“What are your hobbies, Suzy?”

She stiffened, feet stopping. I paused next to her, stooping down to peer at her downcast eyes.

“Earth to Suzy, hello?” I pinched her cheek lightly and a snigger threatened to escape my lips when her hand automatically came up to swat my hand away. “Can you hear me?”

“I hear you loud and clear, captain.” She replied, sarcasm so evident in her tone. “I was just gathering my thoughts.”

“Was my question so hard to answer immediately? It actually needed you to ‘gather your thoughts’, woah.” I teased, quoting with my fingers in the air and a scowl formed on her face. “I’m incredible.”

The corners of her lips tugged upwards. “Don’t kid yourself. You ain’t ‘incredible’.” She followed me, her fingers quoting in the air and I pushed out my lower lip into a pout.

She chortled, her feet returning to work as she began to walk again.

“You haven’t answered my question, Suzy.” I fell into step with her. “Are you perhaps… avoiding the topic?”

She ignored me, pointedly increasing her walking speed as she pulled away from me.

“Excuse you!” I yelled after her as she broke into a run just as I once again fell into step with her, increasing my walking speed to that of a brisk walk. “Yah!”

Her bushy (it’s been less wild recently) hair swung behind her as she sped down the path. With a determined growl, I dashed after her. My long legs enabled me to catch up to her in no time, her shocked expression after realising that I’m next to her so priceless on her face.

“Or… Do you not have a hobby?”

She screeched to a halt, the wild mane on her head obscuring parts of her face and I found my fingers spazzing for reasons unknown. They subconsciously reached up towards her face, combing and tucking strands behind her ears.

“I-I do.”

She lifted her head up, and her flushed cheeks was all that I could see. It was as though the world around me had gone dark, and she was the only one emanating light; attracting my attention, commanding it and not letting it go.

“W-What is it t-then?” I stammered, my mind ordering my eyes to tear themselves away from her but they wouldn’t. They stubbornly stayed on her face even though the tinge of red was gradually subsiding.

“Uh… I… like cooking.”

“Really…” I raised my brows as she rolled her eyes at my scepticism. “Are you sure?”

“Next time, come over for dinner after school. I’ll wow you with my superb dishes.” With a smirk thrown my way, she continued walking. She must not have listened to her words for she could so casually walk away.

But I couldn’t. I had listened, I had caught every single word she had spoken.

Go over to her house for dinner… Won’t I meet her parents then…? Does she want me to meet her parents? Wait, doesn’t that mean that she wants to introduce me to them…!?

My eyes drifted after her, gazing at her back as she strolled off with her arms swinging up and down.

Won't that make me her... boyfriend? What am I to her anyway? A friend? Someone more than a friend?

"Yah! Wait up!" I caught up to her easily for the umpteenth time that evening and swung an arm around her, causing her to shriek. She tried to weasel out from under my arm but I had her under my lock and key, she won't be getting away from me any time soon.

We continued to walk down the path beside the canal, our bodies staying like that. The surroundings was silent as usual, and I was able to hear her steady, rhythmic breathing. She was also humming under her breath, albeit extremely soft but in an environment that promotes quietude, I heard it loud and clear.

"What song are you humming?"

"Oh, it's a song you won't know." She replied matter-of-factly, and I know she meant no ill will but somehow, it had hurt me.

"Fine." I pursed my lips, my arm unconsciously pulling her closer to me. She lost her balance and I felt her arms wrapping around my waist in a bid to hang on, my eyes registering the top of her head rushing towards my chin and it wasn't long before I tumbled backwards.

Fotunately, I landed on the soft grass behind me. Propping myself up with my elbows, I found her face unceremoniously shoved in front of mine.

Her spectacles had somewhat fallen off her nose ridge, hanging lopsidedly on her face. It exposed her brown orbs and the expression of both shock and embarrassment formed on her flushed face.

With the disappearance (somewhat) of the hideous spectacles that obscures those eyes, I could clearly see the shade of brown that enraptures me every time. I could drown in the goodness of those chocolates and never want to leave.

"I'm sorry!" She squeaked, pushing herself off me and jamming the spectacles back up on her nose. "I lost my balance..."

"It's alright. It was my fault anyway, my arm acted on its own and pulled..." I dropped to a mumble after realising what I was about to say. I sat up, following her example and placed my bag on the grass. I surveyed my surroundings and to my delight, it was the exact location of where my dance goddess performs everyday.

"I know this place." I piped up, and I could feel my face glowing as my mind visualised my goddess dancing in the space. "My dance goddess dances here, though I haven't seen her for ages."

I frowned and my eyes managed to catch Suzy stiffening, her jaws tightening as her eyes seemed to stare out at the canal.

"Suzy...? Is something wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm just remembering what you said about us being similar and all."

"Oh. Oh yeah! The two of you look so alike when you remove your spectacles. I almost thought you could pass off as her if you would just straighten your hair." I shot a cheeky grin at her as my hands played with