Rheostat

19.Shortcake

"Can I take that to my room?" I asked, pointing to a particular painting hung over the bed.

Kai looked at the wall to see which one I was pointing at before curtly refusing, "No, they are not for charity."

"I'll tell everyone you were crying just now." I threatened, hoping he would give in.

"See if I care." He yawned before lying down in the bed and covering himself with a blanket.

What a faker.

He never slept before midnight. If Noah was the early rooster of the house, Kai would be the midnight owl. And now he's pretending to be sleepy at 11 in the night.

As if I would believe his act.

But I chose not to comment on it and left his room silently.

Maybe he needed some time alone.

... ... ...

Eveline wasn't lying when she said everyone in her class was friendly.

But all things had exceptions. Like the boy who sat behind me.

Ethan Greyson was a major pain in ass.

For the entirety of first period he had been kicking the back of my chair. Every time I turned back to complain, he would flash me a radiant smile and apologize, "I'm sorry, my legs are too long."

"Do you need me to cut them short for you?" I would smile back. In response to which he would just blink his eyes and go back to kicking my chair.

This was not how I wanted to start my morning.

By the time second period started, he changed his tactics.

"Shortcake," he tapped on my shoulder.

"My name is Aylin."

"Shortcake," Ethan blinked his eyes like he didn't understand what I meant.

"It's Aylin."

"Shortcake." How can one person be this annoying? Besides I wasn't even that short.

"What do you want?" I asked, giving up.

"Do you have a spare pen?"

"No."

"Shortcake," Ethan called again in a hushed voice.

"What?"

"Did you bring a stapler?"

"No." Why do you even need that?

"Shortcake," Ethan poked my shoulder yet again.

"What?!" I hissed, my patience running thin.

"Can you move your head to the side? You're blocking the board."

"Sure." I gritted out, annoyed. He was taller than me, how could I possibly block his view?

... ... ...

After third period, Ethan got tired himself and didn't annoy me further.

"Aren't you sitting with your friends?" I inquired. Eve was heading to a different table than where her best friends sat.

She had told me about them, and it sounded like she really liked them a lot. Which is why I tolerated Ethan throughout the last three periods.

I'm sure she would be sad if I fought with her friends on the second day of school. And making her sad was the last thing I wanted to do.

At my question, Eve turned to look at her usual lunch table but immediately turned back with a fake smile plastered on her face, "I promised the cheerleading squad I would eat with them."