I drove home in silence.

"Because you don't have feelings for me. And the feelings I had for you disappeared a long time ago."

I tried to brush it away, but her words echoed in my head. I tried to ignore it, but her voice became louder and louder.

I drove to the side of the road and parked my car. I let my back fall against the chair with a thud.

Why?... Why can't I push her out of my mind? Why can't I stop hearing her voice? Why am I so bothered by her words?

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. 

"The feelings I had for you disappeared a long time ago."

I opened my eyes, and my fingers tightly gripped the edge of my seat. When I realized my fingers were digging into the seat, I loosened my grip.

Why does my chest feel heavy? What am I feeling? Is this anger, sadness, or regret?

"No, Wang Zi, it can't be," I said to myself. "Why in the world would you feel this way? Gui Gui... Gui Gui never meant anything special to you; she is just a friend. That's right. She is just a friend."

I regained my composure and turned the car engine back on. I grasped the wheel and continued driving home.

I leaned against my car and stuffed my hands into my pockets as I waited. I stared at the ground and at the sky for a while to pass the time.

When is she going to leave her apartment?

I looked at my watch to check the time. It was already 7:33.

Does she plan on being late again?

A gust of wind blew by. I turned my head and yawned as the wind blew past.

"Wang Zi?"

I turned to look at Gui Gui and smiled.

She looked back in shock and disbelief.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"To take you to school. Why else would I be here?" I replied.

I took my keys out of my pocket and walked over to the passenger side. I unlocked the car and opened the door.

"But I never asked you to..."

"You didn't have to. What kind of boyfriend lets his girlfriend go to school alone?"

"What?"

I smirked as her jaw dropped.

"Yesterday, I said that you were my girlfriend," I said. "Now that news should have spread all over campus. If we don't act like a couple, what will people think? Most importantly, what will those crazy fangirls think? If you want those fangirls to stop harassing you, we're just going to have to keep the act up."

"But..."

"Come on, Gui Gui. We'll be late for class if we don't go now."

I held the door for her as she sat in the convertible. I closed the door and went to the driver side. As I started the engine, I looked at Gui Gui. 

She seemed to feel my gaze, and she turned her head to look out the window.

As soon as I parked, Gui Gui stepped out of my car. She said a quiet "thank you" and started to walk away.

"Wait!" I yelled as I locked my car. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

She looked at herself and checked if she was missing anything. She quickly turned around and asked, "What am I forgetting?"

I walked up to her with a smile. As I came closer, she shyly looked at the ground and took a few steps back. When I was standing right in front of her, she looked up at me, confused.

"Wang Zi, what am I missing?"

"This."

Her eyes were wide open when I held her hand.

"Wang Zi..."

"You're my girlfriend, remember?"

I instinctively smirked.

"Let's go to class, Gui Gui."

As we walked to class, we could feel stares coming from everyone around us. I ignored them, but I could clearly tell she was feeling uncomfortable.

When we reached our classroom, I stopped her from entering. 

"Gui Gui."

She suddenly tensed up.

"I'm sorry."

She turned to look at me. A small smile surfaced on her face, and then she went inside.

"You two are dating, and you didn't tell me?"

Gui Gui and I both stared at the table as Chen Feng angrily sipped his smoothie.

Gui Gui looked up and said,"Chen Feng, actually we're–"

I tugged on her jacket sleeve under the table.

She leaned toward me and whispered, "Wang Zi, what's wrong?"

I turned and whispered back, "Let's not tell Chen Feng."

"Why?"

"If we tell him, other people might find out that we're just acting."

"But–"

I looked into her eyes, silently trying to convince her.

She shyly bit her lip and looked away.

"Now you two are being all lovey-dovey. Hey, I'm still here, guys," said Chen Feng.

I said, "We're sorry, Chen Feng, but we just didn't want to hurt your feelings."

"Hurt my feelings? What? Ying Jie, Sheng Yi, I'm not upset because you two are together. I'm upset because you two tried to hide it from me. I'm your friend, not a stranger."

Gui Gui held Chen Feng's hand with both of hers and said, "We're sorry. We won't do it again. Don't be upset anymore, okay?"

Chen Feng smiled and replied, "I'm not upset anymore. I'm actually quite happy for you two. I always thought you guys looked cute together."

Feeling slightly embarrassed, I looked away. 

"Anyway, I gotta go. I'll leave you two lovebirds alone," said Chen Feng as he grabbed his smoothie and slung his backpack over his shoulder. "Bye!"

After he left, Gui Gui and I quietly sat for several minutes, not looking at one another.

I wanted to say something, but I couldn't open my mouth. I just didn't know what to say. Last night, what she said to me last night, left an awkward feeling between us. I tried to ignore it, but ignoring it only made it worse. I had to say something. I needed to say something.

"Gui Gui."

She turned to look at me and asked, "Yes, Wang Zi?"

"I... I..."

Why is nothing coming out?

Gui Gui looked at me with curiosity in her eyes.

"Uh, final exams are next week. Do you need any help studying?"

"No, but thank you," Gui Gui replied. She stood up and slipped on her shoulder bag. "I'm gonna go now. Bye, Wang Zi."

She then left the café, and I was all alone.

God, I'm so stupid.