(I know what the title suggests. But let me tell you... it's not what you may think at first.)

Darryl's Pov:

     It's been a week since Zak's birthday, and let me tell you, not much has changed, but at the same time, I feel like a lot has changed. Why, you may ask? Well, for starters, Zak has been wearing every day the duck pin I gave him on his hoodie. On the first day he wore it, I couldn't help but smile. Something else that has been shocking for many people since I have heard many people talk about this, is that Zak lately hasn't really been... on his player game? Is that how you call it? Anyways, the point is that Zak hasn't really been seen flirting or kissing anyone lately. I think it only happened very little times at the first two days after his birthday, but then he didn't do it anymore. As surprising as it is, I bet a lot of people are thankful because that means Zak may completely stop his player shenanigans.

     And finally, though, I don't know if it's just me and my mind is playing tricks on me, or I'm just the only one who seems to notice. But ever since Zak's birthday, he has started... looking at me differently? I don't know, it's just that Zak always has a smug look or smile on his face. It always seems like he thinks he's better than everyone else. But after his birthday, or should I say, after I gave him his birthday gift, he has looked at me differently.

     At first, when I saw it when he gave me that look when he saw his present, I thought that was just his reaction to when he was getting a gift, trying to show how grateful he is. But after the next days, when he kept giving that look only to me, I knew that wasn't it. The way he's been looking at me... he's been looking at me in a way that he has only showed when specifically talking or looking at me. I don't know if I'm the only one who noticed it or if others have seen as well.

     So basically... the look that he always has when looking at me is a soft, genuine look on his face. When he smiles at me it looks soft and bright, with his eyes lighting up brightly, really showing his pretty chocolate eyes. His look towards me always looks so... genuine and happy, and I always feel like he is staring right at my face when we are next to each other. Almost as if he can't get enough of looking at my face, and worries that I'll just disappear. I swear, the look he gives me could almost look like he's in love with me... but that can't be the case.

     We are supposed to just be best friends. Of course it would be natural that we love each other as friends, but his look towards me could prove that statement wrong. I bet he just looks at me differently now because his view about me changed or something, or he just respects me or cares about me more after I gave him his gift. As much as the way he looks at me gives me a fluttery feeling and tingles in my stomach, I know that it's not what it may seem to be. I'm learning to get used to the way he looks at me.

     Today was a normal day so far, as I was walking down the hall towards my next class, Physics. I had just split up from Eiza after we had Algebra 2 so that we could each go our ways to our next classes. As I was walking, I was suddenly stopped by a voice calling out my name. I turn to see who it is, only to see a girl that I recognized from the class that I had with Ant. She a bit shorter than me and had her hair dyed a lavender color and was cut short, and she had light gray eyes that almost looked like silver. I've never really spoken to her. She was probably the quietest one in class as well. I believe her name was Luna. Once she came up to me I said, "Hi Luna, did you need something?"

     "Yes, can I quickly talk to you, Darryl?"

     She put her hands behind her back, and her head bowed down a bit in a shy manner. I raised my eyebrow and said, "Sure, but make it quick, please, we still have to go to our classes."

     She looked up at me and said, "Of course! I'll make this quick."

     I stayed silent and let her continue what she wanted to say. She then said, "Okay... so Darryl, I think you are a very nice and cheerful person. I think you are also very cute."

     Her words surprised me a bit. I've never spoken to her, so how would she know this for sure. I guess if she saw how I would interact with others in class, she could come to that conclusion, but that's still a bit weird. Even so, I couldn't help but flush up a bit from the compliments and a bit of embarrassment. I said, "Um, thanks- I guess-? That's nice of you to say Luna."

     She smiled and stepped closer to me then said, "I honestly want to get to know you better, Darryl, and I hope we can start spending more time together."

     "Oh! Well, if you want, we start being friends."

     "Well- the thing is... I don't want to be friends, I want to be more than that. Since the first day that you've arrived to school, I've started feeling a certain way towards you. And now, I finally have enough courage to say it."

     She started leaning towards me, putting her face closer to mine and she put her hands on my chest. She then whispered out, "I like you, Darryl."

     Before I could say anything, she gently put her lips on mine, and I tensed up. She kissed me.

     I put my hands on her arms, trying to push her away, but she didn't move, keeping her lips on mine. I could feel stares from students around us. I was starting to panic. What do I do?

     Suddenly, Luna was pulled away from me, finally ending the kiss. Luna was now away from me, and someone put themselves in between us. It was Zak. I moved a bit since he had his back in front of me, and he was blocking my sight of Luna, and plus, I wanted to see his face. Once I saw his face, I stopped moving and just stared. He was angry, basically fuming. Meanwhile, Luna stood in front of him, basically shaking in fear of him. He then said coldly, "Why the f*ck did you kiss him?"

     Luna didn't respond, paralyzed by fear. Zak snapped and said, "Answer me!"

     Luna jumped a bit from Zak's sudden words. She then stuttered out, "I- I was c-confessing m-m-my feelings to h-him..."

     Zak scoffed and said, "You idiot! Did you even get to know him properly? Because the way it looked like, he barely knows you, and I saw that he seemed uncomfortable when you got closer to him and kissed him. If you used your brain, you would've immediately telled that he wasn't into you!"

     Luna just stared with a look of fear on her face. Zak then spoke up again and said, "I better not see you speak to him ever again, you hear me? Now apologize to Darryl!"

     Luna then quickly turned to me and said, "I-I'm sorry for kissing you like that and making you uncomfortable, Darryl!"

     "Good, now leave Darryl alone and go to class b*tch."

     Before I could say anything, Zak grabbed my hand and dragged me to our next class. I saw basically every student in the hallway stare at us as we walked by. I looked over to Zak to see that he is still angry. After a bit of walking, my hand was starting to hurt because Zak had his grip very firm on me. I then said, "Zak, my hand hurts..."

     Zak then seemed to be snapped out of his thoughts and softened his expression as he looked at me. He loosened his grip from my hand and said, "Sorry..."

     We walked in silence. Once we got to class, we finally stopped holding hands as we went to sit down on our desks. From where I was sitting, I could tell that Zak was still mad. We didn't say another word to each other during the rest of class. Once it was over and it was time for lunch, as I got up from my seat, Zak walked over to me with a sad expression on his face. He then said, "Hey Darryl... sorry for acting like that earlier today, I don't know what came over me. Can you forgive me?"

     "I-it's ok... I actually appreciate what you did for me back there. But now it's going to be awkward when I have class with her..."

     "Oh. So you do know her?"

     "Not really... all I know is her name, before... that... I've never spoken to her."

     "I see..."

     We stayed silent for a bit. Then, he gave me a soft smile and said, "Come on, let's go to lunch."

     My heart couldn't help but flutter a bit from his smile. That same smile that he's given me for the past week. I then smiled back and said, "Sure."

     We got out of the classroom and started heading to lunch, getting once again, whispers and stares from other students.

(Sorry if you guys got mad at any point in this story. Also, if you're mad at Luna, I'm just gonna say- even though it wasn't a snart move, I feel bad for her. 😔)