“How do I look,” Amira twirled in her yellow and black plaid skirt and posed goofily for Eunha.

“Amazing,” Eunha smiled, “for a person wearing the same thing we wear to school every day.”

Amira pushed Eunha lightly, but her scoff couldn’t help but turn into laughter.

She opened her eyes, leaning her head back and letting the wind blow through her curly afro.

“Is it just me or is this morning spectacularly beautiful?” she asked, spinning.

Eunha grabbed one of Amira’s spinning hands and pulled her to the sidewalk.

“It’ll become less beautiful if you get hit by a car, lovesick girl.”

It was Monday. The first Monday since Mingyu’s party and Amira was cured. For the first time in years, she’d be able to look at Joshua like a completely normal person. Or as normal as a person with a normal crush could look at a person.

She inhaled the smell of the last of summer and sighed.

“Ugh, smells like freedom. Like sanity.”

Eunha swung their held hands.

“Do you know what you’re going to say to him?”

Amira smiled.

“Nope.”

“No?” Eunha asked, genuinely surprised.

“I’ve made up so many conversations between us in my head. I want to know what real life is like, you know? I don’t want to think about it. I want it to be natural. And perfect.”

They walked beside the path of planted trees next to the sidewalk leading to school.

“What about Mingyu?”

“What about him?” Amira side eyed.

“Are you going to talk to him?” Eunha, held the door open for Amira and Amira held it open for the person behind her.

“Why would I?”

“I don’t know…” Eunha said, rolling her eyes then cupping a hand to Amira’s ear and theatrically whispering “because you kissed?”

Amira blushed, pushing her friend to the side.

“Shh! The walls have ears! Under no circumstances shall we recall The Incident. Just because I spent 10 minutes alone with… him… for the first time in our lives probably, doesn’t mean we’re now bound for life or the rest of our high school career.”

Amira tugged on her backpack straps, walking into the classroom confidently but aware and ready to make the most of the simple act of stepping through the doorway. Joshua had to be there already. He was always early with his books and pencils on his desk, in perfect place. Usually sitting down, staring out the window, his hand tucked under his chin or staring up and laughing with his friends. His big eyes shining brightly and his teeth showing off an inhuman whiteness, it couldn’t’ve just gotten from toothpaste.

She walked to her desk, eyes focused on the back of his head. Beautiful brown hair with a halo gleam from the fluorescent lights above.

And then, it was turning. In slow motion, it seemed his profile came into view. A long nose with the cutest bump ending, a smaller upper lip that curved deep, and long eyelashes any girl would be envious of. Until finally, there he was. In complete view, a sight she hadn’t allowed herself to take in lately. Because her body didn’t know how to anymore. It was too much to hold.

And she thought today would be different. She thought the party had stretched her limit just enough to handle something as measly as eye contact. But then she forgot to breathe. And how to move.

“Amira?” Eunha, grabbed hold of the sleeve of her friend from behind and gently shook but Amira didn’t respond.

“Yo, Evans.”

Her eyes moved before her brain told them to, before she clearly registered the voice coming in front of her. It was Mingyu, lightly smirking with his sharp canines. Looking so at ease, it was suspicious.

And her breath came back with a small choke on air.

Eunha patted her side gently, before pulling her to her desk and making her sit down, like the caretaker to an elder.

“Y-yes?” Amira asked, focusing on Mingyu, who was sitting in front of her and not Joshua who was sitting one person behind her right neighbor.

“Just wanted to say,” he paused, thinking. “Thanks for coming to the party.”

It only took a second for boyish snickers to begin, causing Amira’s cheeks to take on a rare tomato undertone beneath her bronze skin.

She gulped and looked away, embarrassed and pissed. She didn’t need to look over at Eunha to know her friend was immediately in “say one more thing, I’ll kill you myself” mode.

Great. The Incident had followed her to school, regardless of her trying to quickly move on. So much for keeping lowkey.

He looked like he was just about to face forward when he whispered just loud enough for her to hear, “I had a lot of fun.”