RED NOTES AND KISSES-Chapter 61: FRIDA -

Frida stood on the other side of the street, waiting for an Uber with Alex, under the awning the small drizzles of rain still touching them.

He sucked his teeth, annoyed. "Ugh, I hate it when it rains. Let it be winter already."

Frida chuckled looking at his annoyed expression his features contorted in an ugly look "So, Laz, huh?" he asked, and she rolled her eyes.

"Seriously, what’s up with you two? You got beef or something?" Frida snorted, and Alex shook his head.

"Nope, I just hate him," he said in a sing-song voice, like it should be obvious, as clear as the sun rising in the sky. Frida smacked his arm.

"Oh, shit, I forgot something in my dorm. Could you wait here?" He suddenly searched through all his pockets.

Frida nodded. Then he shoved a pile of books from his backpack into her arms. "Sorry, these are for my classes today. They’re a bit too heavy in my bag. Can you hold them while I get something from my room? It won’t let me run fast enough." His tone was polite, how could she refuse?

But the textbooks were the size of literal bricks and weighed as much.

She didn’t want to complain, so she smiled softly. "Okay, but can you hurry up? The Uber will be here soon."

He nodded and smiled, hurrying back into the boys’ dorm.

The rain fell lightly, and her arms hurt from the weight of the books. It was just for a few minutes, so it wasn’t a big deal. She shivered slightly from the cold.

Soon, the Uber arrived. She called Alex’s phone number.

"The number you’ve dialed is not reachable," it said.

She sighed, annoyed, ready to leave without him and send him an "I’m sorry" text.

But she felt guilty, so she waited a little longer.

Then the Uber began to drive away.

Frida tripped while trying to chase after it, stumbling over her shoelace and falling into a small puddle of water that had leaked from the roof.

She sat there, her anger rising with each passing second. Her phone beeped, and a text from Alex popped up on her screen.

"Oh, you can take the Uber without me. My friend came to pick me up, by the way. Please help me with the books. I’ll take them back at school. Thanks."

Frida gritted her teeth, sitting in the puddle, fuming, when she felt hands tying her shoelaces.

This was the problem with trying to be friends with the popular guy, he had way too many friends she had forgotten about for a second, she huffed so annoyed she wanted to punch something.

She looked up to see Laz wearing a red bubble jacket, a black polo shirt, and stone-washed jeans.

"Are you hurt?" he asked.

It reminded her of that summer.

The summer she wouldn’t dare recall right now.

The rainy, dark clouds were a stark contrast to the sunset of that summer. Her wet clothes were another contrast to the sweat of that evening.

Only his eyes remained the same when he looked at her.

"Did you wait for me?" she whispered the sound of the light rain a soft tune in the background.

He nodded, picking up the books, which were now partically wet.

He took her cold hands in his large, warm ones.

"I’ve waited for you every single day at this spot because I know you’d take an Uber," he said with a cold expression on his face, helping her to her feet.

She could tell he was pissed.

He didn’t let go. In fact, he looked mad as hell. His jaw clenching as if to stop himself from saying a word "That asshole left you."

"No, something came up. His friend picked him up," she explained, making excuses for Alex.

Laz scoffed. "So he left you?"

She blinked, trying to pull her hand away, but he held on tighter.

He didn’t break a smile. "I wouldn’t, though."

She shivered, electricity buzzing up her spine.

Yep, it was definitely hard to argue with him.

He held her hand softly and threw his bubble jacket over both of them as they walked toward his car. He led her to where his Maybach was parked, sleek black and perfect in the grey weather.

"Wanna go shopping later?" he asked casually. She paused, and he got the door for her.

She quickly buckled her seatbelt, hoping he wouldn’t notice how fast her heart was racing. As soon as he did, he chuckled. "So cute," he murmured.

"So?" he prodded.

She chewed her bottom lip. "Do you expect me to just say yes?" she retorted.

He smirked. "What do you think, sunrise?"

Hearing the nickname in real life was driving her insane. "Is that your final nickname for me?" she teased, as the engine roared to life.

He smirked and swerved up a curb. She had to admit, he looked hot driving like that.

As he slowed down in front of the class building, she noticed a dark figure lurking in the trees.

Her skin prickled, and her heart raced. She was terrified. The coldness of the moment made her shiver as she stared at the shadow in the trees. Her body caught chills, she felt oxygen cut off her lungs in fright.

"What’s wrong?" Laz’s voice snapped her back to reality.

She turned back to him, her face pale. "Yeah," she croaked.

The rain had finally stopped as she stepped out of the car. "What’s your answer?" he asked softly concern glowing in his dark eyes.

"Yes, Laz, I’ll go shopping with you... as a friend."

He beamed, his lips quirking up into a handsome glow like a happy little puppy. She had to laugh.

