text them that we were by the information booth. If they were done with their fanbase, they can meet us there.

From the crowd, I heard a: "Finally! We're saved!"

"I'm sorry ladies, but we really need to go now."

"We promise to meet all of you in your booths."

"Maybe you can get my number."

"Jordan!"

"Nevermind. He can be jealous sometimes."

When the girls refused to let them pass, one of the school's teachers was able to make the girls go back to their booths and stations. Then the teacher lectured the guys for their mere presence in the school event. Lynn and I laughed at the sidelines as a teacher practically scolded them for being apparently too hot.

"But it's not my fault that people can't handle this." Jordan motioned to himself.

"I'm sorry, I won't do that again," Jordan said, looking at the ground. "Please let me stay here."

Lynn leaned to me and whispered, "Did you always have to deal with this? You poor girl."

I shrugged. "You'd get used to it."

After being able to assure the teacher of proper behavior, Bennett spotted Lynn and I. I could see Lynn was quite intimidated when they were in front of us, practically towering over us. I eyed the guys and I saw they were all sharing a look that I couldn't exactly read.

She took a deep breath and held out her hand. "Lillian Owens, but you can call me Lynn."

I introduced her to each of them as they shook hands.

"You're pretty cute Lynn," Jordan mused. "But not as cute as our Naomi here," he said as he pinched my cheek.

"Stop it Jordan," blushing in annoyance and turning to Lynn.

"I swear I'll kick your ass Jordan after this," Declan threatened him. "You better not mess this up."

"You're just jealous I complimented both of them," Jordan retorted.

"Which one of you is her boyfriend?" Lynn asked, smiling.

They all froze. I froze. I thought I told her...

She pointed to Jordan. "You're too flirty, I question that."

She pointed to both Jordan and Declan. "You both can easily be dating right now."

Then she pointed to Bennett. "And I can't seem to read you."

Bennett looked at her. "That's usually my intent."

"There isn't anything between us," Declan explained. "We're all just friends."

Lynn's eyes seemed to sparkle at that. "Good. That means she's free-" she said as she put her hand around my waist "-for me."

All the guys stared at that contact, yet they were dumbfounded on how to properly react to this. If it were a guy, he would probably on the ground crying by now. Not to mean the guys don't stand for gender equality, but they won't make it stand in this current situation now.

"What are you doing, Lynn?" I asked nervously.

"Flirting," she replied before whispering to me, "with their emotions."

I don't know what her game is. But it might be working.

"I thought you didn't roll that way Naomi," Jordan said hesitantly.

Lynn raised an eyebrow. "Why, are you against it?"

"Of course not!" Jordan said. "I'm just..."

"Disappointed," Lynn finished. "But like you said, Naomi is pretty cute." She played with my hair, eyeing the guys who seemed to glare at her. "It'll be a shame for it to be put to waste when people close to her can't realize it and take advantage of it."

"Taking advantage how?" Declan asked.

"By dating her of course."

It was almost amusing watching the guys react to that. Speechless, they looked away, not knowing what to say. I was starting to get why Lynn is doing this. But I'm worried the guys won't appreciate it.

"But sadly, nerds aren't my type to date," she said as she crossed her arms.

Ouch.

"I want you to know that nerds are a great type to date," Jordan said before he fell apart, "N-not that I have ever thought of that or anything..."

Lynn laughed. "I'm sorry, I was all just teasing you guys. I wanted to see if you guys were okay with me and my sexuality, but I did it in a mean way."

What a liar. But I have nothing but respect for her.

"It's alright," Bennett said. "We just wish you didn't have to do that."

"So you're not interested in Naomi?" Declan asked.

"So you're not interested in Jordan?" Lynn retorted back.

"An answer wouldn't help," I coughed, having Jordan and Declan glare at me.

"I'm interested in her friendship. And as her friend, it's my job to look out for her."

"And you think we haven't?" Declan asked her.

"I don't doubt it for a second. Naomi has a good taste in friends."

"Exhibit A," Lynn and Jordan said in unison.

There was a long silence between us as the both of them froze awkwardly in the same position of having motioned to themselves. But it was Lynn who broke the mirroring.

Lynn told them, "We might have our differences and our advantages. But we have one thing in common: caring about Naomi. I just want to state that."

Bennett wore a small smile. "You're a good person, Lynn."

"As an apology for earlier..." She held out four tickets. "These are exclusive tickets that give you a free combo -food and drink- at any food booth. It isn't much but-"

The guys instantly snatched the tickets. I scolded them until they thanked Lynn for being so nice. We let the guys run off to get us some food as we followed after them. I offered Lynn to hang out after the festival.

"I can't," she said sadly. "I need to clean up after the festival."

"It's ok," I assured her, a bit sad. "Maybe another time."

Lynn sighed. "Naomi, sweetie, I don't know how to tell you this but..." She paused for a moment. "They're really hot."

"Uh..." Find a way to respond to that...

"I'd turn straight for them," Lynn told me. "Okay, maybe not really. I'll probably turn bi at most."

I laughed at that. Mostly at the thought the guys are hot enough to change a person's sexual orientation.

"But you're practically playing an otome game right now."

"An otome game?" I repeated incredulously.

"You know, a dating game for girls. Reverse har-"

"I know what an otome game is," I said with a laugh. "But I don't understand how..."

"Oh c'mon, you can't seriously be blind by this. I mean look at them."

