(WEDNESDAY)copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡgEd5REcvXU
EVERYONE APPLAUDS THE principle when he ends his boring speech, and we all get up, wanting to do nothing but leave the grounds of Roset High when he dismisses us. copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡBxOU7MqhTH
Assemblies are boring. Never fun unless you have entertainments, aka random performances. But that rarely happens, especially when everyone's too chicken to get up there. Our last performance was a pianist. copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡNvyUWHFhjn
Zion. copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡWz4VuSodUx
I remember the sound of crickets echoing throughout the auditorium when his name was called out. No one expected him to ever play the piano, much less go up on stage. But he did, and my my, was he spectacular.copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vPzJtI7Os
As I follow the parade of students outside, yesterday's incident flashes in my mind—not that it's left it anyway. How can it? A teacher tells me some good looking human likes me and plans to sit him next to me, and you expect me not to overthink it?copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0W8fH6LoBc
Sigh. I don’t want to get involved with anyone this year, much less a guy like Zion. I mean, there's nothing wrong with him and I wouldn't mind, but it's Zion. There's no need for me to even spell it out. copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡxa6e0tPian
"Yoohoo, Valleyhills!”copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrGT0KGXK2
I groan and pick up my pace. Come on, you're nearly there.copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡtT5T9pR18Q
"Aye Vel, come here for a second!"copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡCmS3etRTKx
Go away.copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡy5QMsGsX93
"Vellary!”copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡAW0J2QWfPB
I halt in my tracks, nails digging into my palms, and turn around. "Yes, Hugo?" copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡHD1HIebgck
He waves me over to where he is with the rest of his friends. "Come here!"copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQiEDnGVRM
I hesitate, but eventually make my way there.copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNqn79Wap3
"What?" I snap, mouth tugging into an unimpressed frown. Hugo and the rest of his friends are huddled together, some leaning on the brick wall, others seated on the concrete stairs. They look like a wannabe boy band. copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPes165vnk
Hugo shrugs. "Nothing. Just wanted to say hi.”copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡBoDdND7oPS
I purse my lips, ignoring his snickering friends. The urge to throttle this boy is getting significantly hard to hold back these days.copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKveuMXYOJ
Exhaling through my nose, I narrow my eyes at Hugo, and pivot, intending to make my way to my parked car, when I bump into someone. copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡt74Ub6Y5Vj
"Oomph!”copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYgDf5q0R5
I stumble back a little, and look up when strong hands steady me.copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡgU0mAt7xlt
Zion stares at me with his doe-like eyes, surprise etched on his face. He retracts his hands from my shoulders unsurely, and to ease the awkwardness, I smile awkwardly.copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcJcBgDmoF
Yes, awkwardly because I'm pretty sure I was grimacing, not smiling.copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTxuZbMgQ3
"Sorry," I manage to squeak out, my cheeks reddening. Please god, don't let him hear my beating heart. copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjOGvD8GQc
His mouth twitches up into an amused smile, and he shakes his head in what seems to be dismissal. "It's okay." copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dfykF95V7
I blink. Instant voicegasm.copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hfJDmwRr2
Clearing my throat, I gawkly avert my attention from him and to my parked car. “I’m just gonna...” I point at the silver thing.copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwckaSdE6I
A nod is the only thing my mind acknowledges before I quickly leave, making my way to my beautiful car. I can still feel his eyes on me; when I stop to unlock my car, when I get in, and when I lock the doors behind me. I don't dare look in his direction though, not when yesterday's words still roam my mind.copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡLjA3AADQb4
My goodness.copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4gzI17iAn
I sigh tiredly and insert the key into the ignition, lips twitching when the it roars to life. But compared to others, its roar sounds like a kitten yawning.copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Kjsjdq3jU
A few students walk past, and I purse my lips, waiting till they pass. Somehow though, while waiting, my eyes traitorously cast a glance in Zion’s direction, only to meet the eyes of another. copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡLZbxDTcsX3
Immediately, I look away, releasing the parking breaks and speed out of the car park. Escape, I need an escape because it wasn't Zion who was staring at me the whole time, it was Hugo. And my god, did he look pissed.copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡmsOi9OxMVp
