Cousins, Bianca thought, I guess I was wrong about this whole…Jake-dating thing.

But she still frowned. She did not know how much fuss she had made over just one boy that she had liked. She had never had a crush in a long time. It was hard for her to catch up to this feeling.

On the way home, she thought of everything Namjoon told her. But she didn’t seem to be much intrigued about the fact that Jake actually liked her back.

That’s right!

Jake actually liked Bianca in return! It was while she was opening her locker to put her books away when a noted paper fell out in front of her. Bianca scooped it up and quickly figured it was a note.

 

I like you back, you know…

- Jake Shim

 

Why didn’t he say anything, she asked in her head, Why didn’t he say that he liked me back while I still had a crush on him?

Bianca laid on her bed with tears in her eyes. She did not want any comfort. For now, she wanted to be alone. All alone. But it wasn’t always the best to be alone. You know, sometimes, it gets boring and you have no one to talk to. But Bianca just wanted to pursue her confession to Jake. And that was what she was going to do.

It was while she was at school when Bahiyyih stopped her for a moment.

“Bianca!” she called.

Bianca flinched and looked at Bahiyyih's way. The girl appeared to be running towards her. But Bianca knew she hadn’t spoken to her in quite a while, so she let it go.

“There you are,” said Bahiyyih, “You do know it’s been way too long, right?”

“Yeah, I guess it has been.” replied Bianca.

Bahiyyih huffed, “Why weren’t you along with us for two months? My cousin Jake had been asking about you!”

“I-I’m sorry,” stammered Bianca, “I had been busy for quite some time, you know, getting great photos of scenery and learning how to edit them. I have to make sure to follow the guidelines, too.”

“Impressive,” said Bahiyyih, “Seems to me that you are determined to win the photography contest for our school this year.”

“Yeah…I guess so.”

Jake passed by; Bianca twirled her hair. Bahiyyih gave a hum.

“So, you still have a soft spot for my big cousin, am I right?”

Bianca slowly nodded her head, but was still as down in the dumps. She wanted so much to become a great friend to Jake. But now that she was jealous of Bahiyyih, before she knew of them being relatives, she not only disappointed Jake and her cousin and her teacher, she disappointed herself!

The bell rang, “Well, I guess I will see you in class!” said Bahiyyih.

Bianca then sat through Namjoon’s science lecture with a straight expression. But Bianca, not only felt sad, but she felt tedious and tired. She collapsed her head on the desk, making a thump.

Namjoon heard that thump. He knew something just had to be on her mind. Yet he didn’t know what.

During the class’s free time, he approached her desk and patted her head for comfort. Bianca quickly lifted her head. She saw the soft smile of her own teacher, as if she was a brother to her. After all, he was twenty-eight, and very young to be a teacher.

“Sleepy? Didn’t you get any sleep last night?”

Bianca sat up straight. And looked at Namjoon straight in the eye.

“I did,” she said, “But I didn’t wake up happy. I cried myself to sleep. The moment you told me that my crush and best friend were cousins. I took it to heart.”

Namjoon nodded his head.

“I’m sorry. But Jake urged me to tell you this. He thought of you a lot and wanted you to be happy.”

Bianca burst into tears. She struggled to silence it. She could not hold it back anymore. Her sobs grew louder by the second.

Namjoon held Bianca in his arms. As a teacher he could not do that to a student. But Bianca felt hurt. He had to rebel. After all, he was deemed a “bad” boy.

The school bell rang and Bianca was the first to run out the classroom. Namjoon was still concerned. So concerned he had to talk to her about it. Even after finding out her own best friend and crush were cousins, Bianca remained distant.

 

*~*~*~*~*~*

 

It was after school. Bianca waited for Mother to come and pick her up. For almost thirty-five minutes, Mother sent a message to Bianca, saying:

 

Yang Jungwon shall take you home, darling, I’m sorry. I had a lot of work.

 

Bianca immediately thought of Jungwon. Then, a bright pink motor scooter sat right in front of her. It was Yang Jungwon himself. He gave his warm smile. Bianca was still confused.

“My mum said Jungwon was coming?”

Jungwon nodded.

“I’m sorry I had to keep you waiting out here. Your mom said she had too much work. Didn’t she say that?”

Bianca checked her phone and realized she was telling the truth. She then nodded quickly.

“Come on, it’s getting dark.”

Bianca sat behind and held on tight to Jungwon’s back. And then, ever since she was young, she blushed.

In the intersection, she spread out her arms. Bianca felt as if she was flying. It made her beam brightly.

“It feels like flying!” she exclaimed.

“Yeah?” said Jungwon.

He then drove faster and Bianca whooped. She even heard Jungwon’s distant laugh. It was as if Jungwon was already her boyfriend.

Bianca was dropped off at home. Jungwon pulled her in his arms.

“Jake knows about your little crush on him,” he said, “He wants so much to be with you.”

“Really?” asked Bianca, “But I’ve already moved on from him.”

“But I could tell that you wanted to have a boyfriend. Namjoon was telling me that you love him so purely.”

I do? But it was only a crush!

“Well then…I shall see you tomorrow.”

“Yes, I will too.”

In the evening, Mother entered Bianca’s room. But she frowned for some reason.

“Bianca,” she said, “Mr. Joon tells me you haven’t been able to talk with any of the other students. Is that true?”

“Why is it that everyone gets so concerned about my preference on people?” Bianca reluctantly responded as a question.

“My dear, I am just trying to understand what school life is like where you’re going. I just want to know…what is happening.”

In many years, she had never felt so angry towards her mother. Their relationship was so good they would never fight with each other. Now, Bianca was seething with an unimaginable rage. All because she didn’t tell her that her take on people was so selective.

“I had a crush.” Bianca blurted.

Mother was frozen.

“You had a crush? On who?”

Bia