CHAPTER 2

Taeyeon parked her old rusty Volkswagen beetle at the space where she usually parks it. It’s like they have their own parking space at school even though they never paid a parking space, they just respect each other’s spaces. It’s just like a seat in the classroom or a table in the cafeteria. But Taeyeon wanted to change her parking space because she has always have to deal being beside Jessica’s Volkswagen Beetle Convertible. Why do they have to have the same model of cars? Jessica’s beetle was sporty looking and it’s a convertible, while hers is so old school and rusty.

“Do you have a problem with my car?”

Taeyeon gasped softly when someone suddenly spoke. Then suddenly Jessica appeared. She just left her car. Taeyeon doesn’t know that Jessica was still there. She watched how Jessica elegantly clicked the remote to her elegant car for it to lock.

“Uhm… I-I don’t have any problem with your car.” Taeyeon answered, timidly. ‘It’s just that her car is good-looking. Did I stare too much on her car?’ She thought as she looked away from Jessica’s car and looked at Jessica instead. ‘The owner is pretty, so she and her car match. They suit each other.’

Jessica suddenly laughed. “Really?” She said.

Taeyeon blinked and felt scared. Jessica doesn’t believe that she has no problem with her car. But why did she laugh? “Y-yes. I’m sorry if I stared too much. Uhm… I’m going.” Taeyeon bowed a bit then left hurriedly.

But it was Jessica’s turn to be confused. She has no problem with Taeyeon staring at her car. She’s used to someone admiring her car although they do not say it out loud like how Taeyeon shamelessly admire her and her car. But was that all Taeyeon’s thoughts? But how has she known all of her thoughts? Was she still under the influence of the drug? Has it gone worse?

Jessica was spacing out when she walks along the corridor to her classroom. She was about to walk pass it when Yoona called her.

“Hey miss!”

Jessica jumped in shock. “Yah, you scared me.”

“You’re spacing out. You alright?”

“I don’t know. Something weird is happening to me.” Jessica looked at Yoona to try if she can really hear thoughts. But there was nothing. She can’t hear anything from Yoona except what she was saying out loud.

“Weird? What kind of weird?” Yoona asked.

“Uhm… Forget it. I’m fine. Maybe I just imagined it.” She felt relieved that she’s not hearing thoughts. Maybe she just had hallucinations earlier. It might be just the remaining side-effects of the drug. She’ll never try drugs again ever; especially the unfamiliar/unknown ones. But she never intended to try the unknown drug. It was supposed to be for Taeyeon. ‘Pabo Sica.’

They entered the room and everyone’s talking about the party.

Then Sooyoung’s voice boomed around the classroom. “Yo! Sica! It was awesome.” She’s referring to the party. “The food was GREAT!”

Sooyoung only cared about food. As long as the food is great, never mind the party. For her, the party is great already as long as her taste buds and stomach are satisfied.

“Good to hear that.” Jessica answered. Kris approached her next.

“How are you? You lost consciousness.” He said.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Forget about it.” It’s already embarrassing for her. So there’s no need for it to open the subject up.

“Great. Uhm… hey, err… are you free later—“

Jessica knows where this is going. “No. I’m not.”

Kris clearly looked embarrassed and hurt but Jessica doesn’t care.

But Kris won’t back down. “Can’t we try again?” For goodness sake it’s been 6 months. Hasn’t he moved on?

And also Jessica can’t believe that Kris is opening this topic in the classroom. With all of their classmates inside and his voice is even a bit audible around. Is he purposely doing this for her to be pressured to say yes to him?

Doesn’t he know that she’s not easily pressured by this kind of things? And that she doesn’t really care if she hurts him or not?

Minho heard him. “Way to go Kris!” and not long after, her other classmates started to cheer on them and telling Jessica to say yes. Kris looks hopeful but Jessica can also see the bit mischief in his eyes like he’s saying that he’s going to win. Their classmates are in favour of him. They want them to be together again. Kris saw that Jessica’s friends, Yoona and Tiffany are also cheering for him. But he has forgotten about Hyoyeon. She is shaking her head.

Taeyeon and Yuri were confused as to why their classmates are chanting “Say Yes!” repeatedly when they entered the classroom. They only arrived.

“What’s going on here?” Yuri muttered and Taeyeon shrugged and she doesn’t care. She cares about Yuri. What should she do for her? She still feels guilty for feeling mad back at the party. Maybe asking her to hang-out is a good idea? They never hang-out outside the campus.

“Uhm… Yuri? Are you free later?”

Yuri looked at Taeyeon and smirked. “Are you asking me out?” She joked.

‘Oh my, she might think I’m a lesbian!’ “No. Uhm… Nevermind.” Taeyeon sounded serious.

