I Think I Like You

Chapter 5: New Feelings

I give a loud yawn as I exit my fourth period class. It honestly surprises me how some people can actually stay awake during one of Professor Ports infamous rants.

It's a good thing I don't have that class with Weiss. She would have scolded me for sleeping, which sets a bad example for the student council.

I leisurely start walking to my locker to get my lunch, all the while trying not to get hit by other students running and shoving their way around the hallways. As soon as I spot it, I also spot a certain redhead leaning against the locker next to mine.

Penny fiddles with her bow before looking over to where I'm approaching. She smiles and waves and I adjust my hand on my backpack strap to give her a wave back.

"Sal-u-tations, Ruby!"

"Hey, Penny" I say as I enter in my locker combination.

"Will we being eating in our normal spot today?" she asks.

I give her a nod as I yank my locker open and pull out the brown paper bag containing my lunch.

"Sounds good to me."

We walk down the hallway before exiting through the set of heavy double doors that lead to the courtyard. We always eat at one of the picnic tables behind the school, since not as many kids come outside during lunch.

While we near our usual table I notice someone sitting off by himself. It's Jaune, the awkward and clammy boy from student council.

We've never really had many conversations with each other, aside from the occasional small talk during meetings. However, he looked a little down; so I decide that we should go sit next to him to keep him company.

I nudge Penny and nod to where he's sitting.

"Is that your friend?" she asks, looking over at him.

"Sort of, he's in the student council."

She turns her head to the side questioningly. Jaune continues scrolling through his phone and sighing about every five seconds.

"He looks a little… upset?" Penny says questioningly.

"Yeah, let's go say hi."

We walk over to the table that he's sitting alone at and he doesn't seem to notice us until I tap him on the shoulder.

"wha-!" Jaune whips his head to the side, his phone flying out of his hand in the process and falling into the grass near my shoes. "Oh, Ruby? Hey, uh, what're you doing here? Did you need something?"

I lean down and pick his phone up. "I guess I'm not the only clumsy one around here, huh?" I say as I hand it back to him.

"Heh, I guess not..." Jaune sheepishly rubs the back of his head while graciously accepting the phone.

"And we-" I say, motioning to me and Penny. "were wondering if you'd like some company for lunch?"

Penny gives him a smile.

"Sure, why not." He says, somewhat reluctantly.

We both sit down across from him and I pull out my peanut butter sandwich, along with some cookies, of course.

"This is my friend, Penny." I introduce to him. "Penny, this is Jaune."

They exchange their hello's as I take a big bite of my sandwich.

"Ruby told me that you work in the student council together." Penny says excitedly. "Is there anything in particular you're working on at the moment?"

"We're hanging posters today, for the chalk-walk in a few weeks." Jaune says after taking a moment to think.

"Ugh, don't remind me." I groan. "It's not even a meeting day today, how could Weiss do this to us!?" Throwing my hands in the air dramatically, I almost cause my sandwich to go flying into the grass.

Jaune looks towards the ground, ignoring my attempt at humor, while Penny giggles at my antics.

"Oh, yeah? Aren't you supposed to help supervise the event as well?" she asks.

Jaune turns his head back in our direction and nods.

"All members in the council have an assigned job." He says. "I'm supposed to run back and forth while people are drawing, bringing them the colors they ask for."

"Ha, you got errand boy!" I laugh.

Jaune looks back at me indignantly. "Yeah, and you got water girl."

I stop my cackling. Being the person that just brings people water isn't very cool, or fun for that matter.

"Well I also happen to be the Vice President, so that position could change at any time." I smile triumphantly. "I've got friends in high places, if you know what I mean."

Not that I actually think I can get Weiss to switch me off water duty, but that doesn't mean I can't try.

Jaune just looks down at the ground again. Penny and I share a glance, debating if we should say anything to the obviously sulking boy. Fortunately for him, Penny's face soon grows concerned and she leans her elbows onto the table in questioning.

"Is anything the matter, Jaune? You appear to be awfully upset."

He turns his head back to us, looking surprised that he was being addressed so suddenly.

"Huh? No… not really."

All it takes is me to raising one of my eyebrows for him to give in.

"Okay, fine. You got me!" He lets out a slow sigh and looks at us warilly. "It's… Weiss."

My eyes widen.

"What about Weiss?" I ask, possibly a little too fast.

