THE GIRL I NEVER HAD, PART 3

I quickly shoved the letter into my pocket and pushed the toilet gate open. Guess who was standing there? The new guy.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, trying to sound casual.

“I’m here to do exactly what you came here to do,” he said.

Exactly what I came here to do? Did he somehow know about the letter? Did he know I’d just been hiding a love note meant for him? My stomach turned. Should I tell him right now? Or wait until he was done?

I decided to wait outside. I’d tell him everything when he came out. While standing there, my dream girl walked toward me. Jackpot.

I knew she was heading to “answer nature’s call,” so I had to be quick. I called her name politely. Usually, she brushed me off without blinking, but this time she surprised me—she actually agreed to meet me after school. My heart nearly did a backflip.

Just as she entered the washroom, the new guy came out. “You’re still here?” he asked.

“Yeah, I was waiting for you,” I replied.

He smiled, pleased. On our way back to class, he asked, “So what were you doing with Lucy?”

“Nothing important,” I said quickly. He wanted to press, but I shot him my best don’t-push-me look, and he zipped it.

My hand brushed against the letter in my pocket. This was it. Time to give it up. With shaky fingers, I pulled it out and handed it to him.

“Ei, another one? That makes four today,” he said casually.

I froze. Four? So this wasn’t even new to him?

“What do they say?” I asked, pretending not to care.

“They’re all from some anonymous lovers,” he said with a shrug. “But I’m not interested.”

“Crazy boy,” I muttered under my breath.

We entered class, and before long the closing bell rang. My mind wasn’t on lessons anymore. I had one mission left: meet Lucy.

But there was a problem—my boys. We were so inseparable that it was suspicious if I wasn’t with them. How was I supposed to shake them off?

I gathered courage. “You guys go ahead, I’ll join you later,” I said. They raised their brows, but when the leader speaks, nobody questions. They left.

Then I overheard Lucy telling her friend, JK, the same thing. She’d stay behind too. My chest tightened. This was it—the moment I’d dreamt about a thousand times.

The classroom emptied until it was just the two of us. My palms grew sweaty. I couldn’t even look her in the eyes. She turned her head, avoiding mine too.

“So… why did you call me here?” she asked, impatience creeping into her voice.

My throat was dry. No words came out.

“Look, if you’ve got nothing to say, don’t waste my time,” she said sharply.

“Please,” I managed, “just give me five minutes. That’s all I need.”

I was about to pour my heart out when the door creaked open.

The headmaster walked in. “What are you two still doing here?”

Think fast. “I was helping her with a Maths topic she’s struggling with,” I lied, trying to sound convincing.

He studied us for a moment, then stepped outside. Relief washed over me—until he popped his head back in.

“Dwomoh,” he said, “come with me.”