“Hey Kimmy,” Kris waves his hands in front of my face as I stare blankly in front of me, still lost in thought.

“Huh?” I shake my head and snap out of it. My face lights up immediately when I see Kris cracking up.

“Is there anything going on back there that’s more important than Martin Luther King’s deeds to the world?” the teacher’s voice travels all the way to the back and I can feel a million eyes on us as everyone turns in their seat to look at us.

“Um,” I look down sheepishly, embarrassed by the attention. The girls are giving me death glares. Uh oh.

“Nothing, sir. Sorry, won’t happen again,” Kris gives the teacher a heartwarming, trustworthy smile.

“Hmm, better not be,” the teacher gives us a suspicious, watching look and resumes his lecture. I sigh in relief as everyone else rivet their attention back to the teacher. That no-good, evil teacher, I rage in my head.

“Are you trying to kill him with your eyes or something?” Kris puts his head near my face and whispers, afraid of getting us into trouble again.

“No. Maybe.” I try not to look too guilty. He snickers to himself.

“Good luck with that. But on a more serious note,” he turns his face to mine and I look at him expectantly.

“Do you know what’s for lunch today,” he raises one of his eyebrows and I almost burst out laughing.

Is that his serious question? Wow.

“Hmm, I think… salad. Yep, salad,” I give a disgusted look and he mirrors my move.

We both hate salad. And the school has the worst salad in the entire history of the universe. It’s like they dip the vegetables in sewer water and then poured gasoline all over it for dressing. Eugh. We both nod in mutual agreement. Just dessert for us today, or maybe skip lunch. I turn to face the board and the short teacher, going on and on about King’s essays. I never had problems in English class since I like to write anyways, so I never needed to pay attention. Kris is just being lazy I guess, but he never failed a class. He’s that lazy genius. You couldn’t tell from his face.

A piece of paper mysteriously appears on my notebook with a familiar handwriting.

“How’s Luhan?”

I frown and take my pen to scribble a reply.

“He’s okay. Why did you ask?”

I push the paper to him, and he whips up his pen.

“Nothing. Just asking. Can’t I ask about your private life?”

I squint my eyes at the note and Kris snorts.

“Don’t I tell you enough already?”

“Nope, never enough. Okay, seriously, how’s your mom and dad?”

I press my lips and think of a safe reply.

“They’re fine. Mom’s getting better. Dad’s as usual I guess. No use talking about it,” I look away to the window when I push the paper back to him.

My dad… is just my dad. I guess what they say is true… you can choose your friends, but not your family.

“Everything will be fine, Kimmy. I’m here if you need me, as always,” he keeps his hands on the paper, waiting for me to look at his face before I can reply.

I place my hands on the paper and look up to see one of his comforting smile, reassuring me through his deep eyes that he’ll make sure I’m okay. I smile gratefully and pull the paper away from him.

“I know. Thanks,” I draw a girl with a smiling face on it for him.

He laughs quietly when he saw my nasty artwork. It always makes him laugh. I hope that means I entertain him. I wish I can do more for him.

“Let’s go,” he closes his book and begins to stand up.

Somehow his ears become extra sensitive to the teacher dismissing the class. I quickly pack up and stand beside him so we can walk to the canteen together.

“Oh snap, I have to go to a group meeting,” Kris grumbles the moment we get out of the class, fighting the throng of people going in the opposite direction.

“Go ahead then,” I signal for him to go.

“No, it’s fine. I’ll walk you to the canteen then,” he says breezily and runs his hands through his hair.

“I’ll just sit in my next class then. There’s no point going to the canteen,” I make a face at the thought of the pile of greens they are serving today.

“Good idea,” he nods vigorously, looking terrified.

“Oh, by the way, Mai talked to me again,” he casually says, earning a shock look from me.

“Woah. But she never asks a guy out twice! Wow, she must like you,” I grin and nudge him playfully.

“But I don’t like her,” he rolls his eyes.

“It’s really annoying how she keeps being so flirty,” he shakes his head, exasperated.

“Well why don’t you agree and just go on one date with her?” I ask innocently.

“I can’t stand her. I keep imagining her sickly flirty face, trying to hook me in with her fake eyelashes,” he shudders and I laugh. Little did I know, she was watching us from a few meters away.

“Well, see you then,” Kris waves as I stop in front of my class.

I grin and wave back as I watch him walk with his lazy, cool attitude in his steps. I turn to walk in to my class where Sehun is waiting for me, sitting upright and waving excitedly. A tap on my shoulder stops me and I turn my face to see none other than Mai.

Hmm, she doesn’t look bad up close, I thought.

“Can I talk to you for a sec?” she asks sweetly and bats her eyelashes. On second thought… okay, I don’t blame Kris. That was disturbing.

“Sure,” I agreed and hold up a finger to signal Sehun to wait. We walk to a corner near the locker where it’s more isolated from the crowd of chatting girls.

“So what’s up?” I ask, predicting that this will probably be about Kris.

“What’s up? What’s up is Kris. You and Kris,” her tone shocks me. She turned from an angel… to a she-devil in less than a minute. Her voice drips with poison and sourness. Mai is not happy.

“Me? I have nothing with him,” I give her the plainest look. I’m telling the truth but I have a bad feeling she won’t believe me. Still, I cross my fingers behind my back, hoping for the best.

“Yeah right. You’re one of the only people he talks to. So spill it, nerd,” she spats.

“First of all, can you be more polite? Second, I am telling the truth,” I try to keep my cool and not shout at her face. I think she has an attitude problem. Thank goodness Kris didn’t agree to going out with her, I silently thought.

She sneers. “Okay, then set me up with him.”

I do not like her commanding tone.

“I can’t. I’m not his mother and he can go out with whoever he likes,” I turn to walk away but she grabs my shoulder forcefully so I have to turn to her again.

“Don’t pretend like no one knows about your ‘matchmaking’ business, silly girl. I want you to set me up with him. Or else,” she grins like a maniac. But who is she to scare me?

“I am not pretending. And I don’t set people up with a rude partner,” I say stubbornly.

“Well this is going to be fun. Now the whole school will just know about your dad,” she says, satisfied with my frozen look.

My dad? How does she know? I don’t know how to react.

She places her hands on her hips and smirks.

“Well now, which is it?”

She is expecting me to obey to her.

Obey.

No way. I am not bowing down and kissing her filthy feet. She is a pretentious evil girl, and I am not setting Kris up with her. Never. I glare at her with daggers in my eyes and walk away without a word. I think I’ll take my chances. Kris deserves a gazillion times better girl than a wolf disguised as a sheep.