cold slash one-word slash mean girl was gone. She’s like a mushroom, really! Or maybe she’s just a reincarnated ghost? And maybe in her past life, she was an ice??!

“I guess there’s nothing I could do~” I rested my head on Taeyeon’s back while we walk.

“At least, you’ll get near to your ‘crush’.” I know Tae was smirking so I went in front of her.

“I don’t like her!! She only answered me with single word and our conversation wasn’t going anywhere!!!!” I complained.

“But as you have said, there’s nothing you could do.” Taeyeon continued to walk and passed by me.

“Tae~Tae~” I kept on whining.

“Fany, stop it. You should just at least stop being talkative!” Taeyeon got something from her bag and handed me a notebook.

“What’s this?” I looked at the blue notebook resting on her palms.

“Lecture, I know you weren’t listening awhile ago! It’s obvious you were just talking with Jung. DUH!” She rolled her eyes.

“Lecture? The teacher lectured?” I asked, puzzled.

“That’s about the school festival and what you should two be doing as a ‘CRs’. As a class representative, you’ll need that.” She sighed at me.

“Oh, thank you~ Tae~ you’re really the best~~~ I hope Jessica is also listening~” I hugged her.

“You’re as stubborn as ever Fany.” Taeyeon poked me on my forehead.

“There’s nothing I could really do Tae~ah... but to just cooperate with her~” I pouted again.

“Yup. But at least, you wouldn’t be that curious about her now.” Tae smiled at me. Is she serious or is she fooling around? This girl, is just as dorky as I could get!!! Pff.

We reached my house and I waved Taeyeon goodbye. I put my school shoes in the shoe rack and went straight to my room.

“You don’t want dinner dear?” My mother called out.

“I’ll just eat later mom...” I answered her back and closed the door of my room.

I wonder what would happen tomorrow.. Thinking about doing things with that Jessica, makes me shiver. She has something in her that I can’t explain. I hope she and I would have a good relationship as CRs (class representatives). I hope we won’t clash.

I sighed.

So is this what they call as ‘high school fun’?

I guess not.

Hey, it’s just the start Fany. It could be better.

I hope so.

Oh, assignment!!

That’s the one thing I shouldn’t forget from now one. I promised Taeng that I would change. I first set my alarm clock and started to read the lecture Tae had written for me.

What the...??? Being class representatives have these many responsibilities???!!!

I pointed my finger down the bulleted notes. I lied on my bed... and stretched.

I’m class representative, huh. Really? And my partner is Jessica Jung...........!

03 First Conversation

I read over and over again Tae’s given lecture about “Responsibilities of Class Reps”. I tried to memorize them, but I’m up to no good. Memorization is a no-no, and it makes me hate my being a class representative thingy. I’m wishing our adviser had already forgotten that he had already assigned class representatives yesterday. It could have been a dream! Oh! How I wish it was!!

And why should organizing school festivals, arranging books and even gardening have to do with being a class representative?

I put my hand on my chin and frowned, flipped the pages a few times again and closed Tae’s notebook. I’m up to no good~

“Still reading that?” I looked up and saw Taeyeon in front of me. These are the times when she looked taller, that is, when I’m sitting on a chair. I fancied myself with her height. I wonder if Tae would ever be taller.

Yeah, Fany. That’s a nice thing to think of, really.

I slapped myself in my mind.

“Thank you for the lecture Tae~” I handed her the notebook, trying to shook of my thoughts about my best friend’s height.

“Why you look so lifeless??” Taeyeon asked me eagerly. I looked at the chair beside me and Jessica hasn’t arrived yet. Maybe she doesn’t want to be a class representative so she just decided to drop from high school? Or maybe she got sick just thinking of the responsibilities and having to socialize with people? Oh Fany, senseless thoughts. I sighed and looked at Tae again.

“Oooh, you’re ‘partner’ hasn’t arrived yet huh.” She teased me while eyeing the empty seat beside me.

“What?!” I answered her annoyingly.

“Don’t forget today is the start of your ‘work’ as a CR, good luck best friend!’” She smiled at me and went back to her seat. Was that a sarcasm or was she just wishing me luck? And was that intentional? I pouted by myself and put my head down the desk.

