when you love someone | rosé + lisa | chaelisa

7 - Tension

Our first real conversation since the semester started—actually, our first real conversation ever—and it didn't end with her knuckles clashing against my jaw.

I had 4 classes with the girl, and now, that might not be such a bad thing.

At the end of the day, I was pleased to see an empty bento box on my desk, feeling oddly touched.

My parents would always criticize my cooking saying I "cooked badly on purpose" to get out of cooking family meals.

Which, I can agree, I didn't cook very well back then. And yes, I hated cooking big meals to serve several people... but that didn't stop me from wanting to learn. So I worked harder, learned new recipes, until I noticed Jisoo would start asking for my meals often. That's when I knew I did enough.

Even when I sucked at it.. Jennie and Jisoo would always try and help me improve (this made me question their critique because they were constantly sugar-coating things) despite not knowing how to cook themselves.

So when Lisa returned that box empty. I felt all sorts of things inside.

During first period I kept eyeing the clock, wondering whenever this girl would bother showing up to class. Not that it matters, or that I care, considering her grades are pristine and we're not friends.

Yet.

I continued to toy around with my pencil until the second she walked in.

She passed by me quickly, making sure to catch everyone's attention as she walked, (even though she was just breathing) and settled herself in the seat behind me.

I didn't hear any other shuffling around or a zipper being unzipped after that, which only meant...

"Hey brat, rewrite today's notes and leave them in my desk last period." She poked her pencil at my back, thankfully not the pointy side, keeping her voice low. "Why should I?" I retorted, keeping my voice low as well and catching her eyes.

She shot me a threatening look, which I tried my best to deliver back.

Lisa continued to keep her gaze on me, almost as if she suspected I was challenging her.

Even after what felt like a minute, her icy cold glare remained situated on me and I could feel my confidence collapsing. "Fine." I exhaled, feeling like a failure.

"Alright class, I'll be handing back your work from the past couples of days. Make sure to make it up if you get anything less than a sixty." Mrs. J's voice boomed, making sure everyone was clear on what was happening.

Not wasting anytime after to explain or deliver any other news, she began to pass out papers. Some groaned and whined as they faced down at their papers, others hiding them and a few cheering and high fiving.

Once my paper was handed over to me, I hung my head low in disappointment and flipped it over. I promise I'd do better this year.

Yet somehow my grades have gotten worse.

Not only did I forget almost everything I was taught last year, but can't even seem to remember what we learned yesterday.

Or what I had for dinner yesterday night.

...what did I have for dinner yesterday night?

My sulking session was cut short after I noticed someone peeking from behind me. I held my paper against my chest and eyed hers, of course... she had a big fat ninety-eight percent slapped on the top right corner.

"Let me see it." She demanded and outstretched her hand to grab it. I shook my head no and held my paper even closer to my chest.

She reaches over and yanks it from my hands, examining it. I sit in anticipation, and almost like telepathy I already know what was bound to happen, and didn't wince as I watched my paper become two, then four, and then eight.

She sprinkled the shredded paper over me, like toppings to an ice-cream.

"Are you stupid?" She declared in more of a statement than a question. I was reluctant to answer, and so she flicked my forehead. I muttered some incoherent curses under my breath from the pain until I decided to nod. "Clearly." She waved a piece in my face prominently.

Killing her might not be a bad idea...

I almost laughed, who was she? my teacher? or like some sort of Sensei? cold and harsh towards everyone she comes across?

"Yah, you two. stay after class for a few minutes." The teacher warned, and I could hear the dissatisfaction in her voice.

Like those words were the cue, the bell chimed through the halls and classrooms, alerting the students it was time to go. I gathered my stuff and collected the shredded paper from the floor, throwing it into the trash.

I walked over to where Lisa was standing and stood apart from her, as usual, while the teacher scolded us for making a 'mess' in the classroom (which I had just finished cleaning.) I professed that it was all me, and my 'embarrassment' due to my grade.

Too afraid to say she was the one who did it all.

"—And chaeyoung, your grades have severely dropped since last year. Why aren't you studying or turning in assignments?" Being scolded by the teacher who used to flaunt me as the top student sure did hurt. But if I told her the real reason, knowing her... she would just tell me to work harder and forget about it all.

So I just shrugged and began playing around with my fingers. I could feel her staring at me for a few seconds before turning to Lisa. "Lalisa. Your grades are as they always are... just like your sports teams." She pauses to force out a laugh that was clearly fake and I have to stop myself from gagging.
"So my suggestion is you take Chaeyoung under your wing and help tutor her on your own time."

There it is.

My teacher just sentenced me to death. My nerves rushed in like a tsunami inside my veins.

Lisa folds her arms over her chest and shifts her weight onto one foot. "No. It doesn't help me. And I don't like her, she's..." She looks me up and down and I pretend not to notice.

Damn, sometimes I really wish I could have her honesty and attitude.

The teacher chuckled in response. I pull one of my infamous fake smiles and try to stifle the urge to just leave. It bugged me she called out for us to stay after class so sternly, to ensure the other students thought that we were in trouble, yet spoke to us like we were friends when everyone was gone.

"Okay fine, what about extra credit?" Lisa stiffened up beside me at the words extra credit and the awkward silence grew louder, almost suffocating until she huffed a "Fine." And made her way out of the classroom.

"I expect your grades to be tremendous by next month." She nodded as I followed behind Lisa like one of her miserable minions, as if I'm not one already.

I couldn't understand why she couldn't just say no? With someone's grades as perfect as hers, you'd assume she'd be okay without the extra credit.

When we were just about to split ways to head to our different classrooms, Lisa stopped me. "I'm gonna get that Jimin boy to help you study. So I'm doing you a favor. Don't bother me or get me involved in any of your problems again, or there's gonna be a problem between you and I." She spoke, her tone just as annoyed as her expression. Sometimes I wondered if she practices all of these threats in her head when she goes home. Because the words flow out of her mouth as easily as they flow into my head and scratch at me.

Good. I thought. I was glad she wouldn't be the one helping me. I'm really glad.

But also slightly disappointed.

This would be another opportunity missed unless I could somehow turn it around. I only had a few months, and although I normally ignored deadlines, this one was dead serious.

"Yah. Lalisa! I'll tell Ms. J that you're not helping me study." I said loudly enough for her to hear, this time I was confident and prepared for whatever fight she had ready for me. Physically or verbally.

She looked at me from over her shoulder before raising her hand to flip me off. She kept the insulting finger pointed up at me until she was out of sight.

I outwardly sigh.

She just keeps making this harder and harder.

"Yah! I'm serious!"