The Tech Wiz

Chapter Five

"Hey! Wait up!" I heard someone scream from behind me. I turned, looking down the stairs to find Felix jogging up to me.

What does he want to talk about? I found myself wondering as he finally got to me with a smile on his face.

"I know you have class in ten," he said, checking his watch, "but I just wanted to tell you something real quick. Can you meet me at the front door after school hours?"

"I..." I started to trail as a lot of questions floated in my mind.

"Sure," I muttered instead, a little swayed by Felix's dimpled smile. His smile got wider at my answer, and he mentioned a brief 'thank you' before turning and heading down the stairs.

I raised a brow, wondering what was making him so excited before I turned and headed to class. Chemistry was two periods at a stretch so I tried to keep my eyes open in class, but the disappointed look I received from Mrs. Jones when class ended told me I'd been doing a terrible job at staying awake.

Time went by, and my classes passed by as well, and school soon came to an end. I changed my books at my locker as Ji-Hun, Aiyana and Wyatt talked to each other. They were laughing, allowing their voices to mix with that of the other students in the hallway that were moving towards the school's main exit.

"Hurry up Ben, we're waiting for you," I heard Aiyana's voice say, making me look up from the textbook I was holding in my hand.

"Oh," I let out, just realizing that they'd been waiting for me all this time. I hadn't told them that I wasn't walking home with them today. "I'm sorry for wasting your time, but I can't walk home with you guys today, sorry."

"Ah, okay," Aiyana said, corking her head to the side. Her dark hair following her head's movement. "Why though?"

"Felix wants to meet up with me. He said it's important," I said watching Aiyana as my face grew warm. I wasn't sure why I was flustered. It's not like he's going to ask me to go on a date with him or something. Ji-Hun and Wyatt didn't seem to be paying attention. They'd wandered a few lockers away and were talking, leaving Aiyana and me alone together.

She eventually nodded, giving me a small smile before she turned and walked up to the other two. They looked over at me for a brief moment before they started heading towards the school exit together.

I then turned towards my locker again when they disappeared into the crowd, and finished changing my books before locking my locker and resting my back against it as I looked out at the crowd of students still in the hallway. I sighed, releasing that it wasn't going to thin out anytime soon and I couldn't just wait for everyone to leave before I did since Felix was probably waiting for me already.

I walked through the crowd, making it at the other end of the hallway after muttering a string of apologies as I slipped past people. I walked out the door and down the stairs before looking about the place for Felix. In the bright sun, I finally found Felix leaning against the building's wall as he went through his phone with one hand. I bit my bottom lip, wondering if I should approach him.

He saved me the stress by looking up and grinning at me. He gestured for me to come to him by tapping the space on the wall beside him, finally willing my feet to move and walk over to him.

"How are you doing?" he asked as I made to stand beside him, squinting at the sunlight as I rested my clothed back against the warm brick wall.

"Good," I muttered, looking out into the school's parking lot that was emptying as the cars owned by students made their way out the school gates one after the other.

A couple of people were still chatting and walking around the school compound. Some senior boys had hijacked the basketball court and were presently shooting hops as people watched from behind the gates.

"I was going to ask you something..." Felix trailed, making me look over at him. His dark bangs were covering his brows as he squinted. I tried to follow his gaze to figure out what he was looking at, but I gave up a few seconds after.

"Could you follow me to my car? I'll tell you there," he said as he removed his weight from the brick wall, turning around briefly to smile at me before turning again and heading for the parking lot. I got off my initial shock, before making to follow him, quickening my steps until I was in tune with, as well as walking side by side with him.

I walked with him towards the red colored SUV that was parked close to the entrance. I watched him search for his keys in the pockets of his faded shorts. He found them, unlocking his car and making for the driver's seat.

"Come on, I don't bite," he laughed when I didn't move for a while. My cheeks warmed up in embarrassment before I made to enter the passenger seat. I got in, closing the door behind me before turning my head so I could face him. His dark eyes seemed lost in a far-off look as he stared at nothing in particular. He let out a sigh that pierced the daunting silence as he seemed to snap out of his thoughts.

"Okay then," he said, bending over suddenly to search for something under his seat. I sat in the passenger seat, watching him with a curious gaze as the sound of paper shifting filled the car as he moved his hand under his seat.

