"ENSURE TO BE GENTLE when handling the fabric at this state because it is now very delicate," the lecturer behind the lectern educated, showing pictures of what she was talking about on the board.

"Just as usual, you carefully sew through to the base of the fabric with a half-inch allowance, then flip the right side out, correct?" She continued.

I jotted down the keywords from her teaching into my notebook, softly sighing for the umpteenth time. The guy beside me stared at me hard with a weird look but I didn't care. It wasn't a crime to sigh. I flipped across the pages of the notebook, going through my previous notes and doodles when I came across a sketch of the clothing design I left unfinished in my apartment. I immediately tore it out and squeezed the sheet of paper into a ball.

I shut my notebook. I didn't want to be reminded that I couldn't model my dress because I wasn't slim enough.

Someone suddenly took her seat on the vacant chair beside me and her seductive perfume enveloped me.

"I didn't know you came for lectures today," Scarlett leaned in and whispered as she settled down.

"Neither did I," I quietly laughed, surprised to see her.

"When did you arrive?"

"About an hour ago," I answered, taking a sip of water from my water bottle, "I think."

"Oh, you came earlier than I did."

"When did you get here?"

She rested her arm on the backrest of my seat, "About a minute ago."

I snickered, "How did you even manage to get in without the lecturer noticing?"

"I snuck in," she smiled and stared at my closed book, "Aren't you going to take notes?"

"I've been doing that since I came here. My wrist hurts. How's your neck?" I asked.

She flipped her gaze to her left and weaved her hair to the side, giving me the chance to see the healing wound at the back of her neck.

She turned back to me, smiling, "Now I've earned that nickname you two gave me."

"Scar," we both said.

We covered our mouths as we burst into hushed laughter. The guy beside me must have been so pissed at what was going on because the next second, he was out of that seat and off to look for another.

"How are you?" Scarlett inquired.

"I think I'm fine," I said, taking another sip of water, "Do you know if Devin's in jail now?"

Scarlett slid her gaze towards the lecture podium, "The police settled on the restraining order."

"What? Just the restraining order? He was literally going to kidnap me if you two didn't show up and all they'd settle on is a restraining order? Is it because he didn't harm me? He harmed you."

Scarlett didn't say anything as she stared at the front of the lecture room with a very straight gaze, tapping my lap underneath the long white desk instead.

"What? What is it?" I asked her before I slid my gaze to stare at the lecture podium.

The lecturer was staring at me dead in the eye and she was not smiling. A couple of students burst into laughter as they watched my eyes widen in horror.

"Quiet down, everyone," she said, "I've got just three more minutes to spend in this lecture hall and I intend to use it wisely."

She focused her stern gaze on me, "Regardless of whether you want to pay attention to what I'm teaching or chat about the weekend with your friend."

I thinned my lips and opened my notebook again.

"Fashion ornamentation remains a very essential aspect of fashion design, even as it has been since ancient times," the lecturer continued with her teaching, "In those days, it served as a means of cultural identification as well as a distinct variation of class while these days, anyone can just put on a shirt with a particular embroidery because they like it. It proves how fashion is dynamic but still manages to remain similar to what was..."

"How was the wedding?" I whispered to Scarlett, staring at the lecturer as she went on talking.

"All that was in it for me was that I was finally giving my annoying brother out. It was a taste of freedom, nothing else."

"It was fun, wasn't it?" I teased, taking a huge gulp of water out of my bottle.

"I guess. But as fun as it was, I wished you were there," Scarlett replied, taking my bottle off my hands, "The food was nice and there were a lot of cool people at the afterparty. My mom has been wanting to meet you and Annabelle for a very long time too, so she was a little sad when I told her that you couldn't make it."

"You talk to your mom about us?"

Scarlett drank out of my bottle, "You talk to your sister about us. Isn't that how we got to know her in return?"

"That's different," I softly laughed.

"In the absence of any question, it's safe to say we should call it a day. I'll see you in our next class," the lecturer said before stepping out.

Just as the normal routine, students began to troupe out of the lecture hall upon seeing the lecturer leave. I shoved my notebook into my tote bag and stared at Scarlett.

