Have you ever had a dream? that kind of dream that brings back all memories, even the worst part of your life. It feels like I am watching myself in some old movies. And it still gave me the same pain in my heart.

"Lauren!" I looked up at the guy who called my name as I smiled at him, waving back as he reached me for a small hug.

his long black hair that touches his neck, the earrings in his right ear with his initial name engraved on it and the way he always smiles at me, like saying I don't have to worry.

"You're 30 minutes late, Nate," I said in disappointment as I showed him my phone, telling him what time it was. But I know what he will do next.

As he grabbed both of my shoulders and pulled me to face himself, the serious look in his eyes faded as a wide smile showed on his face. "You can't be that angry with me, Lauren," he said before he flicked my forehead, like in the old days.

"Ouch! I told you don't!" I was cut off as he burst out laughing in his seat. I didn't know if it was because of the way he laughed or the way he teased me about the red mark on my forehead. But everything about him still looks the same.

I smiled as I looked at the empty seat next to him. He was supposed to be there with us. "Have you heard of Matthew?". I can see him glare and look at me, as I mentioned the name. I laughed, still not looking at Jonathan.

"You know, there is no chance for us." I just blurted it out as I took a sip of my glass.

I think it is already 5 years, or much longer?. I don't really recall, but I still remember we're every chance of my life. There was him. It may sound like I am still not moving on, but there was always a space in my heart that kept me remembering every pieces of him.

Like how we first met him, Matthew.

flashback...

"Jonathan!" I yell at Jonathan as he flicks my forehead. I can feel it burning as I try to rub it multiple times.

"I told you, you can't get mad at me," he said while laughing and looking at me. I tried to grab his long hair, but he dodged it and smiled. "I let you flick me, if you can catch me Lauren!" he said in an annoying tone before he started running.

I also ran after him, making our own way through the crowd of students in the hallway. I can see everyone watching us and laughing at us, and maybe others feel so annoyed at us.

I can hear the loud sound of our feet, his laughter, and his name as I call him multiple times. We were just kids back then. I smiled as I almost reached the bag in his back but lost my control as I slipped when he made a turn entering our class.

"Lauren!" I could hear my classmate call my name out of concern. I want to close my eyes and wait for my body to touch the ground. It was just a second, and I think I suddenly lost my mind.

I can feel someone pulled me up, wrapping his arm around me from my back. I didn't fall... But I think my heart just loses control.

"Can you stand?" His deep voice makes me get back on my feet as I thank him for helping me. His dark eyes, his curly and messy hair that didn't even reach the back of his ears, the mole beside his red lips.

"Uhh, Th-thank you." Did I just stammer? I cover my mouth, as I can feel that I just blushed in front of him. It was so embarrassing.

I was in the moment of looking at him. When Jonathan shows up checking on me, 'looks whose fault it is' I try to say in my mind, looking so pissed at him.

The first day of our 3rd semester just ended like that. Jonathan kept apologizing to me for the whole day and even let me flick his forehead multiple times, and Matthew, the new guy, just transferred on the first day of class. He has become so popular that many girls line up in our room to get his number. He looks so serious and cool, but he sometimes talks to others and smiles, but not to me..

I sometimes try to talk to him, but he ignores me. "I don't know, I think so, I don't have" is all the answer I got to him.

"It's not my fault that I lose my control! It's Jonathan! " I try to convince myself as I take my walk to school. "You talking about me? "Someone whispered in my ears, making me jump in surprise.

"Jonathan!"I yell at him as I grab his arm, trying to pull his long hair out of its ponytail. Jonathan's weakness is his beloved hair; everyone can say it just by looking at him. We've known each other since childhood, and we're almost like brothers and sisters because we grow together.

"Matthew! Stop her! "Jonathan called someone from my back, and I can feel the tension in my body as I stop. Trying not to look back, I glared at Jonathan, saying, 'Don't let me see you at class today, or you'll be dead'."

"See Matthew, she just glared at me!" I heard Jonathan still talking as I entered the gate of our school.

It's not been a month, but Jonathan got too close to Matthew already; they were always together. Matthew even joined Jonathan's team in a basketball club and became so popular that everyone called them Boyfriend Material.

"Why don't you line up and ask for his number? Maybe he gave it to you." Riza teased me as we watched how girls from other classes tried to get Matthew's number and gave him a letter, food, and gifts.

"Should I?" I answered, still looking at where Matthew is. I can see Riza's reaction in disbelief at what I said. Their practice game just ended. I can see the sweat from his face, down to his neck, and ---

"Lauren!" Jonathan's voice pulled my senses out of my imagination. I can feel my face turning red as I see Matthew looking at me. 'Did he see? that I'm checking him out? ' i just pray to myself that he didn't. I heard their footsteps getting closer to us.

