Chapter Five: Errand Girl

Rhea's POV

My notebook stayed open in front of me, my pen stayed in my hand, but none of it actually went anywhere. I was trying to decide if I should feel insulted or just confused at the word.

On the other hand, there's this inner part of me that felt giddy and excited to finally get a real chance to speak to him after two years. That fact didn't leave my head.

By the time the final bell rang, I figured I would have to study properly once I get home. I was packing my books when Elz dropped into the seat beside mine.

"Hey." She said and I looked up.

My lips curved into a smile, “Hey, hi.”

“I didn't see you at lunch.”

I pressed my lips together, “I got caught up with something that's why.”

Her eyes narrowed and I immediately shook my head. “It's not what you think at all. And I never got a chance to say a real thank you for yesterday.” I paused, “Thank you so much for helping. It means a lot to me.”

She smiled. “Don't mention. So… d-does that mean we're friends now?" She asked with light nervousness.

I looked at her for a second, weighing the answer before answering. She had stayed with me in that stall when she had no reason to, and I didn't have a good reason to keep her at arm's length.

"Friends.” I said, and meant it.

“Yay! I'm so glad to be your friend.” she beamed.

I chuckled. “Me too.”

She swung her bag over one shoulder, and we headed for the doors together. I was still half tangled in my own thoughts, when a junior I didn't recognize jogged up alongside us.

"Rhea, Jiles is waiting for you in the lot." She walked away after saying.

Elz's head whipped toward me. "What does he want now?"

My stomach dropped slightly. Is this what being his errand girl actually looks like, him summoning me whenever he pleases?

"I don't know," I admitted. "I'm supposed to be his errand girl now actually. I think this is just how it's going to be."

She paused, confused. “Errand girl?”

I nodded, giving her a brief explanation as we continued walking. But she couldn't help but panic.

“Oh my God, Rhea. That's not a small thing. Getting tangled up with the hockey boys, especially him, that's a whole mess waiting to happen."

"He's not that bad though." I found myself saying. "He's just upset I egged him. I kind of deserved whatever this is."

"It was Naomi who forced that on you. You didn't deserve anything." She said it firmly, like she needed me to actually hear it.

I didn't have a response to that, so I just swallowed and told her I would find her later, and went looking for his car.

He was easy to spot, parked at the far end of the lot. Elz hung back near the entrance, arms crossed, watching. I made myself walk the distance and knocked lightly on his window.

The glass rolled down and I made the mistake of looking at him, noticing how good he looked in the afternoon light. My heart gave an embarrassing little stutter before I managed to speak.

"Hi."

He just stretched one hand out toward me, lazy and expectant. "Your phone."

My brows pulled together. "Uhm. What about it?"

He raised an eyebrow instead of answering, giving me a look that made it clear he wasn't going to repeat himself. I didn't have much choice.

I dug it out of my bag and handed it over, watching his eyes catch on the crack running across the screen.

"I broke it yesterday," I said quickly, before he could ask. "Haven't had time to get it fixed."

He didn't say anything to that. He turned it over once in his hand, thumb moving across the screen, and I stood there watching him do whatever he was doing, too nervous to ask.

A second later his own phone buzzed against the passenger seat, and my eyes widened, realizing exactly what he had just done.

He handed my phone back through the window.

"Easier than sending someone to drag you out of your classroom every single time."

Then he rolled the window up and pulled out of the lot without another word, leaving me standing there, completely frozen.

Elz appeared beside me a minute later, slightly out of breath from jogging over. "Well? What did he say?”