I Was First | Joshua Hong

Chapter 15

Third Person's POV

It was their section's art class, but due to their teacher forgetting to get everything she needs, Joshua and Alliza were told to get paint from the school's stock room.

On the way, along the hallway, they were conversing about some few, mostly school, stuffs. They looked somewhat comfortable towards each other since they were seatmates for awhile now which means that they also talk whenever they're inside their classroom.

"You and Hiah seems close.", Joshua said and Alliza nodded with a slight smile.

"Yeah, she invites me to tag along with her and her friend Lea. She's really nice, I don't understand why people talk about her badly."

"They do?", Joshua's jaw somewhat tensed. Out of all the time he was here in school, he had never heard anyone talk anything about Hiah, and if anyone would talk how mean she is, it would just be Lily.

"Yeah. I could sometimes hear them talk about Hiah that she's cold and mean, but I don't think she is."

"Cause she's really not."

"You're right...and they even said that she exorcist her friends for them to be friends with her.", Alliza scoffed as she clearly remembered those people's voices and even faces. They always judge when they barely even know a person.

"They really are being absurd. They should get their facts right."

"I know right.", Alliza looked elsewhere for awhile, trying to suppress her frustrations towards those specific people, but when she suddenly recalled a thought, she immediately faced Joshua again. "By the way, I've been meaning to ask but I don't know who should I ask among you and Hiah, but since you're here, I guess I can just ask...?"

"Yeah, sure. What is it?"

"I just know that Hiah and you are friends, but I don't know how long or what kind of friendship you both have...do you mind if I ask that?"

"No, I don't mind.", Joshua slightly shook his hands. "So uhm... We live in the same neighborhood and our houses are near to each other, and yeah, we became friends since we always see each other outside... we're basically childhood friends, and until now, we're still close friends.", Joshua smiled, not only by the thought of Hiah, but also because as he told that to Alliza, he again recalled what kind of past Hiah and him had.

"Wow, that's really great. You're bond must be really strong."

Joshua couldn't help but had his smile become wider. She was right, after having almost his lifetime being friends with her, the bond that keeps their friendship was resolute.

But his face gradually became evidently sour when he remembered how Hiah ignored her the other day. And until now, they haven't had a proper conversation nor even talked looking at each other's eyes. When they do get to talk, it would just be brief and would just be about school.

"We're here.", He looked up and saw the sign above the door and engraved there were the words 'stock room'.

It wasn't troublesome getting inside because the door wasn't locked, since their teacher didn't give them any keys.

"We only need the paints, right?", Joshua asked as he looked around.

"Yeah. Do you know where is it?"

"I don't really know. I've haven't been here in a while, but I think it's just around here."

They continued to look around, and eventually, it didn't took Alliza awhile to see the paints that were placed at the highest shelf.