* SPRINGFIELD HIGHSCHOOL ClASS 2A*
As the bell rang, signaling the end of a quick math lesson, the students felt a wave of relief wash over them. This class had barely lasted twenty minutes.The hallway outside the classroom buzzed with students engaging in pointless banters and playful chatter, Taking their brief escape from schoolwork before the next class.
Sophia, Lisa, and Angela were standing near the lockers, with Angela going through hers, she seems to be looking for something. Lisa always being the active one in the group, was happily sharing about the new skincare products she bought.
"Girls, you won't believe this new cream I got! It's incredible! My skin feels so smooth, like butter. And the soap, oh my gosh, it's like magic! and it smells great...Lisa said.
Sophia nodded, half-listening while she adjusted her jacket, she was listening to music with her earbuds stocked to her ears. "Seriously?" she replied, trying to catch a bit of the conversation while the music played on.
"I don't know, Lisa. You seem to get really excited about every new product that promises to make you look like a goddess. Does it really work that well?"...
"Are you sure it's really that good?" Angela asked with a doubtful tone. "I mean, not everything that's popular actually works."
Lisa shot her a playful glare. "Oh come on, Angela! You're just jealous because you haven't tried it yet! You should give it a shot."
Sophia, who had been quietly listening to music, couldn't help but smile faintly. she wasn't particularly interested in creams or soaps. Soon the sound of laughter and casual chatter resounded across the hallway as Jonathan and Joshua walked out of the classroom, Sophia's attention was drawn towards them.
Lisa waved dismissively, clearly not effected by Angela's remarks. "Trust me, Angela. You really should give it a try. You will notice the difference."
Lisa was still talking when her eyes landed on the two boys, her eyes shorn with mischief as she changed the subject. "Speaking of close friends, did you guys notice how close this two are? Honestly, they act like they're glued together." She chuckled and nudge Sophia playful.
Angela couldn't help but grin, as she jumped into the gossip. "Oh, I definitely think our queen has a crush on one of them," she said, glancing at Sophia.
Sophia shot Angela a glare, her eyebrows knitting together. "What do you mean? Like, one of them?" she asked, trying to make sense of the comment.
Realizing her mistake, Angela froze, her cheeks turning pink as she scrambled to clarify. "I...I just meant they're really handsome. Not like… anything weird, you know? Just..." Angela's voice trailed off as she glanced at Sophia.
But Sophia wasn't convinced. She could see Angela's nervousness, and it unlike her
"Hold on a second." Sophia gave Angela an unbelievable look, as if she had crossed a line. "What are you even talking about?"
Angela, now flustered, raised her hands defensively. "No, no! I didn't mean it like that! I promise, I'm not trying to stir anything up. I just" She paused, quickly adding, "I wouldn't go after Jonathan, if that's what you're thinking!"
Sophia's heart raced, her face turning a deep shade of red.
"W...wait. What? I never said I liked him!" Her voice cracked slightly, revealing her nervousness.
Many students in the hallway was attracted as Sophia raised her voice...they seems to have head something interesting. But they soon left the place after receiving an angry glare from her....she is one of the feared and respected presence in the school, hence no one dare to get on her bad side.
Lisa raised an eyebrow, as a playful smile appeared on her lips. "Oh, come on, Sophia. Don't be like that! You can't honestly say you're not at least a little curious about him. I mean, he's definitely cute, right?" Plus, you've been trying to get close to him since last term.
Sophia felt her cheeks heating up, she quickly shook her head. "I don't have a crush on him! I barely even talk to him! And as for trying to approach him, I just want to be friends." Her words spilled out in a rush, desperately trying to suppress the wave of embarrassment that was threatening to explode from her face. "Did I make it too obvious? I don't think so, she thought to herself, knowing her friends were likely to catch on to something.
Angela, now looking a bit guilty, sighed with a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry, Sophia. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I was just joking."
