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Electives

Raphael glanced up at the signage above the room, double-checking with his sight just to make sure.

It's his first time joining an elective class.

Apparently, it is different, like what Feyline just told him. Although he felt curious, at the same time, another feeling brewed inside him, nervousness.

The door creaked open once he turned the knob and pushed.

Surprisingly, he was one of the first few who came in as the spaces from the seating weren't full and evenly filled up with a few students. None of them screamed familiarity.

He pouted slightly, a face of disappointment, while he scanned around the room.

Then, he approached a convenient-looking seat just by the side of the room, comfortable enough for him to look discreet and not to be bothered.

While waiting for the class to officially start, he began the habit of staring out of the window just to kill the boredom. The silence in the room felt calming with a few soft sounds of sheets flipping from someone reading a book, and one humming a familiar tune.

The same tune that Harian makes whenever he's on his bed doing something, or like a lullaby before he sleeps.

Raphael blinked.

"Huh?"

He listened closely once more as the humming continued softly like the wind.

Is that... who I think it is?

He glanced around the room, hoping to see fluffy white locks, rosy cheeks, and an angelic presence, standing out from the rest. No other than Harian.

But instead, the humming stopped just in time.

No one else was there who resembled him, just a few students from the back doing homework and reading books.

Who was that?

The confusion in his expression was apparent. Maybe he was just hallucinating?

Soon, students started flooding into the classroom, which seemed like a pretty popular choice for most, probably a safer bet for others, just as he had thought about it. The chairs filled up little by little before he could realize someone had grabbed a seat just right next to him.

"Do you mind?" a female voice with a slight cutesy tone spoke up.

Raphael didn't bother and just waved his hand, not even looking at whoever it was.

"Thanks~ The seat beside me usually stays empty." she giggled. "Looks like I got a seatmate now."

Now that he listened closely to the voice, it seemed like he had heard of it before. He took a glance over his side just to check.

A striking image greeted his sight, taking refuge in the seat beside him. Her bright neon pink strands stood out, highlighting the dark undertones of her locks, and flashy hot pink lips with matching eyeshadows perfected her overall look.

A flashy mess.

His eyes shifted down, observing.

Her uniform was tucked in a midriff while most of the buttons sprawled open, exposing her hot pink undershirt. Meanwhile, her skirt was rolled short but flared wide open as she sat too comfortably with her leg propped up like an open invitation.

She flicked her lashes a few times, looking directly at him with eyes trying hard to look cute and innocent, while he mouth formed a little pout.

"Hm ?" she tilted her head. His observation drew her attention. "Look for something ?"

A click in his memory snapped him out of his gaze.

Immediately, Raphael knew who she was.... That girl from the courtyard. One of the students that Harian warned him about.

Emma Huang.

As soon as he realized, he glanced away, pretentiously ignoring her presence like she was just one of those background characters. However, her presence was enough to catch him off guard.

Of all people. Why her? He sighed in his thoughts.

His vision began to wander around the room, hoping to find a better spot and eyeing an empty seat from a few rows away. Another student rushed in and grabbed it immediately. Raphael furrowed his brows in frustration. Just as he found a potential safe place to escape, he got robbed out of it.

The teacher came right into the classroom, motioning everyone to settle down and return to their seats.

"Welcome to Photography Electives. Now, please be reminded that your seating arrangements are permanent. No more changes or else you will be marked absent," she sternly warned.

Great. Apparently, he is stuck with her for the rest of the morning session and, unfortunately, for the next few months.

"Hm? Disappointed? Were you expecting someone else?" she teased in a whisper. Unlike Sylvia, she had this certain try-hard-cutie accent which sounded more annoying than what she intentionally intended. "Come on, don't be shy and talk to me."

A sigh heaved out of his chest as his eyes rolled out to the side.

"No, I don't have to," he replied.

Her cheeks puffed out childishly. "You're no fun."

Just as he thought that she had finally given up on making conversation with him, a few minutes after, an arm slipped right in between his, wrapping it around.

"W-what are you doing?" Raphael questioned in a stutter, caught off guard once again.

Emma just scooted herself a bit too close, too close to comfort. She clung tightly to his arm while caressing it gently.

"Nothing. Just needed something to rest," she playfully reasoned out before leaning on him.

"You're too close," he flustered.

"Oh? Am I?" she scooted even more, cornering him against the wall.

It felt aggressive as the comforts of his seat were slowly being invaded by her presence.

He could no longer move. Stuck in this narrowing tension.

