Practice Love
The Practice

#Practice 020
Suspicion likely happens when things changed.

Why didn't you wake me up?

Why aren't you answering your phone?

Are you sick?

Mia, this isn't funny anymore. Answer the phone, please. 

The phone that she left on the table constantly buzzed, flooded with messages from him. Mia squeezed her eyes shut, her hands covered her ears as she bit her trembling lips. Why... She shook her head vigorously, not wanting to recall the words he unconsciously mumbled. She couldn't believe it, she didn't want to, she refused to. 

He must have been hallucinating. She convinced herself. Because there's no way this is going to happen. 

She took a deep, shaky breath and forced her eyes open. Her hand reached for her phone before she replied the message. 

I'm fine. You slept like a log. 

She tried to joke it off, forcing her trembling fingers to press the "send" button before letting out of sigh of relief. Her hands dropped by her side as she looked at the black clock ticking. The hand of the clock ticked slowly, just like her heart that was selfishly screaming in pain, her mind that constantly reminded her of his words with each tick of the clock. 

"I..." She shook her head and pulled her arm over her eyes. For once, she felt tired, exhausted and sick of the color that refreshed in her mind. She tightened an empty grip on her fist, and she bit her lips. No, sick would be a lie. She knew that, but she can only convince herself to keep her distance from now onwards.  

"I like you, Mia..." 

She has decided.

She was going to pretend that it didn't happen.

And that's what she'll do. 

"Care to explain why didn't you wake me up yesterday?" His voice was the first thing she heard after the boring sounds that she have heard in her apartment room. The sound of the shower, the sound of her hairdryer, the sound of the toaster... everything seemed to echo his name even when truthfully, it was simply her being delusional.

She pursed her lips and looked away, trying her best to shift her attention to anywhere else but at him. "I already said it." She mumbled and walked pass him, making sure to keep her bag secured by her side to prevent him from taking it from her.

She couldn't risk having the feelings he have to grow anymore. She was determined to cut it off once and for all.

And for her to succeed, she'll have to shut down all physical contact with him.

Mark sighed and followed her. For some reason, it felt as if she was pulling a far distance between them. The way her grip tightens on the strap of her bag, and the way her feet seemed to pace faster when he takes a larger step forward... It's odd. He furrowed his brows as he watches her ran across the road when the lights were about to turn red, leaving him at the other side of the road. 

I'll go first. He heard her mumble as she seemingly casually waved her hand and left him there. 

He bit his lips then.

Too odd. 

For the first time in awhile, the students had witnessed Mark Tuan walking to school alone. Though it had been the case back then, but after knowing that Mark and Mia were practically inseparable, the sight of him walking to school without a certain ice princess seemed so odd that it became the hot topic in school. Mark heaved a sigh and entered his classroom, earning a loud morning greeting from his group of friends who for being a loner today.

"Why so sad, lover boy?" Jackson grinned as he nudged Mark who responded with a glare. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Rian smiling vaguely at the side, Yoojin sitting on his desk as he greets Mark briefly.

"Where's Mia?" Rian asked, trying to sound cheerful, but in fact, the frown on her brows started to give away.

Mark shrugged his shoulders casually and hooked his bag on his seat before settling down. "She left me at the traffic light." He answered shortly and propped his chin on his palm.

"So she left you." Junior gasped playfully, and everyone else did the same. "Lee Mia dumped Mark Tuan! Oh gosh, there goes my ship." Hysterically, both Jackson and Junior faked a cry and hugged each other.

Youngji shook her head and covered her face in embarrassment. "I don't know you people." She turned to Rian who simply chuckled.

"Did you guys fight or something?" Jackson asked and folded his arms. "What did you do man?"  

First she left me in the bus, and now... Mark ignored the teases coming from his friend