Althea tapped her forehead on her desk a few times. If not because she didn't wanna look weird, she might have really banged her head on it.
"Not fully." She decided to answer.
"What percentage?"
'... Does everything have to be in the percentage for him?'
Althea bit her lip and she turned her head only to find Karin looking at her strangely while motioning, 'What happens?' gesture with her mouth.
"Umm... 70% I guess," Althea typed after shooking her head at Karin's question.
"I see," Ray replied. Althea didn't know how does he feel with only such text.
Just when Althea was about to condemn her own recklessness, Ray replied, "I'm sorry," and Althea's lectures to herself came to a halt in an instant.
"I'm too used to such 'rough' help that I forced it on you."
'... Had he always been made to go through such a thing when he's already lost?'
"I didn't mean to trouble you more. It's just that you're so confused about what you yourself want. So if on one hand there are your friends who pull you to one side, I wanted to be the one who balanced it out so that you can choose what you really want."
Althea felt a stuffiness in her chest.
'Is he saying he's just testing me? But if I did go, he will still not eat just as what he said right?' Althea wondered and asked Ray just that. Of course, Ray honestly said he most probably will.
"But even if it happens, it's okay. I'm used to it since long ago so not a big deal."
'He what?'
Althea was about to type but Ray didn't give her a chance to.
"Anyway, what I'm saying is that you shouldn't care about other's opinions. What matters is your own will."
"It doesn't matter if it's your past or your friends. Even if it's your headmaster or your mother who asked, you shouldn't care about it and consider more of what you really want now. I will support you either way." Ray explained.
Althea inhaled a deep breath for the complex feeling this guy has always managed to make her feel. The burden in her heart lifted up, and she even felt a little touched for Ray's aim, though he used the wrong way to achieve it. At least for her.
"So, do you want to go?" Ray asked.
Althea hummed softly and asked herself again.
"Yes, I do." she concluded.
***
That afternoon right after school was over, she told Karin and Dev that she would be joining. She still needed her mother's permission of course, but she thought she can settle it later.
And just as Althea expected, her mother agreed to it easily as long as it's an official competition from school.
Late at night, with blue headphones playing some classical music, Althea swung her legs leisurely in her study. She hadn't been this happy lately.
The thought of facing the new challenge frightened but excite her at the same time.
This is something that *she* wants, and she could smell freedom even before she went.
Ding!
A message came from Ray showing an assortment of some foods Althea can't name of and some drink which Althea recognized as some soda.
"What is it?" Althea zoomed in and out the picture he sent.
"A celebration."
"A celebration?" Althea tapped her finger on the side of her phone, "For what?"
"A small celebration for you liking me today."
Eyes widened for a moment, Althea's soft laugh like twinkling bells could be heard from Ray's side.
"Is it funny?" Ray run his fingers through his hair, hearing Althea laugh this freely made him feel strange. Perhaps it was what normal people call happiness.
"It's cute." Althea countered.
"I don't see the difference in that." Ray shook his head. The girl went on explaining how big of a difference it is while in silence, he wished for the girl to keep on talking cheerfully like this.
***
The selection was passed easily thanks to Althea's skills and experience which she graciously shared with her teammates. She even answered some questions from other competitors who wanted to learn more about debates after the selection. After all, her school was the best in her town. Though it's nothing more than the biggest fish in the small pond.
What's left was preparing for the main competition which will be held in a week at a different city, a couple of hours from Althea's place.
Althea spent her days working even harder than usual. Fortunately, the student council didn't have any events until the change of the semester. Thus, she could dedicate herself fully to practicing. Althea often did brainstorming with Ray regarding debatable topics. Expectedly, such discussion is in Ray's comfort zone so he didn't hesitate before saying he'll help.
"How is your study going?" Althea asked. It was already 11 pm in the evening, and Althea just done packing up the stuff she needed for the competition.
"Still lots of syllabus to cover, but it's manageable." Ray replied. He had been preparing for the scholarship selection which will start in a month from now. Althea was a year younger than him, thus only able to take the test next year.
"Good luck." Althea said.
Ray glanced at Althea's message, "Nervous?"
"No. Not really. I guess I will be tomorrow, though." Althea pursed her lips to the side, thinking if she could get even 10% of Ray's cool-headedness then she wouldn't feel nervous at all.
"Ray, aren't I disturbing your studies?"
"No." Ray replied almost immediately.
'But he keeps on replying when he needs to write though ...'
"I wrote with my right and replied with my left." Althea blinked her eyes a few times. Both because of the answer and the fact that Ray answered her unvoiced question.
'I guess that works too.' Althea clicked on his profile picture which never change into one of his own face, and suddenly felt the urge to click the call button.
And that's exactly what she did.
"Thea?" Ray's face appeared on the screen with his forehead furrowed. Althea didn't know if it's due to her sudden call or from his studies, but it made her realized her willfulness.
"Ahh... that is... I just kind of wanna see you." Althea looked down at her feet and bit her lower lip.
"It's okay."
Althea lifted her head.
"You liked me 70% after all." Ray showed a rare smile which seemed more like a smirk for her, "And I guess it must've added by 15-20%".
"That's not true!" Althea exclaimed as her face heated up. But she saw Ray's mouth turned into a thin line and hastily added, "It does increase though!"
Althea wanted to mentally slap herself and her inability to see Ray sad.
"Really? By how many per--"
"Ray, say that again and I won't speak to you for three days." Althea threatened. Of course, unlike Ray, she wouldn't be able to carry on for three days but Ray didn't need to know that fact.
The corner of Ray's mouth lifted up, and while he didn't make any sound, Althea could feel that he was laughing. In his own weird way.
"You look lovely." Ray reached out to his camera, making a gesture of caressing her... head? cheek?
Althea smiled unbelievingly towards his sudden compliment while wondering if he really is patting her.
And for the first time, she cursed their damned distance.