Taunting game

In the coming days, Xavier noticed a strange coincidence: whenever he went to college, he would see Emma arriving and leaving with Kai. He realized that they were close and might have been together even before he first met her years ago. However, he couldn't understand why he had such a hard time accepting this fact. Why couldn't he bear seeing them together?

Emma was sitting beside him, taking notes, when the professor once again asked for the group names for the project. Xavier was still fiddling with his pen when he suddenly stopped, realizing something. He slowly turned to Mason and Albie, who were playing tic-tac-toe on their notebook. Rolling his eyes at them, Xavier threw a paper ball to get their attention.

"Ouch, what the—" Mason almost cursed, looking back at the culprit, Xavier. "What?" he asked in frustration.

Xavier didn't say anything and signaled for them to listen to the teacher. Mason and Albie were confused but turned to hear her instructions about the assignment.

"What is there to listen to?" Albie whispered to Mason.

"Maybe Xavier is worried about the assignment. He might want to get it done as soon as possible," Mason replied solemnly.

Hearing their conversation, Xavier rolled his eyes with disdain. Sometimes he seriously doubted their ability to function normally after coming back from operations. Not wanting to directly say it, he mouthed a hint to them: "Group."

"Group?" Albie looked a little confused.

"Is he worried that we won't include him in our group?" Mason looked even more perplexed. But before Xavier could react, Albie finally understood his signal towards Emma.

Albie instantly nodded and explained to Mason what Xavier meant by his words.

Soon the class ended. Emma was placing her books inside her bag when Albie and Mason walked over to her. Albie stood behind her while Mason leaned against the window panel.

Emma looked at them, confused.

"You know there's a project due by the end of the term, right?" Albie asked Emma.

"And it has to be done in a group," Mason added.

Emma nodded, still confused by the conversation.

"Great. So, do you have a group to work with?" Albie asked.

Emma shook her head. She usually completed projects on her own and then added a few backbenchers' names who won't bother to do project to the first page out of courtesy.

"Awesome. We haven't decided on our group either. Why don't you join us? We're new here and don't know the passing criteria for the assignment," Albie suggested.

Emma scrutinized them for a moment. She knew Albie and Mason were just trying to include her in their group, but she couldn't understand why. However, she definitely needed a group, and she didn't have any friends. Moreover, this time the project included a presentation, and the backbenchers wouldn't be helpful to her.

Although Emma knew Albie and Mason had ulterior motives for including her in the group, she still found them more useful than working alone. Pursing her lips, she nodded in affirmation. "Something is better than nothing," she thought.

Albie and Mason gave each other a high five. "Awesome, now there are four of us. With all our brains combined, we'll ace this project," Mason said.

Emma thought the same. Meanwhile, Xavier smirked at the turn of events. He finally saw some worth in his friends.

"By the way, Emma," Albie called out, and Emma turned to face him.

"You know this project includes a presentation, right? I know we can handle the written part without much talking. But for the presentation, you’ve got to speak. We've heard from others that you can speak when needed. So, will you manage it? You won't let us down, will you?" Albie said with a teasing smile.

Mason chuckled, and Xavier found it amusing that Emma never spoke to them until the end. But it pleased him to know that he was the exception.

Emma narrowed her eyes. She had never purposefully avoided speaking to Albie or Mason; it was just that they had never given her a compelling reason to reply to them. With a sigh, she slung her bag over her shoulder, ready to leave.

Getting up from her seat, Emma looked at Albie, who was standing just a few feet away. With a teasing look, she replied pointedly, "I speak when it counts, not just to fill the silence."

Mason and Albie looked at Emma in shock, momentarily speechless.

Xavier bit his lower lip, trying to suppress a smile. He knew well how articulate Emma could be, and now his friends were learning it too.

"Woah! Somebody got her point across!" Mason burst out laughing. "You're right, Emma. Albie can be quite the talker," he added with delight. Finally hearing Emma's voice and that too laced with sarcasm towards his friends made everything seem awesome.