"Id!" I freaked out.   "What's your shoe size? I'll buy a new pair" he said.  "37.." said Spoil.   "No need" I shouted threatening her.   "Padlom, let me help" said Liftoil kneeling down towards me.  "No! Neo" I said running out of the room.

I sat outside in a bench recalling about the incident. Anger grasped inside me as I thought about it.
"Your shoes have now two colors" said Liftoil sitting beside me. I stared in anger at his meaningless joke. To which he kept quiet. Then I turned to the opposite side.

"Hon! Don't look upset" said a cheesy voice. I looked up and saw Play. "Think of it as you're wearing a black pair of shoes".   "Not funny" I said in anger. To this he hesitated and said "I think you look better in black than white one". He gave a smile and went away.

I was again left alone with my thoughts.  "Tommorow will never come" sang Liftoil from the other side with his earphones on .  "Did I sound good?" he asked pouting. I left in annoyance without giving him an answer.

Walking back home with my headphones on. I felt someone was following me. So, I turned my back and saw Id. He then came to my side walking in the same pace as me. I just went to the other end of the street and glanced at him as he was walking but he ignored me. This made my anger level high as I walked beside him. Then he just went passed me in ignorance.

He didn't even said a sorry for his act I thought to myself and stood there kicking the floor in anger. Then I just continued my walk towards home.

"Just because he knows Peter Crop Dyrendal it doesn't means anything. It may not be Neo" I said to Spoil while I was video chatting her. Spoil has not came to Uni at morning. Therefore I called her to know everything was ok.

"Let's throw a dart again tommorow. I put some dart next to your radio" she said.  "I don't think this is working out" I said.  "What are you talking about?" she asked.  "I've only received a teddy bear and nothing else. It may turn out to be nothing" I said.  "Padlom! but I still want to know".  "I don't. I'm turning in now. I'm tired" I said while switching it off.

I sat on my bed looking towards the board. As, tiredness stuck me, then I turned off my light and went to sleep.

"Do you like me?" I asked Jay (my highschool friend) while he was resting on my shoulder. He then got up looking at me in shock. "Hey, we're friends" he said. I looked at him as he answered.  "Did I just break your heart?" he said.  "Break your heart! Break your heart!" the sentence echoed in my ears.  "You dared to ask that question?" I shouted in anger. "You're a frigging douchebag! You've been doing all this nice things to let me on. Walk me home, send me stickers on Line every night. When you skipped it, you act like it was such a big deal. Do you do this to everyone one? Leading them on until they on, and tell them we're just friends. What kind of friend rests their head on your shoulder. This is what friends do! Asshole!" I said picking up my bag and hitting it on him. I caught his head and started banging it at the desk.

My eyes suddenly shut open, I got up and just recalling the incident. Was I just dreaming. If not then where is Jay and also I'm in my bed. God! I was definately dreaming. What kind of dream was that. I scratched my head thinking and just went back to sleep.

Next morning, I sat in my psychology class listening to the lectures.  "Look left, to the left" our Professor said. We all where looking at our left.  "More, more, more" she said "If someone looks to the left while talking, there's a good chance they're lying, according to psychology".   "Miss, if you don't want to caught in a lie, can you do this?" asked Spoil rolling her eyes. "Padlom! You're so pretty" she said rolling her eyes.   "Spoil! You're pretty as well" I said rolling my eyes.

"That's not all. You need to look at other signs" continued our Professor "For example, you need to look in their breathing pattern? Do they breath too frequently? Do they stand too still? Do they winggle their foot while talking? You need to observe all these things in your own time?" I listened to it pouting.

"Ok, it's a wrap of today's class. And I have a good news. Everyone will get an A in this class" she said while looking towards the left.   "Wait......" I was about to say than she interrupted. "I wasn't lying. Do your assignment, complete the hours and everyone will get an A. I wasn't looking to the left this time". Then the class got over and we went to our club room.

"Spoil, about that assignment on the mental health hotline. Can I go with you?" I asked Spoil while she was keeping her stuffs in locker.   "Again, you're always like this. This is why I don't have guys approaching me. They all think we're dating" she said.   "It's good" I said. She went away.

I opened my locker and saw a shoe box. I immediately closed it.   "Spoil" I called her.  "What?" she asked coming towards me. She opened my locker saw the shoe box and read out the note "For you Padlom, From smiling bear 🐻".

"Shoes? You can't be like 'I don't want to know anymore" she said looking at me.

After class we were at Yayoi restaurant for our lunch.  "You've received two gifts. The first one may say 'I like you'. But the second one says, 'I'm watching you, I'm ready to be by your side, I'm ready to help with your problems" she said.   "Really?" I said while curling my eyebrows holding out the shoe box.   "Yes, let's break it down and analyse each one" she said.

"The first one is- Id, he messed up your shoes and felt guilty. So, he brought you a new pair of shoes" she asked me.   "Id? He would never buy shoes these expensive for me" I said. "Pok, he likes sports. He wants you to be healthy like him".   "But I don't like sports" I said.

"Gent- the shoes are expensive. Only rich guys can afford a pair like this".
"Anyone can buy it" I said.   "Yeah?" she said "Neo- I saw that he rushed to your aid with the shoe".   "He must have been so shocked and didn't know what else to do" I said.

"Play- you told me that he said you would look good in black shoes".   "He says nice things to everyone" I said. "He never does that to me" she said to herself. I smiled to it.   "Alan- he must have read some study knowing that female students age 19-20 years looks good in black shoes".   "What kind of research is that" I said.   "Yeah, that was rubbish" she said. I just laughed out at her statement.   "Liftoil, are you sure he's related" she said curiously. "I'm million percent sure" I said.