I try not to sound as interested as I really am. Something about hearing her name always instantly draws my focus. Literally, I could be piloting an airplane or wrestling a bear and I would still drop everything just to hone in on whatever bit of information I could get.

Jaune scrunches up his nose and kicks some grass under the bench. His shoulders start shaking and it looks like he might actually start crying. Instead, he slams his fists down on the table and stands up off his seat, making both me and Penny let out a surprised yelp.

"She won't even give me the time of day!"

My mouth hangs slightly open and I give him a bewildered expression.

"…Uh, what?" I ask.

Jaune throws his hands in the air, making an exasperated face before slamming his fists back onto the table again.

"Weiss! I mean, what does a guy have to do around here to get her attention!?"

I think I'm in too much shock to speak. Yeah, that must be it. Penny, however, appears to have recovered much more quickly and looks thoughtfully at the scraggly boy across from us.

"Do you like Weiss?" She asks carefully.

"Yes, I like her! I text her, tell her good morning, give her flowers, and open doors for her! I'm a perfect gentleman, yet she won't even acknowledge that I exist half the time! She only gives me the busy work in the council and accidentally called me Jean yesterday. Jean. Seriously, what am I doing wrong!?"

I don't really know what to think.

Jaune just said he likes Weiss. He said he texts her and tells her good morning. The same Weiss that I text and say good morning to. He also claims that he gives her flowers and opens doors for her... I've never done either of those things for her.

I feel a wave of uneasiness wash over me. Uncertainty. Of what… I'm not exactly sure.

I mean, who the hell does this guy think he even is? He thinks he knows what Weiss likes. I almost snort.

Weiss hates it when you treat her like a damsel. She's not one and she makes that known to anyone who crosses her path. She is the absolutely last person I can imagine showing genuine appreciation for something, especially something like opening doors or text messages, so of course Jaune would feel unappreciated.

You don't know the first thing about her.

"Perhaps you need to be more assertive?" Penny offers, taking a loud sip of her juice box.

"There's no way that's it. My mom says girls like guys that are passionate." Jaune says, turning over to look at me. "You're friends with her, right, Ruby?"

I snap out of my daze and look up at where he's still standing over the table.

"Eh? Oh, uh, yeah we're friends - really good friends!" I add on the last part. For some reason it seems really important to me that Jaune knows we're close to each other.

Jaune's face changes into a hopeful expression and he sits back down. "Well, what kind of stuff does she like?"

I feel bad. The way he's looking at me, practically begging for me to tell him about Weiss - and I don't want to say anything.

"hmm… she, ah… she likes uhh…"

"Chocolate? Music? Fancy restaurants? I can play a mean guitar solo. Does she like musicians?"

I don't respond. Instead, I frown and hang my head towards my lap. "I… I don't feel very good."

Sitting myself up, I start putting my mostly untouched lunch back into my bag.

Penny looks over at me, concerned.

"Ruby, are you alr-"

"I'm fine, Penny. I just need to go get some meds or something from the nurse. Bad stomach ache."

Jaune gives me a disheartened, but understanding nod as I throw my backpack onto my shoulders. I mumble my goodbyes and rush out of the courtyard, my chest tightening with each step.

When I enter the club room after school, everyone is already there. Apparently, word had gotten around and multiple people ask me if I'm feeling okay, including Weiss. I wave them off, saying the nurse had given me some medicine that made me feel better.

The thing is, I don't feel any better. I've felt nauseous ever since lunch, and not the 'I'm about to throw up' nauseous, this kind just makes me feel unsteady and irritable.

We break up into teams to hang up the chalk-walk posters in various hallways. I get paired with Blake and, to be honest, I'm a little glad it isn't Weiss. The nausea seems to get worse when I'm around her, turning into more of a sharp pain.

Blake and I walk down the first hallway and start hanging up our stack of posters. Since Blake was taller, she tapes the posters, while I hold them up to the wall.

I've found out that Blake isn't one for conversation, making me wonder how Yang is such good friends with her. They're practically polar opposites, but the more I think about it, the more it made sense, in a strange kind of way. They do say opposites attract, after all.

However, after struggling to make any sort of meaningful conversation, I eventually just stop trying.

We've done about a half of the hallway when I realize I really need to pee. I tell Blake I would be back in a few minutes and start making my way down the hall.

I walk around the corner before entering the set of double doors that lead to the next hallway over. The bathrooms on this side of the school were a lot nicer because of some renovations that had been done not too long ago. I spot the one I'm looking for and walk inside.

