"May I kiss your forehead, Crimson?" She doesn't recoil or say a word, so I press my lips gently against her forehead. It's a tender and fleeting moment, but it fills me with a warmth that I can't explain.
"Just because a relationship has an expirat...
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CRIMSON DONOVAN
We all jump startled like popcorn bursting in a pan when Zeke slams his books on the cafeteria table we were sitting at. Ayla, Rowan and I sat alone for only two days before Drexel basically ordered us to sit with them when some boy had boldly asked Rowan out. Hence, the three of us sit with Drexel, Archer, Zeke and Jed now.
I have yet to hear Jed's voice though.
Zeke grumpily sits down and chews and tears his sandwich apart as if it had offended him somehow. We wordlessly observe the seething Zeke and wait until someone decides to speak up. Finally, Archer gives in with a deep sigh and asks, "What's wrong Zeke?"
"What's wrong?" he repeats in a low voice, his silver hair concealing his eyes. "I'll tell you what's wrong! My film came in second place!"
"Wow, that's great! Congratulations Zeke!" Rowan cheers as the rest of the table erupts into happy merriments. "I'm glad my acting paid off well," Ayla claps her hands self-satisfactorily. "I'm never acting again."
"We should probably celebrate the success with the rest of the students who helped," Drexel comments.
Zeke nods his head, "Yeah, we should do that. But that's not the problem! Can you believe that I lost to a little freshman? He barely comes up to my shoulders and he just joined the club this year!"
"Well, you came in second and that's good. You are just angry because a kid beat you," Archer snickers.
"Of course, it's a blow to my ego," Zeke says with a pout. Zeke's grumbles go on for a while, which we all patently ignore. "I don't want to think about this anymore. I want to talk about something else," Zeke decides with a sigh, and then his eyes land on me. "New girl, tell us something about yourself."
Six pairs of eyes turn towards me expectantly. Albeit hesitantly, I clear my throat and ask, "What do you want to know?"
"You are new to this town, aren't you? Where did you live before the move?" Ayla questions.
I mentally prepare myself for the onslaught of questions that are to come from here onwards. "I moved from Korea," I reply.
Their eyes widen in surprise since it was obvious that you couldn't see any traces of Asian descent in me. I reply before they could ask, "My father is American and my mother was a Korean-American. While I derived my looks from my Dad, I only got my nose from my Mum." No one could ever think that I was of mixed race, as I looked American rather than Korean.
"I see, what was the reason for the move then?"
My grip on my lap tightens as I shift uncomfortably in my seat, my throat clogging up, making me unable to form any words. "Uhm, my Mum, s-she passed away last year, so my Dad and I moved here."
They seem to take in my sudden shift in mood as I retreat into myself, and they frantically try to lighten the atmosphere by discussing various topics at once, their voices blending into a cacophony. Despite myself, a small smile tugs at the corners of my mouth as I appreciate their efforts to cheer me up. Drexel looks at me amidst it all, and he gives me a gentle smile that soothes me somehow. Archer who was surprisingly quiet, had his eyes on me with a reassuring smile that made me feel seen and understood.
