What Are We Searching For, Really?

2.

一7;39 am.

The soft ringing notes of the piano cover Moon without the Stars by TanM woke me up from my desk. With my eyesight still hazy and my eyelashes blurring up my vision, I groped for my phone across the table before finally feeling the vibrating object. I pressed the blurry, blue dot on the screen and answered.

"Helloooo?" I said sleepily into the phone.

"HELLO?" Aya's voice blasted through my phone speakers. "YOU HAVE TWENTY MINUTES UNTIL SCHOOL STARTS! DO YOU NEED A RIDE?"

Twenty minutes until school starts? Twenty minutes...

It took me approximately thirty minutes to get to school by train. Another five minutes for walking, and I still had to prepare myself.

Oh.

"Yes please!" I tried to sound awake as I lifted my body up from the table. "I'll be ready in five."

"I'll text you when I get there! See you~"

Boop.

I gently brushed my cat, Ferry, off of my bed and she gave a complaining meow when I did so. I slipped on the first outfit I found and put on my shoes before brushing my teeth and slapping on some light makeup. I grabbed my bag just as I heard my phone ding! and rushed out the door.

"Girl, how do you still look so fresh even though it's only been like seven minutes?" Aya complained as I hopped in the car. "Look at that shine. I swear you should be a model AND do a shampoo commercial."

"Haha very funny," I drawled in a monotone voice. Aya was always the kind of girl to over-exaggerate everything she said. I was used to it already.

"I know I just boosted your ego." She winked at me and then accelerated as I gave out a shout. "Hang on tight or we're going to be late!"

We arrived three minutes before classes started and I breathed out a sigh of relief as we pulled into the carpark. If I was late today, things wouldn't go so well.

I had just enough time to run to my locker and grab my chemistry books on the way before getting to the classroom. Lucky for me again, the lab was nearby.

I walked into class and sat down in my usual seat next to Claire. She gave me her usual cheeky grin.

"Hi Won!"

"Hey." I immediately launched into my expected talk. "Did you see the new Kylie lip kit today?"

"OMG YES! I love the nude peach shade," she exclaimed, popping a berry mint into her mouth before scrolling through the Kylie cosmetics page on Instagram. "I swear. This is the only reason why I'm on Instagram."

I laughed at her. "I'm on because of my ar-" I almost choked on my own words. Shit no, she couldn't find out I did art. "I mean...aaaaesthetic study blogs..!"

"Yes!! I love th-"

"Claire, Won, could you two please at least spare a bit of your attention for chemistry class?" we both looked up to see Mrs. Potter looking at us disapprovingly.

"No," I muttered under my breath, getting my textbook open anyways. Claire snorted quietly, tucking a lock of hazel-brown hair behind her ears. I couldn't help noticing how her muscles popped from her arms when she reached for her pencil case in her bag. I smirked before poking her bulging muscle and she let out a tiny squeak like a mouse.

"What?" she hissed, swatting my finger off her now-gone muscles.

"I wonder who's been a try-hard with her swimming training recently~"