I’VE BEEN GIVING FREE TOWELS AWAY. I don’t intend to do that, but this Xiao Gui guy is in love with borrowing other people’s towel. It’s only because he forgets to bring his own, every day.

What kind of gentleman snatch a lady’s towel before she even gets to use it?

The Xiao Gui kind.

“You have such a fancy sports car but you can’t afford a towel. Tsk tsk.”

He just snatched my towel, again, and he’s currently using it to wipe his disgusting sweat all over his face and his neck.

So I actually have been bringing two towels these days, which both I just bought before going to class.

Why?

Because, at first I only brought my own towel, but since he [always] used it, I told him to keep it.

Come on, who wanted that back anyways?

Let’s recall what happened.

Our rehearsal for that day just ended. It was just one great day, not too hot, a bit windy. We rehearsed after lunch until 3 pm. Even if the weather was ok, I still sweated a little bit.

I took out a red towel from my bag, which was the only towel I brought, with the intention of using it to wipe my face.

But, just before I manage to do that, he snatched it away from my hand.

I pressed my eyes together. “Just what do you think you’re doing?” I yell, “Give it back!”

He raised his hand so high, or at least higher than my height. “That’s lame. And I don’t do lame.” I scoffed with arms folded on my chest.

He actually dared to start using my towel to wipe the sweats on his face, then on the back of his neck—I couldn’t take this sight. So I grabbed it when it still lingered on his neck with my right hand, but—

The bottom side of my watch was stuck with his cool—no, it’s stupid now—hoop hoop lil ghost earring; he called it that when I asked him before.

I tried to pull it away, but we both fell to the floor instead. Half of my upper back hit the wall, because we were standing nearby, and he fell on me; so my and the bottom part of my back weren’t on the wall, if you know what I mean.

I groaned, because I felt his nose brushing against my forehead, and his lips—I don’t want to recall that actually—were on the bridge of my nose.

I pushed his forehead with my left hand, a little bit, just to create around 15 cm distance from mine.

He suddenly muttered, “Your forehead is weird from this side.” He giggled.

“Stop giggling. You’ll litter it with your saliva. Yuck.” I rolled my eyes then used my free hand—left hand—to release the watch from my right hand by opening its clip.

After that, I moved him away to the side, by holding his shoulders with both of my hands, so he could sit by himself there, on the floor, and not on me.

I just manually took out my watch from his earring once he’s sitting normally like that.

It made me have the idea of always taking two towels to rehearsals: one for me, one for him; since he’ll always take the one I hold anyway.

I’ve been bringing the same kind of towel now, just to make myself not feel too mad, regardless whichever he’ll steal.

“I wonder, do you think you’re cool when you do that?”

“I’m cool doing anything.”

“It’ll always turn into a regret, when one initiates a conversation with a Xiao Gui.”

“Here.” He pulls out his hand to hand my towel back, which of course, I refuse.

“Ew. Keep it.”

“You said it yourself.”

“Can’t you just bring that again tomorrow? So you’ll not have to steal again?” I pause. “Also, I don’t have to always buy extra towel everyday?”

He chuckles. “I’ll try.”

He always said that.

I am as this patient because I still value all of you forgetful people. Just, don’t think I’ll be the same if it turns out you’re just the ignorant one.

Let’s try if I don’t bring any towel at all. I don’t believe he really never brought any towel at all in his bag. It’s possible that he’s been joking all this time or just trying to seek attention. Although why is that? I'm too ordinary to be seek attention for.

Despite whoever he’s joking to or whoever’s attention he’s seeking for, it’s a nuisance to actually care about it.

This morning, I didn't bring my black crossbody bag I used to take to class. I took another bag instead, a black shiny totebag—they claimed it’s made of pvc—and put my books, ballpoint, and wallet from the previous bag into it.

---

Xiao Gui says, “That’s all for today.”

I sit at the corner and he follows around, as usual. I inform him, “I don’t bring any towel. I’m going to just let my sweats dry by themselves.”

He covers his nose with his hand. “That’s disgusting, though?”

I turn to him, “Really?” I squint. “Your sense of disgust is seriously weird. Tsk.”

“What did you think I was thinking every time you littered my towel with your sweats?”

He looked up to the ceilings and mumbles, “Hmm what did I think about that....” He turns to me. “Nothing!” He sticks his tongue out in front of my face.

The area around my left nostril crinkles slightly, because of this disgusted feeling for this guy.

Then suddenly, my phone buzzes for my medicine reminder. I put my hand inside my bag and start looking for it.

I try placing my hand on its left corner and right corner, but I still can’t find it anywhere.

Is it because I switched my bag today?

“Did you happen to see a yellow small bottle with a red lid?”

“Huh? Nope, why?”

“Really urgent. Please tell me if you see it.”

It’s so expensive if I have to buy it again. What to do?

Wait.

I might have a spare bottle I haven’t opened yet in my room. I click my phone’s lock button and slide it open. I click on Lin jie’s number, then wait.

“Come on jie, pick it up!”

She still doesn’t pick up, I’ve tried 5 times. Don’t tell me she left her phone at home, again. Hopefully, she’s not going to cause harm to someone today.

No, I am going to.

I give my phone to Xiao Gui and beg, “Can you please help me?” He looks up to me, then tilts his head, looking confused.

“Just keep calling this person. Please.” I continue, “Give it to me once you’ve reached her. I’m at the locker area.”

I rush to the locker area, hoping I put the spare bottle inside my locker someday in the past.

Please be true.

---

I open my locker and start looking for the bottle like crazy. I didn’t put much stuff there, only a few thick books, because I’m lazy to carry them, and spare training clothes, in case I get too sweaty from rehearsing. But when I’m still moving the books to the left and right—it’s possible that the bottle is between them, I feel my right -hand starts trembling a little bit.

Great.

I’m trying to put the scattered things back in order, when the familiar tender feeling shows up.

Is this it?

My right hand doesn’t move as what I tell it to do; I can’t move it at all, it’s now shaking harder by itself than before. It really hurts. I press my eyes shut and clench my teeth to keep all the feelings inside my body.

Making sounds will not blow it all away.

Just when my vision starts to get blurry, I try to mentally calm myself down. I take a deep breath, then let it out slowly.

It’s okay. I’m used to this anyway.

No good thing will come up from being panic.

I place my left hand to my opened locker, trying to keep myself standing with all the might I still have.

But then, both of my legs start feeling weak and having a hard time to support my body. I can only bring myself to sit on the ground now, slowly. I’ll just wait for some miracle to happen.

Hope Lin Jie has answered the call by now.