They spared her no mercy at lunch in the cafeteria. As everyone went along with their trays chattering loudly or deep in the pages of the books or laptop.

"You did not!" Leah screamed like she was betrayed.

"Gatekeep!" Reg continued.

"From us!" Leah added, as if they shared a mind-reading ability.

Frida frowned, munching on a sandwich while cramming blood and body fluids for physiology.

"What?" she asked, her mouth full.

"That Laz and Alex, the two literally hottest guys in school, are into you," Leah said, shoving her phone in front of Frida’s face with a picture of her, Laz, and Alex in front of her dorm.

Frida gasped, nearly toppling over her chair when she saw the picture. "Oh my God, no! How many people have seen this?"

Leah and Reg giggled and squealed in excitement. "Only the entire school! Girl, this is huge!"

Frida wanted to sink into the ground. That explains why people had been staring at her all day.

"It’s not like that," she said, clearing her throat.

"You friendzoned Laz?" Leah suddenly exclaimed. "Lord, you’re probably the hardest woman to get on the planet. I swear on my soul, Frida, you like him."

Frida shrugged. "Well, liking someone isn’t enough."

Reg nodded in understanding, her gaze flashing to their lexi friend sitting with her boyfriend across the cafeteria. freewebnøvel.coɱ

Frida knew Reg totally liked her, she was so whipped it was painful to watch.

"Yeah, liking someone isn’t enough for a relationship," she sighed, cracking her neck.

Leah frowned, drinking her cola. "Why should it be more complicated than it is? Look at me and Tyler, we’re happy."

Frida smiled her mouth full with a pleasant smile as she spoke "Not everyone’s lucky enough to find something so pure."

"Well, I believe what you and Laz have is pure," Leah mumbled, and Frida pretended not to hear her, trying to hide the blush on her cheeks.

Leah’s eyes suddenly widened, and everyone seemed to be staring at her. She turned to see Laz’s hand stretched out to her.

"Come with me," he said standing right next to her, the whole cafeteria was in slow motion. She could swear if her heart beat any harder she would go into cardiac arrest.

She blushed as she nervously reached for his hand and took it. They made their way out of the cafeteria.

She couldn’t believe this was happening. The butterflies in her stomach were going haywire.

Just then, Alex stepped in their way.

"Hey, Frida, can I get those books now?" he asked, his gaze hiding annoyance as he shot glances at her and Laz’s intertwined hands.

Laz pulled the books out of his bag. She had forgotten he’d even been holding them. Before she could thank him, he tossed them in the nearest trash can.

"That’s what you are," he remarked and pulled Frida along.

She gasped in horror and let out a strangled groan, she knew she’d be the gossip of the school for a while.

And well, Laz had always been quietly dramatic.

As they stood in what she would now call a mixed bathroom with a hallway separating the ladies and gents section, he held out his hoodie for her.

"Why did you do that?" she asked her voice dripping with annoyance, her face etched in a deep displeased frown.

He didn’t smile either because he was not in anyway amused "Because he’s exactly what I said he is. T.R.A.S.H."

"It’s just a misunderstanding, Laz. He forgot on the spur of the moment, and I would’ve taken a ride too."

He shook his head his eyes dark with annoyance "No, you wouldn’t. At least not without calling. It was rude and inconsiderate, and it simply means he doesn’t care about you."

It was harsh hearing him say that.

"I know this because you’re my priority. I wouldn’t leave you in the rain. I’d rather be with you in it."

Her heart literally stopped beating in her chest one more time and she’d actually need CPR. She quickly snatched the hoodie from his hand.

Like she wouldn’t want Laz to give her CPR . She actually held back a smile.

"Turn around," she ordered.

He raised his hands in surrender, smirking. He turned his back to her.

She took off her damp clothes and put on the hoodie.

Boldly written on it were the words MY GIRL, NOT YOURS.

She turned and scoffed at him arching a brow "seriously?". He turned with a solid grin he was so breathtaking when he grinned like that with perfect dentals.

"OMG, babe, you look so cute!" Laz gushed in a way that was so unlike his macho personality. It was like he was Leah.

She actually laughed. She couldn’t be mad at this guy for more than five seconds.

He pinched her cheek softly. "Smile... smile, you know you want to."

She did laugh.

"I’ll see you after school," he said, taking her hand and kissing it gently like a gentleman would a lady in the 18th century.

Should she even let him do that?

It tingled all the way to her toes.

She walked back to class with a huge smile plastered on her cheeks.

People spared glances at her hoodie, and she wanted to die from the cheesiness of it all.

Then she felt it again, that terrifying chill that someone was watching her, and it wasn’t the kind of thrill she liked.

It was the scariest feeling ever. She had to fast walk to where Leah waited for her.

She looked back to see a sea of normal students.

Her heart palpitated in a flow blown panic, she forced a smile even as she walked with Leah.

She did not like this feeling at all.