"That was a nice game!" Riza applauded as she gave Jonathan a bottle of water. Everyone knows Riza has a crush on Jonathan; it's just that Jonathan is so blinded, literally, that he can't even see it. He looked so proud as Riza praised him.

"You need to practice more; you missed a lot of shots earlier," I teased him, making him lose the confidence in his face. I can see what he will do next..

He's going to flick me on my forehead. I knew, as he raised his hand towards me, that I was waiting. I can dudge it this time. I can't let him flick me all over again..

I can't. "Ohh!" Riza exclaimed as Matthew stopped Jonathan from getting close to me. He's holding Jonathan's arms as he looks at me.

"I don't think I can let you do that to Lauren," Matthew said in his serious voice as he put Jonathan's arms down. His eyes locked on me; I was getting confused, I was getting nervous, and I couldn't even blink my eyes. There were hidden words between us at that time.

"We are always like that!" Jonathan said as he laughed. "Lauren used to it; we're best friends." Jonathan put his arms around my shoulder, showing Matthew that we are good friends.

But his eyes tell me more, and I can't stop myself from feeling somewhat special to him starting at that moment. It felt so unreal; I was too delusional over the little things. I don't want to give any meaning to what he did earlier. "Stop! stop thinking about it!" as I stopped and pulled my hair out of frustration.

"Are you okay?" Matthew asked me as he lowered his body just to reach my eye. As he stood in front of me, I could see Jonathan and Riza still talking and laughing at each other as we walked out of the school to go home.

"I'm good," I said straight to his face, but I felt how quickly I blushed in front of him. 'not again! ' I hissed to myself as I put my hand in my face, covering it from his gaze.

but he stopped me halfway as he grabbed both of my hands and looked at me straight in the eyes. "I'm not done checking you out."

"Matthew," his name, just came out of my mouth, as I could feel the tension in the space between us.

Everyone said I can't hide my feelings, as I always blush when I'm feeling excited, uncomfortable, or nervous. Even my ear turns so red when I can't focus or if something is bothering me, and it's never helped me in any situation before; it just brings embarrassment to me, so I didn't really interact with or talk to anyone at school before.

"Hah." His small chuckle brought me back to the situation. It's not too long, but I did count it, and it lasted for about 5 seconds. 'What am I staring at right now? ' I talk in my mind as I pull my hands back to make some space between us.

"So we are tied now!" Every word that came out of my mouth felt so awkward that I couldn't even look him in the eyes. I can see Matthew straighten his body and smile like he was telling me, 'Now you admit you're checking on me earlier.' The grin on his face embarrasses me so much.

"Hey! The bus is here!" Riza saved me as she called us from the bus stop, waving in our direction. I composed myself before looking back at Matthew, who's still got the annoying smile on his face. I step closer to him trying to look at his face and smile.

"Hah, see! There's nothing on you for me to check you out." I feel so proud of myself when I say those words straight in his face. I didn't see his reaction as I quickly ran towards Riza and Jonathan, who were already waiting for me as we got into the bus.

"Did you two already talk? your ears was so red" Riza started to tease me when we got on the bus. I can't tell if we really had a conversation at all, but I just think it's much better than before. I try to look outside through the window to see Matthew, but he's not there anymore.

EXPOSITION TEASER

Everyone in the hallway looked up to him as he walked, trying to find his classroom. His curly and messy hair really stands out in the crowd, and his height and fit body make him get the attention of everyone.

He stops when someone approaches him, giving him a flirtatious smile. 'New student, right? ' He can already tell what the girl wants with her sweet voice and gestures. He can't deny it, because he's a man.

"Want to go out with me?" Everyone looks so shocked at what he said. Even the girl in front of him looks so surprised and didn't expect the question he asked, the grin in his face while waiting for her to answer. makes her feel uncomfortable in a second.

"Ha, aren't we moving too fast?" the girl tries to compose herself as she steps backwards from him. The guy just smiled and whispered something in her ear.

"I don't know if you are worthy of flirting with me." You can see on the girl's face how furious she was when he heard what he said. She raised her hand toward his face to slap him.

"Jonathan!" everyone got distracted when a guy running towards them suddenly entered the room in a rush. "What the--" someone exclaimed in surprise.

It was just a second ago when he heard everyone call her "Lauren!" and he just saw himself wrapping his arm around her waist, preventing her from falling to the ground.

"Can you stand?" He ask her, as he can feel the tension in her body as he help her stand up on her feet.

"T-thank you," she stammered as she thanked him, her ear turning red as she blushed, trying to avoid the guy eyes.

But he can't help, as his eyes wonder on her for a moment and you can see the smile on his eyes as she looked at him and smile..