"Mark Lee?" My eyes darted up front when I hear my name.
I stood, gulping nervously. There was a girl standing by the doorway looking at my direction. I didn't know what this was about but I wasn't sure if I was ready for whatever they're preparing to put me up to. Detention? But I didn't do anything wrong as far as I remember.
"Ms. Elizabeth Khan is calling for you in the faculty." Our teacher says after the girl must have told her purpose of disrupting the class. "She specifically said to get you there as soon as possible. You may go."
Most of the time, teachers would ask for me to ask if I could represent the department for this pageant or that pageant but I've always declined since I wasn't trying to pursue in that field. I never saw myself as a model or a beauty king. I swear if this is one of those, I will definitely have to announce the whole campus that I won't be doing anything like that for the rest of my life. Then again, there aren't any announcement about upcoming pageants or anything.
When I reached the faculty, I peeped through the door's window pane to see if Ms. Khan was there but I couldn't really see much because it's frosted. I knocked before proceeding inside. I looked around and my heart instantly races the moment my eyes landed on that familiar red hair that belongs to the only girl who wears them. I looked over to the table she was sitting on and saw, "Ms. Khan?"
"Mr. Lee, you're here."
I frowned as I approached her with my mind still clouded by thoughts like why was Forest sitting across Ms. Khan right now that exact time Ms. Khan needed me too. I try to focus my attention to Ms. Khan as I spoke but Forest's presence is too distracting. "Mr. Franklin said you wanted to see me?"
"Yes!" Ms. Khan exclaims. "This is because of the SciTech festival." SciTech Festival? I must have worn a confused expression because she proceeds by saying, "I asked Mr. Oliver to hand me two of his best students in chemistry class and he gave me you two." U-Us… Us two? "I'm here to ask you both a favor and represent our school for the festival. The principal wants to send the best of the best students to keep our reputation as the best school in the state." She shifted her gaze between Forest and I. "Please, take a seat."
"A-Ah, thank you, ma'am." I awkwardly took the seat next to Forest who was only crossing her arms uninterested. I gulped still unable to wrap my head around this. I'm glad it's not a pageant but being with Forest for a festival, prepare for this with her longer than I see her is the best gift I could ever ask for.
"I already mentioned this to Ms. Young," Ms. Khan said so I turned to her in anticipation. "A cash prize will be given to the winners and participants and the school isn't asking for a percentage of it so you will have the money for yourselves."
I turned to Forest who was abruptly creasing her brows and crossing her arms as if she wasn't even interested. She was just leaning against the chair chewing her gum and would sometimes blow a bubble to pop. Under normal circumstances, she would reject and walk away but now I know why she hasn't' disagreed.
"You must've met during your Chemistry class so it won't be too hard to work together now, will it?" Ms. Khan smiled. It was obvious that she was rooting for us at a content. "I'll discuss a few things before I dismiss, will that be alright, Mr. Lee? Ms. Young?"
I nodded as Forest replies a cold, "Whatever."
"The SciTech Festival is the biggest festival in the field of science. Scientists, Inventors, Investors come to this prestigious festival to seek out young and potential developers they can grow with. That's why I asked Mr. Oliver to present me his best students because I need someone who excelled in a Physics."
I unconsciously touched my chest part unsure why I was brought upon to be a part of this team with Forest. When did I ever excel in Physics?
"Oliver told me Forest is naturally gifted in this field and that you, Mark, will be great as her engineer. He says you're very talented with mechanics that will go very well with Forest's intellectuals."
Oh…
Ms. Khan gives us a small smile. "I really have high hopes for the both of you."
I raised my hand. "So what exactly—"
"You'll be preparing a small product of science in a span of a month."
I hear Forest scoff. But I smiled. The thought of working with her for a month excites me. If we must start now, I won't hesitate to do just that. "M-Ms. Khan, that means we must be together during the duration of making the invention right?"
Ms. Khan nods. "And I'll be with you to guide you through of course." She smiles. "I'll make sure you both win so you don't have to worry. Mr. Oliver also said he'll squeeze his time to help us with this so I'm very confident."
I nodded turning to Forest to see if she was as excited as I was, but knowing her, she won't. "I'm looking forward to this project, Ms. Khan!"
"Great!" Ms. Khan clapped her hands together. "For a month, you'll be staying in my personal laboratory. I have all possible equipment you need so it's best we work there. I've already asked the principal about this and we just need you to have this parent's consent signed by any legal guardian. We'll start by next week so 'till then, I want you two to come up with ideas and concept we can do."
If heavens weren't so favorable with me being with Forest, I wouldn't even be given this perfect opportunity to spend more time with her. I think the Gods of Love are giving me a sign that I might have a shot on her. I personally thank the odds for making it so easy for me to be with her.
"Why don't you both head to the library so you can brainstorm?" My eyes light up in glee. "Since I asked your professors to excuse you for the rest of your class today, I think it's reasonable enough to let you get started as soon as possible."
"That's a very good idea, Ms. Khan." I feel Forest turn to me. I can imagine her brows furrowing but at this point, I was too excited to let one moment with her pass.
"Off you go then! The earlier you start, the better the outcome."
The moment we stepped out of the faculty, I turned to Forest with a wide grin. She wasn't looking. She kept walking with her head low and creased brows. I gripped the handle of my bag tighter unsure of how to start a conversation with her.
"Isn't this exciting?" She doesn't answer me so I cleared my throat out of embarrassment. When we got out of the building, I was surprised when she suddenly took a different path that lead to the library. I blinked in confusion but I still follow her regardless. "Where are we going?"
She still doesn't respond.
