The bell rang to announce the end of the first day in school, and the lifeless hallways were brought back to life with different noises and ruckus; Lockers’ doors were banging closed, and bodies were walking around among groups or alone, some chatted with friends, while others eyed their smart devices and headed to the school’s main gate.

Yuri was a quite girl who stood near the main gate and watched it all, students rushing to get into the bus, and others who walked or were old enough to drive their own car as a mean of transportation; she was still uncertain of how she was going to go home for the day.

“Hey Yuri!” A soft but firm voice calling from behind startled the tanned girl and caused her to turn around, she faced a shorter blond who needed no self introduction of any sort; everyone in their school knew Jessica Jung, “Almost everyone is leaving, how come you’re still here?”

“She knows my name?” Yuri thought to herself; Unlike the popular blond who was also class president and an active member at a number of school clubs, she was a nobody.

 “Ummmm… I’m not sure about my ride.” Yuri answered, simply. Her mother already told her to contact their old driver to pick her up, but she didn’t want to; she had her reasons.

“How could you not be sure about your ride?” Jessica questioned, and Yuri thought this was getting a little too long for a conversation between two people who never spoke with one another, but it didn’t bother her at all, “I mean, what kind of ride do you usually get?”

Yuri titled her head in discomfort, and her neck made a snapping voice, this was something she did often during conversations and it usually brushed people away, “My brother used to drive me, but he graduated.”

“And?” Jessica asked again, she clearly didn’t care about how bothered Yuri tried to look, she was class president and students’ affairs were her thing.

“And now, I’m supposed to call our old driver and have him pick me up.” Yuri sighed, she hated the fact that she had no choice in this and she kind of hoped that a classmate would offer her a ride, but who was she kidding? She didn’t have any friends. “But I don’t want to.”

“Look, it seems like you don’t enjoy that driver for some reason.” Jessica stated, “Call him now, have him drive you, then figure something out when you go home; or you’ll end up just standing here.”

Yuri kept her gaze but said nothing, Jessica was right, this could be solved… but maybe not now.

“You know, you should have planned something earlier.” Jessica added, “And speaking of planning, I have to go now… Me and the students’ council are staying behind to plan this year’s agenda.”

Yuri nodded in understanding, usually she would pick a fight if someone tried to be a smart- on her like Jessica just did in her last comment, but she swallowed it.

“I guess I’ll be seeing you later then.” Jessica waved as she stepped back towards the school’s entrance, and moments later she disappeared inside the building.

-

“So how was your first day in school?” Mrs. Kwon asked her daughter as the lifeless zombie named Yuri stepped inside loosening her uniform’s tie and kicking off her sneakers to continue walking across the living room until she reached her bedroom with her backpack hanging by its stripe on her right shoulder, “Tiring.” She said before closing her door behind her.

Mrs. Kwon didn’t enjoy Yuri’s behavior much, she walked towards her daughter’s door and unlocked it… Yuri was lying on her bed with her uniform still on, the room around her was a mess, much like its owner.

“You know, a greeting could be nice.” Her mom stated, it wasn’t as firm as a scolding should be, but it was a sarcastic tone that still managed to tick a person off.

“A door knock could be nice too.” Yuri replied as she sat up slightly, her back was resting on the bedpost, “but you don’t see me complaining.”

Mrs. Kwon let out a heavy sigh; she wasn’t sure if she had done something to earn this attitude from her daughter or if it was just a teenage phase, “Is something bothering you?”

 “Yes.” Yuri answered, “I thought I told you and dad that I don’t want to ride with that driver again.”

“Last year was okay; because your brother could drive you.” Her mom explained still standing by the door, “Now he’s going to college, you’re still not old enough to get a license, and you know our opinion about riding the school’s bus, this is safer for you.”

“Then can’t you hire another driver? Cause this one is an idiot.” Yuri asked, not failing to show her mother a bothered expression.

“Your dad and I trust him.” Her mother added, “Plus, he drives other girls from your school, it should be fun once you get to know them.”

“Yeah, mom.” Yuri rolled her eyes, and got back to her usual lying position, “Super fun.”

Yuri’s mother understood the gesture and left the room, Yuri let out a long sigh upon hearing the door closing and sat up again… her mom was wrong about one thing; trusting him.

-

“Bro!” Yuri called as she barged into her older brother’s room, he was back facing his room’s door and had his eyes glued to the screen in front of him, his sister’s noise didn’t startle him one bit as he was too used to it, “Can’t you please drive me to school on your way to college?”

