Three: Me or Ishida

I walked into school the next day feeling irritated, I waved at a few people on my way to class and locked eyes with Suzuki at the hallway, Hirata’s arm was wrapped firmly around her waist and he gave me a stupid grin, since he still assumed I was affected by his relationship with her.

I ignored their stupid display of what they called affection and carried my books before going to biology class. The class was full five minutes later and Suzuki sat at the opposite end of where I sat, just staring at me, I returned it and could tell she felt uncomfortable although she refused to back down.

“…Is that understood?” I finally tore my gaze to the teacher and the class began to join move their chairs to other people’s desks.

A class assignment, I assume, but what could it be about…

I was distracted when someone sat next to me, I turned to Ishida who gave me a shy smile before dropping her biology texts on my desk.

“You were paying attention, right?” her cheeks turned red and she nodded.

“Yes.” She mumbled

“What was the assignment?” she gave me a questioning look.

“We have to give a detailed report on the life cycle of a toad and frog and give slight differences that are responsible for their difference in structure.”

“And so early in the morning…”

“Good Morning Yoshida and I… shi… da.” I looked at the person who had cut me off.

Her smile was forced, and her rainbow cat ear headband was crooked, her arms looked tired from all the bracelets she wore but all I could see was the same nerd from yesterday no matter how hard I tried to focus on the idiot that was currently glaring at me.

“Can I help you with something Suzuki?” I could see the annoyance on her face.

“My friends group got a new member, making us seven so I told them I’d join another group.”

“Have fun with that, I’m not buying your shit.” She stood still with an annoyed smile.

“Just let her join Yoshida, the arrangement is three members to a group and she’s the only free person left.” I sighed and nodded.

“Fine, whatever, just don’t bother me or you’re gone.” She forced another smile.

“Yes, thank you Yoshida and I… shi… da.”

“You’re welcome.” She sat down and I could tell she was glaring at Ishida as I tried to split up the work.

Suzuki moved slightly on her chair to grind her hip against mine.

“Can I help you Suzuki?” she gave me a questioning look.

“I don’t understand Yoshida.” She fluttered her brows in false innocence and I groaned before moving back.

“So Ishida…”

“Here.” I said, hitting her head with a biology text.

“What was that for?” she asked, rubbing her head.

“You’ll be writing about the toad, Ishida, the frog while I’ll get some images and work on the presentation.”

“Okay.” They chorused and I stood up.

“I’ll be in the computer room if you need me so don’t.” Suzuki huffed and stood up and we looked at her with raised brows.

“I’m coming with you, I… um... I need some printed diagrams for the life cycle.”

“You heard me say I was getting the images, didn’t you?” she sweat dropped.

“Then… I… I need to do some research.”

“No need, the textbooks should be more than enough.” Ishida offered, oblivious of what Suzuki was attempting to do.

“Thank you… I… shi… da.” She mumbled with a forced smile. “I still need to leave.” She said, turning to me.

“To do what? I don’t play with my grades so if you’re not going to take this serious…”

“I need to go the bathroom!” she yelled and the class turned to her, I had already lost interest so I left to the computer room and waited for Suzuki while also getting the diagrams and images.

She arrived like anticipated and hid besides a shelf with electrical equipment while I scrolled through pictures of toads and frogs. I finally settled for a few pictures and life cycle diagrams and turned once the printer had started its job.

“You can come out Suzuki.” I said and I could hear her sigh.

She mumbled something before leaving her hiding place and glared at me. “I made you some cookies…”

“I like my life very much, thank you.”

She sweat dropped. “H…How did you know I can’t cook?”

“I sat behind you in cooking class last year, I smelled a lot of foul things that year...”

“Whatever,” she huffed and glared at me.

“You’re into smart girls, is that why you were listening to Ishida?”

“You’re smart, and I don’t listen to you.”

“I meant girls who act smart, she’s cute though, really cute...”

“What do you want Suzuki?”

“Me or Ishida, who would you choose?”

“In what sense?”

“Romantically, who would you choose?”

“What kind of stupid question…”

“Just answer!”

“To satisfy your ego?” I asked with a mocking tone.

She glared at me, obviously unamused. “I’m serious.”

“Ishida,” she sweat dropped. “She’s more trustworthy and doesn’t go around sleeping with my rivals while trying to seduce me like nothing happened.” She scoffed.

“I didn’t try to seduce you…”

“Sure you weren’t, that was all in my imagination.” I said waving my hands in the air like a child.

She huffed and left while I eye rolled and carried the printed papers back to biology class.

I carried my notes and sketch book before entering my English class, the teacher had gone to labour last year and the school was yet to find a replacement since she would be resuming soon. The students were busy reading or talking and I slipped on my headphones to tune down the sound of the rain and started to draw Misaki.

I had finished with the face and body outline and was trying to imagine Misaki in our new uniform when someone lightly tapped my shoulder. I looked up and drew my headphones down before looking at Matsumoto who failed at forcing a smile.

