For some reasons, Amber’s alarm went crazy at 3 in the morning.

She is desperate to get back to sleep but as expected, the damn sleep evacuated. Her sleep pattern changed after she moved to Korea, another reason as to why she hated the country. She can’t do anything sane at three in the morning, so she then decided to hop out of bed and stretch her body and arms, hoping to be brought back to sleep by doing it. But to no luck, her conscious mind became even alert.

Amber snatched the remaining pack of cigarette on her bed, an act she usually do. It was just a past time for Amber before. She turns to cigarettes only when she’s mad, but the sad reality is that she is always in that state, making cigarettes and liquors her friends instead of fatal foes.

“Eun! Good Morning!” My head felt dizzy all morning, and for some reasons, Vic’s cheery attitude is not making it any better. She flicked a finger to my forehead when I didn’t return her greeting.

“Ow! Victoria, I was up at 3 in the morning, so can you do me a favor? PLEASE STOP BEING IRRITATING...”

“Irritatingly charming, y, and beautiful? I’d stop messing around if you’d add those.” She is testing my patience. A brat as always.

“Okay, please stop being irritatingly charming, y, AND beautiful. Happy now?”

She smirked at me and kissed my cheek, “Much better. Oh, by the way, I got these for you.”

I removed my sunglasses to take a look at what she had in her hand. A dozen or so printed pictures of girls are inside a brown envelope, and written neatly on the cover are the words POSSIBLE GIRLS. I blankly looked at her and raised a brow.

“I went over the school’s secured student files and collected the girls’ profiles.”

“How did you-

“I hacked into the system during the computer class yesterday.”

“And what am I suppose to do with these then? Wait, you said that you accessed the school’s system right? So that must mean others can do the same, and expose me...” I said while flipping the contents and checking out the girls. Behind every picture are descriptions for each girl. My eyes scanned pages after pages, reading some informations about them. Victoria looked at me like I know the answer, but when she was met by my silence; she rolled her eyes and said,

“Those are for you, so you could choose a girl to date. And others won’t be able to do what I did, it’ll be tricky for them, but for a computer whiz like me, it’s a piece of cake. And besides, who would want to look at your profile?” she remarked, but when a group of girls giggled as they passed our way and looked at me, she rolled her eyes.

I nodded my head at her and said, “Impressed by my popularity? You shouldn’t have done this; I already have someone in mind. And please don’t give me that look; it is not you by any means.” Vic seemed disappointed, “So you mean to say I wasted my time for nothing?”

“I never asked you to do it. But thanks anyway.” I reminded her, but it seemed to irritate her more.

“Okay then, who’s the unlucky girl?” She crossed her arms and waited for my answer.

“Leave that to me.” She stared helplessly at me but didn’t bug me for answers.

“...and so that ends our lesson for today. Oh before I forgot, I’ll let you check your papers from the quiz the other day. Remember that what you got from it will be reflected on your card marks by the end of the grading period.” Voices buzzed around as Mr. Lee left to get the exam papers from the other day. Amber sits on the comfort of her chair, checking her phone for messages and playing guitar hero on her iPad. She rested her legs on her table and continued playing guitar hero, with its sound bursting on high volume. Others stopped what they were doing to gossip about Amber. Some were talks about how ‘hot the new guy’ is, but more are about how ‘thick faced that Eunyoung’ is.

Krystal, who is now getting mad at the growing noise, stood up from her chair and proceeded to the chalk board. She heaved deeply, controlling her anger. Her nails on the chalkboard then silenced her classmates, but whispering voices of complaints are then heard. But she shushed them and sent looks of dagger at anyone who’d dare open their mouths. This silenced everyone. Everybody, except Amber.

That badass.

Composing herself, Krystal walked over towards Amber and collected her cool. If she needed anything at the moment, it’s the courage to stand up to Amber. “Excuse me? Will you please tone it down? Or better yet, turn that thing off.” She said, calm but sarcastically. Krystal leaned an elbow at Amber’s chair, so that they are on head level with each other. Amber looked up from her iPad and is now face to face with a furious Krystal.

“Hi miss Pres.” She greeted the stone faced Krystal and brought her face closer to hers. With only inches apart from each other’s lips, Amber tilted her head to the side but didn’t come any nearer.