But Yuri never expected for Taeyeon to take her joke seriously. “Hey, I’m just kidding. Come on, let’s hang-out.” Yuri said.

Taeyeon remembered that she should go home straight after school. She shouldn’t have asked her out in the first place. “Maybe next time?”

Yuri pouted. “But why ask me out in the first place? We never hang-out outside the school.” Then Yuri remembered that Taeyeon’s parents are strict. “But… okay. I understand.”

Taeyeon felt guilty for making Yuri disappointed. She is such a bad friend.

Jessica’s attention turned to Taeyeon and Yuri when she heard the word ‘Lesbian.’ She’s kinda weak when it comes to that word because she wanted to have a girlfriend. But unfortunately for her, all of her crushes are straight. They are Tiffany, Yoona and Hyo. Uhm… wait, scratch Hyoyeon, she has moved on from her friend. And because the chants are loud, it’s the only word that Jessica heard from Taeyeon’s thought. And Jessica wasn’t even aware that it was Taeyeon’s thought.

“Jessica?” Kris gets her attention again.

“I’m sorry Kris. But no.” Jessica said.

“Owwww…” The class responded. And that’s when Yuri and Taeyeon realized that it’s about Jessica and Kris.

“You hear it people, she said no. Now go back to your seats.” Hyoyeon said. “Leave my best friend alone. Just continue talking about her party.”

And just like what they are told they left Jessica and had had their own discussions.

Then their homeroom teacher, Mr Yoo, arrived.

As Mr Yoo started to speak, the whole class became quiet. But as for Jessica, she’s confused as to why Taeyeon hasn’t kept quiet. She looks at Taeyeon sitting two chairs behind her. ‘Mr Yoo looks mad. He looks more murderous than before.’ She heard Taeyeon. But isn’t moving.

‘Oh no, I’m still hearing thoughts! But why can I only hear her?’

“I heard about the party.” Mr Yoo said, distracting Jessica from hearing Taeyeon. And she’s right, he’s obviously angry. His voice is quiet like he’s trying not to burst out.

‘He really resembles Frankenstein… kind of.’ Jessica heard Taeyeon again and it made her to almost laugh but still, she snorted. She never expected Taeyeon to have crazy thoughts. But she’s right again; Mr Yoo resembles Frankenstein. Hyoyeon gave Jessica a you-find-this-funny look. Then Jessica felt scared that she’s starting to get used on hearing Taeyeon’s thoughts. Jessica covered her ears to keep herself from hearing Taeyeon. But unfortunately for her, Mr Yoo saw what she did.

“Ms Jung, why are you covering your ears?”

Jessica gulped and straightened up from her seat. She didn’t speak.

So Mr Yoo continued. “Ah… maybe because you’re guilty. Very guilty.”

‘Oh my, this is unfair for Jessica. All of us are guilty from the party.’

Jessica unconsciously glanced at Taeyeon again. She never expected Taeyeon to care. She always has the façade of I don’t care.

“Jessica, stand up please.” Mr Yoo said.

Jessica stood up. She wonders why Mr Yoo is mad. They had parties before. Just last time, before her party, Michaela from 10th grade hosted a pool party. Hyoyeon went there because only the dance club members are invited. But because she’s Hyo’s bestfriend and she’s famous, they welcomed her. It’s a talk around the campus but no professors or some school officials made a deal out of it.

“Mr Yoo—“ She was about to explain that the party was only a year-end party for them.

But did the news of her blacking-out reached Mr Yoo’s ears. Was that viral around the school?

Mr Yoo made a stop sign. “Let me speak first.”

“Yes sir.” Jessica’s knees are weakening. She’s praying that no one reported of her losing consciousness or else they might eventually find out that it was caused from a drug. Then the authorities will start to question her.

“Why didn’t you invite me? For goodness sake, I’m your homeroom teacher! They said it’s a year-end party.”

Jessica felt surprised. So it’s all just about him not being invited. She never knows that it’s okay to invite teachers in parties. “I- I didn’t know that it was permitted. I’m sorry.”

Mr Yoo suddenly smiled. “I was just playing around. It’s all okay. So how’s the party?”

“AWESOME!” “GREAT!” “WE HAD FUN!” The class answered for Jessica.

“You may sit down.” Mr Yoo said.

Jessica sighed in relief. She sat down.

‘Mr Yoo looks like a smiling Frankenstein.’

Jessica can’t help but to giggle from that. And everyone thought Jessica laughed because of Mr Yoo’s prank to her.

That lunch time.

“Sica, how are you?” Hyoyeon asked her while they order food. Jessica looked weirdly at her. “Really? You’re asking me that right now?”

“No.  What I meant is how are you feeling? Do you think you’re still under the influence of the drug?” Hyo whispered.

Jessica thought for a bit if she should tell Hyo