Don't Cry Over Phở

Chapter 4: Failure is Death

As all the kids were leaving, I sat outside on the curb waiting for my mom to pick me up. The front of the school was quiet and empty as most people had gone home already. Thinking I was alone, I started zoning out in my thoughts until I heard laughter.

I glanced behind me to see who it was. The classroom door I just exited, opened as a familiar purple head emerged with a boy whose scowl I knew all too well. Except this time, Luca was actually NOT scowling. I looked at Zoey and Luca with slight interest. They smiled and laughed about something that I couldn't hear.

For some reason I felt a small twang of disappointment. I scoffed at my thoughts. Luca was just a pretty face I reasoned. That's all.

"Hey! Allison over here!" called Zoey. I flinched. Oh my goodness why did she have to call me over. I sighed frustratingly knowing I'd have to deal with Luca again. I turned around with the fakest smile I could muster and walked over there slowly.

Zoey was smiling warmly at me while her not-so-friendly companion had a blank stare as he glanced over me. I smiled at Zoey and pretended to be stoic as I gave Luca a cursory glance. He was wearing a white hoodie with black shorts this time. He had that same disheveled hair and his face, although handsome, was blank and expressionless. Damn did this guy ever smile?

"Allison I don't know if you've met him, but this is Luca," Zoey said as she gestured to Luca, "And Luca this is Allison." Luca and I stared each other down, none of us smiling. Zoey looked at us questioningly, "Have you guys already met?" Her brown eyes widened as she peered at each of us.

I smirked at Luca, suddenly feeling bold, "You think I wouldn't recognize that signature scowl every time you see me?" Luca raised an eyebrow and his frown only deepened as he defensively said, "I don't scowl."

"See? You're doing it again!!" I pointed out frustratingly. Before he could respond, I heard a honk and knew it was my mom's car.

"Well adios friends," I said, saluting them as I walked away. I felt relieved to be leaving. I didn't understand why Luca hated me so much and frankly I didn't have the time or energy to care. "Uh see you tomorrow then!" called Zoey. Luca said nothing as usual and I let the shape of their figures fade away in the distance as we drove farther and farther away.

The car ride home was surprisingly peaceful as I was half expecting my mom to be berating me about grades or piano. From the passenger seat, I glanced at her. She was still wearing her restaurant apron with the familiar phở smell I knew all too well. She was tapping her fingers on the steering wheel to the loud classical Vietnamese music blasting from the radio.

"So how was school?" she asked, her eyes still on the road. "It was good," I said, not providing any more details.

"Did you make any new friends? I saw you talking to that girl and boy after school," she noted. I scoffed a little at the idea of Luca and I being friends, "No they're just acquaintances I know." Hah! Friends were a foreign concept to me. I only had one and that was Hailey as depressing as that sounds.

As soon as we arrived home, I raced upstairs to my room and flopped on the bed. I was exhausted as hell from my first day of school. I just wanted to take a nap for eternity. No matter how much I wanted to sleep, I knew I couldn't as I had a Physics test tomorrow.

My Physics teacher was absolutely wacko for assigning an introductory test right on the first day of school. AP Physics for you I suppose. I sighed while reaching for my book. Opening the first chapter, my mind immediately shut down as I tried to read the foreign language in front of me.

What the fuck is this? Physics could be its own language I swear.

I skipped it for now and worked on other homework for hours, eating a quick bowl of instant noodle for dinner so I could go back to working.

"Liên are you studying up there?!" yelled my mom from downstairs. I grumbled curses to myself before shouting back, "Yes I am!" Or at least I was trying to study. I attempted to read my Physics book again but giving up after one chapter, I decided to take a small nap. That test was future Allison's problem, I thought to myself.

Just a 30 minute nap... I thought to myself before I dozed off. After what felt like hours, I felt myself twitching awake. Sunlight streamed in through the window as I yawned. Wait. Sunlight?

My body went cold as I froze. Fuck it couldn't be. I frantically checked my phone. That was NOT a 30 minute nap. I slept the whole freaking night and now it was the next day!! I didn't study for Physics at all!

Holy shit I was doomed. Quickly pulling an outfit together and getting ready, I went downstairs pretending everything was normal. My usual straight brown hair was a tangled mess, but I had no time for anything.

My mom gave me an exasperated sigh when she looked over my disheveled appearance, "Can't you look less messy next time?" I smiled weakly at her. Sure I looked homeless, but I couldn't have looked that bad. Besides I had bigger things to worry about than my appearance. Like that physics test I was about to fail. I shuddered at the thought of it.

"I have to go the restaurant early today so your father will be dropping you off at school. Make sure to do well in school," my mom said sternly, reminding me with that same message about a thousand times by now probably. "I know I know," I mumbled through a mouthful of cereal.

I had to think of something to do to pass my Physics test... if the test doesn't kill me, my parents for sure will. There was one thing I had no choice but to do.