“Hey” she turned to me and focused her eyes into mine. She dropped the cigarette and stomped on it using her military boots. I didn’t know that she smokes. She used to despise it when people smoke.

“Whatcha doing here?” she said, her back facing the railing now.

“Well, I arrived earlier than expected” I said while scatching the back of my head. She slowly nodded. Soon, she took off her sunglasses and hanged it in the collar of her blouse.

I sat on the bench near the railing as I stared at her. She looks so chic and edgy. Her brown eyeliner complements the brown military boots that she was wearing, giving her a tougher look with the sunglasses hanging in her blouse. Her lips still covered with that glamorous shade lipstick of hers. She looks tough, yet she has this elegant charm around her.

“H-Hey, about yesterday… I’m sorry” I stuttered, looking at the ground.

“It’s fine. I was the one who asked right? And…” she said but stopped for a while, as if she was hesitating. I still didn’t look at her.

“It doesn’t mean anything, right?” she stated. She sounds like she’s so sure of it and just asking for confirmation. I felt a pinch in my heart. I can’t blame her if for her it doesn’t mean anything. For her, I’m just someone she just knew personally three days ago while I knew her for a long long time ago.  How could I possibly compete with that?

“Y-yeah. It’s just for the game” I said while not looking at her direction.

Silence filled out conversation. Her eyes not looking at me while mine was searching something in her deep hazelnut eyes.

“BANG!” The door suddenly opened.

“Hey Pie, sorry if we’re late. I got the !” I heard someone familiar. I looked at the door’s direction and saw Jane trying to pull someone's hair as she enters the rooftop

Her jaw dropped when she saw me with Pie. I glanced at Pie. She was massaging her temples.

Something’s weird.

“H-Hey Tina! I-I didn’t k-know that you’re h-here” Jane stuttered while looking at Pie. Pie and Jane were looking at each other as if they’re talking telepathically.

“Let me go, ” I heard the person beside Jane said.

I glanced at the person which Jane was grabbing by her hair. Wait a minute. I know this person.

“Yam!?” I exclaimed.

Jane and Pie dropped their jaws when they heard me. I ran towards her.

“Jane, stop pulling her hair” I said, to which Jane quickly complied. I cupped Yam’s face with my palms and asked, “Are you okay?”. Yam nodded.

It’s like my eyes were fooling my brain. I could not believe this. I knew all about the rumors surrounding Jane and Pie. All of them are bad things about them. The whole university says that they are a bully but I didn’t believe because they were so nice to me.

Was I a fool for believing at them? Was I a fool for believing that the person I love won’t hurt a single person physically?

I shooked my head. There must be some mistake. I believe in Pie. She won’t ever lay a finger on a person even though she’s angry, even though that that person is her enemy. I looked at Pie’s eyes to look for some answers but she’s trying her best to look away at me. I turned to Jane. Somebody please tell me that my eyes are fooling me.

“Jane, are you trying to hurt her?” I said, trying to keep my composture. I looked at her eyes but she was looking away from me too. I clenched my fist. I feel like I’ve been betrayed. I thought that they were good but now, you’re telling me that they were about to hurt someone?

I took Jane’s silence as the answer. I turned my head to Yam and said, “Let’s go”. I grabbed her wrist. We were about to walk but I stopped when I heard Jane said, “Tina, this is a misunderstanding! You don’t know what that did to me”. What does that mean?

Whatever the reason is, I don’t want to hear anymore. My head is full of anger and dissapointment right now. I continued to walk with Yam.

-----------------

“Hey, thanks for helping me back there” Yam said, catching her breath since we walked really fast. I brought her inside the old storage room so that no one could see us.

“Are they hurting you always?” I asked coldly, still cannot believe what happened earlier.

Yam looked around before she nodded.

“At first, it’s only Jane but recently, Pie joined. She’s the worst” Yam said, releasing a huge sigh. I looked at Yam. How could they do this to her?

“Please, just stay away from them” I said to her. I don’t want Yam to get hurt again but I also don’t want to see Pie fighting, or worse, her getting hurt.

I touched my chest. I could still feel the pinch in my heart. Why is she doing this?

My reverie was broken when Yam asked, “So, you know them huh?”. I looked at her and nodded. I know them but do I really?

“So why do you look so shocked earlier?” she said.

“I… I only just knew them recently” I said, scratching the back of my head.

Her eyes opened quite wide when she heard me.

“Really? Why are you hanging out with them? They’re bad, Tina. Real bad especially for a top student like you” she said.

“How can you say that?” I told her. She’s speaking like she knew them personally.