"Jordan for example," she began.

Jordan already used up his ticket and got something to eat. As he ate, he was watching Declan play a game. But, he was bothering Declan's concentration with snide remarks or shoving food in front of his field of vision.

"He always wears a grin more mischievous than his personality. Most likely a troublemaker, a prankster, a comedian, a clown." She paused for a moment. "But it might just be a cover. He's probably smarter and more sensitive underneath. But in the end, you always have fun with him and never want it to stop."

"And what about Declan?"

Declan had just won the game and was yelling at Jordan for bothering him. Beside them, some little kid had just lost the game and was on the verge of tears. Declan noticed and handed the kid his prize of a stuffed rabbit. He had a small, sad smile as he shook the kid's hair before he ran off to his parents. Even Jordan looked like he wanted to cry, making Declan yell at him again.

"He looks mean and serious all of the time; that's probably why lots of people steer clear of him. Maybe he wants to be alone, or maybe he doesn't but he doesn't know what to do. But to those who are close to him, he's protective and loyal. He's a total softie underneath, and although he doesn't like showing it, he wants the person who has seen it to only see him as that."

"Then there's Bennett."

Jordan and Declan's argument was catching people's attention. Bennett stepped in between them making them go quiet. Jordan tried getting the last word and said something to Declan making him visibly pissed off. But before Declan could do anything, Bennett said something to Jordan making Jordan pause for a moment before mumbling, perhaps an apology to him. Bennett's eyes wandered the crowd and landed on Lynn and me.

"You'd wonder why he acts like that. Being so reserved but still intimidating. Is it a front? What's his reason? It just makes him more mysterious. Maybe sometimes he'd let his guard down, but even then you still don't know anything about him. Rather, you'd want him to tell his secrets, although he might already know your own."

There was a long silence between us.

"Who are you?" I whispered.

"Someone who plays a lot of otome games," she said honestly.

"I don't believe it," I accused.

"Well I'm insulted," she said with a laugh. "But believe what you want. This is my job, Naomi. I need to bring back your girly side which probably has been repressed by their constant presence. Of course, you mustn't take it as a bad thing. In the end, that's what friends do: bring out the best each other."

"But I still don't understand why you're doing this. Playing matchmaker, cupid."

"That's my other job. Being your wingwoman and amusing myself to your love life as I don't have one of my own." She laughed. "Even if you guys are really as clueless as I think you are, the most I did was make you acknowledge there is something more between you guys. All you have to do now Naomi is pick."

"I can't pick," I hissed at her.

I don't deserve to pick.

Lynn rolled her eyes. "Your love life is at stake."

"I don't have a love life."

"Exactly."

"Lillian," someone called out.

Just as the guys were coming back to us, a girl approached us as well.

"The festival is ending, the clean up needs to start or else- Oh hello there."

Obviously, she was greeting the guys.

"Lynn, won't you introduce us?" She asked.

"I don't really know them well," Lynn said, eyeing me. "Don't we have somewhere to be Erica?"

She gave Lynn a sharp look. "I think it's only just you. Why don't you take your girlfriend to help you out?"

"Actually, we were just leaving," Bennett cut in. "If you can excuse us," he said as he looked at Erica.

It took her a while to figure it out. But with one last look at Lynn, she left.

"I-I'm sorry about that," Lynn said. "The student leadership can be really strict here with our different duties. I was chosen as part of the clean-up crew."

"Chosen?" I asked.

"Anyway, it was really nice meeting all of you," Lynn told us. "I hope we can see each other soon, perhaps in better terms. I've never been good at first impressions, so maybe you can know me better eventually."

"I think you made a pretty good impression already," Jordan said, making Lynn smile.

"You guys should go before you'll get mobbed by more girls." She began to walk away. "See you guys!"

We began to walk out the gate. Visitors were shuffling out of the school courtyard. Students had already begun taking down the booths and cleaning up. It was then I noticed that their uniforms weren't really the same. There were these different colored pins on their collars. Ones with the colors green and yellow were cleaning up while reds were ordering them around.

A hierarchy.

"You do have a good taste in friends," Declan said, looking at the students and perhaps having also figured it out. "Especially to those who need you."

I'd think maybe we both needed each other.

Hey everyone! I'm sorry for the late chapter, as usual. But I promise you, I'll do my best to be more active in updating this summer. Already I'm in chapter 6 so keep up.

Whoa, what is with this chapter? I know, I really threw a lot of new things at you but you better keep your guard up because there will be more to come. And I do hope you're all... tolerant in the new sexuality I introduced (which is for some reason how I said it). I want the book to be more diverse and I hope that my readers will be able to accept that. 

At that note, please don't argue in my comments on this or they will be deleted.

Thank you all for your patience, and I apologize to those who lack patience. I hope you'll be able to understand the pressures I'm in and I truly am doing my best. I only want your happiness as I update these chapters, and I don't want anything less when I'm unable to.

So once again, thank you all for reading and I'll see you soon, hopefully. I'm still thinking of the actual scheduling in updates. It'll really depend on how far ahead I am in the chapters or not. I want to say that I have already planned out how the story will go, roughly, and all I really need to do is writing. During the school year, I was unable to find the time to write, but now that it's summer in vacation, I'm able to find such time.

I love all of you. 

In dedication to kely_18 one of my many friends in Twitter. 

Until next time, 

Rubix