⌗ 5

We dry off on my front porch. Bodies wrapped in towels. Our shoes sit by the stairs—soaked and muddied. I watch the down pour. It's loud yet so comforting at the same time.

I hadn't done this before...run in the rain with someone. And here I am ticking another box. Another experience. Another memory. Another side of Riley that only deepens my feelings.

She runs her fingers through her curly hair, looking gorgeous while doing so. I've always liked her with natural hair. And I've always liked how confident she is wearing it. Not a lot of people tend to wear their hair as is...but she owns it.

I turn the knob for the front door and open it just enough to squeeze past the door.

"Where are you going?" Riley questioned.

I pick up a pile of my own clothes off the couch that my mother had brought down from my room for the both of us—but mainly for Riley as she said in her own words.

"It's a fresh change of clothes." I smile. "I don't want you to stay in those," I explain. "If you keep them on you'll catch a cold and I don't want that to happen. Besides, it'll get colder tonight."

Riley takes my clothes and presses a soft kiss on my cheek. "Thank you, Maisie." A smile forms on her lips as I open the front door wider, and an even bigger smile on my face as she turns away.

I follow her into the house—with no need for directions. She makes her way up the staircase down the hall to my room, already familiar with every corner and crevice.

She's been over so many times that I've almost lost track. I can sense how proud she is of her familiarity of the house when she opens my bedroom door and switches on the light. 

"I'm starting to think this is your place."

Riley turns her face and laughs, "Might as well be. I'm here every week, I've got clothes in your wardrobe and you even bought me my own toothbrush...I guess I really do live here."

I feel a smile form on my lips, "And one day you're gonna move in unannounced."

Riley walks over to my bathroom and nods, "Maybe, so don't go giving me ideas. Or it might actually happen one day and you'll find me at your front door in the middle of the night."

I roll my eyes, "Sure, cause I'll be the one giving you ideas to move in with me." The smile on my face only grows wider as I watch Riley quirk her brow in response.

She folds her arms and smirks, "Kang Haerin, do you want me to move in with you?"

"Not the Government name," I chuckled. "But who said anything about moving in..."

"You did, loser."

"Hey, I'm not a loser, Mo Jihye." I replied.

"But you're my loser," She smiled. "There's a difference." She explained.

I sit on the edge of my bed. What's the difference between a loser and Riley's loser? I think deeply. Though, it comes down to one conclusion. Which is more or less the exact answer that she gave.

That I'm hers.

Her little loser.

A loser, sure. But her loser, nonetheless.

And I guess that's what makes me stand out amongst every other loser out there. I've got Riley and everyone else is just some plain loser

"So, I'm your loser now? I questioned.

"Did I not make that clear enough for you?"

"I don't know," I shrugged. "I mean...what if I like hearing it? But who knows..."

"Okay, loser. Go get dressed..."

"Well you're the one standing in the middle of my bathroom talking... so you get dressed."

Riley turns to face me and sticks her tongue out playfully before closing the door in front of me. "You got me there." Her voice muffled.

I roll my eyes playfully while setting my clothes down on the bed as I stand up to get dressed too. The feeling of damp clothes against my body makes me want to sob...and the longer I stay wearing them I might just.

I hurriedly change into my fresh clothes and set the wet clothes into a pile across the floor. The feeling of new warm clothes was amazing. But not as amazing as she looked in my clothes.

My gaze goes from my bedroom mirror to the girl behind me. "Whoa..." My voice trailed off. "Huh, even my clothes look better on you."

She looks heaven sent.

Even a simple outfit such as some shorts, a white oversized tee and my grey hoodie make her look out of this world...I can't even begin to explain the level of awe I'm in. I just am. And wow.

"Thank you for the clothes. I know I've got my own in here somewhere but these are great."

There's that smile again. I'll faint. Seriously. Soon enough I'd be passed out to the point of needing medical attention. It should be illegal to look this pretty. I hate it. I do. Her face card is insane.

Spoken like a true blue bird app user.

"You look great in them," I try my best to hide the redness in my face. I can feel my cheeks flush. "I'm just glad you're warmed up now and in a fresh change of clothes. Can't have you sick."

Riley smiles and ties her hair into a low pony before taking a seat beside me on the bed.

"I was thinking that we could walk over to that nearby park later tonight. I heard it's gonna be a full moon and I think it would be nice to see. If you want to of course...or if you changed your mind about studying then we can do that too."

My heart feels like it could leap out of my chest and I'm not too sure how to respond. Kang Haerin out deemed speechless. The cause?

Danielle Marsh aka Riley aka Mo Jihye.

I was starting to think that the possibility of me becoming inevitably delusional was closer than expected. I say this with reasonable evidence.

Firstly, we were beginning to sound like a couple.

A couple of besties!

No, literally. A couple. Like a romantic one. You know, the kind that involves being in a committed relationship...the one where we call each other cute nicknames, words of endearment, sharing clothes and staying over.

What's the probability of Riley liking me back?

Zero percent? Ten? A hundred, mayhaps?

We act like two people that are at the very least, dating. But instead we're just two close friends that study together every weekend (and do things that a real couple would).

The chances of her reciprocating my feelings were starting to seem likely. But then again, what if it's the delusional part of myself that's convincing me and that she really doesn't?

That would be awkward...

Embarrassing even. I can't have that happen. I would never show my face to the world ever again. Being dramatic is my whole personality anyway. I will dig a hole and stay there.

But really...

Would it hurt to ask?

Would it hurt to ask, 'Do you like me back?'