You And I

Chapter 3: Yvonne

A week had passed since the start of the semester, and things were finally settling into a rhythm. But today, something new was happening-a group project that would give us a chance to meet new people. As the teacher announced the groups, I found myself paired with Mei, Ryan, and a girl named Yvonne.

Yvonne was someone I had seen around school but never really talked to. She had shoulder-length brown hair and a laid-back smile that made her seem approachable. As she joined our group, she introduced herself with a friendly wave. "Hey, I'm Yvonne. Looks like we'll be working together."

"Nice to meet you," I said, exchanging glances with Mei and Ryan, who both nodded their hellos. Mei gave her usual quiet smile, while Ryan, ever the social butterfly, immediately struck up a conversation.

Over the next few days, we met up after school to work on our project. At first, it was strictly business-discussing our assignment, sharing ideas, and splitting the workload. But it didn't take long for us to start hanging out outside of class, finding excuses to stay longer than necessary after our project meetings.

One day, after wrapping up an afternoon at the library, Yvonne suggested, "Why don't we grab something to eat? We've earned a break after all this work."

Ryan was immediately on board, and Mei and I quickly agreed. We found ourselves at a small café near school, chatting about anything and everything-our favorite movies, embarrassing moments, and even a few funny stories from past classes.

Yvonne fit right in. Her sense of humor meshed perfectly with Ryan's, and the two of them quickly became partners-in-crime, teasing each other relentlessly. Mei, as usual, was more reserved, but even she laughed at some of their antics. It was nice seeing her open up a little more each day.

As we spent more time together, our group started to feel like more than just classmates working on a project. Yvonne became part of our small circle, and the four of us hung out regularly, whether we were working on school stuff or just relaxing after class.

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One day, after finishing our project, we decided to celebrate by going to the park. It was a warm afternoon, and we sprawled out on the grass, enjoying the sunshine. Ryan and Yvonne kicked around a soccer ball while Mei and I sat on a nearby bench, quietly watching them.

"Feels like we've known each other forever, huh?" Yvonne said later as we all gathered around a nearby fountain, cooling off from the heat. She grinned at Ryan, who rolled his eyes but smiled back.

"Yeah, guess we all just clicked," Ryan said, tossing the ball aside.

I glanced over at Mei, who was watching the water in the fountain ripple in the breeze. "Yeah, it's been fun," I added, feeling a strange sense of contentment settle over me.

We spent the rest of the afternoon laughing, joking, and making plans for the next hangout. Even though the group project was over, we all knew we'd keep spending time together.