"Hey! Why are you sitting here? Come on join!" asked Byby who had just approached Alice.
Behind Byby, Kimberley followed.
"Let's go! If you don't exercise, I report to the teacher!" threatened Kimberley, joking.
Alice refuses when pulled by Byby.
"I'm not feeling well, let me."
Kimberley immediately approached, touching Alice's forehead and arms. "But you're not hot. You're reasoning right?"
Byby laugh. "If you don't want to join yet that's fine, but make sure the teacher doesn't reprimand you." Byby stand up and said, "I'll be there, bye."
After Byby had left, Kimberley persuade Alice again. "Come on! At least let's go for a walk so we don't get scolded."
Currently sports lessons and the teacher give one hour of lessons for free after two hours of basketball practice lessons. However, they are required to be active in the field.
Alice looked at Kimberley. The look in her friend's eyes is very excited to invite her to jump into the school field. Alice really wants to accept her invitation.
Unfortunately Alice is in a bad mood. Her mind is still glued to the conversation her friends had yesterday before she tried to join in on their group assignment.
Being talked about like that by friends — who was expected to become a close friends — made her overthink. It's like being the target of a fake friend.
It's okay, Alice can understand if they just recognized Alice and Alice doesn't open hurt her was why were they being nice in front of her while behind her back, they were talking about it like that? Sounds trite enough but not for Alice who is so sensitive in friendship but really needs it.
"Come on! The weather is not hot and this time the field is not filled with students from other classes. This is so much fun because there is only our class."
"I'm sorry. I'm really not feeling well. You can join Byby or the others." resisted Alice trying not to disappoint Kimberley.
"Ahhh," Kimberley was stunned. "Really? All right, that's fine." She stand up and walk a few small steps. "Don't force it. If the teacher reprimands you, say that you're not feeling well."
Kimberley walk away sluggish. When she arrived in the middle of the field, she was confuse about who to join. She is not very close to the people in her class. Only a few people were close to her and they were more closer to others. Kimberley's only hope was Alice but Alice wasn't in the mood to be bothered. She know Alice was just making excuses.
She had crossed paths with Charles whose hair was wet with sweat. Charles gave her a mischievous smile and Kimberley just looked away. She no longer liked to cross paths with Charles even though before she always wanted it. In fact, they are often together.
A dozen minutes passed, Alice remained sitting in her place while watching her friends on the field. There were some people who saw her while whispering. She's sure they say she's inactive. Well, that's okay for her. It happens often.
Several times Alice watched Kimberley, who was at a loss for what to do, so she walked up and down the field. Alice want to approach her but Alice's feelings were not yet calm. She will do it if her mood starts to improve.
To achieve that goal, she stood up and walked towards the toilet. Trying to let go of everything on her mind the way she often does.
Silence in there, closing eyes, with a relaxed posture.
She faintly heard the voice of someone she recognized. A voice that echoes in the toilet and sounds enthusiastic all the time.
"Gosh I sweat so much. This is what I hate in every sport."
"If you don't like it, you don't have to exercise. Simple."
"You think I can refuse to exercise? It's my hobby and I don't want to waste the free classes that are so rare in this class."
There is the sound of water coming from the sink faucet. Alice was still inside and had no intention of coming out before the two of them came out.
"Hey Britney, I want to talk about something." said Hoover, her voice only slightly lowered.
"Your boyfriend?"
"Hey you! Since when did I have a boyfriend?!"
"Since breaking up with your ex." replied Britney origin.
Whereas Hoover had never been in touch with anyone, that's what she knew.
"Okay, up to you." said Hoover annoyed and resigned because she want to talk about what she wanted to talk about.
"This is not serious thing, take It easy." Hoover turned off the tap, waggle her hand to dry it.
"I'm just confused by some people who are inactive in our class. What I want to talk about isn't whether they are active or not, but it's about how they occupy their time."
"I do not understand." said Britney in a cold tone.
Hoover took a deep breath. After dhe took another breath she continued, "Okay, I'll take an example. Hm, for example..."
Alice gulped, having a bad feeling.
"New friend--ah, isn't it. New student in our class, Alice. You see what she's been doing since free class? Just pensive in one place. Very passive, so boring. Ugh,"
The object of the conversation as well as the listener in there just looked down and sighed. Her intention to leave was getting undone.
"At least she walks alone if she doesn't have any friends. Why is she just daydreaming there?"
"Understood, right?" Hoover turned to face the mirror around the sink. "Usually, it's easy for new student to make friends because many are curious. But that's not the case with Alice."
"Hm, it also depends on first impressions. If one is not attractive to others, will curiosity in others exist?"
"Ah, that? Okay, I agree. Or maybe she caught some attention, but not again. Is that what you mean?"
Britney raised an eyebrow, indicating that Hoover is right.
Hoover blinked, digesting Britney's meaning. "So you mean, Alice..."
"Yeah, that's how it is."
There was a brief silence, while Alice remained where she had been.
"Haha, gosh! Why are we even talking about her? Even though this is not what I want to discuss." Hoover walk a few steps, out of the toilet along with Britney.
"What? You just want to wash your hands?" asked Britney as she followed Hoover.
"Yes. Hehe,"
They came out of the toilet.
"Come to think of it, who do you think is the most active in our class?"
Hoover's voice is not heard after that. Alice immediately open the door to the toilet room and wash her face roughly.
Her hand gripped the edge of the sink and the tap water was allowed to flow freely. She e lowered her head, staring straight ahead with a confused mind.
If only she wasn't the type to get carried away easily, she wouldn't be affected by people's words and could even get used to hearing them.
Slowly she lifted her face, staring at herself in the mirror with a sad look. Even if it wasn't about her illness, she doubted she could open up to friends. There were many things he wanted to keep to herself instead of telling them.
Besides, she wasn't sure she could open up to the right people. Some people are just passers-by in her life and the only people by her side are her father and aunt, for now. And maybe forever or even those two people will no longer be by her side in the future.
"Argh...." She scratched her head roughly.
She hates herself for often thinking sad things. She wants to be an indifferent person.
"Is my decision right? Let them talk about me while I know it and then pretend not to know?"
"Keep hiding hearing it then overthinking after that?" she asked herself which was only answered by a forced smile.
***