~ Perfect Imperfection ~

~ Chapter 2 - Inevitable ~

"Hey, Denise."

I wave at the blonde boy who just walked into the class. He's my best friend, JianHao. I sigh when my boyfriend immediately comes to my unnecessary defence.

"Shut up, JianHao!" Vincent shouts, "stop hitting on my girl, Man!"

"What? But, Vincent, he was just saying hi." I reason, JianHao nodding at my words, frowning. We're all in a trio, but I feel like Vincent has gotten harsher on JianHao ever since we began dating.

"Anyways, Denise," Vincent makes his way to our table, "homework please?"

"Right. Um, it's here." I grin, giving him the papers. I didn't have to think about it much at all, because I'd already done that homework two months ago.

"Thanks," he says, flicking through the pages. I look up when I see a girl walk in.

Maddy.

She doesn't seem to like me, for some reason. We're both so awkward when we're alone together, and I'm not sure why.

Well, maybe I do know. Apparently she has a thing for JianHao, and thinks I'll get in her way or something. I watch as she immediately sits beside JianHao, her eyes briefly flitting over me.

My eyes narrow when the two start talking. I turn my attention back to Vincent, who's saying something to me.

"So, about the text you sent me this morning. Thanks." My eyes light up, right before my smile fades. "I really needed that help with the work."

"Oh...yeah. You're welcome."

✨

"Five thousand four hundred and fifty-two!"

"One million twenty thousand and six hundred!"

"Three-"

"Alright!" I shut up when Madam Soot Beng cuts me off. "Look, thank you for your contribution Denise, but please let others answer."

I frown, crossing my arms on the table. I always listen to teachers, but I have to be extra careful with her. Madam Soot Beng is my 'experiment', so to speak.

She's been pregnant for over five years already, and it isn't normal. Though, with close examination (which is easy since I sit at the front) I can tell that Madam Soot Beng is perfectly healthy and it's just not right. I guess it's just an unspoken rule to not discuss it, because no one says a word.

Maybe this could be my future breakthrough. I'm not sure how it would work, because I can't exactly actively experiment on her, but I feel like my future has to do with her.

"How about you, Debbie?"

I look to the girl sitting two rows behind me. She adjusts her glasses, hesitating.

"Three hundred and... Forty-seven?" the relatively shy girl replies, and Madam Soot Beng sighs.

"No, Debbie... You know what, Denise, do what you want." the dejected teacher muttered.

"Three thousand." I say, a grin on my face. I love quick-fire maths. Looking behind at Debbie, I shoot her an encouraging thumbs-up to continue trying, because we're friends. She's the girl who told me to do the affirmations. She returns me a little smile.

The lesson passes smoothly, and by the end I'm wishing for double maths. I guess that's what sets me apart from everyone else. I look around the class and everyone's either half-asleep or continuously checking the clock while I'm over here having the time of my life.

"I don't get how you do it Denise..." Vincent whines, before proceeding to imitate me. "The answer is three hundred and twenty-two! Um, actually Debbie, the value of x is equal to y, which tells us that Timothee ate fifty apples, meaning that Madam Soot Being will give birth in-"

"Oh, shut up." JianHao scolds him, and I look down, forcing myself not to look into my best-friend's eyes. Our relationship is kind of complicated...

"Denise?"

"Yes JianHao?" I nervously eye Maddy, the very clear look of jealousy flaring up in her facial expression.

"About the work... you think we could go over that at some point? You help me understand things."

My cheeks go warm.

"Sure! We could do it with the others." By the 'others' I mean our study group. It consists of me, JianHao, Vincent, Debbie, her best friend Julynn and two boys named Ren Yi Xiang and Kevin.

Well, I guess as of lately, some guy called Teverly is also in the group. Though, he gives everyone bad vibes, and only joined because the weird organization in charge of our school forced us to take part in a science fair with him.

I'm not really sure what's going on, but that Teverly seems to bother me more than anyone else, and he keeps following me, almost. He's supposed to be dating a girl called Diana, but a few days ago (Valentine's Day) we were all tasked with making bouquets of flowers for someone we liked.

Miss Sofia was handing out the anonymous bunch, and I was given a bouquet of sunflowers with a note. First of all, Teverly had previously mentioned fairly loudly that he brought his own sunflowers because he thought the others were basic. He was the only one with that kind of plant.

Next, the note made it even weirder. It didn't say anything other than:

We are inevitable.

✨