Everyone’s attention is now directed to them; even GD and Henry stopped talking and watched the heated scene. As Amber began to open , Krystal gulped but didn’t bother to take a step back. She’s at loss for words, tantalized by Amber’s eyes and hot breath on her face.

“He’s here.” Amber said, without diverting her gaze from Krystal’s eyes.

“Who is?”

“Mr. Lee.”

As if on cue, Mr. Lee’s booming voice brought everyone back to consciousness. “Did I miss something back there Miss Jung?” still held spellbound by Amber’s charm, Krystal didn’t even budge.

“Krystal, he’s calling you.” With one conscious step, she’s then brought back to the present. Stuttering her explanation, she made her way to the desk.

“I was just silencing Eunyoung sir.”

“But it was as though HE silenced you!” A kid behind Krystal shouted which made her blush.

“Shut up...” She hissed at the kid, with a matching death stare. But as she turned her back, she caught a glimpse of a smirking Amber which made her blush furiously. Giggles from their classmates were soon heard.

“That’s enough everybody. Now Krystal please be a doll and distribute these papers around.”

Forcibly, Krystal took the papers from Mr. Lee and handed each to her classmates.

Among the last papers on Krystal’s hand is Amber’s, she sighed and walked towards theback of the room and handed her the paper, with a great deal of distance between them. It seems as though Amber has a contagious disease she needs to be far from. But as Amber reached for her paper, Krystal felt a twinge of electricity creep up unto her arm when Amber’s finger brushed her hand.

While all this is happening, a man behind them watched.

Stares.

• • •

“A hundred over a hundred, that without even reviewing for the exam. Way to go Eunyoung!” Henry bustled from his chair and directly went over to Amber as soon as Mr. Lee exited their rooms, sulking at Amber’s test results which he thought would have gotten a lower mark.

“You got the same mark as I did, that ought to count too man. By the way, aren’t you going with GD?” Amber said glancing at GD who seemed rooted on the spot. Henry gestured for him to go ahead but before he even waved, GD left the room his other friends.

“Lovers’ quarrel?” Amber teased.

“He gets a little jealous sometimes, but he’ll get over it.” Henry joked which received a smile from Amber.

They too exited the room, but chose to go the opposite direction from the cafeteria.

“Aren’t you going to meet your girlfriend? Victoria, you’re going out with her right?” He asked as they walked towards the food stalls outside the school.

“We aren’t dating. And she told me to go ahead without her, said she’d take care of some things outside the school. She must’ve gone home already.” Amber received an SMS from Victoria earlier that day.

They walked beside each other, checking out foods the stalls were offering. Amber’s eyes glistened at the sight of carbs and burgers lining up in front of her. Henry watches as Amber chooses what to eat. “We can go for the burgers.” He suggested. “And the fries.” She added.

As they entered the school property, the guard stopped them and looked at the enormous pile of paper bags they have on their arms.

“You can’t bring those inside. And how did you manage to go out during the lunch break?” The gigantic security personnel bellowed at them, but Amber’s hunger is making her mad. She took no notice of him and continued making her way unto the steps of the stairs which leads to the school’s main hall.

“Hey!” he blew the whistle that dangles from his neck. Henry and Amber walks confidently and still doesn’t show much interest to the guy who then decided to give up the chase and instead walk back to his post, cursing along the way.

‘Where to now?” Amber said, questioning Henry. “We can’t go to the cafeteria; I’m not in the mood for their stares and whispers.”

“Do you have some place in mind?”

“Anywhere but the cafeteria would be perfect.”

• • •

With only a few minutes to spare, Amber lit a cigarette and blew smoke, looking down at the places below her. They are on the rooftop of the school, stomachs full. Littered on the floor were the burger boxes and a few crumbs of their sandwiches. Smashed bottles are also lying around them. She offered the box of cigarette to Henry but he merely looked at it and said no.

“Afraid that your lovey dovey GD would smell it on you? I’d bet he smokes other extremities other than this.” Amber, hugging her jacket closer to her body, walked near Henry and sat beside him, playing with the crushed cans. Atop the building she was feeling cold. And her sleepiness isn’t helping her cope with it. I’d have to do something about that damn sleeping pattern.