“You’re joking, right? Hello. You’re Tina. Do you think that I don’t know that you were the one who got the perfect score in the entrance exam? Do you think people don’t know who you are? Every teacher likes you, girls like to be with you. Do you think I know your name for nothing?” she said. Wow. She sounds like an investigator.

“But how did you know that I was the one who got the perfect score? I thought the scores are confidential and exclusive to the professors only?” I said.

She crossed her arms on her chest.

“Yes. I just saw the scores in my father’s office” Yam said.

Father’s office? Who is her father?

“Excuse me?” I said.

“Oh yeah. My father is a professor here. Actually he mentioned your name to me the other day…” she said, she puts her finger to her chin as if she was thinking.

Why would her father know me? I can’t remember a professor that resembles Yam.

She opened her eyes wide and said, “Ah! You were the one he caught flirting with Pie!”. I accidentaly bited the wound in my lip when I heard that. What the heck? That nasty professor was her dad!?

Oh!

So Yam is the ty Horse that Pie mentioned!???

My jaw dropped with my sudden realization. I thought ty Horse would be someone who dresses and looks like… well… a . But looking at Yam, she’s so far from being a .

My reverie was broken again when I saw Yam waved a hand in front of my eyes.

“So, were you flirting with Pie?” she asked.

“No! She ran so hard to catch up with the class and she was sweating so I took my handkerchief and wiped her sweat. That’s it. We’re not flirting” I cleared out. How I wish we were.

She put her fingers to her chin once again.

“Okay, I believe you. Maybe I’ll clear it out to my Dad” she said. When I heard that, I felt happy. Maybe this will stop the professor to avoid mocking Pie.

“Really you would do that? Thank you Yam. Thank you” I said excitedly. I realized that from my excitement, I held her hands. I quickly pulled away.

“Y-Yeah sure” she stuttered. Probably found it awkward that a stranger held her hand.

I glanced at my watch and realized that my class will start at five minutes.

“Hey Yam, I’ll see you soon. I have to go now” I hurriedly said to her. She nodded at me and I ran as fast as I can to catch up with my class.

-------------------------

CLASSROOM

Finally, I reached the room before the class starts. I immediately opened the door and saw Zee. He was with Jane and the gang, laughing at the back part of the classroom. I looked around the classroom and there’s no sign of her.

Maybe she’s not taking this class?

But it’s strange. All of her friends are here. Why is she not here then?

Zee saw me and happily waved his hand at me. “Hey dude, come sit with us” he shouted. Even though his voice was heard all over the classroom, he didn’t care.

I stared at Zee. Does he even know that her girlfriend does horrible things to others? Even though Zee dates a lot, this is the first time I saw him happy with a relationship. If I told him about Jane, what would he feel? Is he going to be happy with that? Or did he know but still accepted that part of Jane?

My reverie was broken when I saw the gang looking at me. Puey was smiling at me while Nerd was staring at me apathetically. I wonder, does Puey and Nerd participate in the bullying? Or they knew but still go with Jane and Pie because they’re friends? Aren’t they scared that their names were also tainted due to Pie and Jane’s doings?

I looked at Jane. Somehow, she’s avoiding my eyes. I thought I was opening myself to Jane since I saw how sincere she was to Zee and Pie. Perhaps, is she only nice to the people that she likes but acts otherwise to the people she does not like? But I wonder, does she have a reason for hurting Yam? If there is, what is it? Does Pie had a reason to hurt Yam, too? Or did Yam do anything bad for Pie and Jane to act like that? I mean, there must be a reason, right?

I was about to walk towards them when I felt someone’s arm hooked to my shoulder. I turned around and to my surprise, I saw Yam beside me.

What is happening?

“Do you want to sit with me?” she giggled. My jaw dropped to what she did. I looked at the gang, they were also surprised. Why is Yam here? Are you telling me that we have the same class?

“BUGSH” someone bumped Yam. Maybe because we’re in front of the door?

“Hey! Watch where you’re going!” Yam shouted. The bump must have been strong since I felt Yam staggered. She removed her hands to my shoulders and crossed her arms to her chest.

I turned beside me to see who bumped Yam and to my surprise, it is Pie. . I could feel my heart beating so fast. How could she have this effect on me?

Pie bit her lower lip and crossed her arms too. I’m in an awe. I saw her glance at me but she quickly fixed her eyes to Yam.

“Why don’t you try snogging your boyfriend in another place? The doorway is not a place to snog, honey. Didn’t your father taught you that?” she said while smirking.

Oh no. This doesn’t look good.