During the study period, as it neared its end, Jayden found solace in his own world, jamming away on his own while Daisy was temporarily absent. Jayden wasn't the only one seeking distractions, though. Shane couldn't help but stare wistfully at the empty spot where Daisy had been sitting.
"I'm going to the bathroom," he declared abruptly, getting up from his seat.
Aleena observed her friend's departure, fully aware that he wasn't heading to the restroom.
Before she could delve any deeper into her thoughts, the classroom door swung open, revealing Damian entering, trailed by his group of admirers. Aleena couldn't help but feel sympathy for him, enduring the persistent attention from these girls even when he clearly wasn't interested. She wondered where Damian had been, as he was rarely seen during study period.
Her musings were abruptly interrupted when Shane walked back into the room with Daisy, engaged in lively conversation. Aleena's stomach sank slightly as they approached his desk, their compatibility apparent, their interactions seemingly flawless. She couldn't help but imagine how perfectly they could fit together as a couple.
Shane seemed entirely engrossed in talking to Daisy, completely forgetting about Aleena, abandoning his seat to join Daisy and Jayden. Aleena felt a bewildering mix of emotions, struggling to comprehend why Shane was so comfortable conversing with Daisy now, considering he couldn't even manage a simple greeting to her earlier that morning in the library. Her heartache deepened at the thought of her best friend leaving her alone at their table and seemingly forgetting her existence.
She stared intently at her best friend from across the room, hoping that Shane would glance back her way and notice her sitting alone at their table. Aleena held onto the hope that he would realize he had left her behind and return to sit with her, sharing a laugh about how Daisy had asked him a question and he had gotten distracted. But that hope remained unfulfilled, and Aleena was left in a state of confusion, gazing after her friend while Shane laughed and smiled, his attention solely fixated on Daisy.
To her right, an onlooker observed the unfolding situation with keen eyes. Damian noticed how Shane had brushed past Aleena and the evident dejection that overtook her expression afterward. Though he felt a twinge of anger at Shane's actions toward Aleena, Damian knew it wasn't his place to intervene. He decided to refocus his attention on his music, allowing the melodies to drown out the rest of the classroom's commotion.
***
Shane had been wandering through the school corridors several times, desperately searching for Daisy. He believed this was his only chance to catch her alone and attempt to strike up a conversation. Rounding a corner, he unexpectedly encountered William emerging from the abandoned art classroom. Shane tried to offer a friendly smile, but William merely glared at him before walking away. Shane's confusion deepened when Daisy emerged from the same room, appearing somewhat shaken and sporting a faint blush on her cheeks. Shane wondered if Daisy and William had spoken inside the art room and why they had been there. He had just rounded the corner when he inadvertently bumped into Daisy, who was on her way out.
"Oh, sorry, Shane," she exclaimed. "I wasn't paying attention."
Shane smiled, secretly elated that she even knew his name. "No problem, Daisy. What were you doing in the art room?"
"Miss Tan asked me to grab some papers for everyone before the test," she replied.
"Ah," Shane replied, tempted to ask about William but hesitating out of fear of the response he might receive. "Well, let's head back."
Shane's heart raced as he walked alongside Daisy, attempting to initiate a conversation several times, but stumbling over his words due to his nervousness. This marked the first time he had ever tried to talk to her, and he was surprised she even replied. Despite the awkwardness, he found himself cherishing the opportunity to converse with her, no matter how clumsy his attempts were.
Upon returning to the classroom, they discussed the upcoming test for their next period, and Shane's voice occasionally cracked with nervousness. However, every time it did, Daisy's laughter filled the air. Shane was so preoccupied with Daisy and the fact that she was willing to talk to him that he completely forgot about Aleena, who was waiting for him to return to their table.
Jayden welcomed them back, raising an eyebrow at Daisy before shifting her gaze to Shane. "You don't mind if he sits with us, do you, Jayden?" Daisy inquired, eager to continue their conversation and utilize the time for last-minute test preparation with a study partner.
Jayden glanced at Aleena's table, where the lonely girl sat absorbed in her notes, deep in thought, before replying, "Uh, sure, no problem. Weren't you sitting with Aleena, though?" She pointedly gestured toward Aleena, who was sitting a bit apart.
Shane's eyes widened slightly as he remembered his best friend. He felt guilty for forgetting about Aleena, but he had finally seized the chance to talk to Daisy, and he assumed Aleena would understand.
"It's fine," Daisy interjected, attempting to explain Shane's absence. "Aleena prefers studying alone. She finds it helps her concentrate. I must have been annoying her."
Although it was true that Aleena loved to read on her own, but the latter statement was completely false. Aleena never found Shane annoying, and she would have preferred him to stay beside her rather than sitting elsewhere. However, Aleena pushed these thoughts aside, reminding herself that Shane could make friends if he wanted to, and it was not her business. Nevertheless, she felt a pang of sadness upon realizing that she had no one else to talk to besides Shane.
The classroom was mostly divided into groups or pairs scattered throughout the room, engrossed in conversation and laughter. Aleena usually would have been among them, exchanging jokes with Shane as he scolded her for not studying. Study periods had always been enjoyable when Shane was by her side, but now that he wasn't, she felt lonely and out of place. The only other person not engaged in conversation was Damian, the mute student, who naturally kept to himself and was impossible to approach even if she had wanted to. Aleena sighed and rested her head on her desk, hoping that the period would end soon.
Finally, the bell signaled the end of the class and the start of the fourth period. The students in the front of the room began packing their bags and preparing to leave. Shane returned to his table with Aleena and started packing his belongings as well.
"Aleena! Guess what happened today?" he exclaimed, oblivious to the discomfort he had caused his friend.
Aleena shrugged, unable to respond without letting her bitterness show.
"When I went to the bathroom, I bumped into Daisy and actually talked to her! She even knew my name without me having to remind her!" Shane continued excitedly about Daisy as they walked to the language room.
"That's great; can we just get to the classroom?" Aleena replied, not wanting to hear more about her best friend's crush.
Shane remained undeterred and continued talking about Daisy for most of the five-minute walk. As they entered the classroom, Shane spotted Daisy and rushed to find a seat close to her, leaving Aleena behind once again. Aleena sighed before taking the empty seat next to Shane's. Suddenly, another boy arrived and claimed the seat, leaving Aleena with no choice but to sit at the back, far away from Shane. Once more, Shane forgot about Aleena as he last-minute studied with Daisy, laughing at something she said.
Aleena didn't want to witness the scene, so she shifted her focus to her own desk, absentmindedly tracing patterns on the wooden surface, wishing for the test to begin. She had never wished for anything more in her life.