Just like with Victoria, Amber doesn’t feel the need to talk to Henry just so they wouldn’t feel awkward around each other. Her being beside him and being in his presence is enough to fill the silence embracing them. Being alone with him lets her think clearly, unlike when she’s with Victoria; she couldn’t concentrate much on anything else as she begins to open . But with Henry, it’s something else. She felt... safe. Something she’s not used to feeling.

But unlike her, Henry felt the need to talk to Amber.

“That was something.”

“What is?”

“You and Krystal. I had never seen her bedazzled by someone before.”

She took a whiff from her cigarette and chuckled, “I get that a lot of times. Girls gaping, girls screaming, girls whispering.” Amber pensively said and added, “Do you know something about her? I mean, like some things about that girl.” Henry chuckled at her question, but for some reasons he became somewhat annoyed.

“You fancy her?” he didn’t answer her question, but replied with another question. He eyed her just in time when she smiled, this locked Henry’s eyes on her.

Minutes passed before she answered him, “I guess.” She replied, her mind drifting to a far off place. She took the last drag on her cigarette as the siren rung around the building, signalling the end of the lunch break. She hurled the cigarette to the ground below them.

“I guess.”

• • •

Henry and Amber exited the room together, just like before, voices of admiration, and sometimes hate filled the hallway as Amber walked like a boss, totally owning the place. Guys covered their girlfriends’ eyes that seemed to have been rooted to their positions at the sight of Amber who wore her ray bans. The guys hate her, because she’s been making their girlfriends crazy more than they can.

Amber and Henry walked towards the gate, but when they stepped out to the school grounds, Amber spotted a familiar looking limousine parked in front of the gate. And when she spotted a familiar looking guy, that’s when she cursed under her breath. “!”

“Is there something wrong?” Henry asked.

“My ride. Bye.” She decided not to elaborate her explanations to Henry and directly went to the car. Boom opened a door for her, but before he even had the chance to greet Amber, she pushed him towards the driver’s seat. Henry was left to stare at the retreating car, but when Amber’s car fades off to the distance, he walked towards the parking space and opened his own car.

“Is there any problem miss?” Boom questioningly looked at Amber through the rearview mirror of the limousine, but her glare made him shut up. “Please if you want to inspect me, confirm with me beforehand. At the house, not in school." She demanded, and silently whispered, “You almost exposed me back there...”

“Exposed?” Boom asked, totally not getting whatever she’s saying.

“Just... Just drive will yah?” Boom raised his shoulders and sped off the car.

I am leaning on the door frame as Boom inspected the house, my hands on my jeans pocket, waiting for him to finish so I can concentrate on some things, specifically sleeping. He was idly pacing around the room like a man interested in buying the house, I know he is just doing his job but I can’t help but be mad at him. He is my parents’ alley.

“Just tell them everything’s fine. You don’t need to check on me, I am of legal age now, so please if you don’t mind.” I gestured to the door but he just looked at me.

“It’s my job to check on you, your parents would kill me if something happens to-

“The house?” I said sarcastically.

“To you, miss Amber.”

“Please call me Eunyoung, especially outside the house.” I said, trying to calmly talk to him. My eyes are all for sleeping, but with Boom here, I can’t do anything but inspect him while he inspects the house. I looked at my reflection on the wall mirror behind Boom. On the outside, I looked kind of harmless, just someone who really needs rest but nothing more. But on the inside, I felt like wrenching my hairs out and skinning Boom alive.

“I can almost hear my bed calling for me, luring me into its soft mattress...” I didn’t notice that I am speaking my thoughts aloud until Boom looked at me like I’m crazy. I cleared my throat and acted like nothing happened.

“So far the only damage I saw has something to do with your sleeping pattern.”

“Finally Dr. Boom... I’m really glad you’ve noticed that. Now go.”

I closed the door to his face and ran upstairs into my room. My hurriedness almost made me collide with my room’s door. As I spotted my bed, I collapsed into it, and within seconds of coming face to face with the soft pillow, I drifted off to dreamland.