He finally sat up, pulling a brown envelope from beneath his seat before placing it on his lap as he grinned down at it.

"Here," he said, surprising me by handing it over. I looked at it warily before taking it and placing it on my own lap.

"Come on, open it," he urged, reminding me that I was just staring down at it. I blinked, nodding at his words before I made to open the envelope. I took the papers inside the envelope out, looking down at them. I looked through them one at a time, my eyes widening in surprise as they scanned one design outline to the other.

"Wow," I started, taking a look at the site design notes and ideas.

"This is..." I trailed, looking for what to say. The designs were unique and they stood out. They didn't look similar to that of any social media site I'd seen before.

"It's what?" he asked, making me look up from the papers in my hands to him. I felt my cheeks warm up when he suddenly smiled at me.

It's great..." I trailed, looking back to the notes on my lap. "How did you come up with this?"

"Mostly manipulating things I've seen and thought about before. I've been thinking about the designs as well as modifying them lately. Did you see the format?" He asked, leaning in before I could give him a reply. I let him look at the papers, and he soon picked up a sheet from the pile before leaning away.

It's called Wildin'. I wasn't comfortable with the site name for a while, but I guess I'm at peace with it now," he laughed, reading the piece of paper he was holding in his left hand up before pointing towards a logo sketch, then at the small icon designs beneath it.

"A like is a paw. A dislike is a claw. There are reactions like growl, purr, roar..." he trailed as he turned the paper to the other side. "I changed the emoji set. It's all animal representatives instead. The themes you can choose for the site reflect the kind of habitats that exist. Aqua, Savannah..."

I watched him as he continued to explain his ideas to me in excitement. Heck, his excitement was making me excited.

"That's cool," I finally said, running a hand through my dark short curls. "So, that's what you've been working on?"

He nodded, making his dark bangs bounce with the movement of his head. The action looked so innocent and child-like. He soon put the paper away, taking the envelope and slipping it under his seat. He adjusted his position on the car seat before he put on his seatbelt.

"Is that all?" I asked, watching him. It looked like he was getting ready to drive off. Maybe it was time for me to get down.

"No," he said, turning towards me as if he just remembered something.

"Damn, I'm stupid. I wanted to ask you if you'd like to be my partner for the contest. I suck at complex coding. Funny, considering that's what my designs are — complex. Could you help me?" he asked as I stared straight at him.

"I..." I started, turning my face towards the open window and out into the empty parking lot. "I don't know."

"Come on, it'll be fun, and its something you can add to your college application later."

I forced a smile on my face at Felix's words.

It's not like I'm going to college. I thought, but I couldn't say it out loud. I'm not sure if he'll think less of me because of that.

"Okay..." I found myself muttering instead, and I wasn't sure of the dimpled grin he was sprouting afterward was a reward or not.

"That's great! We can exchange numbers," he said, as he soon started searching his pockets for his phone. It was then I noticed he was wearing a cream top with the first two buttons undone. I looked away as my face reddened, only turning back when Felix nudged my shoulder and asked me to type my number into his phone.

"Great. I'll call you now so that you can save my number," he muttered as he tapped his phone with his index finger. After a while, my phone started to ring and I had to bend down to get it from my bag. I saved the number, making Felix hum in approval.

"I should be going, the—"

"Let me drive you home," Felix offered as I held onto the handle of the car's door.

"Oh," I started as my grip on it loosened.

"Oh, okay," I finally said. It's not like my heart was slamming against my chest or anything. Nope, not at all.

I sat there thinking to myself before pulling my hand away sharply when I felt something touch it, turning towards Felix to see that he had his right hand up as if in surrender.

He touched me?

"Are you okay?" he asked with a cute frown. "You seemed like you spaced out. I didn't mean to startle you."

I stared at him as I held on to my left hand with my right hand. I took a deep breath, shaking my head.

"Trust me, I'm okay," I lied through my teeth as my heart struggled to pop out of my chest. He nodded, turning away before he took hold of the steering wheel and started the car. We were soon out of the school's gates and on the road, and the only time I spoke was to give him instructions.

When he finally dropped me off I headed to my room immediately before jumping onto my bed and covering myself.

He just held your hand, not kiss you, damn it! I scolded myself as I shut my eyes.

This crush is exhausting. I thought, letting a sigh escape my lips as Felix and his adorable smile attacked my thoughts.