The Book Of Us

17. Barely Breathing

Engfa gives me a long, scrutinizing look, then pulls her hand away, irritation flashing in her eyes. "Why do you always ask questions you already know the answer to?" she says, her tone sharp but quiet.

"Just answer me."

She sighs, a long, drawn-out exhale, and finally looks me dead in the eyes. "I don't like you. That hasn't changed."

I raise an eyebrow, refusing to back down. "Really? Then why do your actions always seem to suggest otherwise?" I can feel my heartbeat pick up, but I keep my voice steady, almost daring her to contradict me.

She sighs again, rolling her eyes. "Why are you always overanalyzing everything?" Her tone is impatient, almost exasperated. "Aren't you ever tired of constantly questioning everything I do?"

"Maybe," I reply, trying to keep my voice casual. "But it's not like you make things easy."

"Not everything needs to be analyzed to death, you know. Sometimes things are just simple."

"Simple?" I echo, almost laughing at the absurdity. "With you? Nothing is ever simple."

She looks away, her jaw clenched, as if she's wrestling with something. "Then maybe you're just reading too much into things that don't mean anything," she mutters.

I stand up, fed up with all her back-and-forth, and grab her arm, pulling her. Engfa frowns, yanking her arm back. "What are you doing?" she snaps. "I was about to take a shower."

I turn to face her, unfazed. "I want to do something today."

"Do you think we're friends or something?"

I roll my eyes. "We don't have to be friends to hang out. We can just... spend some time together without killing each other."

She scoffs, looking thoroughly unimpressed. "We already spend more than enough time together. Why add more?"

"Because I feel like going to the flea market downtown, and you don't have anything better to do." I cross my arms, hoping she won't keep fighting me on this.

She lets out a heavy sigh. "Don't you have any other friends?"

I laugh. "Not many. And besides, neither do you, so let's go."

She narrows her eyes. "No," she says firmly, turning on her heel to head for the bathroom.

"Okay, fine," I say, raising my voice a little as she walks away. "If you go with me, I promise I won't annoy you for the rest of the week."

She stops, looking back at me with a suspicious expression. "Do you really think you're capable of that?"

I grin. "Absolutely. You have my word."

Engfa studies me for a moment, then sighs. "Let me shower first. And you should do the same. You look... well, like last night."

I smile, feeling a little too pleased with myself. "Want to take a shower together?"

Her glare could cut through steel. "What?"

"Relax," I say, holding up my hands in surrender. "It was a joke."

----

Engfa and I walk toward the campus exit in silence until she glances over at me. "I have a car," she says. "I'm really not in the mood for a hike."

I shake my head. "Nope. I feel like walking."

She stops, looking at me with obvious frustration. "Why do you never want to get in a car? Seriously, what's the deal?"

"Think of the environment, Engfa. We should be eco-friendly," I say.

She rolls her eyes so hard I almost hear them. "It's a good thirty-minute walk."