when you love someone | rosé + lisa | chaelisa

14 - Note

My stomach churned as I stepped into the dreary hallways of the school, my eyes wandering around to examine everyone's face as they trudged over to their lockers and into their classes. Very few people skipped along happily—those only being the cheerleaders, who were practically trained to smile constantly.

I'm grateful my friends don't walk around with painted on smiles all the time, even on good days when they felt all giddy inside. At times I despised the people who smiled freely and laughed as loudly as they pleased, because I knew a majority were faking or trying to cover up how truly sad they were. In fact, I've caught a few of the 'popular' kids sitting alone and sulking, only to burst into oddly large smiles whenever they see their friends.

That's what school seems to do to people - no, what people do to people. Tear each other apart only to be left broken.

Thus, appearances seem brighter when theres a big smile on someone's face. And whether it's real or fake, is none of anyone's business.

Because of the night prior, I let my mind fizzle out on random and unimportant thoughts on the way here, sometimes reciting a few equations. Not long ago I was chugging energy drinks and giving myself a headache with endless amounts of work.

Trying to keep my pace with the crowd, I begin to wonder where my friends are.

Unless I got here earlier than them?

"Rosie!" Speak of the devil, a merry Jisoo jogs her way over to me with a friendly grin hanging from her lips. "I've been waiting for you. Are you okay? Why the long face?" Not even a second of eye contact - and she can already tell something's off, she pouts and pinches my cheek lightly. "You're cuter when you smile."

I fight back the smile beginning to take form on my lips. "I'm great, living my best life, dying inside." I stick my thumb in the air triumphantly and exaggerated, to emphasize the fact that I'm the opposite of fine.

"Did your fish die or something? It's useless to cry over animals, Chae." Despite her words, worry is evident on her face as she leans up against the lockers. "Joohwang is very healthy, he eats his fishy vitamins." I defend, a little offended she'd thought I already killed my beloved son.

Before she can say anything else, I pivot my head in the opposite direction for a moment, so she doesn't catch me wince as I shrug my bag off my shoulders. It isn't easy hauling around loads of heavy textbooks all day. My mind muddles just imagining all the information in those books that I've skipped over because I was too sleepy and bloated with redbull to read correctly.

"I'm just exhausted from studying all night." I pause to rub my eyes before sluggishly gathering my materials for first period.

"Stop worrying so much and you'll pass, trust me. I'm in the third row anyway.. if you need some answers." She winks playfully before hiking her bag higher on her shoulders. My frowning lips loosen a bit upon hearing her words, she always knew how to say the right things.

"Thanks, Soo."

As we walk further down the hall, Jisoo babbles carelessly about whatever was currently on her mind. Today's topic was college and why it was supposedly useless. This time I was actually interested, so I listened to what she had to say—minus the parts where she got sidetracked by the 'pretty girls' walking by. Her rambling was cut short when another familiar brunette propped up from behind us, throwing her arms over our shoulders. "Hey girlies." Jennie chimes in.

"What's with the long faces?" She inquires, furrowing her eyebrows at our somber expressions.

"College is useless."