Lisa laughed, clearly enjoying the playful banter. "Looks like our queen has a skeleton in her cupboard she teased, as raised an eyebrow and giving Sophia a knowing look. "Come on, Sophia, you can't deny that Jonathan's not bad looking."
Sophia crossed her arms defensively, feeling her cheeks heating up even more. She averted her gaze from her friends, her eyes unintentionally landing on Jonathan and Joshua as they strolled down the hall.
Lisa's teasing voice pulled her back to reality. "It's okay, Sophia. You don't have to share everything. But if you ever want to spill the tea..." Lisa said with a wink.
Sophia sighed, realizing that no matter how hard she tried to brush it off, the whole conversation had left her feeling awkward and self-conscious. Her heart had skipped earlier when Angela mentioned Jonathan, and now it felt like her friends were reading too much into it. She glanced at them. her mind swirling with a mix of confusion and embarrassment.
"I really don't like him like you guys are thinking okay?" she said, a bit more firmly this time, though she couldn't completely mask the nervousness in her voice.
Angela smiled, clearly relieved, while Lisa playfully nudged her. "Alright, alright. No need to get all defensive. We'll just let you figure it out on your own. But don't think we won't be keeping an eye on you!"
Sophia let out an amused sigh. Her friends were impossible to deal with. She took one last glance down the hall, catching a quick glimpse of Jonathan and Joshua as they melted into the crowd of students.
...
........
A cool breeze swept gently over the rooftop, rustling the few scattered leaves that had started to turn amber with the changing season. The distant hum of voices and the occasional shout from the students below felt like a soft murmur compared to the quiet, almost serene atmosphere atop the school's roof. Jonathan and Joshua stood side by side. Jonathan, with his hands casually tucked into the pockets of his jacket, looked down at the students below, as his eyes scanned the crowd. Beside him, Joshua stood with his arms crossed and shoulders slightly hunched as if the weight of his thoughts was pulling him down.
"New term, new start," Jonathan said, breaking the silence.
"I'm hoping to step it up this time. I really want to challenge myself, especially in history. I think I can make some real progress."
Joshua sighed, leaning on the edge of the rooftop and watching the students stroll by, carefree. His face showed a mix of frustration and fatigue. "I don't know, man. This math class is killing me. I just can't just deal with some of this stuff. It's way tougher than last year."
Jonathan glanced over at him, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"You're telling me. I was almost lost during the first lesson....but at the end I came to understand how to solve the questions...Jonathan said.
Joshua shook his head. If you couldn't understand it, who else in the class would?.. Joshua asked with raised brows.
Jonathan was known for his great mystery in mathematics. Though he wasn't the most intelligent person in the class, but when it comes to math's class no one comes close.
But come on, let's keep studying together, maybe it will start to be fun."
A smile spread across Joshua's face as he said, "Fun? With math? You've got to be kidding me. But hey, I could definitely use some help. I really don't want to flunk this class. That would be so embarrassing."
Jonathan let out a soft laugh. He appreciated how honest Joshua was being.
"I've got an idea," Jonathan said, steering the conversation in a different direction. "Instead of stressing over math right now, how about we do something we both enjoy after school? What do you think about a bike ride?"
Joshua raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "A bike ride? Seriously? You mean like last time when we took that route by the old park?"
Jonathan nodded, his smile growing wider. "Exactly! A change of scenery might help clear your mind. Plus, we both know we could use the exercise. You're starting to look like you've been living off instant noodles."
Joshua laughed at the playful jab, unable to suppress his excitement . "Alright, alright. I'm in. It might actually be nice to get out of my head for a bit."
As they stood side by side, watching the other students go about their day, Jonathan and Joshua shared a comfortable silence. It wasn't awkward at all.
"Okay," Joshua finally said, his tone lighter than before. "Bike ride it is. Let's see if we can forget about math for a little while."
Jonathan's smiled at him as he stared into the distance.