When I'm done I make my way over to the sink and begin washing my hands, that's when I noticed I can hear some faint voices in the corridor.

It wasn't that surprising for people to be at school after it ended, but something about the pitch of the voice catches my attention. I quickly pull a few paper towels out of the dispenser and dry my hands, then walking over to the door and hearing the voices getting louder as I near it.

"…Yes, it's a very entertaining event from what I remember running it last year."

"Sounds dope, Snow angel. Sucks you're running it again this year though, we could've hanged."

I gently push on the bathroom door, so that it's partially open. I see Weiss taping a poster to the wall as some boy with blue hair is leaning on some lockers next to her.

As soon as I see them I quickly close the door back until there was just a small slit to see out of.

Wait, why am I hiding?

"Yes, a shame." Weiss says, sounding very curt.

She has a piece of tape in her hand and It looks like she's straining, even in her heels, to reach the top of the poster on the wall.

"Here, let me help you." The boy grabs the tape that was on the ground and rips a piece off. He then leans over Weiss, skimming her hand as he smooths the poster before taping it.

I feel another sharp pain and I grab my stomach. The sight makes me grit my teeth and I feel my face turn into somewhat of a snarl.

I don't like him.

Weiss looks surprised and turns around to face him. "Thank you, Neptune, but that was quite unnecessary. Pyrrah should be back any minute to assist me."

"Nonsense, I'll help you until she gets back." He says, winking at her.

I really don't like him.

Weiss gives a nod and they move a little further down the hallway to put another poster up. This time the boy, Neptune, holds it as Weiss tears off tape.

"So what're you doing this year during the ah... chalk thing?" He asks.

"I will be managing the supplies and sign in table." Weiss responds, taping another corner.

"Dope. Maybe I'll see you there?"

Weiss laughs. "I didn't think you were the artsy kind, Neptune?"

"I may have a few tricks up my sleeves."

Weiss chuckles again and I grip the cuffs of my uniform jacket tighter.

What's so funny about that?

They finish hanging up the poster and move to the other side of the wall to presumably do another one.

The more I look at Neptune, the more I dislike him. It's obvious he has a thing for Weiss just by looking at his posture. I've known she has a lot of admirers, but now that I've seen two in one day, I'm starting to get the idea of how popular she really is.

"So, snow angel," Neptune states, casually leaning back against the wall. "Since you're gonna be busy next Friday, how about making it up to me. We could hang out this weekend? Watch a movie or something at my place? How does that sound?"

Weiss doesn't want to 'hang out' with you.

"I'm not sure, Neptune. I'm awfully busy this weekend."

Weiss continues taping and Neptune gives and exasperated sigh. "You say that every weekend. C'mon, I'll even let you pick out what we watch. It'll be fun!"

No it won't.

Weiss looks down at the floor and I see Neptune practically leaning over her, trying to get her to say yes. The sight made me curl my fist into a ball; he was one more pick up line away from me storming out of this bathroom and punching him in the face.

"I have a lot of school work. I really don't think I can. Sorry, Neptune."

He looks like he's about to say something else when I hear footsteps coming down the opposite side of the hallway. I look over to see that it's Pyrrha and breathe a sigh of relief that I don't have to intervene.

I quickly slip my way out the bathroom door and around the corner. Once I know I'm in the clear, I run back to the opposite hallway where Blake and I are supposed to be hanging posters.

I'm so irritated by how he'd treated Weiss, like she was some helpless damsel. He doesn't know Weiss.

I know Weiss.

I would like to think that I know her better than anyone at this school.

She carries so much on her shoulders and she's one of the most fearless people I've ever met. I take pride in knowing I'm one of the few people she can count on. She doesn't need people like Neptune, or Jaune for that matter, to look after her.

As I push through the last set of double doors I run smack into Blake, who catches herself by pushing onto her back foot. She looks peeved.

"Where the hell have you been? It's been almost twenty minutes."

"Blake," I say, before pausing. "what's your position during the chalk-walk?"

Blake blinks at me and looks confused. "What do you mean?"

"Like, what role were you assigned for it?"

Blake raises a questioning eyebrow before scrunching her eyebrows together in thought. "I think… I'm running the table with Wei-"

"Switch with me!"

There was no way I was going to let that blue haired monkey hit on Weiss again.

Blake's raises another confused eyebrow at me. "…Pardon?"