"Ok now if you don't eat all these, then I will eat all" she said while pointing at the sweet dish.   "What should I do now?" I said while sighing.   "Let me finish eating, then I'll tell you" she said while eating the sweet dish. "Hurry up finish all these. I have class" I said. Than we started to have our lunch.

*****************

Neo POV-

"Please! Please apologize to Padlom with me" I requested Id.   "No need to apologise" he said while painting his canvas "She's clumsy, it's nobody's fault".   "If you hadn't turned off the music. She won't have pushed you. The shoes wouldn't have been ruined" I said.

Id stared at me.  "Apologize" I said again.  "No" he said.   "Fine! I'll go by myself" I said.  "Why do you have to apologise. What did you do?" he asked.  "If I hadn't turned up the music so loud this wouldn't have happened" I said out of remorse.

"Let me tell you something. If it's your fault than it's mine and hers as well. Don't apologize it's everyone fault" he said.   "I feel guilty for spoiling her shoes" I said. He then brushed some colour in my cheeks.  "Now you don't have to feel bad" he said.

I was walking in the corridor when I saw Padlom. She's too cute her red hair is too good. I like her waves very much. But she's senior than me. What are you thinking Neo.  She saw and waved to me. I waved back.

"What happened to your face?" she asked.  "Id" I said. She nodded.  "Padlom, I'm so sorry" I said.  "For what?" she asked.  "For starting a string of events leading to your shoes getting ruined". I looked down and saw a new black shoes in place of her dirty one.

She then asked me weather they look nice. I said her yes, but when she told me that someone had gifted her. I just felt a bit jealous from inside.

"Your shoes are clean but my face is not. Please wipe it off for me" I said showing her my handkerchief.  "Do it yourself" she said.  "Are you still mad?" I asked.  "Fine" she said wiping my cheeks.

As she wiped I looked at her face and saw she was looking elsewhere. "You're not looking straight that means you are still mad" I said.  "No. Here, do the rest yourself" she said handing me the handkerchief.  "Thank you" I said. Then she left. I stood their watching her as she walked away.

****************

Padlom POV-

I thought today I will find out the culprit behind it. So, I was going through the corridor looking for Neo. He called me today morning as he wanted to have a talk with me.

"Hey, new shoes, eh?" said Liftoil. I turned back and went to him. I thought to ask him out about my shoes to find out weather he is the one.  "How did you know they are new?" I asked.   "You have been wearing the white one since high school. So, I thought you had only one pair" he said looking towards left. So, I just passed away to investigate others.

I asked everyone the same questions and also noticed their answer.

"Are my shoes nice?" I asked.

Replies-

Pok: "They look nice. But if I were you, I'd wear sports shoes. They are fashion sneekers. If you want sport shoes, then consult me first".

Gent: "Nice. Black is a great colour and hard to get dirty".

Play: "Nice. I told you black is a good colour on you. You should try heels they are sexier".

Neo: "I think..... Pink is more your colour".

Alan: "I don't think this is the right kind of shoes. I've never seen you play sports. But they look nice".

From this answers I derived one conclusion that they are all lying since everyone was looking at their left while speaking.

When they asked me where did I get these from. Then I said them
"I didn't buy, someone gave it to me".

Replies-

Play: He nodded while taking a sip of his drink.

Pok: He didn't replied but started playing with his ball ignoring to comment.

Alan: He just stared at me without any comments.

Neo: He just changed the subject without even speaking about this matter.

Liftoil: He just smiled at it.

It was only Gent who answered. "Wait, Padlom" he said while kneeling at my feet. "This is not how you tie shoelaces. They're white and easy to get dirty. You don't want your shoes all dirty, do you?" he said while tiying my laces.

"Also, You wear them as soon as you get them. The person who gave them to you must be so happy" he said while getting up. I thanked him and went away to attain my class.

"I couldn't tell. Everyone was looking at the left" I said to Spoil.  "Are you saying all of them are liars?" she said.
"No, it's 6. I didn't asked Id".  "Why didn't you?" she asked.  "I didn't see him".  "I think it's Id then" she said.

After class I went to Id's house and rang the doorbell. "What are you doing, Big Tit's?" he said while leaning at his door.  "Shut your mouth" I said. He laughed.  "Let me ask you something. Did you buy me this pair of shoes" I said lifting up my leg.  "You told me not to. Why would I?" he said.
"You may have felt guilty".  "No, I don't. I'm not in the wrong here" he said.

"Did you buy me this pair of shoes?". "Did you think I bought it?" he teased.
"Did you?".  "Do you think a guy like me will do that?".  "That's not my question. I asked if you bought me this pair" I said.   "Do you think someone like me would buy it?".

"Stop playing. Did you buy or not?".  "I wasn't playing. I gave you the answer. Do you think I bought it?".   "I don't know thats why I'm asking".   "That's right you don't know" he teased.  "Of course, I don't that's why I'm standing here asking you".

"I answered you".  "What's the answer?" I asked.  "Do you think I bought it?".   "Asshole" I said rushing away from him.

On my way I called Spoil and said her everything about his stupidness. Then I ended my call and my phone buzzed. I took and saw a message notification.

"Goodnight. Take care of your new shoes. From: Lovesick Bear"
I froze and looked around thinking about who could it be.

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Sorry for updating this chapter so late and also too long. I'm really sorry. But nevermind I hope you enjoyed reading it. If so then pls vote and comment.

Thank you ❤