I continued to stare at the thing in front of me, its green jaws slammed shut, giving me an evil grin. I tried not to look at the three arrows embedded on its chest as I worked on prying open the mouth to get what I wanted. It struggled, giving its last effort before submitting to my hands. Breaking apart the mouth, I reached in and grabbed the black treasure hidden deep in its belly, rustling as I pulled it out of its master.

Did I mention to you that it's recycling day?

Dumping the trash bag onto my table, I rummaged through the piles of paper inside, pulling out bottles, ziplock bags, sweet wrappers, and all other kinds of junk. Using my thumb and index finger, I pulled out a slimy used tissue (eww!) and immediately threw it into the bin.

What part of 'paper only' do my classmates not get?

Seriously, this has been going on for the past few weeks. Maybe I can close one eye for tissue as it is made of paper material, but bottles, plastic bags, sweet wrappers, UNIFORMS?!

Sometimes, I wonder how did people get into my class.

I vented out all of my anger onto Sunggyu during recess time. "Can't you believe it?! Plastic bags! In a paper recycling bin!" I exclaimed, my mouth full of rice, meat and vegetables. I have always had this bad habit of talking with my mouth full, and today is no exception. "Someday, I'm going to go on a recycling strike."

"Chill, girl." Sunggyu replied, eating his meal like the 'gentlemen' he has always been. "Like you could ever do that." I wanted to rebuke him so bad but I just couldn't find the words. He's right. No matter how mad I am with the class, I'll still take care of it. He knows, since he always accompanied me whenever I stayed back in school to clean up the classroom. Nobody ever questions why the classroom looked cleaner, or who actually picked up their discarded milk cartoon and threw it into the bin. All they do is make a mess, like they always do. It not getting any recognition for what I have done for the class.

Occasionally, the school does host some contests between the classes on things like decorating the classrooms for special occasions, such as the recent lunar new year celebrations. I worked hard on the decor and was almost late for cram school. Thankfully, we did get first place, and we showered with delicious junk food. So what's so bad about it, you may be wondering. By the time I went to get my share of the goodies, there wasn't a single snack that I could take back. I would have burst into tears if my classmate who worked with me on the decor didn't tell of my efforts in the project, and one of the girls reluctantly gave me a packet.

Of course, the only person I told this to was Sunggyu (I really need girl friends, don't I?), who at that time was a more worried about IU's appearance that my frustration. "You know," I told him. "You could always tell her to stop."

"You don't think I have tried?" He questioned, arching an eyebrow in disbelief. Duh, of course I know, especially since he always did it when I'm around. IU somehow like to disturb us whenever she sees us together, adding more fuel to the already brightly burning rumours. Current rumour status: Sunggyu and I are in a relationship. Jieun likes Sunggyu, and gets jealous about us. So she always butts in.

The root attachment, that only we know of, was that she was missing her former attachment, the nerd. Mind you, even he didn't like her company. No, he hated it. IU ended up going after Sunggyu was because he was good friends with him. I was good friends with the nerd too, and believe it or not, she butted in then as well.

"Why not get a restraining order then?" I suggested, scrapping my bowl clean.

"Hey, you think everyone's as rich as you?"

"I not rich! I'm just more well of than others."

"That is being rich!" Sunggyu commented back. "Look, you have two computers, 3 PSPs, a DS, one Wii console, an almost everyone in your family has a smartphone, not to mention the tv in your living room. How is THAT not being rich?"

"Well, we don't live in a bungalow for that matter, neither were all those things cheap. You know how frugal I am, oppa. I'm contented with even half of the things I own. Besides, you know I'm the only one who still doesn't use a smartphone." Now it was his turn to shut up. He knows what I'm like, especially since I always force him to finish all his rice, down to the smallest grain.

"Fine, but I still don't have the money to get a restraining order."

"Then just tell the teacher."

"What can the teacher do?"

"Everything! They're teachers! Furthermore," I added. "I don't think any teacher would approve of the forced skinship she's giving you."

"Easier said then done."

"C'mom, Sunggyu. You either tell, or bear with it for the rest of the year and be scarred for life. Would you want that?" The rest of the year? He immediately jumped at that phase. It in itself was unimaginable.

"I'll think about it." He mumbled, finishing his plate.

"Think about it soon, because I have a feeling she's coming soon..." Right on cue, IU jumped onto Sunggyu again, wrapping her arms around his chest.

"Help." He mouthed to me, trying the get her hand off him. Instead, I picked up my bowl and walked away, leaving him in his dire state. "Lost cause." I mouthed back, chuckling a little.

"It's a lost cause."

Project works.

My ultimate most hated type of homework. Some people may actually like doing project works, since they can worked with their close friends and do their homework together. Remember, though, I don't have any close friends in my class. My okay friends usually end up with their own friends, so I get caught in the sea of endless searching. Most off the time, I end up placed in a group of people who obviously don't want my presence. This would have to continue every time, considering that my class has 27 pupils. Odd number, always a odd one out. With 27, there would be a three people who won't be in a group when split into fours, right? The teacher usually gives two options. One, form a group with one less member. Or two, find a group that you would want to join.

Trust me, neither of the choices were good ones.

The first one usually ends up with me pairing up with the laziest people in my class (why do you think they don't get choosen in the first place?). They would push ALL of the work to me and expect a good report by the due date. Honestly, it's not easily juggling my homework plus a project meant for four people at the same time. I still have to do the work well, regardless of my schedule, since project works are usually included in our CAs. In the end, our group usually gets pretty good marks, with almost all of it my credit. Guess what? They still get the same marks even if they didn't lift a finger.

The second option isn't a walk in a park either. Firstly, imagine trying the find a group that doesn't give you death glares when you look at them. I would usually get the teacher to pick a group for me, as they obviously can't object a teacher's decision. Then the same thing happens. They get mad, toss the work to me, then expects a good report by the due date. The better thing about this option is that I at least have a chance to convince them to do part of the work, therefore contributing to the project regardless of our insignificant they're part was. I'm glad when they do, since it eases a bit of the load on my shoulders.

Have I ever think of payback before? Not really. There were times when I felt like trashing the project do that they would end up with bad marks, however considering how the project would affect me too, usually ends with me discarding that thought. There were times when I'll tell my teacher, and she would get them to work, though most of the time just doing the presentation. The best payback, in my opinion, would be getting better results than my group members do for my exams. The knowledge I gained from doing the project have always been a big help. I would wave my result slip in front of their faces, showing off the fruits of my labour that I truely deserved, with a big smile plastered on my face.

Until then, I imagine myself flipping my front desk whenever the teacher announces a new group assignment.