I HATE HOMEWORK. It's stupid, it's annoying, it makes students depressed and a whole lot of other mental issues, and I despise it. copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4loHNP0pO
Picking up my dropped pen, I continue summarising notes into my book from the online text. As much as I love history, the notes are time consuming, which prevent me from doing the things I love, like cooking with grandma. copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡ487FGBWDzl
"Vellary!"copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmMkFDRNof
Sighing, I finish the last of my notes quickly, making sure they're still readable enough.copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡATj6UW8js1
"Vellary!"copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡKldpx7khUo
Holding back another sigh, I get up from the couch and make my way to the kitchen. She's most likely asking me to get her a pot she can't reach or something. Not that I'm any taller. copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdfwJUe3da
"Yes, grandma?" I reply, leaning against the door frame. copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAwGiVscGR
She looks up from the bowl of cooked potatoes and casts me a soft smile. "Do you mind giving me a hand?"copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5o3u287ET
Instantly, I perk up. “Sure, what do I need to do?"copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡvusWT21c2L
She motions me over and places a small cup in my hands. "Make mash potatoes."copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡhge8qBOjqv
Huh? I look from the cup in my hands to the cooked potatoes in the bowl. "You want me to squash the potatoes with a cup?" copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡPALa5rWzpQ
She hums in reply, heading over to the pot on the stove. I, on the other hand, stare at the bowl of potatoes, the only food that I can happily compare myself to. Because a potato can turn into fries, and everyone loves fries. copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡwHb0aoKSqu
And so, the process begins; the process of repeatedly bashing the poor potatoes further into the bowl with some small cup. They turn out looking good in the end, or at least, that's what grandma tells me. copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBcyEXMN4N
Half an hour later, the food is ready, table's set up, and my stomach's grumbles are loud for the neighbours to hear. copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡsFtHARXtaS
After scooping a spoon of mashed potatoes for me and one for grandma, I take a sea and watch as grandma sets the bowl of boiled vegetables on the table. She takes a seat across from me and smiles brightly, as if signaling me to start eating. copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvD9pS3VnS
Immediately, I take a chicken breast, with a whole lot of boiled vegetables, and place them on my plate, giving the tongs to grandma when I'm done.copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡE66UJbgvUc
"Good?" Grandma asks once I take a bite of the chicken.copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHo4MA45PJ
I nod, taking another bite. copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjqO8FTPQX
We sit in silence, filling our hungry stomachs until grandma suddenly stands up and walks to the kitchen. I frown, but shrug, continuing to eat. This is so good. copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bxZ0Uq0rQ
Grandma has always been the one that everyone's loved. Even back when my parents were still alive, we'd always go to her place because of her fantastic cooking skills. My mum didn't know how to cook, no matter how many times grandma tried to teach her. The memory of her burning rice brings a smile on my face. I pick up a piece of broccoli and take a bite. Delicious.copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡMsVFa0MgNs
THAT NIGHT I lie in the comforts of my room, staring at the glowing stars orbiting the white walls. My dad stuck them up, one by one, since I used to be scared of the dark. After he died, they became a source of reassurance, something to stare at whilst thinking. And as the years flew by, so did the belief that those stars were the answers to my problems. Long gone was the scared girl without a mother and father to guide her, and who's solution was to stare at the stars for answers. Instead, what replaced her was me. Who ‘me’ is, I still haven’t figured out yet. copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgdFulEij5
I stare at the glowing stars above me, and soon, I find myself thinking—more like overthinking. Do I want to sit next to Zion? Does he really like me? Am I starting to like him? I snort. Of course not. What the hell? I don’t even know him.copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡjaJfAI3hut
I roll over to my side, the clock signalling that it's way past my bedtime. Sleep sleep sleep, I need sleep. copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡikD3VY6i0t
I have to stop overthinking. It's not healthy for me. What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡAl0ALnNL6w
Finally, it's as if a vacuum cleaner has appeared and removed all the fog in my head. And for once, the answers needed for my roaming questions are found. Well, at least one of them is.copyright protection394ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1CioOL6Jat
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