Sounds Fake, but Okay | ✓

t w e n t y - n i n e

A few months later...

   Catalina rolled her eyes. "Seriously? Again?" She grumbled. "How many times has it been this week?"

   Andrea didn't even bother to reply, not when Catalina had such a sour attitude.

   They were seated in the library group study section, a few ways away from Jae and Audrey, who were laughing and talking. The library was filled with students since it was nearing the midterm season of the winter semester and that meant there were many group projects due very soon. What Catalina didn't understand was why Jae was talking to Audrey when he had a biology midterm in two days.

   "Don't you think they've been hanging out a lot lately? If they're dating they should just say it."

   "Why, are you jealous?" Iris grinned. Somewhere along the way she'd decided to hang out with them every now and again.

   Catalina scoffed. "As if! It just irritates me. They don't care about the people around them."

   Iris lifted a brow. "They're not bothering me. Are they bothering you, 'Drea?"

   "Nope," Andrea replied while never taking her eyes off her textbook. "I couldn't care less."

   "Same. So the only one that's even slightly fazed is you, Kitty Cat."

   "Oh, shut up." Catalina hissed. "And don't call me that. It's stupid."

   "Not when Jae says it."

   Catalina groaned.

   Iris gasped. "Wait, did you end up fixing things with Philip?"

   Catalina ruffled her hair and nodded. "Yeah, we talked things through and cleared up a lot. We settled on being friends, it's going great, actually. I honestly would've never thought we'd ever patch things up, but I'm glad."

   "That's good to hear." Iris played with her pencil. "Do you think you'll get close to Jae again?"

   Catalina stared at Jae. "We are close..." She mumbled. "We've been.... Life's just a little hectic, we've been kind of keeping distance?"

   "Maybe...you should ask him out if you're ready."

   Catalina rolled her eyes. "Yeah right, I'm not going to embarrass myself. He's clearly moved on. Don't you see him? I don't blame him, I don't think I would've waited for me either."

   "Don't be stupid." Andrea dropped her pen. "Just because he's making friends doesn't mean he stopped liking you. Plus, it's Jae we're talking about, he was whipped for you. He couldn't have changed his mind in two months. It's only March, idiot."

   Catalina glared at Andrea. "I'm not an idiot. And whipped? Sure. He just liked me, that's all."

   "A hell of a lot. Look, Cat, I think, if you're honest with yourself and you still like him, you should go for it. You asked Danny out first, remember?"

   "Wait, you went out with Daniel?" Iris gasped. "When?"

   "Highschool." Catalina deadpanned. "I'm not going to ask Jae out. I just said so, he doesn't like me anymore, it doesn't matter."

   "Really?" Andrea lifted a brow. "You're gonna be petty?"

   "Petty? How am I being petty? If anything, I'm being considerate of his feelings."

   "Whatever, Cat, you know yourself best." Andrea rolled her eyes and went back to her notes.

   "Hey, girls." They all jumped at the sound of Jae's voice. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He smiled as he sat down.