• • •

“Come on Eunyoung, it would be great. You’ve been here for quite some time now, but you haven’t been able to go anywhere. You’re no fun.”

We are at our usual place on the cafeteria, with Victoria talking me into going club hopping with her. I declined her offer twice in a row already, but she just won’t give up. It’s been a month since I moved here, and even I myself am surprised because partying and going out seemed to have lost its appeal on me. Maybe it’s because I don’t think partying and club hopping would be half as fun here as it is in New York. I guess I just don’t care much about anything in this place.

“Eun... Please? It has been so long since I went out with somebody...” Her gaze dropped to the floor and didn’t explain what she meant with the remark, but I think I know what she is talking about. There are two guys on my mind that would perfectly fit her ‘somebody’. It’s either the jerk GD, or her brother.

“You really won’t take no for an answer huh?” She pouted and shook her head. "Ever determined."

A month is enough for me and Henry to be close to each other, and as much as Victoria hates it, she didn’t talk me into breaking my being friends with him. I know it’s too early for some closeness between Henry and me to have developed, but I guess being with the guy almost every day will result to that, but thinking about the closeness Victoria and I had from that first school day will not match up to it. But I made a silent compromise with Vic of not bringing Henry when we are together, sort of respecting them.

Henry isn’t much that fond of Vic either. Krystal on the other hand, is distancing herself away from me, and I just don’t have the time to keep up with the chase now, but I’ll get back on her...

Vic looked sad at the thought of that person, “Okay I’ll make a bargain, if you ever liked what I have, or what places in Korea, has to offer, promise me you’ll do anything I say.- Wait let me finish what I have to say,” Vic silenced me when I tried to argue with her. “but, if you don’t like it, I will be your slave.” She looked at me expectantly and waited for my response. “You’d really do anything just to have one night of fun huh?”

The thought of her being my slave and doing crazy things for me is tempting, and it left me with no choice, I agreed.

Not knowing that I will soon regret my decision.

“You didn’t ask me if I was serious.” I told her, but she looked at me and exclaimed, “Why would I give you the chance to take your word back?” She didn’t. Didn’t even give me the chance to turn back on my word, that’s how desperate she is for one night of partying.

She clapped her hand, garnering the attention from the people around us.

“So then it’s set. Meet me at my house on Friday night; from there I’ll bring you to the most high class club in town!” Her eyes glittered at the thought, and her look somehow excited me, too.

Perhaps it would be fun.

It better be.

• • •

When I said that I’d get back on the matter with Krystal, I didn’t know it would be so sudden.

“Today marks the beginning of another grading period, and as you are accustomed to, I will be changing your seating arrangements. So let’s see, ah Mr. Park please change seats with...” I was half listening and half looking at Mr. Lee in front as he assigned students to their new seats. Earlier today, he announced the list of top students. I am not even surprised when I was called as a part of it, but what surprised me was when GD made it on the top five. I think I underestimated him. Krystal, me, Henry, GD and a girl named Sulli topped the class, ranking first to fifth respectively.

My name was among the last ones to be called for the change of seating positions, but I didn’t know that I will end up between Krystal and Henry. I moved to my new desk and high fived Henry as I settled into it, but Krystal sat immobile and not looking at me. Even so, I decided to talk to her.

“Hi, Krystal.” Not wanting to seem uncomfortable, she rummaged the contents of her bag and pretended not to hear me.

You can ignore me all you want, but I will pursue you. If you can help me cover my real identity, I might even reward you...

Beside me, Henry offered me a childish grin and a piece of gum to go with it, but this suddenly caught the attention of Mr. Lee. “Mr. Lau, you should know better that chewing gum inside the classroom is prohibited.” Henry dipped his head low but chuckled, this got me chuckling too.

Amidst the warning, I still ticked the gum unto my mouth when Mr. Lee turned his back at us. I saw Krystal glance at me sideways, but her expression is not amused, she’s glaring; a thing she’s fond on doing. I smirked at her while chewing, and seeing that she’s not turning her back at me yet, I made a bubble from the gum and popped it in front of her face.

My way of greeting her.

I leaned into my chair comfortably, with my hands tucked at the back of my head.

This is starting to get interesting.