“Ishida would like to talk to you.” I raised an eyebrow and didn’t fail to notice the way Matsumoto squirmed uncomfortably.

“If this is some stupid confession I swear…”

“I’m sorry.”

“Where is she?”

“In the old music room.” My stomach twisted.

How cliché.

I scoffed and closed my sketchbook before getting up. I slid my hands in my pocket and sluggishly left the classroom, I climbed up the staircase and looked around before entering the music room. Ishida looked at me and I could see the nervousness in her gaze. She looked down at her intertwined hands.

“You wanted to talk?” She looked up at me, flustered.

“Y… yes,” she took a deep breath. “Yo…

Yoshida, I… I lo… love you…”

“You’re not my type.”

“Huh?” Her eyes looked glossy and I almost felt bad.

“I’m sorry I have preferences, I guess.” She gave me a smile, a genuine one.

“That’s okay, I’m just relieved I finally told you.” I gently patted her hair and we both made our way to leave.

The door opened and the both of us looked at Hirata and Suzuki, his hand was around her waist and Suzuki looked down with a guilty expression. I grabbed the hand of an uncomfortable Ishida and left the two of them in the music room. I let go of Ishida’s hand and she looked down, her face was red and she was gasping to catch her breath.

“Th…Thank you.”

“No problem, I have things to do so get to class.”

I walked away and entered my classroom to continue my sketch, I didn’t make too much progress before class ended and I had to attend basketball practice. I carried my books and dropped them in my locker and made my way to the basketball court.

The coach had finished calling attendance when I walked in and he glared at him as I joined the line. He cleared his throat and looked back at the clipboard before looking at us to address us.

“Hirata unfortunately won’t be joining us due to important personal matters…”

“Or because he bribed you.” I mumbled and from the glare he gave me, he obviously heard it.

“Yoshida, you should be happy…”

“That my skills in basketball back in junior high school were extraordinary or you would be gone right now, I know.”

He looked annoyed but decided to ignore me.

“Today’s agenda, a friendly match between this team split up into two other teams, the cheerleading team will be her shortly to test out a new cheer so check the court’s notice board for your team placement as we’ll be using it for more than today.”

I walked over to the notice board and looked at the team placement, red and white teams and I was in the red team. I quickly put on a red vest over my basketball uniform and stood with the rest of the red team. The cheerleading group walked in and I could hear my team mumble something I was sure was lewd and my eyes locked with that of Ishida.

She gave me a smile and I nodded while trying to stop myself from raking her body with my eyes, I cleared my throat and glared at my teammates who quickly kept quiet.

“The strategy, don’t lose or you’ll answer to me.”

“Yes.” They chorused and the coach blew the whistle, the cheerleaders started their routine and the game started for us.

The rain had returned by the time practice was over and I quickly carried my folded raincoat into bag and opened my umbrella. I locked eyes with Suzuki on my way out, she had crouched on the floor tying her shoe and she looked down with a guilty expression.

I sighed and moved my umbrella to cover her head, she looked up with red cheeks and tried to stand up while I adjusted the umbrella.

“Thank you, you didn’t have to do that though.”

“Yes I do, your dye is washable, it looks like the cheap on that washed off when water touches it but I can’t tell with your makeup, and you’ll pester me tomorrow for not helping.” she glared at me. “Don’t think I care about your secret or something like that, I just want my peace.”

I moved the umbrella forward and she took it from me, her hand brushed gently against mine and I cringed before quickly moving my hand away. The umbrella fell and Suzuki stared at it for a brief moment before bending and picking it up, she put it over her head and looked at me with a stressed smile.

“We can share it… the umbrella I mean, besides I’ll feel guilty if you catch a cold because of me…”

“I have a raincoat, so no need.”

“Of course you do.” She mumbled with gritted teeth and I shrugged.

“It’s not my fault that I check the weather reports.” She sweat dropped. “I’ll be leaving.”

“Wait!” she grabbed my hand and I raised a brow, causing her to let go. “What were you doing with Ishida at the old music room?”

“Oh, you mean when you came in with Hirata and saw us which ruined the mood for the two of you.”

“S… stop that! Just answer the question."

“I don’t have to answer the question, you’re not an important person to me.”

“Tch… you’re being a jerk, just answer the question.”

“Making out, she’s quite good at it.” I mocked and her face turned pale which made me chuckle. “If you were so important in my life, you would know I don’t do shit like what you’re thinking.” Her face was still pale and I ignored her and turned to leave the school yard.

“I saw your sketchbook.” I froze and glared at her. “I’m sorry for invading your privacy but… the girl… the person you sketched… who is she?”

“Someone that is not your business.” I stated coldly.

“If it’s the sketchbook, I’m sorry, I… I didn’t think…”

“I’m aware, only people with common sense do.”

“I said I’m sorry.” I scoffed and she looked at her feet. “I really am, I was intrigued…”

“I’m not in the mood for this fake cute thing you’re trying to pull off.” She huffed and I walked away from the school yard to my house.

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