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Wendy

“Miss Wendy!” I looked at the direction of the voice and found Valine, a student of mine. “Hi!”

“Oh. Hey.” I smiled at her and she asked me if she can share a table with me and who am I to decline?

“What are you doing here alone, Miss?” That’s my question, too. I ignored her question and gave her a smile. I’m just bored and I wanted some frozen yogurt so I’m here at House of Yogurt all by myself.

“I should ask you the same question.” I’m almost done with my yogurt and I should order another cup.

“I’m waiting for my brother,” she said a little too excited and I have no idea why, “and come to think of it—” she’s looking at me like she knows something I don’t, only if she’s my friend then I can curse her or something, I’m so tired of receiving that look, “you’ll look good with him! You’re on your late 20’s, right?”

So this is what the students do when they see their teacher(s) outside the school? Chat with them like they’re the best of friends? Maybe I’m a little (understatement) nerd during my high school years but this girl is making me so uncomfortable. I don’t do this. I never did this. I hide when I see my teachers.

“And you’re Korean too, right?” this kid is creeping the hell out of me. Maybe I should excuse myself like I have to go to the loo or whatever. I’ve always known that being a teacher is hard but I think I just realized that being a teacher is ing hard. I need a How To Deal With Students manual.

“Uh, yeah. But I grew up in Canada.” She clasped her hands and grinned.

“Fab. Let’s wait for him, Miss!” Why should I wait for her brother? I don’t even know her brother’s name or let alone her brother himself! So many things are frustrating me these days and these things are making their way up in my head. I’m going to explode soon.

“Uh…”

“I’m wondering why I’m the only person who’s excited to graduate… I hate high school! But it’s okay, two more months and I don’t have to look back ever again in hell we call high school.”

I smiled politely because that’s all I can do.

About ten years ago I was so excited to leave high school, too—but not because I hate it. It’s just that… maybe I was so young and was so excited and I was so in love with the fact that I’ll be in another country. It was crazy and I can still remember the look on my mom’s face when I left home.

If you’re going to ask me choose between high school and college, I’ll definitely choose college. Without a second thought. Sure, I was a happy high school student… but I was a happier college student. I’ve met so many people—the worst and the best—I’ve learned so many things about life (literally in a hard way).

“But one day you will realize that you’re not who you are at the moment if not because of whom you were during your high school years.”

“Well… maybe. But I don’t really care. After high school I’m so going to live my life that I’ll forget everything that’s happened in high school.”

I never really see her outside the classroom but this girl has some serious problem. With the exception of her asking me about my personal life, I think she won’t be saying that she hates high school too much for no reason at all. All I can do is hope for her to have the life she wanted.

Teachers do not dictate lives. At least that’s what I’ve learnt.

“Val!” she stood up immediately and next thing I know is that I’m being introduced to my student’s brother.

“Oh. Nice meeting you.” He smiled politely and I did the same. I really should go. I can’t be spending time with people I don’t really know. It’s not that it’s not okay (because I really like talking to strangers) but this is my student who just introduced me to her brother. It doesn’t feel right. “I’m Brian.”

He is good looking (he’s got manners) but I know enough good looking people so I’m really done with life. People should stop being beautiful. Especially that guy because there’s not a day in my life (after meeting him) that I stopped thinking of how beautiful he is. And as cheesy as it sounds, his flaws are also beautiful.

It’s just that… we stopped talking for over a year now. It just happened. I have not seen his face for over a year and I have no idea if he decided to grow a beard (I hope not) or something. I have no ing idea if he even dated some random girl—okay maybe they’re not really random but they are for me.

Everything was just… so perfect. So perfect that we overlook the things that made everything imperfect. We were so caught up with each other that we forgot about ourselves. A separation will be good for us—we’ve decided. But I’ve realized that it isn’t. We needed each other. I need him. I ing want him but I don’t know where he is.

I’ve stayed in contact with Jackson but I never asked him about him. He never really told me about him, too. It’s like we had a silent agreement that we can’t be talking about him—even though I want to know every single thing that’s happening to him.

Him is an overused pronoun in my head.

“Miss!” I turned red. I was spacing out again. “Are you okay?” she grinned and she looked at her brother and then me. I realized that he’s also staring at me. This is awkward.

“Yes, yes, of course.” I stood up and cursed myself in silence. I just embarrassed myself in front of a student. “It’ll be really nice to talk to you guys but I remembered that I have some errands to run. I have to go.”

I immediately walked out of the shop because… just because. It’s crazy. I just saw someone beautiful but there goes my mind… thinking about him again. It’s crazy how one word can bring out thousand memories.

House of Yogurt is not that far from my apartment—it’s just a fifteen minute walk—so I don’t have to bring my car with me when I’m craving for yogurt. I made sure I’m near this place (House of Yogurt) because after all these years, I’m still a little too addicted with yogurt.

This is weird because I think… a car is following me. So when I turn to see if the car is really following me, it stopped. Confirmed—especially when the driver went out of the driver’s seat and approached me.

I couldn’t me more surprised.

He’s smiling at me but it’s an apologetic one. He pointed at his car and told me that his sister asked him to follow me. “I told her that it’s not right but she’s really persistent. It’s crazy. She won’t stop so I agreed. I’m really sorry. She said we should drop you off wherever you’re supposed to go.”

“But you really don’t have to.” I have to remind myself to talk to his sister. “Really.”

“I told you, she’s not going to stop. Let us drop you off. I’ll tell her not to bother you again.” Yeah. But you should’ve done that before this. I really don’t want to go!

It’s ing inappropriate!

“Come on. I’m telling you,” he looks frustrated but I’m not going to give in, “She’s not going to stop. She’s persistent and she’s used in getting what she wants. She’ll nag at me endlessly if you won’t let us do it.” Well you should’ve taught her that she’s not going to get everything she wants! “I don’t even understand, okay? And I do think it’s inappropriate but just think of it this way: I’m a guy who’s offering to give you a ride who will not cause you any harm. And just in case that I will, I promise you can fail Val in your class.” Is she that spoiled or…

I can’t believe this guy. He’s just the same with her sister. But he’s doing this because of his sister and I might find it adoring if his sister is not my student.

“And I can report you the police in case you tried to kill me?” he’s looking at me now like I’m the crazy person here but I think I have to remind him that between us, he’s crazier than me. Why’d he agreed with his sister anyway? Is she that annoying or something? Or she’s just too spoiled or what?

“And it’s not like we’re going to do something you know.” I glared at him because he has no right to said that. “Okay. Sorry. I didn’t mean to say that. I was just trying to say that I’m not going to do anything to you. I’m not going to kidnap you or throw you in the middle of nowhere. Last time I checked, I’m a good person.”

I start walking again because I really don’t want to say yes. What if someone sees us? It just… doesn’t feel right. And for some odd reasons I do feel like if I’m g