Tiffany could not focus at all after gym class. As much as she wanted to push the thought away, it would always come back making her wonder if the girl was real or not. Thinking about it, Tiffany had never heard anyone talking about the girl on the bench. "This is so frustrating," Tiffany muttered and messed her hair up.

 

 

 

"What is so frustrating Miss Hwang?" Mr. Lee asked with a look of displease shown on his face. He had been standing beside Tiffany's table for almost three minutes calling her name at least four times.

 

 

 

',' Tiffany said in her mind. She looked at the teacher and the look of guilt was shown on her face.

 

 

 

"One more time you space out, off to detention you go. Got it Miss Hwang?" Mr. Lee said strictly and continued with class.

 

 

 

Tiffany let out a long breath and realized she had been holding onto her breath for the whole time. She had not been this scared her whole life in school. Getting into detention was the last thing on her list as she wanted a good record. Count herself lucky this time. 

 

 

 

School was finally over for Tiffany and she went to her locker. When she opened it up, the same blue note paper fell and Tiffany picked it up. Again, the same numbers were written but there were other words written as well.

 

 

 

'143. What could it mean? I love you... I hate you... why don't you try guessing?'

 

 

 

By now, Tiffany was really confused. Her head was messed up. Who could have sent her the note? There were a lot of students in the hallway and it could be any of them. 

 

 

 

"Is that another confession letter?" 

 

 

 

The voice startled Tiffany. She turned to the source of voice and saw her best friend peeking at the letter. "Oh my gosh you shocked me Jess," Tiffany glared at her friend.

 

 

 

Jessica rolled her eyes and snatched the paper away from Tiffany. She scanned through the note and a frown formed on her face. "Mysterious much?" she said and handed the paper back to Tiffany.

 

 

 

"I received the same note but only with the numbers this morning. It's making me damn curious. Who could he be?" Tiffany sighed. She folded the paper into half and slid it into her notebook.

 

 

 

"Whatever the person is doing, he made a right choice. You're curious about him. Who knows you would fall for him later?" Jessica said with a playful smile.

 

 

 

"He might be just playing tricks with me. Who knows it might actually be a girl who hates me that sent this notes?" Tiffany said as if it was obvious.

 

 

 

Jessica shrugged and patted her friend's shoulder. "It's up to you what you think of. I'll be going now. Krystal's waiting for me."

 

 

 

Tiffany waved to her friend and walked the opposite direction to the front gate. She pulled out her earpiece and plugged it to her phone. She was about to slot the earpiece into her ears but someone patted her shoulder which shocked her. Tiffany released her phone by accident and tried catching it only to feel someone pulling her closer by the waist and caught her phone with another hand. 

 

 

 

"I-I'm sorry. It was by instinct. I-I didn't mean to touch you," the person stuttered and released Tiffany.

 

 

 

The latter turned around and was surprised to see that it was the bench girl. 'It wasn't a hallucintation then?' Tiffany thought.

 

 

 

"Here's your phone," the girl said and handed Tiffany her item.

 

 

 

Instead of taking the phone, Tiffany stared at the girl. She was wondering where the girl had went to after she returned to the court and talked to Yuri. The girl could not have disappeared just like that. 

 

 

 

"Tiffany?" the girl said. She was feeling uncomfortable that the said person was staring at her. "Tiffany...?"

 

 

 

Tiffany snapped out and a hint of red was shown her face. "I'm sorry. I was spacing out for a moment," she apologized.

 

 

 

The girl giggled and smiled widely. For a moment, Tiffany was mesmerized by it. She had heard that most people were mesmerized by her eye smile and shrugged it off thinking it was plain weird but now, she knew the feeling herself. "Say, what's your name?" Tiffany asked once she remembered.

 

 

 

"Why don't you try guessing?" the girl asked with a playful smile.

 

 

 

The question brought Tiffany back to the note she received earlier. Was she the one who gave Tiffany those notes? 'It can't be. She's a girl,' Tiffany said in her mind. She looked at the girl and saw that the latter was spacing out. "You remind me of my best friend you know," Tiffany said.

 

 

 

The girl snapped out and arched an eyebrow at Tiffany. "Your best friend?"

 

 

 

Tiffany nodded. "Jessica Jung. She likes to space out a lot."

 

 

 

"Okay..."

 

 

 

'Did I just make this conversation awkward?' Tiffany bit onto her lower lips.

 

 

 

"Tiffany, who are you talking to?" Bora asked as she noticed the girl standing at the front gate.

 

 

 

Tiffany looked around and saw that the girl had disappeared once again. Her phone was in her hand and it seemed like the conversation did not happened at all. 'Am I going crazy?' Tiffany thought. However, she felt something on her other hand and it was a piece of paper with numbers written on it and a 'call me' written right below it. Tiffany smiled a little knowing she was not dreaming but could not help and think how the girl disappeared in the blink of an eye.

 

 

 

"Are you going home now Tiffany?" Bora asked as she got closer to the said girl.

 

 

 

"Yeah..." Tiffany mumbled.

 

 

 

"Let's go home together," Bora grinned and linked arms with Tiffany.

