Chapter 10

Here or there, there's no place for me

We may be close but we are still far apart

All the people tell me that I've changed

In my eyes, they're the ones who changed

Alice didn't realize it, but she was slowly being afflicted with the house's curse.

She stared at the 72 penned with red ink on her returned business report.

"You've done better, Shin Hyunsook."

Sookie just bowed her head in apology, the teacher walking away to hand out the rest of the graded papers. This wasn't good, she thought she did so much better. 72 wasn't something you could brag about to your parents.

I need to study more. I can't score so low again.

She's tried studying at the house, but for some reason or another, she wouldn't be able to keep her focus and ended up playing with one of the housemates.

"Looks like the orange-haired idiot is slipping."

"Not even little Miss Sunshine can maintain her high grade point average."

"Her annoying personality isn't going to sway the teacher this time."

"The scores are right for once."

Most days Sookie was really good at being deaf to some of her classmates' nastier remarks, but there were a few days where her ears heard every little comment said. Ever since the first day of class, it was always the same classmates who had to say something because they couldn't stand her doing well. But she would keep on smiling, as if their derogatory words just bounced off her skin.

She was used to people doubting her intelligence. That was nothing new.

"Ugh, she still has that stupid smile on her face."

"I wish she'd just drop this class."

It's lunchtime soon. I can't wait to catch up with JiJi and the others. 

The more I know about this world, I want to be apart from it

But I can't be free from it just because I want to

It feels like they were trying so hard to hide it and I somehow stumbled across it

I'm a person of the world, love

Catching sight of a certain Thai schoolmate walking with their group of friends, Sookie grinned widely and ran over to glomp him in greeting. 

"How's it going, Kunpimook?" Sookie stumbled when BamBam extricated himself from her grip.

"It's BamBam. And how do you know that name?"

"Looks like you got an admirer." Yugyeom commented with a laugh.

"I can't help that the girls want all of this." He gestured at his body, fluffing up his feathers like a peacock. Jade punched him in the shoulder. "Ow!"

"Egomaniac. Anyway, my friend appreciates your feelings, but he's not looking for anybody right now." Jade told Sookie in a secretary-like manner.

"Jade's right. Even if you are sort of cute. I like the orange hair."

"What are you guys talking about? I'm not hitting on BamBam. I was just saying hi." She was so confused right now. "And I dyed my hair orange because you dared me to, Yugyeomie!" She pointed accusingly.

"Huh? I don't remember that. Was it at a party? Was I drunk?"

Was this an elaborate prank they were playing on her? Oh! She could appreciate a good laugh.

"No. We were watching videos at JiJi's house a month before October!"

"Okay, no one calls me that."

"I do! Me! Your best friend, Sookie. You gave up on trying to get me to stop calling you that." She only got even more disbelieving looks. "Ha ha! Okay, I get it. You got me, you're all great actors. You can stop pretending." Their joke wasn't funny anymore. It was starting to hurt her feelings.

A moment passed, and then they were laughing, the boys ruffling her hair. Jade pinched Sookie's cheek.

"Well, well, haven't seen you around in a while, Sookie."

"You must've been too lost in your little world to hang out with your buds."

"I hope you've been studying hard, at least."

"I have! Sort of..." Sookie was dragged along with them to lunch. They were just messing with me. 

I would revolve revolve around the vicinity

I would wander wander around the vicinity

I would try to plunge what's stuck inside of me

So I would go outside but the only thing that greets me is the cold night air

It revolves around me

No one nods to what I'm saying

What's so difficult about laughing along

All the people tell me that I'm like an alien

I would understand if that were the truth

Her parents weren't going to be angry with her, but they would feel a bit disappointed. And she hated disappointing them, so, so, much.