"Laws of proximity state that two polar opposites cannot stay within close proximity of each other before the force of attraction pulls them together."

The hand that had been writing notes faltered while hearing these words for some reason. I rubbed my forehead, ridding myself of whatever was inhibiting my steady thought process, and tuned my ears in on the lecture. My psychology class was small, consisting of around twenty or so people - much less than the typical thirty plus that most other courses have. However, I enjoyed the select group as it made for interesting conversations and a chance to see them as more than their reputations have preceded them.

Reaching the end of class, I was about to get up from my seat when someone tapped on my shoulder, causing me to crane my neck around to face none other than Park Chanyeol. He held a pencil up close to my chin and I felt my mouth open and close in silent questions I couldn't find the words to form.

"You lent me your pencil last class and I never gave it back. So here it is," he explained with a signature toothy smile that I'd only ever seen him direct at his buddies.

"I did?" I asked stupidly, but took the writing utensil nonetheless with a nod of gratitude. I would've remembered him asking me for anything or acknowledging me at all. It wasn't easy to forget talking to a person of his sort with his lively personality and in-your-face mannerisms. 

Chanyeol laughed and the sound was deep and booming to my eardrums. "You did. Thanks, by the way. See you!"

"No problem." The weak reply was lost as he flitted out of the room smoothly. I fiddled with the newly acquired pencil in my hands and scrunched my nose upon inspecting it further.

It wasn't even mine.

I'd long ago accepted the fact that I was far too gone to understand my peers, but this interaction alone was an anomaly. I was positive he had mixed me up with someone else and that it had to be a mistake. A strange, out of place mistake. Plus, it was just a pencil. What was the harm in getting another pencil, even if on accident? 

Chanyeol was long gone by the time I followed his pathway into the halls, and I ignored the crowd filing into the cafeteria in favor of a less populated area where I could hear myself think. My choice was always the rooftop, as cliche and predictable as it was. Not because it provided the nicest view but rather because of the small garden that only few were aware of.

I learned about it my first year completely on accident. I initially went to the roof with the intention of scrubbing off graffiti as a favor to a teacher, which concurrently introduced me to the garden. Later, I found out that one of our Biology professors - Mr. Tsan - had been tending to it since he began his work at the school and was keen on keeping the knowledge of it limited to a few people.

"Teenagers these days can be destructive," he'd joked with a wink. "But you don't seem like the type, so visit whenever you wish."

From then on, I spent a lot of time up there. Free periods, lunch time, breaks, any empty time I was forced to stay within school grounds were spent in the company of gardenias and carnations. This seemed especially nice that day, however the door leading to the stairwell was locked to suggest that it was closed off for maintenance. My shoulders sunk while I stepped away in search of a new place. There were many other places one could go to be left alone, but none eased me the way the rooftop did.

I perked up upon noticing I wasn't the only one who lingered within the scarcely occupied halls. His steps were brisk and his head was lowered, yet I was sure his countenance was less than welcoming. His closed off stature could've been taken as shy, but instead it held a hanging threat in the air that I knew everyone else was aware of as well.

Following Kyungsoo was stupid. The very notion of it was stalkerish and highly unlike myself. In spite of this, I couldn't stop my own feet from mimicking his steps. I berated myself with every foot I gained on him because he obviously wished to be alone and I was knowingly depriving him of that. All I could think of was his withdrawn expression and the warmth of his arm in a cold bus. Shaking the curiosity I harbored towards him was impossible.

He directed himself - and me, by extension - to the area of the school that many people avoided under the belief that it was haunted. I never believed in stuff like that, so my unfamiliarity with the area was less about fear and more about ignorance. I had just begun to think he was going to turn a corner when suddenly he spun on his heel to glare straight at me and I froze, almost tripping on my own foot in the process.

No words left him. The only thing he offered was an accusatory narrowing of his eyes that made me fidget with the hem of my shirt. I felt like a kid getting caught stealing a cookie from a cookie jar. And he hadn't even started scolding me.

When a minute or so passed and silence remained in the air, he sighed impatiently and jutted his chin in my direction with clear expectations of an explanation.

"I didn't mean to follow you! I mean, I did, but not in a creepy way—" He scoffed and that made me re-evaluate my word choice. "—that's not to say it isn't creepy. Because it is! It's just...I'm sorry." My head lowered in apology.

A resigned hand ran down his face and I wondered when he was going to explode. A part of me wanted him to say something, anything. That would've been a lot less unnerving than the nothing he was currently displaying. I could handle yelling and being called names if that was what it meant to atone for my actions, but hi