I tried not to fidget as I looked at the classroom clock for the hundredth time in the last 10 minutes. The teacher was going on and on about some philosopher he admired when it had absolutely nothing to do with politics- which is the course name, supposedly. 

The school itself was bigger than my old one. However, the maintenance was lacking. There were more than one gyms and a pool but it was all so...mediocre. The walls were the usual depressing colour every school has, dark beige. The hallways were wide but the school population made it harder for everyone to fit through so shoving and pushing each other was the way people dealt with it here. 

It’s not like people at my old school were any better but verbal and manipulative control was preferred over physical touches but this was just plain aggression.

I knew being the new girl would get me a couple of stares here and there but the number of looks I was getting was beyond frustrating, nerve-wracking, uncomfortable, creepy, utter violation of my privacy--

“Yo, Barbie” I felt a pat on my shoulder, snapping me out of my self-loathing.

...barbie??

I turned around with a frown as my eyes took in purple hair and pale skin of the woman in front of me, her jaw stretching to support the grin on her face.

“Class is over” She pointed at the clock which I had been obsessively glancing at. 

“Oh” 

I felt my face heat up because I probably wasn’t doing a good job at discreetly checking the time and missed the bell by getting carried away with my gloomy thoughts and now the class mostly empty.

“Do you even know where the cafe is?” She asked getting up and slinging on her knapsack as I shuffled to do the same.

Well...I wasn’t planning on going to the cafe but it didn’t hurt to find out for when I do want to venture out, or skip classes. 

“No, I have absolutely no idea” I shook my head with a small smile, avoiding the annoying habit of awkwardly scratching the back of my nape

“Well, I’m about to bless your day with a grand tour then! I’m Kim Jisoo” She stretched out her fist towards me.

“Lisa” I mumbled before awkwardly bumping my fist with hers.

She let out an amused chuckle before taking me by my arm towards the class exit. “Are you always this uptight or what?” 

Usually, I would take that as an offense but the little knowledge I have about public school is that everything is okay as long as you add, “I was just kidding, calm down”

Of Course, bambam told me this, so I’m not sure if it’s entirely correct

“I’m just new, that’s all. It’ll probably take me some time before I get used to this place. It’s kind of huge”

“So, it’s not the thirsty stares you’ve been getting since you got here?” She asked outright as we made another right and ascended down the stairs. I almost tripped on the way down.

Well, Kim Jisoo is certainly a blunt woman

“That’s part of it, yeah” I laughed as she just kept walking in the most casual way ever. If someone looked at us right now, it would be a shock that we’ve only met each other less than 5 minutes ago. And the skinship too, I thought glancing down at her arm wrapped around mine. I still don’t know why I didn’t push her hand away. Usually, I’m not affectionate with people whom I’m not familiar with unless they’re a close friend of mine, let alone a someone who I just met. 

“Well, don’t worry about the stares too much. It’ll go away as soon as-”

“YAH KIM JISOO!” a yell interrupted her mid-sentence as she slightly jumped from shock. Turning around with an annoyed stare.  

A girl with bangs just like myself, except darker in terms of colour, narrowed eyes, marched her way towards us like she was about to end Jisoo's life. 

“How dare you! You were supposed to be a true friend, how could you do this to me!” The girl screamed and went on and on about how Jisoo was the worst friend in the world and suddenly the arm Jisoo was holding me by felt tighter than before. 

“She’s just being dramatic because I went to a meeting where her crush was also present without telling her” Jisoo mumbled
 
I raised a brow in amusement but stayed quiet as I watched the loud girl’s face which was supporting a light shade of red as she flailed her arms everywhere, still cursing at Jisoo. Who was slowly losing her chill, if the grip on my arm was indicating anything

“SHUT UP SEULGI! IT’S NOT MY FAULT YOUR NEVER CARED TO JOIN ANY SENSIBLE CLUBS-”

“HEY! IM IN THE GAMING CLUB AND IT’S AWESOME” She relented crossing her arms in a huff.

“NOBODY CARES ABOUT THE GAMING CLUB JUST LIKE THE CHESS CLUB! SOME CLUBS ARE JUST NOT..-” she stopped herself as I bit the inside of my cheeks, not daring to let my laugh out.

Jisoo took a long breath, “look seul, It’s not my fault Irene was the student council member I was paired up with. Maybe if you joined a club, that would help you get off your lazy and require you to use your brain rather than the constantly staring at a screen for several hours then we wouldn’t have you thrown out” 

Irene...so woman?

“Who rejects a volunteer! My job would’ve been to set up tables before the festivals, I don’t think it requires a lot of brain cells for that!”

I clenched my fist as the rumble of laughter threatened to push its way out. Just what in the world was I witnessing

“Hey! Even volunteers have some standards. Not that saying that you don’t but you need at least an average of 70 percent to even be associated with the council”

Seulgi only huffed as she uncrossed her arms, “Whatever, I’m hungry. Let’s go- wait who’s that?” 

The girl finally calmed down as if she wasn’t yelling her lungs out mere seconds ago. The switch in her mood was quite alarming. The only evidence of that being her face displaying the light red shade form all the yelling.

I was kind of surprised that everyone else in the hallway was going on about their business. Completely unbothered about all the yelling going around, I guess this happened often. 

Either way, the way she was now looking at me. I couldn’t help but feel like I was being judged as she looked me up and down.

“Oh, this is Lisa!” Jisoo chirped, her hand gripping my arm again.

“Haven’t seen you around, you’re new?” She asked skeptically

“Yeah,” I said slowly, in case I might trigger her in some way and she would go off again. I don’t know about Jisoo, but I can’t handle it when people yell unecessary and especially if it’s over something stupid-like a crush

I guess she’s not the only one judging, I need to stop

“Well, I’m seulgi, Jisoo’s best friend, I’m sorry about what just happened. It’s not a usual thing, I promise! ” She smiled wid