Another School year is fast approaching. Just days to go and I’ll be an official sophomore. I really don’t like my classmates when I was in first year the reason why I hang out mostly with my basketball teammates even when we’re all in different sections. I feel like a nomad wandering about, but what can I do? They group themselves. One particular group that thrive from our section is the alpha rose. Lame name for a lame group. It comes from their half Japanese leader Nanami Rose or simply Rose. It’s a group of boys and girls who talked and laugh obnoxiously in corridors where everyone is passing by. Rose is the leader because she usually finances the group’s rendezvous. I’ve been in one or two of their meetings as Rose and I we’re cool. We’re not exactly friends but we’re more than just acquaintances. I don’t like the fact that they always bring out alcohols and they even encourage smoking. Hell I know we’re teenagers but to introduce vices to someone this early should be warrant an arrest. I don’t like this lifestyle they choose for themselves. . I’m neither a saint nor hoping to be one, but I’m not in hurry to grow up. I’ll be there at some point in my life. If they think booze, cigarette and lying to their parents are their way of saying they’re matured then I’m proud to say I’m childish. I don’t have anything to prove to anyone.

Hopefully this school year will be a different one from the hellish previous year.
I just come back home. I was out with my teammates and some higher years playing ball. Since first year when I try out for the team and got accepted it became a habit to meet with them to practice or just casual play even now while on vacation. I’m a little sad that I wasn’t able to play much during actual games. Sehun said I should be thankful, at least I got accepted among dozens of hopefuls to think I’m the only first year that got into the varsity team. He said I’ll get my chance soon. Hopefully that chance will be this school year.

xoxo

“Krystal, phone.” my Nanny Hyo told me while she handed me a face towel for my sweat. We have two other maids but she’s my personal nanny since I was a baby and I love her dearly.

“Don’t go to your room yet, wipe those sweat first.” she warned putting down a bottle of powder, until now she still think I’m a baby. She knew I’ll open the AC in full power to lessen this damn heat in my body.

I handed her my duffle bag but I took the paper bag where I put some new scrunchies given by GookJu. I don’t even need those having a very short hair.

“I’ll go prepare your snack. Don’t forget to drink your growth vitamins. You always forgot that one…” she said as she turns to her heels. I purposely forgot because it doesn’t work! As a serious basketball player I want to add some more centimetres so I’ve been drinking those since forever. My brother said it really takes time… but it’s taking eternity! Not that I’m short, in fact I usually stand at the back during ceremonies but it’s still an advantage inside the court having tall stature.

I pick up the phone. “Hey?” I said. There are only two people who call our home phone. Sehun and my brother Isaac who resides in the U.S. Who uses landline anyway?

“Soojung?” he asked, no matter how many times I scold him not to call me by my Korean name he still keeps insisting on it.

“Um” I answer. I should have called him Willis but it sounds funny even in my head.

“I was in the school earlier.” he begins slowly as I inspect the colourful bands. Gookju said she’ll be growing out her hair in preparation for their JS prom so she bought tons of scrunchies. She advised us to do the same since 11 out of 16 players have short hair including me. I like my hair short it’s practical and convenient.

“So?” I said as I put the phone between my ear and my shoulder still busy with the scrunchies.

“We’re in diffident sections…” I stop what I’m doing and clutch the phone back to listen to him. But no, he didn’t utter a word. So did I.

“Ah. I see.” I said for what it seems like forever. Every year they jumbled the students except for the pilot section. They say, in the name of equality and I’ll help us to adapt and learn more. Somehow I’m grateful for that rule. There will be higher chances that the alpha rose will disperse and it brings ease to my mind.

“Yeah…” he said after a while. We were both quite trying to gauge each other or at least that’s what I’m doing. At this moment I realize we’ve been doing this a few times. No talk, no words, separated by distance, we’re not even facing each other and yet we understand each other. Sad but what can we do? This kind of situation is out of our hands…

I thought that was it… it was your way of saying goodbye. I was sad that’s all I know. But then again what are the odds? Out of the hundreds of students at least we’ve became friends?

Like then, Odds has never been on our favour.