Oh, I hate this~

“Good morning class!” Our math teacher suddenly arrived and we all stood up to greet him back. I looked again on my left side and saw Jessica, standing beside me. I sat at my seat and looked at her again. I just can’t believe it.

Eeeehhhhh? How come?!! How did she do that? When did she arrive??! But she was not yet here a while ago???! She is scary!

Now my hypothesis of her as being a teleporter is rising. Then she looked back at me.

“Good morning~” I tried to sound cheerful and smiled at her. No reaction at all. Does she even have a tongue or what?! Or maybe she’s deaf?!

“Good morning~” I repeated and looked at her face. She stared at me like I was the weirdest person she had ever seen then the expression on her face went back to its poker expression. God, I’m starting to dislike her.

Mathematics was our first subject and I was hurriedly copying the notes on the blackboard. Why the heck does our teacher speaks this fast?? And his voice was not that loud for us to hear!! I don’t even----

I looked at Jessica and she was not writing at all, she was just staring at the teacher. I am doing my best to follow every word the teacher is saying while she is just here, beside me, doing nothing. Unfair!! My eyes widened with frustration and she yawned, making me feel more frustrated and humiliated.

What brain does this girl have??!

Time went by fast and lunch time arrived. I looked at Jessica again, followed her movement with my eyes. She stood up and went out of the classroom. She is really weird! Tae and I went to the cafeteria to eat our lunch. I was looking around trying to find Jessica.

Finding?! Why am I even trying to find her??!

My eyes wandered everywhere and no sight of her. We returned to the classroom after eating and when we got back, she was already there sitting on her seat. She’s making me think of things. Is she an alien?! Or maybe she’s just a hologram or an untouchable person??

Our next two subjects went by faster because I was frustratingly copying the lecture notes. Having to promise Tae that I would change made me miserable.

I wish I could just copy notes from her again.

Dismissal arrived and here goes my ultimate problem. Just try to think of this, our adviser told us to arrange the books alphabetically on the bookshelves. I’m getting nervous. What’s really getting me nervous? It’s the thought that I would be here in the classroom, only me together with Jung. I’m trying to think how to cope up, what should I do, what should I say.... Gee....I don’t want her to leave though, two heads are better than one. At least we could finish this faster.

I waved at Taeyeon while she was making her way out. I tried to look calm but she looked back at me and went in front of me.

“Would you really be all right Fany?” she asked me while whispering. She was worrying! She looked at Jessica who was arranging something inside her bag.

“Don’t worry! I can do this!!” I flashed a smile at her.

“Okay then, good luck okay? You owe me a story tomorrow~” Taeyeon patted me on the shoulder and left. I sighed again and turned around to face Jessica who was now sitting in front of the bookshelves, putting out the books from it. I went beside her and sat there also, I also started to put out books.

............

This is getting really awkward. Getting more and more awkward as time passes by. I need to talk!

“Jessica..” I tried to say her name and she looked at me. And there’s only one thing I could tell you, she is a real poker-faced girl!!

“How about we put the English books here and... uhh the Science books.. there.” I was trying to give my opinion about arranging the books. Maybe she would try to disagree and it would be a start, at least, of a conversation.

“Okay.” Was all she replied to me. This is just so hard!

I started to get the books when she also started to get the books from where I was getting them. And our fingers touched each other. I retreat my hand back and looked at her.

This is just insane!

“Oh s-sorry..” I looked at her and smiled. So she wasn’t a hologram huh?

She looked at me too and looked away. She stood up and went to arrange other books which were on the teacher’s table.

Just what kind of person is she? I don’t get her at all!

I’m so pissed off that I just continued to arrange the books giving no attention to her. Then I suddenly felt someone was poking me continuously on my back.

Annoying!

I looked behind me and saw Jessica, with her all time poker-faced expression.

“Is this yours?” she asked me while holding a pink pen on her right hand. She was staring at it and looked at me. As I have always said, her expression doesn’t change.

“Oh, yes.. thank you..” I got it from her hand and put it in my pockets.

“What’s the history of that pen?” she suddenly asked me.

Wow, could you believe that? She was starting a conversation~

“Huh?” I suddenly uttered.

“Where did you get that pen?” she asked me again.

