"No. I still like it better when you look me straight in the eye like you are now."
What the hell is he talking about?
Muttering something incomprehensible, the boy moved away to put up the rest of the posters. Just then, the bell rang.
"Thanks. I think I can handle the rest on my own."
"Alright."
At his words, I readily handed over the posters that were still more than half left. Then, with light steps, I headed for my locker when Scott suddenly popped out beside me.
"Hey! Let's go to Ms. Dora's class together."
Ah, was it Spanish III this time?
"Sure."
I took the textbook from my locker and went to class with Scott.
* * *
"Wow, today's class was fun too, right?"
At Scott's question, I couldn't say a word. Fun? Was there ever such a thing?
"For lunch today, we've got mac and cheese, pizza, and hot dogs. Which one do you want?"
I just said something like 'whatever,' and went down to the cafeteria. After paying for the dish with the shortest line, I sat down. Suddenly, a voice came through the microphone.
"Attention please, we have an announcement from the student council."
It was the boy I'd seen earlier. So he even makes announcements.
"Hey, Scott."
"Yeah?"
"Who's that guy?"
In response to my question, Scott adjusted his glasses while chewing on a bite of pizza.
"Oh, Derek?"
"What, you know him?"
"Who doesn't know Derek? He's the student council president."
The student council president?
"Then why didn't I see him last semester?"
When I asked, Scott replied as if it were obvious.
"Derek went on an exchange program, remember?"
Ah…? I stared blankly at Scott, and he tilted his head like he couldn't figure me out.
"Why… did Derek say something to you again?"
"What?"
When I asked back, Scott hunched his shoulders like a turtle and muttered, "Back in the sophomore fall semester, Derek called you out separately. You came back looking so down that time…"
In that moment, Chloe's memories flashed through my mind.
〈 Chloe. Could you help me with this? It's statistics, and I'm a bit confused. 〉
The memory of being left alone with Derek in the computer lab because he'd asked for help.
〈 You said you were good at math, and you really are. Chloe, you're amazing. 〉
The memory of being praised as amazing, even though she had only helped with a simple calculation.
〈 Can I ask you for help again next time, Chloe? 〉
When Derek asked, Chloe couldn't even look him in the eye and only nodded. Her heart had been pounding uncontrollably.
"Ah…"
Now I understand.
Chloe had liked that student council president.
* * *
My thoughts were tangled. Maybe that's why I couldn't focus on the psychology group project in front of me.
Derek Pearson.
A senior, one year older than Chloe. Well, considering how everyone else treated her coldly while he spoke to her gently, it was no wonder she had liked him.
"Hey."
A deep voice pulled me out of my thoughts. Jake was looking at me with a blank expression.
"So what do you think?"
Staring into those blue eyes that resembled the sky, I suddenly snapped back to my senses.
Yeah, it's not every day you get paired with your ideal type.
It was too much of a waste to let this opportunity slip away while being distracted.
"Yeah, I think it's the placebo effect."
Jake gave a half-hearted nod, scribbled something on the paper, then asked, "Pla… what?"
"Placebo."
I flipped through the pages of the textbook as I spoke.
"It was on the exam last month."
"…You remember all that?"
I blurted out something that made me sound like a total nerd. I wanted to seem like an ordinary person in front of Jake…
As I bit my lip in silent lament, I heard his indifferent voice again.
"You'd be perfect as the subject of our experiment."
"…Am I that much of a weirdo?"
"Isn't that obvious?"
More than Jake's words, it was his smile that reached my heart first.
As I thought, he really has a face that gives you hope.
My heart naturally warmed up, and without realizing it, I nodded.
"That's true. I'm quite the weirdo."
Jake looked at me as if he hadn't expected me to agree so easily.
"Didn't think you'd admit it that quickly…"
I chuckled and pointed to the sheet the teacher had handed out.
"Here. The word that goes at the top of the pyramid is self-actualization."
Without a hint of doubt, Jake wrote down the answer.
"What if I'm wrong? You didn't even check."
"You? No way…"
Jake gave a small laugh.
