(WEDNESDAY)copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡYiXKd7tFU0
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0KC6o4krXc
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGhw71WNip
Zion. copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡggHd0VluBf
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡuC06Iob2Q8
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLPwhXxdKP
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡD06le6gzBR
"Yoohoo, Valleyhills!”copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡP6tQdbfod5
I groan and pick up my pace. Come on, you're nearly there.copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡxsQnY8kvm5
"Aye Vel, come here for a second!"copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZ6rkkyBUa
Go away.copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKgWAt8PSm
"Vellary!”copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpOMMMU6ig
I halt in my tracks, nails digging into my palms, and turn around. "Yes, Hugo?" copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡcEgi6BDFcx
He waves me over to where he is with the rest of his friends. "Come here!"copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡPFh6BSAKHs
I hesitate, but eventually make my way there.copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CRVpDIjK1
"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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡAXFRfMsSrE
Hugo shrugs. "Nothing. Just wanted to say hi.”copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgjInVAXGh
I purse my lips, ignoring his snickering friends. The urge to throttle this boy is getting significantly hard to hold back these days.copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMUgIkUqDF
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡreC75RTyKk
"Oomph!”copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbBxTYstW8
I stumble back a little, and look up when strong hands steady me.copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡLlVGCE0w4E
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwTODZGxxr
Yes, awkwardly because I'm pretty sure I was grimacing, not smiling.copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKCthvsKZo
"Sorry," I manage to squeak out, my cheeks reddening. Please god, don't let him hear my beating heart. copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡTLKPsmtsTy
His mouth twitches up into an amused smile, and he shakes his head in what seems to be dismissal. "It's okay." copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7540UIZAfx
I blink. Instant voicegasm.copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17hEBza4k9
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdVd2nAwQt
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Xz8YtRY36
My goodness.copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5eNJPmTTH
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3nUZAXmatd
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡExbdG9Gx8K
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDPSrzHOtB
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwYpwzmTJQ
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6onhB3riAA
"Vellary!"copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2edS6ErOsV
Sighing, I finish the last of my notes quickly, making sure they're still readable enough.copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYsonYXKRH
"Vellary!"copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡAX6XfH1H0C
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3QvVXanLD
"Yes, grandma?" I reply, leaning against the door frame. copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡibBKAZIyJA
She looks up from the bowl of cooked potatoes and casts me a soft smile. "Do you mind giving me a hand?"copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjymhO3jv4
Instantly, I perk up. “Sure, what do I need to do?"copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡVN7Lj2Iuqu
She motions me over and places a small cup in my hands. "Make mash potatoes."copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JFJtfIcNr
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡN3Llp39tnF
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡxitE4MHNh7
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoRW7kcQxZ
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡik34Fs7PWu
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡutNY8RLQE2
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVrPSz94pH
"Good?" Grandma asks once I take a bite of the chicken.copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4H27LHATxw
I nod, taking another bite. copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡo20b092LZH
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXDfMvOWAe
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡDEVFMHnnAV
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZXVaY4dK3
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡVy1yNN3CJD
I roll over to my side, the clock signalling that it's way past my bedtime. Sleep sleep sleep, I need sleep. copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡQniM35uqs5
I have to stop overthinking. It's not healthy for me. What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?copyright protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡmn4jifhns1
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 protection278ＰＥＮＡＮＡqoAsWof00Z
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