O N E

I shot Mark a look. “What?” I asked.

His usual grin is back again. He’s just so hard to understand. Sometimes he will come off as this snob neighbor, sometimes he acts as if we’ve been friends for years. Sometimes he looks so dumb but then he will surprise you by so many things and he’s no longer the dumb one. I claimed the shotgun seat and now I have a better view of him. “What?” his voice sounds innocent but that kind of voice is the one you shouldn’t trust.

“What?” I dared again.

“What?” I pulled my hair out of frustration this time. “You’ve been asking me what and I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I groaned. I didn’t know he’s able to someone’s mood up. I thought it was my specialty. “Just drive, okay? I’ll explain everything.”

“Seriously.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing. Just buckle up already.”

“Fine.”

***

I keep on thinking about what happened earlier. Sure, I made them promise to seal their mouths. I even made them cross their hearts (except that it was only Nayeon who promised me because Mark stayed silent the whole time).

Okay not literally the whole time because he said something like “it’s not my business, anyway” and my personal favorite—sarcasm intended because it offended me down to my bones—“you’re not my business”. I mean, aren’t we friends or something? Maybe not but he could’ve sugarcoated it or something because I am already in hell.

I don’t think I should be guilty because I’ve been with Brian even before he started teaching but I am. Ah, I’m not even sure how he ended up teaching high school students. I still have to ask him about it. But maybe not now. I can’t let Brian lost his job because of me. I don’t even give a damn about reputations or any like that. They don’t have the right to judge me. But Brian, it will affect him more than it will affect me. We really have to be careful.

Or I should be careful.

It’s Friday night and I literally have nothing to do except from thinking about things that stresses the out of me. I finished all my assignments and I don’t feel like going to Frank Evans’ party… damn, I should get a life.

I want to call Bri and assure him that everything is fine… or will be. We won’t get busted by the entire population of Arcadia High School. I want to talk to him about literally everything so I can get off my mind to some matters—aka Mark Tuan. Seriously. But the real question here is why am I still thinking about it?

This isn’t a cliché love story where you fall in love with someone else when you’re already in a relationship.

I want to go swimming but my sister doesn’t have a pool. However, the Tuans does. Should I go pool jumping again (it’s not my fault that the fence that separates my sister’s house from theirs is not that tall)? Last time I did it, just the summer before classes resumed, no one noticed. I think. Even though I lost my necklace there. Bri gave it to me and I already told him about it. He just laughed at me and made me promise to take care of the things that he had given me. Or will give to me. Although I am fully aware that he was sad about it. He’s actually quite sentimental.

I changed into more appropriate clothes before sneaking in. I’m not on swimsuit or anything like that. Just a plain white shirt and a pair of shorts.

I slowly let the water consume me—as dramatic as it sounds—when I hear a splashing sound. Like someone dived into the pool I’m in. I remained silent on the side of the pool, trying to breathe under water. I’m more scared to get busted than to die breathless under water. Whoever this person is, I hope it isn’t Mark Tuan. I think it’ll be easier to handle Mr. and Mrs. Tuan than him.

“Pool jumping eh?” But of course the luck isn’t on my side. Again. Wow, this day is just too much for me. “Surprise, surprise?”

I’m panting when I let myself breath properly. “Shut up.”

“Why are you here?”

“You already said it.”

“I don’t think you’ll ever fail in surprising me.” He grinned mischievously before closing the distance between us. He’s a head taller than me so it really that I have to look up just to see his face. I want to push him away and tell him to off but I’m not the one to talk. Besides, his bare torso makes me want to hide in my closet and never come out again. It’s not my fault I grew up with my dad as the only person with XY chromosome in family. I don’t usually see guys flaunting their bodies like this. Models don’t count.

“Can you like,” I had to look away before he sees my stupid blushing face, “Go away?” I even motioned the ‘shoo’ with my hands.

“I should be the one shooing you away, you little rebel.”

“You don’t usually talk but when you do,” what Wendy? “I don’t know. You’re stressing me out.”

“I’m not even doing anything.” Maybe. But you’re still stressing me out.

“But you’re still stressing me out.”

“Wendy?” He looked down a bit and then he looked away. I tried looking down too and that’s when I remembered that I’m wearing black brassier under a white shirt.

“Are you seriously looking at my chest?”

“But you’re also looking at mine.” Thi