"I'm sorry for not being able to make it to your brother's wedding. You put in a lot of effort into making everything turn out well. I'm sorry for not coming to see it all."

"Why are you sorry? It's my brother's wedding, not mine. And if anyone should be sorry, it's that bastard, for making you feel all gloomy and soggy over something you didn't do."

I stared at my lap.

"Oh, sorry for bringing it up."

"It's not like you lied. He should be sorry," I said, then stared at Scarlett, "Anna sent me a few pictures from the wedding by the way, so it's not like I completely missed out on it."

"Really? I told her not to!" She yelled.

"Why?" I laughed, "I'm not going to kill myself over seeing a weded couple together."

I picked up my tote bag and hung the straps on my shoulder, getting up from my seat, "I'm fine."

Lies.

"Are you heading to the art room again?" She inquired.

I stared at my phone's screen, walking up the stairs and towards the exit, "No, this is half-past three and I forgot to wear a white shirt. I need to get to my apartment and change, then rush to work before I get fired."

"But you're still going to arrive at work late," Scarlett said, getting up from the chair.

"That's why I've got to run. Bye," I said, sprinting out of the lecture hall.

I ran past a couple of people, heading for the door when I felt a little uneasy in my lower abdomen.

"Oh, shit. I gotta pee," I said under my breath.

I came to a halt and headed for the ladies' room instead. A girl was standing in front of the toilet mirror, fixing her lipstick as she chatted away. She looked at me for a quick second, then went back to talking. I walked into one of the toilet stalls and shut the door just as the girl she was talking to walked out of the stall beside mine.

"Like, she just so cringe," the girl said as she shut the stall door.

"If she could get rid of the cute girl act, maybe she'll get some friends."

They laughed for a very long time. Even as I was certain that I wasn't the one they were talking about, I felt hurt. Their laughter tore into me.

"Have you heard her talk when a guy is not nearby? She sounds like a forty-year-old man who just woke up from a deep sleep."

"If she wants to be naturally cute, she could take lessons from Serena. Serena's far older than she is and she's still cuter than her," the lipstick girl said.

I flushed the toilet and walked out of the stall to wash my hands.

"Right?" The girl who had used the toilet said, "Serena glows. I need her skincare routine."

I stared at myself in the mirror as I drew out two tissues to dry my hands. I needed her skincare routine also.

The second girl handed her friend her lipgloss, "Her boyfriend is so lucky."

I thinned my lips. Again with this stupid reminder. I get it, life! Thomas dumped me, I get it. You can stop reminding me about it every fucking second.

I headed towards the door.

"Lucky? He's just as good-looking as she is beautiful. They're the perfect—"

I shut the door, "Perfect couple, my ass."

I took a deep breath and stared at my phone. Thomas still hadn't called me. Oh, well. It couldn't be helped.

My eyes slid up to the time showing on my screen and I gasped. How could I forget?

Speedily walking down the long hall that led to the entrance of the college building, I placed my phone in my bag. Alright, Wendy. Don't let anything else distract you. Just head home, then go to work. If you get distracted, you'll get fired. So, don't get distracted.

I noticed the guy with the familiar light-brown hair as he stood at the opposite side of the hallway and I stopped in my tracks to stare at him properly. He was wearing a white shirt and he backed me, talking to another guy. I squinted through my glasses like I could find out who he was from the back of his head.

He suddenly turned to his left and drew his black nose mask down, still chatting away with his friend as they looked ahead. Like they were the devil sent to haunt me, the two girls from the toilet and four others slowly walked past me as I tried to see who he was.

Shit.

I stretched my neck and caught hold of his face before he could wear his nose mask back on and shift his gaze to his friend.

Adrian Everhart.

I laughed. Sneaky liar. He probably lied to Clara about not being in college because he didn't want us to approach him in front of his friends and make them find out that he was working at a small cafe. He could have just come out to us, though.

I was about to walk off when I saw the face of the person Adrian was engrossed in a light discussion with.

Carlos? Why did he know Carlos? Wait. Wait. If he knew Carlos, then he definitely knew...

From nowhere, Thomas swung an arm around Adrian's shoulder and all three laughed.

I stared wide-eyed from the corner I stood.

Wait, what?

———————————————
Adrian is two inches taller than Thomas.