I sat at the dinner table, eyes downcast as I picked at my food. The sound of clanging silverware and the low hum of the TV filled the living room.

"How was school, darling?" My mother asked, her voice a little too warm, almost cautious. I shrugged nonchalantly, taking a small bite of my pasta.

"It was fine."

"I heard you guys had a math quiz. How'd you do?'

"Okay, I guess."

"Good, good..." she nodded awkwardly, eyes trailing down to my plate. "Not hungry?"

"I'm never hungry."

A particularly loud clang rung out across the room. "That's no way to speak to your mother." Dad said harshly, eyes narrowed at me as he gripped his fork with so much force his veins were popping. "For once in your life, talk like a normal goddamn human being!"

"Darling," my mother muttered, putting a hand on her husband's arm, sending him an imploring look. He relented with an exasperated sigh.

"Finish your food." He said sharply, going back to eating.

My lower lip quivered slightly, breath coming out ragged, not daring to look up at either of them. I eventually stood up, picking up my plate and heading to the kitchen.

"I'll eat later."

I put my half-eaten plate in the fridge like I did all too often, knowing I was never going to touch it again.

"Luhan, please-"

"I will, I promise," I cut mom off, backing away toward my room.

"Wait," dad called out before I could enter and I stopped in my tracks, breathing out slowly. "The car outside. Whose is it?"

"A friend's," I mumbled.

"A friend?" Although I couldn't see her, I heard how my mom's voice perked up at that.

"A classmate," I corrected. "He lent it to me."

"Oh," she said slowly, "Why?"

"He has epilepsy and can't drive. So he let me have his car and drive him to school instead."

"That's wonderful, Luhan!" She said excitedly. "I mean, it's great that you're helping your classmate out like that, isn't it, dear?"

"Well, yes," My father said almost begrudgingly, "How long are you keeping it?"

"I don't know. Not long, probably. Can I go study now?" I asked impatiently.

"Of course, darling. Let me know if you need anything."

"Sure, thanks," I said quickly, before hiding out in my room and not coming out for the rest of the evening.

_

I pulled into the familiar neighborhood, stopping in front of a familiar building before shooting Yixing a text. I couldn't deny, it was kind of nice not having to wait for the bus. It was even nicer climbing into a car like it was my own and jamming to my trash music as I drove down the highway. I didn't realise the nicest thing about the day was going to be the way Yixing looked when he walked out of that grey building.

He donned a snug, full-sleeved shirt in a shade of blue that perfectly complimented his skin tone while showing off the toned grooves of his arms and chest. Underneath was a pair of  baggy cargo pants, one hand stuffed in his pocket while the other held on to the strap of his rather colourful backpack. His hair, shaggy and brown, naturally fell over his squinted eyes as they adjusted to the sunlight.

Nevermind the fact that he made me wait five whole minutes, because I forgot to be mad the moment he sent me a dazzling smile and a wave, before climbing into the passenger's seat.

Swallowing the saliva that had collected in my mouth, I stared straight ahead, pretending not to notice the fresh fruity scent that immediately attacked my nostrils at his presence.

"Morning, Luhan. Hope I didn't make you wait too long."

"No, not at all," I said gruffly, pulling the handbrake and quickly pulling out of his driveway.

"You look good today," he commented, and I took a moment to look down at my rather plain, very black ensemble.

"Thanks," I mumbled, pretending not to be flustered by his compliment.

"What, no you look rather dashing yourself, Yixing? Compliments are usually a two way street, you know."

I sighed. He's only pretty until he starts talking.

"Please stop talking."

He pouted a little before he eventually shrugged, reclining his seat all the way back. "Ahh... I could get used to this," he said with a wide smile, eyes closing as he folded his hands behind his head.

"Are you seriously going to sleep? Right now?"

"Perfect time for a nap, don't you think? Besides, you made me wake up way earlier than usual. I gotta make up for it somehow."

I rolled my eyes, keeping my gaze plastered on the road as Yixing napped comfortably next to me.

"I like your music," he muttered somewhere along the road, which surprised me because the music was turned almost all the way down it had faded into background noise.

"Really?" I asked sceptically.

