The bell rings and the teacher tries to finish what he was saying before concluding the class. But some of the students from the back start to slam their books shut and pack their stuff. Some even go as far as making not-so-subtle noises to signify their diminishing patience.

The teacher sighs heavily and adjusts his glasses. He then says, "Guess we'll have to continue it next class. You may leave now."

I feel so bad for teachers in moments like these. Like, how hard is it to sit a minute longer? Sometimes I feel like teaching is the most difficult job. I don't ever want to be a teacher. Just thinking about trying to manage a room full of teenagers makes me shudder. Which says a lot since I'm a teenager myself, yet I still feel uneasy whenever I have to walk past a group of teenagers.

Everyone begins to shuffle out of the classroom as soon as they can, while Sarah and I trail behind in no hurry. It is lunch break now. Who would be excited for the cafeteria's dull meal? Not me. Speaking of which, Theo's cooking has quickly become my favourite. Everything he makes tastes so good. I'm convinced he is secretly a chef. How else can someone cook that well?

Yup, that must be it. He's a chef. And a vampire. Always lurking in the dark and taking showers so late at night. Wait, could he really be a vampire?

"Someone looks happy today," Sarah chirps from beside me.

"Who?" I ask her, looking around to see who she is referring to, before facing her.

"You, idiot." She rolls her eyes at me playfully. "You're the one who is smiling."

"Oh." I didn't realise I was smiling. I was trying to picture Theo with fangs in my mind.

"Yeah, oh." She laughs lightly. "In fact, you've been doing that a lot lately. Smiling and looking so happy all the time."

'I have?'

"Oh, come on. Don't look so confused now." Sarah nudges me with her shoulder gently. "I'm happy to see you like this. You should keep smiling."

She gives me a wide grin and I don't know what to say to her. Thinking about Theo does make me feel happy from the inside, but I didn't realise I was expressing it on the outside, too. Which is new for me. Because I have heard Sarah saying how some people have a resting bitch face. Meanwhile I think I have a resting bored face.

"But I am curious, though. About what got you smiling like that," she says. "Or should I say who?" She wiggles her eyebrows at me suggestively.

"What are you talking about?" I frown at her. "I just smiled a little and you're trying to make it about something." I huff, not wanting to be the subject of discussion anymore.

Once we get inside the school's cafeteria, we get in line behind everyone to get food from the lunch lady.

"I'm not trying to do anything," Sarah says as she moves forward in the line. "I'm just saying what I'm seeing. And trust me, Amy. I know this look very well."

I knit my brows together upon hearing her words and sigh to myself as I move forward with her.

"What look?" I ask, completely uninterested in whatever she would be spouting next.

Once our tray is filled, Sarah searches for our usual table and walks towards it. I follow her closely from behind.

"Oh, you know, the same look that Noah has on his face whenever he sees you." She sits in front of me and across the table. The chairs next to us are left empty for the boys. "The look that screams that you are in love." She giggles to herself, finding humour at what she just said, and starts eating.

I don't even bother to reply to her or act shocked. She has said stuff like this million times before for me to even react at this point. Why is she so hellbent on making Noah and I a thing? I mean, I know I haven't opened up to her about Theo and I plan to keep it that way for as long as possible. But I also didn't ever say to her that I like Noah any more than a friend. So why does she keep imagining things?

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Sarah asks me after a while.

"Nope," I reply. "I am not going to entertain your hyper active imagination."

"Imagination?" Sarah gasps as if offended. "Amy, if anything, either you are completely oblivious or you're trying to deny your own feelings. But I am not making up anything."

"I know about my feelings very well, Sarah." I grit my teeth and play with my food mindlessly.

"Sure, you do." She scoffs. "You're not the one looking at your face but I am. Clearly you have caught feelings and it's about damn time. Noah has been pining after you for so long."

I drop my spoon and look up to meet her eyes, getting serious now. "No, I don't like him like that. I only see him as a good friend and he doesn't—"

"He is in love with you, okay?" She cuts me off mid sentence and my jaw slackens. "How can you not know this, Amy? Have you even seen the way he looks at you?"

I just stare at her blankly and wait for her to continue. My palms start to sweat all of a sudden and I start to grow uneasy.

"I mean, to be honest, I did find it a bit weird at first," Sarah says, "that he got so attached to you right from the start. I don't think I've ever seen him treat any other girl like that before. Then again, I guess he really likes you if he treats you so special. You know, being all sweet and smiley."

No, I don't know. How would I know how he treats other girls? I assumed he has always been the type to be in a cheerful mood no matter what. Cracking jokes and trying to make others laugh. Does he really only act that way around me?

"But I don't doubt him anymore." Sarah's voice pulls me out of my train of thoughts. "He really likes my best friend and I couldn't be happier!"

I look down at my lap and fiddle my thumbs. My breathing becomes uneven for some reason and I find it hard to breathe. What the hell is Sarah talking about?

"Noah looks at you as if you are the only thing he sees when he enters a room. Like you are the only thing that matters." She lowers her voice upon realising she got loud, "That poor guy likes you so much, Amy. And I was honestly starting to feel bad for him, thinking you would never return his feelings."

My throat becomes dry and it feels like needles are pricking at the back of it. How did this happen? I was so happy about Theo and happy with whatever we have going on. I didn't even realise that Noah has been waiting for me all this time. That I had never given him a clear answer to his confession.

Sarah places her hand on top of mine and I try not to get sidetracked by my confusing thoughts yet again.

"I'm not worried anymore." She gives me a smile. "I know you like him, too, now. It is clearly written on your face."

Hearing her say that breaks my heart a little. How do I tell her it's not Noah that I have feelings for? This is the first time I'm seeing Sarah sound so sincere, and not about her relationship with Alex, but about mine.

"Gosh, you guys are so cute and you don't even know it," she says, pulling her hand away from mine and trying to lighten the mood. I swallow the lump in my throat while she continues, "You both fit the definition of 'idiots in love' perfectly."

How did I let this happen? I never meant to lead him on. Did I lead him on? But I never gave Noah any reason to think that I want more than friendship with him. No, no, I might be sounding so selfish right now, as if trying to avoid feeling guilty. It is probably my fault. Which is why Sarah also thinks that I like him. Yeah, it's all my fault. I caused this.

I gave Noah false hope in some way and now, I will be the reason his heart breaks. God, I hate myself so much. I don't deserve him. I don't deserve any of the feelings that he has for me.

But it needs to stop. It has to end now. I can't let Noah live in false hope anymore. He might start to hate me and maybe our friendship would get completely ruined. But at least he could save his heart for someone that deserves it.

'I'm gonna talk to Noah. And soon.'

Sarah stops talking when Noah plops down on the chair beside me. Alex is absent today so we knew he wouldn't be joining us.

"Sorry, I'm late. What did I miss?" Noah asks to my best friend.

"Nothing important," she replies casually.

"Okay, good." He faces me next and gives me a soft smile. "Hey."

My heart aches again when I meet his eyes and I blink back the tears. Trying not to let my emotions get the best of me, I return his smile. "Hi."

———

A/N: don't hate me for this chapter lol