"Everyone in school knows you're smarter than I am."
Ah, this ticklish feeling. I hadn't felt it in a while. I wanted to keep the conversation going while the mood was good… but then I suddenly remembered the Frolic posters I'd put up earlier.
"Are you going to apply too?"
"For what?"
"Uh… The school festival?"
At my words, Jake looked at me as if he couldn't believe what he'd just heard.
"You mean Frolic?"
"Yeah."
"Of course I'm participating."
He stared at me as if I were the strangest person alive.
"You haven't seen us perform before?"
…Who's "us"? No, before that, there was such a festival even last spring semester?
"This is actually my first time hearing about Frolic."
When I told the truth, Jake let out a dry laugh.
"You really don't care about anything other than studying, do you?"
Something about his tone, as if his pride had been hurt, made me uneasy. So I blurted out a promise I didn't even mean.
"I'll definitely watch this time! I'll cheer for you too!"
Honestly, I hadn't planned to watch any talent show. I was going to study during that time, just like Chloe's parents always said I should…
"Yeah, whatever."
Jake answered lazily, and right then the bell rang. Without so much as a goodbye, he walked straight out of the classroom.
* * *
Finally, the last period, the eighth period, was over. As usual, I trudged out of the lobby when someone's voice stopped me.
"Chloe! Could you help me out again this time?"
It was the student council president.
"This time… What is it…"
"What's with you all of a sudden?"
Student council president Derek Pearson smiled and patted my shoulder.
"Why are you acting so distant?"
…We've always been this distant, though?
"Anyway, can you help out again this time?"
"You should tell me what it is first before I decide whether to agree or not."
But instead of answering, Derek only gave a faint, knowing smile.
"I'll tell you after I hear your answer."
"You sound like some kind of thug…"
Oh no, slip of the tongue. I quickly clamped my mouth shut, but it was already too late. The milk—no, the water—had been spilled.
"Hahaha."
Derek laughed heartily, and more students began glancing our way as they passed. Some of them even muttered things like, "Looks like that nerd's trying to flirt with the student council president this time."
The thought that I really shouldn't get involved with him settled firmly in my mind, but Derek seemed completely unbothered. He stepped even closer to me and whispered, "You're right, it's kind of a reckless request. So I'll give you a hint. It's a personal favor."
He winked playfully, and I frowned.
"I don't think we're close enough for personal favors… Are we?"
"Come on, don't be so cold."
From the look of it, Derek seemed to have no intention of moving aside.
"Um—"
Just then.
"Derek."
At the sound of someone calling his name, Derek turned around. Over his shoulder, I saw who it was.
It was Aaron Eisenhower.
"Mr. Brown was looking for you," he said casually, pointing upstairs.
"You should head to his classroom."
"Oh… Really?"
Derek gave me a friendly pat on the shoulder as he looked back at me.
"Chloe, let's talk again later."
Once Derek left the lobby, Eisenhower glanced down at me coldly, then walked right past. Watching his retreating back, empty-handed, I tilted my head.
What the…? Isn't he taking the hoodie?
But I quickly pushed the curiosity aside.
I told myself I wouldn't get involved with him anymore. Whether he throws away the hoodie or gives it to someone else, it's none of my business.
I nodded to myself again, reaffirming my resolve.
* * *
After humiliating someone like that, she has the nerve to act like she doesn't know anything…
Aaron felt anger rising again as he thought about the letter that had been inside the hoodie earlier.
「 Every time you act like that, it makes me so sick I could throw up. So don't bother paying attention to me. 」
He'd helped her only because, despite everything, he couldn't ignore it. He was the one who'd helped when her only friend's car battery had died, and when she'd been getting cold looks from other students after a fight with Kyle. And this was what he got in return—a letter saying he was disgusting.
Even just now, it had been the same. She'd looked like she was in trouble because of Derek Pearson, so he'd helped her, only for her to look at him like she didn't understand why he'd done it.
Fine. Then I'll do what you said. I won't stick my nose in your business anymore. Live however you damn well please.
Aaron gave a bitter smile and got into his car.
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