Friends?

The day's classes had just ended, and the bustling sounds of students shuffling out of the classrooms filled the air. Cynthia felt a gentle nudge from behind and turned around to see her friend, Nia, approaching her. "Cyn, what do you think about going to the new noodle shop that recently opened across the block? Ryan has been insisting that I bring my friends there," Nia whispered excitedly, "I heard they offer a substantial discount for large groups."

As the students chatted and made plans, another classmate dramatically remarked, "Our evening classes will start next week due to the upcoming monthly exams. This may be our last chance to enjoy ourselves before we head into battle," eliciting a round of chuckles from the group.

Cynthia stole a quick glance at a boy who was engrossed in his phone, his bag ready by his side. Prompted by a sense of nostalgia, she nodded in agreement, "Sure, it's been a while since we've done something together."

Nia's eyes lit up, and she turned to Tian, suggesting, "Hey, Tian, why don't you join us as well? Consider it a welcoming treat from our side." Nia couldn't help but notice Cynthia's reaction and secretly speculated about a potential romance brewing in the girl's head. She chuckled to herself, already formulating a plan to play matchmaker. Surprisingly, Tian accepted the invitation without hesitation and almost a little too quickly, not that anyone minded.

As the group left the school premises, they encountered Ryan, Nia's boyfriend from another class, and his friends waiting just outside the gates. Cynthia felt self-conscious about her footsteps as the boy who made her heart flutter walked just a step behind her, while the rest of the group eagerly made their way towards the shop. The silence between them was both comfortable and daunting.

"Cynthia?"

Cynthia could feel a distinct buzzing sound filling her ears, causing her to not react for a few seconds before she turned around and looked at him. Tian took a large step forward, coming to stand just beside her, his brown eyes capturing her attention instantly.

"I suppose we could talk as it seems we both are not fans of running in excitement like them," he pointed towards the other students with his chin, his lips lifting upwards to form a ghost of a smile as he looked back to lock gazes with her hazel ones.

The girl with hazel eyes nodded, breaking the eye contact as it seemed a lot for her to take in. "Sure, we can do that. What would you like to talk about? Maybe something you want to know about school?" Cynthia hesitated herself from blabbering as she kept her eyes on the ground, both taking slower steps towards the block.

"Not much about school, actually," Tian spoke softly, prompting her to look at him. Once again, she saw that action of him lifting his lips to form a smile. 'Please don't smile at me like that,' Cynthia thought, her eyes refusing to part from his face. "I wanted to know you."

Cynthia's eyes widened slightly, feeling her heart race, even though she knew he probably didn't mean it that way. 'But a love-struck girl's heart thinks otherwise, dear lord.' Maybe the silence that followed his words was much longer, prompting him to speak further.

"You know we sit side by side in class, so I thought maybe we could be friends after getting to know each other," Tian explained further. Cynthia would've thought that Tian was the confident type if she hadn't seen the redness spreading from his neck, his hand awkwardly ruffling the back of his head as he stole a glance from her, awaiting her response.

Taking a deep breath, Cynthia nodded, her lips lifting up to return his smile, "I suppose you are right. We really should become friends." Tian smiled, his brown eyes seeming to sparkle under the sunlight.

"But why not be friends first and then get to know each other along the way?" Cynthia suggested, her voice gentle as she lifted her hand forward, a small smile playing on her lips. "So, friends?" she proposed with a tilt of her head, her eyes sparkling with warmth and anticipation.

The boy nodded with a chuckle, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "That would be far better, I guess," he said, lifting his hand up to hold her hand in a firm handshake, his eyes meeting hers with a sense of agreement and newfound connection.