"Mm-hm. Turn that up," he hummed, eyes still closed. I smiled to myself before turning the music up a little higher, until it mingled with the gentle hum of the engine and the cars flying past.

_

I carried my tray further into the loud, bustling cafeteria, heading for my usual table in the corner. I pulled out a book from my bag and put my earphones in. I was briefly reminded of the days when it was just me and Sehun, sitting together at lunch, chatting and laughing away, abandoning our books.

Now, novels were an escape for me, from the mundaneness of everyday life, the music a distraction from the happy laughs and chatter that surrounded me, that I would never be a part of.

Just as I was about to open my novel, a tray was abruptly dropped right next to mine, the chair noisily sliding against the ground and a familiar scent of fresh orange filling my nostrils. Pulling one earbud out, I stared blankly at a smiling Yixing, who made himself at home on my table. My rather plain tray of food paled in comparison to his, which was stacked with full portions of rice, curry and salad, and a box of chocolate milk.

"Hey," He greeted nonchalantly, immediately digging into his food.

"Hey yourself," I retorted, "Don't you like, have friends or something?"

"Friends? What's that?" He chuckled with a mouthful of rice. "I don't have any."

"Well, I'm not your friend either. And I don't remember inviting you to sit with me," I said with an annoyed lilt in my tone.

"True, but there's three perfectly good empty seats here and I don't see your name written on any of them."

I scowled, grabbing my chair and scooting a little further away from him, shoving my earbud back in.

Ever so self-aware, he scooted in closer to me, closer than before, pulling one of my earbuds out and shoving it into his own ear. I sent him a withering glare.

"What? I wanna listen to what you're listening to." He said innocently, and I couldn't find it in me to say no.

"Just... Fine, but you better stay quiet."

He shrugged at that. Pursing my lips, I sighed and diverted my attention back to my book as he continued to eat next to me.

"You know I was thinking," he said suddenly and I stifled an annoyed groan. So much for staying quiet. "I'm a loner. You're a loner-"

"And I'd like to keep it that way."

He grinned, "Me too! So I was thinking, we could both be loners, at the same time, together!"

I raised an inquisitive brow at him, trying to make sense of the nonsense he had just said. "You... Do know being together defeats the whole purpose of being alone right?"

"It doesn't have to. You can do your thing, and I can do my thing, but we'd just happen to be doing it in the same vicinity! It's brilliant if you really think about it."

"What exactly is your thing? I have literally never seen you do anything, except bother me," I deadpanned.

"At least it's better than your thing, which is reading boring novels and frowning a lot," he said with a scoff.

"I don't get it. If you like being alone so much, why do you keep being around me?"

He smiled devilishly, "What can I say? I like surrounding myself with cuties."

I gritted my teeth, both annoyed at his endless teasing and at myself for feeling so flustered every single time.

"Stop calling me that! A-And there's a lot of cute people at school to surround yourself with. Heck, until yesterday, you didn't even know I existed!"

"That's where you're wrong. You probably thought you were discreet, sneaking around everyday, camouflaged against the walls, trying not to get noticed. Well guess what, I always noticed you. It's you that never noticed me, not until I literally had a seizure in the middle of class," he said, his voice taking on a more serious tone than I was used to from him, with an uncharacteristic bite at the end. I couldn't help but become speechless at that.

He noticed me?

There I went again, my chest fluttering, my cheeks heating up. He was right about one thing. I indeed never noticed him until the day prior.  from what I saw of him so far, he never even tried to hide. But why the hell did he notice me?

"Don't look so surprised," he chuckled, "It makes you even cuter."

"You're... Despicable," I mumbled with no malice whatsoever, taking a bite of sandwich so I didn't have to focus on his heated gaze.

"I guess that means we have come to an agreement."

"Only if it it'll get you to shut up."

He only grinned cheekily, eyes glinting with mischief. I never knew anyone that talked as much as him, but remained shrouded mystery. I didn't want to admit to myself that I wasn't nearly as annoyed at him as I let on. I definitely wasn't going to admit to him that I didn't actually mind his company, and on the contrary, I might have even liked it.

Most of all, I was never going to admit to either of us that I liked it when he called me cute, even though I always hated the word.

_______________________________________

On a scale of one to ten, how much do you think you can relate to Luhan, or at least have at some point in your life?