The next day I joined the dance club. Of course, I didn’t want to but its mandatory. Miss Hwang convinced me that I might as well do something I like and I’m good at. The club members seemed nice enough until I remembered that Momo was club president.

There were only 4 seniors, Momo, Eunbi (who was thankfully there as my anchor), Seulgi (the second in command) and myself. The rest were 8 freshmen, they were cute and very enthusiastic.

‘’Theres a national competition next month, I hope you’re willing to participate.’’ Momo slid her back down the wall to sit next to me. ‘’You’re really good and it would be so much easier to choreograph with the 4 of us.’’

I wiped the sweat I had formed during my freestyle I had to show them.

‘’Nationals?’’ I asked. I looked down at my hands, they were starting to shake. Nationals. My old schoolmates would be there, the same ones that tortured me throughout my childhood. ‘’Is this a request? I’d rather not.’’

Momo grabbed my hands into her own and attacked me with a puppy look, I have to say it was really hard to concentrate after that.

‘’Pretty please? It’ll be fun, and we win cash prize that will be split between us, it’s nearing Christmas so it’ll help you buy presents or whatever.’’ She really thought that one through.

‘’Yeah, we get to take a week of school for it. Like a field trip.’’ Eunbi added. Seulgi stood to the side to search up something on her phone.

‘’I dunno…..It’s been a while since I stepped foot on stage.’’

‘’This is your chance then! We’ll be the dream team.’’ Seulgi shoved her phone into my face and it displayed the poster of the prizes that were available.

I mean the cash prize was huge…. I can’t even get a job if I want to keep up with my grades. I didn’t want to disappoint my little sisters if I could help it and I recently saw a necklace perfect for my mother. Geez these girls are making this very hard for me.

‘’Okay…I guess.’’

They cheered and high-fived, dismissing the club since it was time to go home.

I haven’t seen Sakura today, she was suspended for verbally harassing Jennie. Jennie only needed two or more witnesses and her two lackies were enough.

I walked the long way home today; the house was empty tonight because mum was taking my sisters to the arcade. I opted out since I knew I would just end up spending my savings on pointless things.

I wasn’t watching where I was going, and I bumped into someone very tall.

‘’Sorry! I didn’t see you, I’m very sorry.’’ I apologised. I bowed several times.

‘’No, it’s okay. I should’ve avoided you in time.’’ It was a guy; his voice was very deep.

When I saw his face, I was instantly reminded of that time I saw Sakura with a similar guy. In fact, I was sure that he was the same one. He had the same big ears, wavy, almost curly hair that swept to the side.

‘’Oh, you’re wearing the same uniform as Sakura.’’ Well that confirms it. This is getting awkward.

‘’Y-yes, I should really get going.’’ I moved to side step him, but he said something that made me falter quite a bit.

‘’Shes told me so much about you, pretty girl with dyed blonde hair. She said you were willing to be her friend. That means a lot. Sakura isn’t very good at making friends as you can probably tell.’’ He smiled and waved his goodbye, making his own way to his destination as I was left alone to process this.

Shes been talking about me to this guy, she called me a pretty girl and shes bad at making friends. I don’t know what to question first. I pinched the bridge of my nose and picked up my pace. Why is it that I can’t figure Sakura out? I’m usually a decent judge at character but with her its like a static screen. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Maybe I should reconsider therapy, its getting to my head and if I continue it might actually drive me crazy.

……………………………..

I waited and waited. People didn’t give much information about the length of Sakura’s suspension. Days felt longer without her looming behind me, even with the club keeping me busy. The angel trio must’ve noticed something off about me by now and even my other classmates were wary about approaching me when I was in this sour mood.

‘’Ok, so if you were to go out with a supernatural creature, what would it be?’’ Yena and her weird questions again. We all answered anyway, it was a somewhat interesting topic.

‘’I would date a werewolf! Tall, dark and handsome.’’ That was Yuri’s.

Eunbi thought about hers for a while longer and settled on a vampire. ‘’They look more human, I don’t think I could ever love someone who isn’t human-like.’’

‘’Thats boring Eunbi, why not an elf or a merman?’’

She shrugged and twirled her pen around her thumb, ‘’I dunno, they’re just more human. What about you Chaeyeon?’’

I gave it a thought, I couldn’t really picture myself dating some kind of half-human, half-something. ‘’I have to agree with Eunbi, furry humans creep me out.’’

‘’Urgh you’re all boring! I would like to go out with a centaur, they look so cool in the movies!’’ Yena continued to gush about her love for man-horses with Yuri debating with her.

Eunbi nudged me when I started to zone off again. ‘’Are you worried about her?’’

I furrowed my eyebrows, ‘’Worried about who?’’

She discreetly pointed finger behind her towards the girl who had been on my mind all week. ‘’Her, who else would you be thinking about?’’ She was back already?

I ducked my head down, my hair forming a barricade to hide the blush that was forming.

‘’I-I don’t k-know what you mean.’’

Eunbi chuckled and ruffled my hair about, she could see right through me.

‘’Stop playing dumb, Chaeyeonie. Shes been staring at you the entire lunch time.’’

Staring at me? No that’s not right. I’ve been stared at my whole life, theres no way I couldn’t sense someone boring their eyes into my back. Any normal human would be able to sense that. When I did look back, Sakura blindly scribbled on her desk as she made eye contact with me and gave me a little smirk. I whipped my head back around, almost giving myself whiplash.