Fei’s POV
It's been a few weeks since the start of our second-year semester, and Mikael and I have become closer and more at ease with each other. It's not just us, though - other classmates have also formed new connections and are making friends. Sometimes, I even enjoy the company of the boys in my class, despite their tendency to be annoying.
Our transition to the new classroom and teachers has been smooth, and we're enjoying school life.
Although there are occasional chaos and stress, we manage to handle them. As they say, there is always a calm before the storm, and little did I know that my storm was approaching quickly. However, that's a story for another day.
Let me inform you of what occurred after school hours on a particular day. Typically, Mimi and I would promptly proceed to the hostel to enjoy our siesta. However, today is an exception. Mimi has established numerous connections with the seniors and prefects in the school, and she desires to greet them and engage in conversations.
I am currently waiting for her in class.
I grab a novel from my bag and begin reading to pass the time. About halfway through the book, I hear Mikael's voice coming outside the door. It seems as though he is engaged in conversation with another boy.
I close my book, return it to my bag, and approach them. Mikael falls silent upon noticing me.
"What are you still doing here?" he asks, looking surprised.
"I'm waiting for Mimi," I explain. "She grabbed my arm and pleaded, 'Please wait for me here, Fei. I just need to say hi to some seniors. It won't take long, I promise.'" Mikael nods in understanding. Then he introduces me to the boy next to him. "This is Ted Edison. He's my dorm mate and a close friend of mine. Ted, meet Fei Iris Wang. She's a friend."
I shake Ted's hand and offer a polite smile, finding him to be a pleasant person. Ted and his companions kindly offer to keep me company while I wait for Mimi. Our conversation delves into various topics and becomes so engaging that I fail to notice Mimi's arrival until she clears her throat loudly. "Oh! You're back," I say, turning to her. "Sorry, I didn't see you there." Mimi gives me a look that says she doesn't believe me. But she doesn't say anything.
"Are you done with your business?" I ask her. "Can we go to the hostel now? Siesta time is already over, but if we hurry, we can still get some rest before prep time." I'm tired and just want to lie down on my bed. "Yeah, I'm done," Mimi says. "Let's go." But before we can leave, Mikael grabs Mimi's hand and stops her.
"Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?" he asks her. I sigh inwardly. I don't want to be part of their conversation. So, I tune them out and think about something else. As they talk, I notice that Mikael still holds Mimi's hand. His eyes are roaming all over her body and face. He looks like he's interested in her. I am annoyed for some unknown reason, but I push the feeling aside and instead focus on observing his reactions and conversational patterns.
My eyelids were drooping, and my legs were aching from exhaustion. I couldn't bear it any longer. So, I suggested it was getting late, and we should return. "We should get going," I said. "It's almost prep time." After bidding farewell and promising to meet again, we departed. However, an unexpected urge provoked me to utter something impulsively while walking.
"I think Mikael is interested in you," I said, watching her reaction closely. She looked at me with disbelief and amusement.
"You're crazy, Fei," she said with a laugh. "There's no way he's interested in me. And besides, I have Toby, remember?" As anticipated, she spoke the exact words I had predicted. However, I remained silent as we walked together in peaceful stillness.
(Word count:674)