Hyuk Jun let out a long sigh before he turned to face his sister with an apologetic face, “I wanted to tell our parents of this first, but I guess I’ll tell you.” He said, “The College I’ll be going into won’t be here in Seoul, so I can’t drive you.”

“What?!” Yuri asked, “What do you mean not in Seoul?”

“I got accepted to UCLA, full scholarship.” He stated, his lips curved into a smile; this is what he wanted ever since Yuri could possibly remember, but still… she did not see it coming.

Yuri swallowed the lump in and hid her disappointment behind a faint smile; she wanted to be happy for him, but he was her only friend and now he was going away, “Congratulations.”

“Yeah.” He still had a hint of sadness in his eyes despite of his joy; he too didn’t want to leave his sister behind, “I might go to the states sometimes next week, and I have to start packing now.”

“I’m glad you’re getting to do what you always wanted.”

-

“Ayy” a voice called –or rather whispered- from behind of Yuri in class, the teacher didn’t notice the ninja whispering and continued explaining the lesson, Yuri turned around and her eyes met a rather bored blond; Jessica was on the verge of sleeping and the class was yet to be finished, “what’s up?” She added.

“We’re in the middle of class and you’re asking me what’s up?” Yuri whispered back, although she was basically a nobody in school, she still wanted to be a good student and look after her grades starting this year; her brother advised her to improve if she wanted to get into a good college, and move out of their apartment.

“Come’on, Yuri… Humor me.” The blond complained, “Teacher isn’t looking, and me is bored.” Yuri and Jessica has been sharing almost all of their classes for this semester… and for some reason Jessica always took a seat that was near the tanned girl, she  initiated conversation whenever she could, and with time it became a habit.

 “You is bored?” Yuri questioned sarcastically, “use proper language please, Ms. President… And speaking of which, shouldn’t you be all ideal and not talk in class?”

Yuri and Jessica surprisingly got along pretty well during the first couple of weeks of school after their ‘get a ride and go home’ encounter the first day, they started to talk more, and hang together during break, to Jessica it was a normal practice since she got along pretty well with almost everyone, but to Yuri it was kind of weird establishing a friendship on her own, she wasn’t used to it.

“Ms. President? I like that.” Jessica pretended to think, Yuri could see it even from behind of her and chuckled at the girl… how could someone so poised be so childish at times?

“Would you prefer ‘your highness’ then?” Yuri joked, “Suits you well, princess.”

Jessica’s face flushed upon hearing the word ‘princess’ coming from Yuri, “I like it! call me that from now on.” she said a little bit too loud, and excitedly pressed her palms together in a clap.

“Ms. Kwon! Ms. Jung!” They got caught by their teacher, and the whole class turned to see the guilty look on their faces.

The pair smiled awkwardly and apologetically towards their teacher, but still… detention was a must.

-

“So, this is where I’m dropping you off?” Jessica asked, she offered Yuri her a ride home, and the latter wasn’t going to refuse that.

“Yup, my apartment is up there.” Yuri pointed up, “9^th floor.”

“How come you don’t have a license, Yuri?” Jessica asked, “When is your Birthday?”

“I still didn’t turn eighteen.” Yuri replied, “I’m late 1989, December 5^th.”

Jessica’s eyes were busy scanning the surroundings outside the window, she pointed somewhere across the street, “I live behind that building over there.” She smiled, “if you’d like, I can give you a ride to school every day, you’re in my way.”

Yuri didn’t want to refuse that offer, but saying ‘yes’ to it so quickly would seem weird, and plus… she had to get her parents’ permission.

“I’ll get back to you on that.” Yuri said as she stepped out of the car, she bent down and faced Jessica through the open car’s window, “thanks for the ride, princess… don’t get us into detention again.”

it surprised Yuri how Jessica was always opening up to her, and she wished she could do the same; she only spoke of the things she’d write in a profile, favorite food, colors, hobbies, but left out her thoughts, feelings, and personality-related things… she felt guilty about doing that to Jessica, it’s not like she didn’t trust her.

Yuri’s line of thoughts was interrupted by the sound of Jessica’s car driving away, she raised her hand and waved good-bye in case Jessica was to look back at her using the mirror, she smiled at the idea and prayed inside for her parents approval.

For some reason, Jessica Jung made her feel safe.