 

 

 

Once at home and after taking a shower, Tiffany plopped onto her bed and grabbed her phone. She was not sure if you she shoud message the girl or not. She did not know her well. What if the girl was a kidnapper or a maniac or something? 'She looks innocent though,' Tiffany thought.

 

 

 

All of the sudden, Tiffany's phone rang and a text popped up from an unknown number. She opened the text and her eyes widened reading it. 

 

 

 

'Surprise, I have your number now. The answer to my previous note, have you guessed it? I'm still waiting.'

 

 

 

Tiffany was scared reading the text. Not only were there no emoticons, it sounded really creepy. Who could have pulled this prank on her? Was it even a prank? Tiffany did not dare reply the text and all of thoughts on calling the bench girl disappeared.

 

--

 

It was a Friday morning but Tiffany did not feel like going to school at all. Firstly, she was afraid if there was another note in her locker. Secondly, she did not want to see the bench girl. She was afraid that the girl would be angry at her for not calling her and that would make Tiffany guilty. The latter had really forgotten about it after receiving the mysterious creepy text.

 

 

 

"Tiffany wake up. You're going to be late if you don't get ready now," her sister, Michelle, called out.

 

 

 

"I'm getting ready now," Tiffany groaned. She was not looking forward to school at all.

 

 

 

In school, Tiffany straight away went to homeroom instead of visiting her locker like she always does. Plugging in her earpiece, Tiffany listened to music while waiting for the homeroom teacher to enter. She wanted to forget everything for the moment.

 

 

 

Just then, she heard the chair beside her being dragged and her heart stopped beating for a second. 'Is there a transfer student?' Tiffany thought. Slowly, she turned and her eyes widened seeing that the bench girl was sitting beside her.

 

 

 

The student turned and looked at Tiffany. "I'm sorry. Is this seat taken?" she asked politely.

 

 

 

"Not at all. You can have the seat," Tiffany muttered. She did not meant to sound rude but she was in awe. Who was the girl actually?

 

 

 

"My name is Taeyeon," the girl smiled.

 

 

 

"Tiffany, my name is Tiffany," the American introduced.

 

 

 

"So you're from the States," Taeyeon stated.

 

 

 

Tiffany nodded and took off her earpiece. "What about you? It's rare for someone to enter halfway," she asked.

 

 

 

Tiffany saw Taeyeon's expression changed and regretted what she had asked. She did not even know what had she said to make Taeyeon that way. "I-I'm sorry if I said something wrong," Tiffany apologized. Hearing no reply from Taeyeon, Tiffany turned back to the front and shut her eyes tight. 'Way to go Stephanie,' she thought.

 

 

 

"I'm sorry I'm late class. By the way, have you met your new classmate?" their homeroom teacher, Mrs. Ahn said. "Taeyeon, would you mind introducing yourself?"

 

 

 

Four periods passed like a breeze and Tiffany did not had the chance to talk to Taeyeon at all. The latter was too focused on lesson that Tiffany doubt she saw her glancing at her once in a while.

 

 

 

"Tiffany, I heard you have a new classmate," Jessica said once she saw her best friend.

 

 

 

"Yeah and she happens to be my partner now," Tiffany said. She opened her locker and yet again, another small note fell out. Tiffany sighed. She was getting tired off it and creeped out. 'Whoever is doing this should really stop,' Tiffany spoke in her mind.

 

 

 

'Meet me at the gym right after school. I bet you're really curious about me.'

 

 

 

The note tempted Tiffany a lot. Half of her wanted to meet the person but the other half was afraid. What if the person was not what Tiffany thought he - maybe a she - would be like? What if the person was actually a psychotic killer? Many negative thoughts were running in her mind.

 

 

 

"Tiff, are you alright?" Jessica asked. "I thought I'm the one that usually spaces out."

 

 

 

Tiffany snapped from her thoughts and smiled slightly. "I'm fine. I have to get back to class. I'll see you later."

 

 

 

Jessica knew something was wrong but she did not want to force Tiffany into telling her. "Alright," Jessica said and patted Tiffany's shoulder before walking to her next class.

 

 

 

Tiffany sighed as she read the note again. Should she or should she not? She was too deep in her thoughts again that she did not realize Taeyeon making her way towards her.

 

 

 

"You don't think I don't realize you staring at me right Tiffany?"

 

 

 

Tiffany jumped a little from her spot and her heart started beating a little bit too fast. "Me staring? Of course not. Why would I even stare at you..."

 

 

 

Tiffany stopped talking and cursed at herself mentally. She buried her face into her palms and felt her cheeks getting warmer.

 

 

 

"Are you sure because I can feel it whenever someone stares at me," Taeyeon said and raised her eyebrow.

 

 

 

"I got to go now. I don't want to to be late for class," Tiffany mumbled and walked past Taeyeon. However, Taeyeon grabbed her wrist and made Tiffany face her. 

 

 

 

'How can she do this calmly when we just met today?' Tiffany thought. 

 

 

 

"You're not safe at all Hwang. Be wary of everything around you," Taeyeon told Tiffany before walking away.

 

 

 

'W...what?'

 

 

 

Tiffany was confused as hell.