𝓚𝓻𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓮

"Thank you." My hand reached for the sharpener in his hand.

"No problem", he replied in a monotone voice.

I started sharpening my pencil, while he pulled out the stool beside me and took a seat. After I was done, I placed the sharpener in front of him with a thankful smile. 

"Did you just walk in?"

"Yes", he answered, bringing out his sketchbook from his backpack. 

"15 minutes late. Interesting", I mumbled but audible enough for him to hear. 

"Is it?", he asked, glancing at me with an arched eyebrow. 

I just shrugged my shoulders and continued sketching. "I find even looking at a wall interesting, so don't mind me."

He said nothing. 

We both sketched in silence for the next 30 minutes. 

I didn't mind it. Working in silence helped me focus better. However, it would be better if I was allowed to plug in my air pods and listen to music. I'll ask our teacher if listening to music is allowed while working, next class. 

"What are you humming?"All of a sudden, Nicholas asked. 

"Hm?", I asked facing him. His eyes focused on his paper. 

"You were humming for the past 15 minutes."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was -"

What was I even humming? 

"No need to apologize", he told. "Keep humming . . . . please", he said the last word softer than the others. 

Do I want to ask why? No, I don't.

I continued sketching in my book and hummed a tune I've familiarized myself with. It was one of my comfort songs and right now I just felt like humming it. Sometimes, accidentally, I sang a bit of the lyrics too. Fortunately, I sang soft enough for only Nicholas to hear. 

Nope. No. Not, fortunately. I don't like singing in front of people I barely know. I only ever sang for my friends and family. I think I sound absolutely awful but my sister's always said the opposite.

"What are you humming?", he asked with his eyes still focused on his paper. 

"A song, that I like."

"I . . . . like your voice", he mumbled and I doubt he even realised he did. 

I almost broke into laughter but instead chuckled.

"You don't?"

"I don't what?", I asked as I grabbed a 5H pencil out of my kit. 

"Like your own voice?" I turned to look at him and saw him, finally, looking up from his paper. Now looking back at me. 

I gave an inaudible chuckle. "Does anyone really like anything about themselves?"

He stared at me. Really stared. I returned back to my work. As I continued sketching, his eyes were piercing through the side of my head. 

"What do you like about yourself?", I asked out of the blue. 

"Nothing."

"You see my point?", I side glanced at him. 

He took in a single breath, his chest heaving in before moving out. "I do."

A small smile lingered on my lips throughout the rest of the class. 

❇❇❇

"It's the study of mind and behaviour", Tamara said.

"Yes, it is. So, what did you learn?", asked Sophia. 

"My mind switched off throughout the entire class. Boom! Psychology", Tamara spoke with a blank face. 

"Was that supposed to be funny?", I asked her. 

"Depends, was it?", she asked me, leaning her elbows onto the table. 

"Eh."

"Well then no. It wasn't supposed to be funny." Tamara leaned back into her seat. 

"Did you pay attention to a single thing?", Sophia asked in disbelief.

"I learned a joke." Tamara crossed her arms. 

Sophia narrowed her eyes at her. "Make it a good one."

I looked at Tamara, expectantly. 

"Why did Waldo go to therapy?", Tamara started. 

I and Sophia just glanced at each other before looking back at Tamara. 

"To find himself."

Silence. 

I snorted. 

"You're lame", Tamara said to me.

"She likes these kinds of jokes", Sophia giggled. 

"Oh come on! That wasn't as bad as I expected", I said. 

"It wasn't. It was just worst", Tamara said. "The students, who laughed at that joke, needs to get their brains checked."

"That's why they attend Psychology", I said. 

"That doesn't make sense", said Sophia. 

"Nothing I say makes sense." I took a sip of my water. 

"She's got a point", Tamara said. 

I rolled my eyes. "Just finish eating your lunch", I said. Both of them chuckled before resuming to eat their meals. 

We were eating Grilled BBQ Chicken Breast with a side of Mac & Cheese, Coleslaw and Corn Salad. I loved it. BBQ chicken is one of my favourites and Mac & Cheese was a bonus. 

"Literally, nobody sat next to me in class. But it's only the first day so I can't say much. How about you guys?", Sophia asked after swallowing a spoonful of Corn Salad. 

"In Psychology, this brunette sat next to me, but she didn't speak a word", Tamara said. 

They both looked at me, who was just cutting into her grilled chicken. 

"I had a student sit next to me in the first two periods."

"Male or female?", Sophia asked curiously. 

"Both male."

"Who?", asked Sophia.

"Xavier Valdéz in English Literature and Nicholas in Visual Arts. I don't know his last name", I answered. 

"Nicholas? Was he blonde, blue eyes?", Sophia asked.