I looked around and realized we were heading to the field. I figured she might be heading to the bleachers as she always did so I asked, "Ms. Khan said to go to the library, why are we heading out to the field?"
"Because I don't want to go to the fucking library with you. Jesus fucking Christ do I have to tell you everything I want to do?" She spoke so fast I almost couldn't catch what she was saying.
Now I really get it. She would have declined the moment she knew I was going to be a part of this festival but she didn't because she needed the money. I guess she's more willing to put up with my annoying presence, desperate for the money we'll get.
Just like I thought, she heads down the bleacher and lies down the grassy lawn. I watched her settle down with a smile. Something about Forest and everything she does, melts my heart. I don't know if it's the way she handles her life – or how she lives in general. The sudden thought of her reminded me of what happened last night at the party.
"Can I ask you something, Forest?" I asked and stared at her whose face was covered with her bag.
She mumbles something I couldn't quite comprehend.
"You're friends with Hunter Craig right?" She doesn't respond. "If you're friends with him, why did you make fun of him just to retrieve my wallet back?" I finally asked but it took her a few minutes before she removes the bag from her face and rises up like a zombie who just came up from the dead.
"First of all, Hunter's not my fucking friend." Right because she doesn't do friends. I expected that quite frankly. "Second, I didn't make fun of him just because he made fun of you."
I blinked and gulped. "I-I didn't say that tho—"
"But that's your point right?" Her stiff face made her voice emotionless as well. "I was there the moment everything with Hunter happened and everything that involves Hunter, is my kind of entertainment. So don't go around thinking that I'm fucking interested in you."
I chuckled. "Okay, geez, relax." I studied her face and she doesn't seem happy that I was laughing like this. "I mean, if that's what your intentions really are."
She grunts before rolling her eyes, laying down the ground again. Her phone suddenly rings. "Fuck." I hear her mumble before reaching out to her pocket and yells, "What?!" My eyes widened at the sudden change of tempo in her voice. "I told you I don't need your fucking money or your fucking help okay?! You can go buy some fucking dick if you want! I won't be taking any money from a fucking whore!" I pressed my lips together unsure if I was even allowed to hear that just now. Whoever she was with on the phone must have been someone who pissed her off. "Fuck no! Leave us the fuck alone! We don't need you! Fuck you!" She grunts before throwing her phone away as if she didn't care if it's hit a steel or anything.
"I—"
"Not a word."
I looked away in shame. "I'll go to the library to find something we can use. You can come afterward if you like."
"No." Haechan shakes his head in disagreement. "No way, she did that."
I pouted in dismay. "I'm telling the truth Haechan. Forest came, took Hutner's phone like a professional thief, played with him, threatened him to give her my wallet, tricked him, then she threw his phone over the cooler! I swear, this isn't a fabricated story. Everything I'm telling you is real." I tried to explain as short as I could.
He frowns at me. "How can I possible know it's true when I wasn't even there with you?" He raises up his hand in the air as if he was asking for something. "Besides, why were you at a party eyeing on that demon again?! I thought you said you're ending this creepy stalker attitude of yours!"
"I'm sorry." I looked down with a sigh, guilty. I did tell Haechan I'd stop snooping around her but I still do it. "Every time I try to push myself away from her, the harder it is to stay away from her. It doesn't make sense but that's how I truly feel."
"Do you really like her?" He suddenly asked.
I turned to Haechan unsure if I should give him an honest answer. I stared at him for a few seconds, searching for hints that he might burst out of anger if I confessed but he looked like he was genuinely asking for the truth. "I don't know."
He gulps. "You wouldn't go through so much if you don't like that person." He said and I felt attacked. He was right. I know deep inside my heart that I only answer I don't know is because I was terrified of the consequence to our friendship. "You wouldn't feel so happy just by looking from a far when you don't like that person" I looked down. He was making me confess willingly and I know it. "You wouldn't act stupid and creepy if you didn't like that person."
I was quiet.
"Do you really, really like her?"
I bite my cheeks in pressure. My palms started watering, and my heart raced uncontrollably. "Yes?" I looked at him but he doesn't look satisfied with my answer. "I don't know! I'm crazy about her. I can't stop going after her. I can't stop following her. I can't stop looking at her. I can't not talk to her. I can't stop thinking about her. I just want to be with her all the time because I really like her."
"Oh God." He looked clenched in every part of his body because of how cheesy that just sounded. I can feel my cheeks burning in shame as I tried to look away from him. "You do like her." He sighs.
"I'm sorry Haechan." My shoulders sagged poignantly. "I know you don't like her and all because of how people describe her but she's not really a bad person and I know it – I feel it." I clenched my fists. "I know it just by tagging along with her. I know it just by looking through her actions that may appear wicked to the eyes of other people."
He shrugs. "Well…" He doesn't look to happy for what he's about to say. "As your best friend, you know I'm obligated to support you no matter what…" He looked uncomfortable by saying it but I smiled and stared at Haechan in disbelief. I knew he wasn't so fond of saying things like these so I was really happy to hear him say these – that's he's finally accepted my interest in Forest. "I guess I have to support you on liking that demon even if it hurts my pride to see my best friend go out with a possible serial killer."
I chuckled. "She's not a serial killer."
"Not yet, she is." He abruptly cuts me off. "But pretty soon she will."
"Thank you, Haechan."
"For what exactly?"
"For staying by my side even if I know how much you despise Forest."
He plants an arm over my shoulder. "I still don't like her for you." He shakes his head making me laugh harder. Sometimes Haechan does the sweetest things and he'd still be funny afterwards. "She doesn't deserve you."
"She maybe doesn't," I looked away. "But I don't need her to deserve me. I just want to be there for her."