Of the Twisted and the Lost

Chapter 6:

Junjie is standing near the doorway, his lips pressed into an irritated line. 

"For God's sake," Cami scoffs, tossing her blonde hair. "Stop staring at him. I think he can feel you burning your eyes into his body." 

Sera turns away for a second. 

"Don't tell me you can't resist that face," Sera replies, nodding at him. "He's so freaking hot." 

Someone giggles quietly. 

"Maybe lower your voice," Cami hisses. "No offense, but don't get your hopes up. He may be hot, but he's also toxic." 

"He's perfect." Sera pouts, pointing at him. "He's super kind to old ladies, he's the captain of the soccer team, and he's a detective. What's not to like?" 

"Everything." 

"Oh, come on! You're just bitter because he rejected you last year for the dance! He just hasn't found the perfect person yet." 

Cami folds her arms. "I didn't need him anyway," she snorts. "I had Jessica for my company. Besides, you think you're the perfect person for him?" 

Sera laughs, the sound delicate and childlike. 

"He just doesn't know it yet!" Sera singsongs, before turning her gaze back at the handsome boy again. 

Junjie lifts his chin, just enough to reveal blue eyes hidden under waves of dark tawny locks. His lips curve upwards like he knows she's watching.

"Oh my God," Sera whispers, her heart leaping out. "Did you just see that? He smiled at me, Cami. Don't you think that means something?" 

Cami scowls. "I think it just means he's trying to mess with your emotions," she replies. "Better just ignore him." 

Sera self-consciously smoothes down her dark blue skirt — part of her uniform — as an uncontrollable smile makes its way on her lips. 

Cami sees the expression on her friend's face. "Sera!" she chokes out. "No!" 

Sera doesn't listen, as she makes her way towards Junjie. 

Then she does the unexpected: she tackles him to the ground. 

"Hi, Junjie!" Sera squeals, her cheeks flushing in exhilaration. 

Everyone stares at her, surprise and disgust etched in their expressions. 

Junjie's blue eyes narrow, as he tries to move, trapped from underneath Sera's lithe body. 

"You can be very surprising sometimes, Sera Chang," he mutters. "There was only a sixty percent chance that you jumping on me crossed my mind." 

Sera beams, ignoring the contrasting scowl on her crush's lips. 

Finally, Junjie sighs, shooting her an irritated look. "That's your signal to get off me," he says. 

Sera stands up, dusting her skirt, the smile still on her mouth. 

"See you in class!" she calls out. 

In response, he shoots her a dark look. "I'm literally jumping with joy," he says, striding towards the classrooms. 

"Oh my God!" Sera whispers, poking Cami in the arm. "Did you hear that?" 

Cami rolls her eyes. "Girl, stop embarrassing yourself," she says. "And also, I'm pretty sure he was being sarcastic." 

"Oh, stop being a pessimist!" 

"You stop getting your hopes up!" 

Sera scowls. Cami folds her arms. Then they both burst out laughing. "You flinched first!" Cami says. 

"I did not," Sera retorts, though her mouth stretches into a smile. "Now come on, Cami, we have to get to class or we'll be late again." 

Cami sighs dramatically, as she skips up the stone steps. They walk towards the school entrance, their shoes clicking against the floor. 

When they go to their first period, Junjie is already sitting at his normal seat, eyes looking ahead. 

"Yo, Junjie!" Sam calls out, shoving past Sera. 

She glares, rubbing the spot where he nicked her. 

"I think you should act kinder to Fishy here," Sam mocks, shooting her a quick wink — a warning. "She loves you, you know." 

He stretched out the word "love" in a taunting voice. Sera holds her breath, waiting for him to finish the kill. 

Sam grins, knowing that she's helpless. 

"Maybe whisper in her ear," Sam suggests, his eyes widening in innocence. "Or give her a kiss." 

Sera grits her teeth, before she stomps over to him. "Shut up, okay?" she spits out. "Maybe while you're at it, go jump into a trash can where you can't bother anyone!" 

Cami moves forward. "No one likes your silly comments," Cami seethes, though her words aren't as menacing. 

Sera inwardly sighs. Her friend's crush on this idiot has made her retorts weaker than usual. 

Sam ignores them both, keeping his focus on Junjie. "Ask her out on a date," he drawls, continuing in that same infuriating tone. "You know she'll fall over you." 

"Stop it, Sam!" Sera snaps, anger dancing through her. 

"What's wrong?" Sam taunts, lips twisted into a sneer. "Are you afraid that Junjie might reject you? News flash: you don't have a chance with him." 

Sam is embarrassing her in front of her crush, which causes a few rebel tears to leak in her eyes. Sera bites her lip, hard, pretending that his words don't affect her. 

But it does. 

"I don't get it!" she finally bursts out. "Why are you so horrible to me? I did nothing to you! And if this bullying is just to get back at my dad for marrying your mom, then why don't you think about how I feel? I never wanted Nyleve to live with me, or become your step-brother, but we are now — so deal with it like I do, with maturity." 

It's silent, and when Sam speaks, his voice is jarring, knifing through the suffocating tension. "Because you're so pathetic," he snarls. "You're so happy all the time, it's freaking annoying." His eyes turn cold. "You act so innocent, though everyone should know better. You're a sad excuse for a child. That's what your mom said, you know, and that's why she didn't bother taking you with her when she moved out of the house." 

Sera takes a step back, the words slapping her in the face. It's true, what Sam says. 

Her mother tried to mold Sera into the "perfect" daughter, pushing her into getting good grades and pressuring her child so hard, it almost made Sera kneel over in stress. Afterward, after witnessing Sera get yet another B plus in sixth grade, Kaelin — her mother — sighed, deciding that her daughter wasn't good enough. 

"Don't you have anything better to do?" Junjie asks in a bored voice, his blue eyes flicking towards Sera. "If not, then your commentary is not wanted." 

Sera gapes. 

He's defending her? 

"Well, well, well, it's Junjie to the rescue, eh?" Sam scorns, curling his mouth into a tiny smirk. "Looks like the knight in shining armor comes out of shadows, right Noah?" 

Noah is a thin boy with caffeine brown curls, light freckles dotting his cheeks and a thin sneer always upon his lips. He also happens to be Sam's closest friend, which makes Sera dislike him even more. 

Noah steps forward, nodding in agreement. 

"Yeah, no offense, but chivalry doesn't really suit you," Noah pipes up. "Just saying." 

Junjie shrugs, unconcerned. "Snarkiness doesn't suit you either," he says solemnly, as he pats his classmate on the shoulder. 

Before Noah can think of something clever to say, Mi Cha suddenly lets out a shriek.