Just like a trap.

Meanwhile, in the background, the discussion continued and unbothered, as the board flashed a slideshow about the art of perfect photography.

No one seemed to care, or was merely unbothered by the sight. Perhaps, they didn't want to get involved?

His thoughts screamed in desperation, unable to bear any second sitting beside her. How long does he have to suffer like this?

His thoughts trailed off, but the discomfort on his face was apparent, twitching in every touch as Emma still hung over his arm like a sloth, squeezing it ever so slightly.

"You smell so good. What's your name again?" she paused, but before he could say anything, she continued.

"Hold on. Lemme guess. Was it Raphael?"

He tensed up. Frozen.

How did she know? He never introduced himself before.

She looked up at him with a playful grin, knowing exactly his reaction. "Caught you off guard, huh? Sylvia-jie told me so."

"She knows you're here, too." A soft giggle followed right after.

Did she overhear the conversation between him and Feyline a while ago? Wait, didn't she come in late?

"Pfft. Look at you... all confused."

"Shut up." Raphael furrowed his brows before looking away as his face flustered.

"Don't think too much about it, by the way," she assured him as her fingers crawled down beneath the top desk towards his phone, propped conveniently over there.

"She knows you are waiting." The tip of her nails tapped lightly at the edge of his phone.

Raphael watched closely.

"She is just messing with you," she giggled.

"Why?" he muttered out a question.

Emma just shrugged. "Not sure, but I guess it's fun."

The grin on her face never seemed to fade as he quietly observed from his seat. Her answer was nothing more than an assumption, but at the same time, it brought him more confusion.

What's so fun about that?

Emma didn't ask him further questions and clung to his arm while pretending to be listening attentively. Meanwhile, Raphael still felt unease, but somehow, he grew accustomed to the discomfort.

It didn't bother him as much as before. For now.

As the time ticked endlessly while Mrs. Mortimer continued to discuss the subject for hours at least, in Raphael's mind.

The bell hadn't rung yet. Lunch loomed over his mind as the only means of escape from his current situation.

That's if she'd loosen her grip.

"Alright." Mrs. Mortimer called everyone's attention as she paused the discussion. "I will be having a meeting soon. You may take your early lunch."

After saying those words, students began to cheer in excitement. Early lunch? That means more break time before the afternoon session. Immediately, as soon as Mrs. Mortimer left the room, most of them began talking loudly, and boisterous laughter filled the room.

"Raphie, look at this." Emma tugged on his sleeve to get his attention.

Raphael looked over his shoulder, quite confused at being called by a nickname.

Snap!

A light flashed right in his face, shielding his eyes in reaction after getting temporarily blinded.

Emma took a selfie.

"Look! Aren't we cute together?" She eagerly showed him the picture.

"What's that for ?" Raphael appeared to be unamused with a slight frustration in his tone.

"Just for collection," she replied teasingly as she stuck her tongue out.

"Collection?"

Before she could say anything, heels clicked on the tiled floors with aggressive confidence, striding towards their direction. Her long, lengthy strands swayed in every movement, flicking to her sides, left and right.

"Emma."

Another voice spoke up, irritated.

"Can you stop bothering the guy, please?" she sarcastically pleaded.

A female student stood tall, exuding elegance and confidence as she flipped her brown locks to the side. Her eyes carefully scrutinized the sight with an ick like it's some kind of disgraceful act.

Emma gazed up, and her expression immediately changed from her usual cutesy pout to a more grim look.

"Ah, Natalie-jie," she acknowledged in dismay as she slid her arm off him, finally releasing. Her tone immediately switched into serious mode after facing her.

"We got a meeting in the council, remember?" she snapped as she crossed her arms.

"Fineeee. I'll go." Emma sighed in annoyance before standing up in compliance. "Gosh. I was about to have fun."

"Quit it. You're such a child." Natalie remarked in a snarky way.

Then, she turned her attention to Raphael, who seemed to be in a state of confusion.

"Hey, you. Seriously, you bitches belong together if you keep allowing that," she expressed in the most sarcastic manner, flipping her hair once more as she huffed.

"You'd better get going."

Raphael nodded.

He didn't know what to say about that, but something tells him that she was judging him closely, not in a good way, according to his senses.

Quickly, he gathered his things and sprinted out of the room without hesitation. Neither looking back nor steering away from the path that he decided to take.

That moment paved the way for him. Whether it's just luck or an utter coincidence.

At last, he escaped.