There's this certain deja vu. Chan Lee was once again fighting back another yawn and situated in the class of Professor Mo. Same seat, same setting. A thought would make its way to her mind...when she returned back home, would he no longer be there? Would it have been a fantasy of hers?
Her fingers reached for the pendant on her neck, holding it tightly within her hands. The smooth stone provided some relief and a reminder.
This wasn't a dream.
Everything had changed.
Or not.
She still felt very much the same, she wasn't making much progress. If anything, all she was doing was reacting to the crazy world around her. But… she turned her attention back to Professor Mo, back to the slideshow presentation he was doing. She needed to concentrate. She only had herself to rely on.
The minutes flew past quickly. Hot air rising. Cold air descending. Light. Heavy. Thunder. Lightning. Wind. Shifting. Tides. Change. The whirlpool of information made its crevices inside her mind.
"Alright, we're done for tonight. See you guys this Wednesday." Professor Mo announced as he shut down the television and his laptop.
Chan Lee sighed inwardly and looked down at her notes of unending spirals. She shouldn't have brought out her notebook if all she was going to do was scribble swirls on it. It was a waste of paper and ink. Taking care of her things, she stood up to leave.
The students were almost all gone again, except for a certain crowd. And a certain someone. But they were all talking, and she was more eager to get out of their way.
"—Lee!"
Why couldn't he have kept his mouth shut. Did he think that she'd join his group of friends? That they'd all start hanging out together? It was one thing to agree to be his friend. This was an entirely different matter.
"U-uh, what can I do for you, Hua Zhao?" she asked politely. She didn't want those girls throwing daggers at her way. But they already were.
"Are you going home already?"
What a stupid question. Where else would she go? "Yes, I am."
"Huh, she's not staying at the university's dorms? Weird." Bo Ling spoke up.
Hua Zhao patted his friend's shoulders and made a step towards her. She felt her blood grow cold. No. No. He wasn't going to do what—
"I'll catch you guys later, I have to go buy something at a convenience store."
She felt relief flood her chest as she trudged her way to the door. She didn't need to panic, a few more steps and then she'd be out of their way.
"We can come with you!" A girl beat Bo Ling to offer companionship.
"It's alright, Ning Bi. I'm going to go out with Lee."
He just sentenced her to death, didn't he? Chan Lee slipped out of the room, bustling past other students. It was so easy to misunderstand his words and actions—but she didn't need to bother with that. She only needed to get home.
"Excuse me." She pushed back other students, steadily making her way to the building's exit. She didn't want trouble but that Hua Zhao was attracting it like some calamity magnet.
Chan Lee soon found herself at the gates, and felt her chest lighten. Maybe they'd pin the blame on Zhao being weird and not her, maybe they'd think of her as an unfortunate so—
"Phew, you're fast aren't you?" Zhao made his way to her side. A small grin on his face, "Let me walk you home."
"I've been doing just fine." She muttered.
"What was that?" His hand landed on her shoulder, urging her forward. "Let's get going, before it becomes too late."
"I said I've been fine for quite some time now." She sighed and stepped away from him. "I can get home all by myself, I've been doing it for so long..."
"But you don't have to do it any longer now, since I'm here."
"You left your friends for me." She pointed it out.
"E-eh? Not really, I figured you'd be uncomfortable if they all tagged along." He chuckled and looked at her. "You're my friend too, you know? I'd want to make sure you get home safely."
Friend?
He was ridiculous.
"The several times I went home after this class, you'd be with your friends and wouldn't even spare a glance in my direction." She crossed her arms and looked at his face. "I don't think you have the right to start worrying today if you easily disregarded me before."
He stared at her, no words leaving his mouth. No silly reply that'd brush off her words.
She felt her stomach churn, maybe she said too much? "Zhao I—"
"You're right, I apologize. I've been troubling you too much, you can get home on your own." He patted her head, his lips forming a ghost of a smile. "I'll see you some time again, okay?" Without a moment's delay, he spun away from her and headed back to the university.
Leaving her alone.
That's what she wanted right?
Chan Lee had gotten herself a cup of hot chocolate at a convenience store a couple streets down the university. Enjoying the aroma that wafted to her nose, she settled on one of the benches provided outside of the establishment. She then sipped some of the viscous and sweet liquid down her throat.
It burned her tongue for a moment and her throat too. "Ow..."
Still, it was enough to get her mind off of things. She blew over her cup, cooling her drink a bit. She should have done that earlier. Chan Lee sipped more of her drink.
Once she was done, she crumpled up her paper cup to throw it in the proper waste disposal bin. It was situated a bit in the back portion of the building and it was more dumpster than a trash can. The alley beside it was pitch dark and sent her jostling forward to the dumpster as quickly as she could.
She threw the cup into the dump, her gaze shifting to the alley. Two shadowy forms reached out for her—
Bark!
In the darkness of the alley, the blithe form of a dog made its way to her. It barked again and then deeply growled. Cold ran through her veins as she backed away slowly.
Stray dogs. Worse than anything her imagination could figment.
She would have preferred anything else.
It was slowly coming to the light, its beady eyes glowering at her along with its bared fangs glinting through the darkness.
That was Chan Lee's signal to hightail away from here as fast as she could. It was in that moment that she was glad of numerous people in the city, she could lose them in the crowd. Forgive her cowardice!
Chan Lee soon arrived home, her heart racing slightly but otherwise glad to have made it back safe and in one piece. She was eager to sink into her bed and fall asleep. That was until she saw a figure right at her doorsteps.
"Huh, you finally went home huh." Han Jing squatted beside her door, like a camper at a campsite. It was a…a sight that she really didn't need to see. "Oi, bunny boy! Your long awaited person is here."
"C-Chan Lee is home?" Xue's voice rang from her room, his footsteps audible. He was probably walking towards them, until he stopped. "You're just saying that so I'll open the door for you, aren't you Han Jing?"
"W-what?! You don't trust me!" Han Jing protested, throwing a look at Chan Lee. He was a bit exasperated, but there was also a bit of amusement in the way he rubbed his face. "Can you believe this guy?"
"Well, he's been following my instructions just fine." Chan Lee fished out her keys. "I see nothing wrong with it." It opened before she could even unlock the door.
"Welcome home!" Xue beamed happily. "I'm glad you're back, Miss Chan Lee."
She felt her lips curve into a smile, "Yeah, I'm home. Thanks for waiting Xue."
"What a sweet reunion." Han Jing sniffed aloud, dramatically resting an arm over his face. "Somebody pass me the tissues."
"Okay, Jing, no need to fuss too much about it." Chan Lee rolled her eyes. "What were you doing here by the way?"
He shrugged, "Was going to offer my company to Xue over here, but he didn't let me inside at all."
"My bad, didn't think you were starved for companionship."
"W-what?!" Han Jing shook his head. "Not at all, I was thinking that your friend here is the lonely one."
"I wasn't lonely… well maybe just a bit." Xue admitted with a sheepish smile.
Chan Lee glanced back at him, the man looked perfectly alright. Maybe a bit too eager when he welcomed her back… but that was nice. She actually liked that. "Well, shall we get back inside now?"
"Mhmm!"
She walked into her room before looking at Han Jing who was still leaning by her door. "Aren't you taking too long?"
"I-I'm… I was waiting for you to say that." He muttered and moved towards her room. "Mosquitoes were gnawing on my legs."
"Wear something else besides shorts."
"They're comfy!"
.
.
.
.
.
A fox stepped out of the shadows, watching the girl scamper away. The creature licked its paws, it then coughed before sprinting back into the alley.
