Morning has arrived and Rei was the first to wake up, noticing a pair of arms around her waist and it belonged to none other than her best friend Suzune. A sigh slipped from unintentionally as she carefully peeled her arms off of her, not wanting to wake the other girl. 

Rei splashed a handful of cold water on her face and looked into the mirror, her solemn face staring right back of her. She didn't like what she was seeing, but she knew that mirrors reflected the truth. Rei had always despised pictures, and how people can manipulate them to make themselves and their lives appear more glamourous and lavish than it really is. Even if people post a picture of themselves with no filters, they change angles and lighting before they taking a picture they were finally satisfied with it and Rei just hated that sad reality. 

Quickly patting her face with a towel, Rei made herself a small sandwich before changing into her uniform and leaving. Rei felt slightly guilty for having some sort of jealousy towards Suzune but knew it wasn't her fault that she was better looking, smarter and more healthy. So instead, Rei told herself that she will change herself. 

"Rei!" 

Rei turned around to see Shila running towards her, her black hair flying behind her majestically as if she was filming a Pantene hair commerical. Smiling, Rei waved at her excitedly and slowed down her walking so Shila would have a chance to catch up to her.

"Hey Shila!"

She was wearing a white blouse, a black blazer and a black, tight pencil skirt that hugged her curves perfectly. 

"Are you going to school?," Shila asked.

"Yep, are you going to go to work right now?," Rei replied as they waited for the bus together. 

"Yeah." Shila replied. "I work at a restaurant right now. I'm just taking a gap year before I start University."

Rei nodded her head in fascination and continued to talk Shila about her life as well as sharing some of her own stories, but she preferred to listen to the latter talk more. Unfortunately for Rei, her bus stop was first, meaning that she had to bid goodbye to Shila and watch her drive away into the distance and knowing that she was once again alone. 

Rei walked to class for the first time alone, and to be honest, it didn't feel great. She was much more vulnerable to the constant teasings without Suzune yelling profanities to the other students since she doesn't like drawing attention to herself so she barely talks back when someone talks down to her. 

"So weak without your sidekick aren't you?" A student spat coldly and snatched her bag, flinging it onto the floor and watching it slide down the corridor. 

"Give it back..." Rei wanted to sound like she was demanding it, but it came out more like a feeble request.

"What if I don't want to?"

By now, a group of students have gather around the two, forming a barrier and holding the iPhones to record the fight. At this moment, Rei just wanted to curl into a ball and die.

"If you don't ing give her bag back, I'll knock you out cold.." Suzune's cold voice sent chills down the students back but sent a wave of relief washing over Rei. 

The crowd dispersed in a matter of seconds as the student quickly gave the bag back, but accidentally spilling the contents onto the floor. Growling lightly, Suzune and Rei crouched down to pick up the items and return it into the bag. 

"Why didn't you wake me up too?" Suzune asked, disappointment evident in her voice. 

Rei pursed her lips, chosing the right words to say, "You looked so peaceful when you were sleeping, I didn't want to wake you up."

Suzune sighed heavily, knowing that the girl's intentions were good but she could be too selfless somethings, causing harm to herself. "What would've happened if I wasn't here?"

The words hit Rei like a train. Questions enveloped her mind as she frantically searched her brain for a suitable answer to the question.

What would've happened if Suzune wasn't here?

Rei bit her lips as she was overthinking the rhetorical question Suzune asked. It didn't make Rei feel good and made her selfconscious about her presence and existence.

Am I just a burden