บท 18: Kevin the tennis babe
The hallway was unusually crowded that morning, buzzing with energy. Sarah glanced around, nudging her way through the throng of students. "It's more chaotic than usual. Do you think there's a new student, Rose?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.
Rose, walking beside her, shrugged as they pressed forward toward their classroom. All around them, the girls were animated, squealing and whispering amongst themselves. "What's going on over there?" Rose inquired, craning her neck for a better look.
Sarah squinted, following the commotion. To her utter astonishment, the crowd parted to reveal her cousin, the famous pop star Daniel.
"Daniel?!" Sarah exclaimed, her expression a mix of disbelief and irritation. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, I was actually looking for you two," Daniel replied, his easy charm disarming the crowd. "But, well... I seem to have gotten caught up with your schoolmates." His eyes scanned the group before landing on Rose. "Speaking of which, where's your cute friend, Rose?"
"I'm right here," Rose replied hesitantly, stepping forward.
Daniel stood and bowed dramatically, grinning. "Good morning, my princess."
"Good morning, Daniel," Rose muttered, cheeks flushing.
The girls who had been fawning over Daniel fell silent, their gazes now fixed on Rose with judgmental stares. Whispers began to ripple through the crowd.
"Did she break up with Sam just to go after Daniel?" one voice hissed.
"Yeah, she probably just wants to use him for fame," another chimed in.
Rose's chest tightened. She tried to ignore the cruel remarks, but the mention of Sam brought a lump to her throat. Memories of him washed over her, and the ache of his absence became unbearable. Without another word, she pushed her way out of the crowd and fled.
As she ran down the hallway, she nearly collided with Kevin, the school's tennis star. He caught her by the arm, steadying her.
"Whoa, Rose!" he said, his deep voice startling her. "What's wrong? Did someone hurt you?"
Rose looked up, tears streaking her face, and for a moment, she was struck by how handsome he was. She wondered why she had never noticed him before.
Kevin, sensing her distress, pulled her into a gentle hug. "I don't know what you're going through, but maybe this will help," he said softly.
Rose blinked, caught off guard by his kindness. Just as she began to relax, a familiar voice cut through the moment.
"And exactly how will hugging her help?"
Rose turned, her heart sinking at the sound of John's voice. His tone was sharp, almost accusatory, as he approached. She quickly pulled away from Kevin, suddenly aware of how inappropriate the situation might appear.
"I—I'm sorry," Rose stammered, stepping back.
Kevin raised his hands in surrender, offering her a reassuring smile. "No need to apologize. I just wanted to help."
"Rose," John interjected, his tone softening, "are you okay?"
She nodded quickly, brushing away her tears. "I'm fine. I just need to find Sarah." Without waiting for a response, she hurried off, leaving Kevin and John staring after her.
As the day wore on, Kevin couldn't shake the image of Rose's tearful face. He found her during the lunch break, approaching her cautiously with a cup of fruit juice.
"Hey, Rose. Feeling better?" he asked, his voice warm and genuine.
Rose nodded, though her smile was faint. Sarah, seated beside her, narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"So, do you have any plans after school?" Kevin asked, testing the waters.
Rose hesitated. "Not really…"
Before she could finish, Sarah interrupted. "Actually, we do! Don't we, Rose?"
Rose frowned. "We do? What plans?"
Sarah shot her a pointed look, but Kevin wasn't deterred. "If it's not urgent, maybe you could join me for a coffee or something," he suggested.
Rose glanced at Sarah, then back at Kevin. "You know what? Sure. I'd like that."
Kevin grinned, clearly pleased. "Great! Let's meet at Mike & Mickie's at five."
"Perfect," Rose agreed, ignoring Sarah's disapproving glare.
As the afternoon wore on, Sarah confronted Rose. "What are you doing, agreeing to hang out with Kevin?"
"It's just coffee," Rose replied defensively.
"Still," Sarah muttered, "you're playing with fire. Kevin's not just some guy. And John…" She trailed off, shaking her head.
"John?" Rose prompted, but Sarah didn't elaborate.
Later that evening, Kevin waited for Rose at Mike & Mickie's. When she arrived, he greeted her warmly and they spent the evening talking, laughing, and even dancing. For a moment, Rose allowed herself to forget her troubles.
But as the night went on, the weight of her emotions returned. While dancing, she overheard someone comment, "They look like a couple."
The words struck a nerve. Overwhelmed, Rose fainted in Kevin's arms.
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