Not That Simple

In the next morning, the birds nearby the classroom windows were chirping.

Toby leaned back from the seat to the wall while looking at his phone.

"Wow, Mimi-Chan's latest figurine."

"Yo Alex! This is limited edition!"

Alex didn't respond.

"...I don't get it." Erica said.

"What do you mean?" Toby replied.

"Because it's childish and weird."

"That's not true."

They argued like usual.

A few students laughed quietly.

Alex was lost in thought.

("Alex! Alex! Alex!")

"Alex?" Daisy called him.

"What's it?"

"Hmm... I have been calling you many times but what were you thinking?"

"Nothing."

"You're lying."

They both look at each other in silent.

Alex kept writing.

Teacher came in.

"Alright everyone, get back to your seats."

"Take out your book."

Daisy was thinking in her mind.

"hmm.. that's weird."

Just like that.

Class started.

After awhile...

"Finally," Toby stretched himself back forth. "That was a long day, if only Mimi-Chan was here."

"You didn't do anything" Erica said.

"Ya joking?," "Sitting 4 hours is a crazy routine."

Daisy close her notebook.

"We still have time before lunch."

Toby quickly turned his back to Alex.

"Bro, let's get some drinks."

"I'm fine."

"What do you mean?" "Oh come on."

"I will go," Daisy interrupted.

Some students finished their work and started heading to cafeteria.

"...I guess I am going." Erica muttered.

"I am going too!" Toby said immediately.

All three of them looked at Alex.

"What?" he said.

"Ya coming." Toby replied.

"I didn't say that."

"But I decided." Toby smirked.

A few minutes later.....

They were in the hallway.

Students were moving around, talking, laughing, heading to different places, some peeked at Alex.

Toby walked ahead.

"So, important question."

"No" Erica said instantly.

"Why?," "You didn't even know what I was going to ask."

"I do."

"Fine. Another important question."

"That's worse."

It was so crowded. Students were moving, hurrying, some even bumped into each other.

Toby frowned. "When will we ever get this done?" "Don't tell me after lunch free time?"

"That's why I never come to this place." Alex said.

"It's true." Erica said.

("Should I hire my bodyguard to cook for Alex???") She was thinking internally.

15 minutes later...

"Nooooo!" Toby shouted. His voice went acrosss the entire cafeteria.

"My chicken....." Cried Toby.

"Why are you crying over a mare chicken?" Erica said with slightly annoyed face.

Daisy picked up the food and went to find table so did Alex.

"Wow.. these guys only picked rabdom food." Toby said.

They all sat together in one table.

"It's festive, isn't it?"

Silence.

From nearby, someone called out:

"Hey, let's practice volleyball, don't forget!"

"Yeah, we're going!"

Between them, the atmosphere changed.

"Guys, don't scare me." "Say something, Alex." Toby said.

"....Forget it," Erica said finally,

"I don't care." she dinned food.

But it was obvious--

she did.

The bell rang again.

Lunchtime.

"Another serve," Toby said immediately.

"You only think about eating," Erica said.

They finished.

They moved together.

Alex walked behind slightly.

Daisy's words stucked in his head.

(""You are lying."")

For some reason---

He couldn't ignore this time.

And for the first time---

he wasn't sure if she was wrong.

Class started as usual.

The class this time was a free period.

Some were playing.

Some were talking about getting boyfriends.

"Hehhh," Toby yawned. "Boring."

"Can't we talk something?" he immediately turned his back and asked Alex.

Alex didn't respond.

And later, to avoid suspicion.

"Tell me jokes." Alex said suddenly.

"Are you for real?" "Do you prefer 2D or 3D?"

"Isn't there any question that is better than that?"

"Humph!," "Those who don't know will never understand my concept.

While Toby laughed so hardly and bumped away Alex's eraser.

And at the same time as to he was about to pick up and someone picked it up.

"Thank you!" Toby said.

It was a Blondie Erica.

"Humph." She looked at him with disgusted angry face.

"Woh man, that scared me." Toby was back shocked.

Alex just stayed quiet.

Deep down he was thinking something.

Some girls came and started a conversation with him. And some even gave him homemade snack.

"Yo! Mr. Perfect is at his peak again." Toby, positioning his glasses.

"If only these girls are 2D, this entire school will be a heaven."

Girls asked.

"Alex, what do you like?"

"Alex, what type of girl do you like?"

"Alex, wanna go to karaoke together?"

As usual.

Simple answer.

"I like avocados."

"That's a secret."

"Sorry, I had a part time jobs and nightshifts.

From afar, a pink hair girl, her bangs slightly covered her face barely visible tilted her heads looking at him.

The class president stepped up in front of the class and delivered something.

"Should we prepare something for the future like pre-plan for festivals and events?"

"Woh....Yeah. Of course! Shouted the whole class.

While everyone was talking, Alex was writing, deeply thinking again and lost in thought.

A memory....

("Alex, you will never be able to grow up and only clinging to your mother." [Unknown] said.)