"Yes", I answered.

"Wow. She got two Elites to sit next to her. That's my baby", Tamara said, while giving me a side hug. 

"They're the Elites?", I asked.

"The entire table right beside us", Sophia said, tilting her head towards the table not far from us. 

I turned my head to look. There six of them sat. The group of students I met yesterday. Teressa noticed me staring and waved, awkwardly. I gave her a smile in return before looking back at my sister's.

"I met all of them yesterday. They seem nice", I said. 

"Good. I was going to punch that Xavier and Nicholas in the face, if they were the snobby type", Tamara chuckled. 

"How about the girls?", Sophia asked me. 

"They're both very sweet. How did you guys know they were the Elites?", I asked the both of them. 

"Research. Tried to find out as much I could before coming here. Tamara knows because she hears all the gossip from God knows where", Sophia said. 

"Yup. No news goes around without me knowing", Tamara said. 

I just nodded. 

Am I playing dumb? 

❇❇❇

One more class at 3 pm and I was done for today. I had Chemistry. The laboratory was on the third floor, I made my way up the stairs and realized again, there are elevators here. 

Walking in into the laboratory, my eyes widened in happiness to see Teressa sitting on one of the four seated benches. Both of the siblings were in this class. Ashton sat opposite Teressa. The two of them sat alone. Teressa noticed me and waved with that cute smile of hers. I made my way over to the two and smiled. 

"Hi", I greeted.

"Hi! Oh my gosh please seat next to me! I swear to God, I won't do anything weird." Her eyes widened. "I mean, it's totally up to you if you want to sit next to me or not. You can sit anywhere, it's up to you honestly, like - "

"I would love to sit with you", I added with a soft smile. 

Teressa sighed in relief. I took my seat next to her and gave Ashton a smile in greeting which he returned.

The female teacher, who had short blonde hair and blue eyes, walked in. She looked like she was in her mid 40's. She greeted all her students and started today's class. 

During the entire class, I was paying attention to our Chemistry teacher, Mrs Dawson, and taking down notes in my notebook. We were asked to balance the equations on the board. There were at least 10 equations on the board, I've now completed 6. 

"Could you um . . help me?", Teressa asked timidly.

"Of course", I said, "But I could be wrong."

"It looks correct", she said, while taking a look at the equations I have balanced. 

"What does . .  wrong look like then?", I asked.

Ashton chuckled, glancing at me.

"Good point", Teressa chuckled. 

I looked over her work and saw she, so far,  got all of them right. She stopped on the 5th equation and I helped her. We both went through each other's work, when we were done, to double-check. I glanced at Ashton, he was finished too. 

"Do you want to check your work?", I asked him. 

"Don't bother asking. He has a high ego when it comes to girls." Teressa rolled her eyes. 

Ashton just slid his paper across the table towards me. I peered at him and found him staring out the window. Reaching out for his paper, I took a look at his work. 

"Oh. We got a different answer for the 5th equation", I said. 

"What?", Ashton asked and looked at me.

"5th equation. Do you want to explain how you got your answer?"

" You explain how you got yours first."

I nodded my head, slowly.

I passed him back his paper. I placed my paper in front of him and turned it. While pointing the lead of my white mechanical pencil on the equation, I started explaining how I balanced it. Throughout the explanation, he just nodded his head. Teressa just sat there and glanced between the two of us. 

"Does that make sense? I could be wrong -"

"No. You're right." He erased his answer and re-wrote the same answer as mine. 

I reached out and slid my paper back to me. I glanced at Teressa and she was looking at her paper with a faint smirk on her face. 

What is this girl thinking? 

❇❇❇

"We'll meet at the restaurant then", I told Teressa.

"OS! (Short for 'Awesome')", she responded excitedly. 

 Since I was heading to the city on Wednesday, I asked Teressa if she and Isabella would like to have dinner with me then. I was so happy when she said they would love to. 

I forgot to mention Sophia will be joining us.

"Hey is it alright if -", I was interrupted.

"Teressa!" I heard Isabella call.

"Hey, Iz." Isabella now stood before us.

The rest of the Elites were behind her. Ashton stood next to Teressa, while I was talking to her. 

Now all six of them stood before me. I gave a small smile to the rest of the group, before paying attention to Teressa and Isabella.

"Oh yeah! Kristine asked if we would like to join her for dinner in town on Wednesday. I said yes, of course. You're free right?", Teressa asked Isabella. 

Isabella's eyes widened. We all waited for her response.

"Um . . is that a yes?", I hesitantly asked Isabella. 

"Y . .yeah. Of course! That'd be great", Isabella smiled widely. 

"Oh, and Sophia will be joining us. Is that alright?", I asked them. 

"Join what?"