HAIR | MT

IX

A CHUCKLE LEAVES my mouth when i click on the picture jackson sent to me. i had been making a face at him when he took a snap. "meanie minnie, really?" i mumble with a small laugh at his caption clearly referring to the two buns on my head.

"hi! can i sit here?" a chirpy voice makes me look up. a girl with the brightest smile i've ever seen is staring at me. "uh, sure." i nod. why would such a happy looking person be taking crime and society? "i'm adriana torres. you're a criminology major, right? i've seen you around."

"yeah," i nod in affirmation. "i'm bianca holden." i say, watching as she plops down next to me. "nice to meet you, bianca!" she waves enthusiastically. "nice to meet you too, adriana." i smile, thinking that she reminds me a lot of someone. she and jackson would get along just fine. i can picture the energy buzzing if the two of them are in the same room.

"i've wanted to talk to you for a while now." she confesses with a smile. "me? why?" i raise a brow curiously. "you're really cute and you're always smiling every time i see you. especially with your blond friend."

oh, jackson? i raise a brow curiously. "ah, thank you." i smile, only just realising the compliment. "want to have lunch together? i need a real friend from our department. everyone else is so serious." she leans closer, eyes gleaming expectantly. "sure, but we'll probably be with my friends." just as i answer, i sense someone taking a seat on my other side.

i take a glance and meet jinyoung's eyes. "hi, bianca." he smiles warmly. feeling tense all of a sudden, i smile back. "hi, jinyoung." i reply, glancing around. it may sound funny but i feel like mark is here, watching me interact with his friend turned enemy.

he smiles and shakes his head. "are you like this because of mark?" he asks. "sorry for the intrusion." he adds when he notices adriana next to me. she shakes her head, her short waves bouncing with the action. "it's okay!"

"i'm like this because i don't like being in the middle of a fight." i finally reply. "why would you be in the middle?" jinyoung tilts his head in question. i raise a brow in response. a small smile softens his face and he nods. "i'm tired of being in a fight if it means anything."

"you are?" i blink, surprised. he nods again. "i want to clear things up. but mark can't even bear to breathe the same air as me." his gaze shoots down, lips pressing in a thin line. "what exactly happened?" i ask, unable to hold back my curiosity.

just as his lips part to reply, the professor walks in. glancing at the man as he ambles his way to the desk, jinyoung looks back at me. "i'll tell you later." he takes a deep breath. "but will you help me?"

his question takes me by surprise. my head and jackson's warning are telling me steer clear of this. this is between mark and jinyoung and i really shouldn't get involved. i blow a breath out my lips, ready to tell him this. but somehow, the exact opposite leaves my mouth. "sure."

his face lights up and i press my lips together, realising my mistake. i can't take it back now, not when he looks so happy. i would figure something out, with jackson's help hopefully. he's probably going to lose it when he hears what i've just done.

"thank you so much, bianca. this means a lot to me." he beams. i nod, plastering an awkward smile on my face.

"is he joining us for lunch?" adriana peeks over innocently. i shake my head. "nah, not today." jinyoung answers before i can.

it will be a while before he will be able to join us for lunch. and if i get too involved their problems, i might not be able to join mark for lunch either. and i need to remember that.