"Must I do this?" he was thinking.

"No! I must." he insisted.

"Hello, bro?" Toby waved his hands in front of him.

"Are you thinking something again?"

"Nothing."

"Are you sure?"

"Really."

"Man, you scared me sometimes."

Alex went silent.

He opened his book and look stared at it for a couple of minutes.

For a moment---

His internal thoughts were crashing each other, "I should get these useless thoughts of mine out.

The bell rang.

It was 3 pm.

Chairs moved almost instantly.

"Finally…" Toby stretched like he had just finished a triathlon. "I survived."

"You wasted time half of PE," Erica said.

"That was tactical."

"No, that was lazy."

Daisy stood up, get her bag.

"I have practice."

"Basketball?" Toby asked.

She nodded.

"Oh nah, your stamina is endless."

"…We won last time."

"Be sure to win this time around as well." positioning his glasses.

Erica picked up her bag.

"I'm going home."

"Already?" Toby said. "No dramatic exit?"

"…Why would I need one?"

"You seem like the type."

She gave him a look.

"You talk too much."

Alex packed his things quiet slowly.

Same as always.

Neat and very organized.

Toby looked at him.

"Ya heading out?"

"Yeah.?"

"Come get food in my house?"

"No."

"You always say no."

"I don't need to."

Toby sighed.

"You're no fun," "Only boring stuff"

They left the classroom together.

The hallway was filled with noise again. Students were talking about plans, clubs, random things.

"I'm going to eat out," Toby said. "Anyone coming?"

"No," Erica replied immediately.

"Rejected again?"

Daisy shook her head lightly.

"I have practice."

Toby looked at Alex.

"…Last chance?"

"I'm going home."

"…humph I will just go back and watch Mimi-Chan live in the room," Toby muttered.

They split at the stairs.

Alex walked toward the school gate alone.

The air outside felt different. A breeze passed through him.

Cooler and quieter.

"Alex."

A voice called out from afar.

He stopped.

And Turned.

A girl stood near the gate.

Pink hair, slightly messy from the wind.

Lily Eura.

"…You're done?" she asked.

"Yeah."

She walked closer.

"I thought so."

A small pause.

"You didn't come by earlier," she said.

"I was busy."

"Oh...You're always busy."

Alex didn't reply.

Lily smiled slightly.

"…That hasn't changed."

"…What hasn't?" he asked.

"Nothing."replied Lily.

He looked at her.

"Ok", "Are you criticising me?"

"No," she shook her head quickly. "I didn't mean it like that."

Another small pause.

"Are you heading home?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"Any plan?"

"No."

"…Can I walk with you?"

Alex hesitated for a moment.

Then—

"…Sure."

They started walking.

The streets were calm.

A few students passed by, talking about practice or weekend plans.

"You've been spending time with new people," Lily said.

"Group work."

"That girl… Daisy?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"She seems nice."

"She is."

"And the other one…"

"…Erica?"

Lily nodded.

"She looks kind of cute but scary."

Alex thought about it.

"…She just talks a lot, doesn't she?"

Lily laughed lightly.

"That doesn't make it less scary."

They kept walking.

"You don't join anything after school?" Lily asked.

"Not really."

"Why?"

"I don't need to."

"…You say that a lot," she said.

Alex didn't respond.

They passed by a small playground.

Old wings slightly worn down.

Lily slowed a bit.

"…Do you remember this place?"

Alex looked at it.

"…We used to come here," she said casually.

He tried to recall.

But nothing clear came up.

"…Not really," he said.

Lily paused for a second—

then smiled.

"Yeah… it was a long time ago."

She walked a bit ahead, then turned back slightly.

"You always forget things like that."

"…Sorry."

"You don't have to apologize," she said.

"It's normal."

But her tone was light.

Not blaming.

They stopped near the swings.

The wind moved slightly.

The chains creaked softly.

"…You haven't changed much," Lily said.

Alex looked at her.

"You said that earlier."

"I know."

She sat down on one of the swings.

Not swinging and just sitting while smiling.

"You're still… easy to talk to," she said.

Alex leaned slightly against the side pole.

"…Is that a good thing?"

"Yeah."

A small pause.

"…It feels the same."

Alex didn't reply.

He didn't fully understand what she meant.

From the road, voices echoed faintly.

Students passing by with friends.

Cars were moving and winds were blowing.

Normal.

"…You should go home," Lily said after a while.

"It's getting late."

"Yeah."

Alex stepped back.

"…See you tomorrow," she added.

He nodded.

"hmmm. Yeah"

He turned and walked away.

Lily stayed on the swing.

The expression was fading slowly.

She watched him leave.

Not calling out.

Not stopping him.

The distance between them grew slowly and unnoticeably.

After a moment—

she pushed the ground lightly.

The swing moved just a little.

Back and forth repeated.

"…Still the same," she whispered.

And somehow—

that felt both familiar…

and a little strange.

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