Wow!! Say goodbye to her single word answers~

I somehow feel excited and proud. Maybe I was the first one to hear her talk sentences.

“Oh this? Why do you ask?” I was experimenting if she would still answer me with a sentence.

“It looks old.” She told me and arranged other books again.

“Well, someone has given this to me.. when I was in elementary.” I smiled at the pen that is now resting inside my pockets.

No reply.

“Taeyeon has given this to me~” I said cheerfully at her.

No reply.

Was she even listening?? What a weirdo!!

The silence continued like that and when we finished arranging the books, I went to get my bag, which was resting on my desk.

Should I go home with her?

If I just go out and leave her, she might think I am mean or something like that but if I wait for her and asked her to go home with me, then she would think I am some kind of a creeper and mostly, a weirdo again. I pretend to arrange things from my bag even though there’s nothing to arrange inside it. Then she talked.

“Aren’t you going home?” The same expression was still painted on her face. She was already at the door, her red shoulder bag resting on her arm.

Wow, she’s talking to me again huh.

“Oh.. that, well yes..” I tried to weigh my thoughts.

“You too?” I asked her.

“Yes.” Then she turned her back from me. I was making my way towards the door, involuntarily. I walked behind her and found myself staring at her back. I slowed down my pace, just as so that she would go home first, but she slowed down her pace too.

What is she doing?

This makes my head hurt. I am confused with her actions. Later, I just found myself walking side by side with her. And mind you, it feels really awkward. I can’t think of anything to say, not unless I am so eager to ask her again if her hair had been blonde since she was born or how come the expression on her face doesn’t change, which were just totally pathetic. I sighed and she looked at me. I looked at her too and her eyes were piercing mine. I looked away.

What the heck.

She stopped and I found myself stopping too.

“Wait for me here.” She said without even looking at me. Her voice was commanding.

What??! Wait for her?! Is she serious, she’s asking me to wait for her...? Uhm..?

And I waited and saw her again, and with her was her bicycle. She wasn’t riding on it.

Bicycle..... I envy her, I want one too~

We walked out the school, me, her and her bicycle. She’s still not talking and I have decided to just ask her anything that comes into my mind. At least that way, I could reach home faster.

“You always ride in a bicycle every time you go home and go to school?” I looked at her.

“Yes.” She replied without even looking at me.

“Is your house that far..?” I asked her again.

“Not really.” She now looked at me, with her cold eyes.

“Oh I see.. so your house is this way too?” I pointed at the road which is the way to my house.

“Yes.”

“Why don’t I see you around? We’re living in the same neighbourhood!” I told her, excitement could be traced in my voice. And I regretted that.

“I don’t see you too.” She answered me calmly and after that, all I could hear was the bicycle’s pedal while it was walking with us. I tried to speak but nothing comes out. The silence was unbearable.

“Your name’s Tiffany, right?” she blurted out of nowhere.

“Yes, it’s Tiffany. Don’t tell me you haven’t known my name up until now?” I smiled at her. Our walk home took us long, and time seemed to be slower. Is it because of the silence or the awkwardness? I wonder which one, either of the two, I feel like a bubble gum stuck on a desk.

“I know it, I’m just assuring.” She told me, she’s not looking at me again.

“Oh.. you’re not really sociable?” I asked her, straight-forwardly.

“No. And you’re too sociable.” She replied. Was she trying to tease me or what?

“Am I to you? Sorry about that...I am just this.. uhh, talkative..” I looked at her even though I’m getting used to the fact that every time we would be talking with each other, she won’t even dare to look back at me.

“I see.” She replied.

“Do you have a sibling?” I asked her. You’re brave Tiffany, having to ask her about personal stuff. It was just a try, if she won’t answer it then I’ll stop. As easy as that.

“No, I don’t. You?”

Are we having a decent conversation now?

“I don’t, too.” I answered her. We continued to walk and I could almost see our gate.

“So here I go. This is our house by the way..” I stopped right in front of our gate.

“Oh, that’s you house.” She stared at it for a while. And her eyes wandered on it.

“Where do you live?” I asked her.

“There.” She pointed towards the left curved, which is kind of far from my house and I just nodded in reply.

“So.. uhm... ah... goodbye.” It was really hard having to tell her something like this, awkward as always. Maybe because we are not really close yet and maybe because I don’t get her at all. She looked at me and I waved my hand while I opened our gate. I wonder why I was slowing down.

“Goodbye, Tiffany.” She waved back.

What????!! SHE WAVED BACK??!! Yes!! She’s waving back at me! And she... mentioned my name too. This is just really fascinating.

And is it just me? I feel sort of happy.

She waved back at me and mentioned my name. The mention of my name from her lips sounded different. Was it because her voice was soft? I don’t know, really. Although to tell you the truth, her expression hasn’t changed yet again. And I felt really surprised. Maybe I was the first person to be ever called by her, by name. Heeh.

She took a step and turned her back from me, her bicycle left echoing through the distant road where I found myself watching her walk away. I smiled.

I smiled.

I smiled?! What!?

I touched my lips, and they are smiling! Why am I smiling?! Huh, maybe I just feel happy because I get to talk to Miss Oyster Shell. And I also found out she wasn’t a hologram, neither was she deaf nor have no tongue. And she’s human, really. That’s the greatest revelation ever, Taeyeon would be glad when she heard it. I guess? Everything went well today and I hope, everyday would be just like this. And I hope the awkwardness we feel with each other will pass.

Maybe meeting her wasn’t so bad after all, and mostly, being a class representative too.

04 First Smile

“Ohh~” I stretched my hand up as Tae and I walked home. I wondered how come days could pass by just like this. And I still kept on thinking about yesterday, smiling just because somehow, Jessica had been sort of friendly in my opinion and that, actually she spoke of sentences. Or maybe she was actually trying to get me know her more, in that case giving me a chance. I wondered more about her.

What...?

I stiffened at my thoughts and I could see Tae staring at me while my hand was still stretched up. Admittedly, I looked like my body has been plastered to be in that position and I looked funny, so I just shrugged it off, thinking that maybe Tae didn’t realize that peculiar look on my face. I dropped my hands and grinned at her purposely. Maybe in this way, she would just let me off.

“You still haven’t told me what happened yesterday.” Taeyeon was still looking at me like I was keeping a death threat from her, her eyebrows forming into a ‘v’ while she observed me with those, ‘you-shall-not-tell-lies-Fany-or-else’ eyes.

“Y-Yesterday?” I was trying not to think about how I made Jessica called my name, waved back at me and had a somewhat decent conversation. Furthermore, I didn’t want to tell Tae the details. Something is really holding me back to tell the details. I don’t know which. But I guess it’s finalize, I won’t go into details.

“Well, everything went fine. Jessi--- well Jung was not really that bad of a ‘partner’ at all.” I stiffened again as to how my lips curved at the mention of her name. And the ‘partner’ word made me twitched a bit too, the word is not that really appropriate but that’s how Tae put it anyway, so I guess it would be fine.

“I see. So, nice thing you two are having a break today. Well, anyway, it looks like she’s not as ice cold as she is when I look at her.” Taeyeon was staring directly into something I couldn’t comprehend. I thought she was looking at a tree nearby but I don’t think that would interest her.

“Huh? What do you mean ‘not as ice-cold’?” her words just sunk into my mind. What was she trying to compel?

“’Not an ice-cold’. She’s not as ice-cold, not when she’s with you or around you.” I saw a smirk forming onto her face and I don’t know why. It felt like she was pertaining into something I couldn’t comprehend. And it started to make me feel kind of uncomfortable.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m just thankful you two are going along well.” My best friend looked at me and smiled.

“Oh... that..” Was all I could say. I was thinking of saying more but like I’ve said I don’t want to reveal as much as I want. I just hope her interrogation about me with Jessica would be over. I don’t want to talk about it anyway. Ugh.

I don’t know why I just feel sort of embarrassed by just letting out the details, telling out the story.

Just when did I---

“You’re not really listening? Are you, Fany?” I heard her sigh and made a sound I can’t distinguish what.

“H-Hey I’m listening, Tae~” I sounded like I was whining and trying to convince her that I’m really paying attention into her every word. Taeyeon just looked at me and frowned.

“I said you better introduce me to Jessica.” Taeyeon’s words suddenly echoed into my ears. Was she serious about what she had said?

Just when did Jessica interest her..?

I weighed my thoughts again and just nodded at