AGNES

After a tiring day, I walk home from school with my friends, carrying a nearly empty container.

I'd never had foreseen my silly idea turning out to be this grand. It really beats my imagination that most people do actually like it, choosing to by snacks over the school meals. Even teachers couldn't help but request for more.

"Indeed, you guys did sell lots!" Tessa exclaims. "Just see how much you made on the first day. That's incredible!"

"It is incredible!" I state. "And with this, I don't have to ask aunty Cherry for weekly allowance anymore, and bonus, we can in fact start a real business."

Yvonne's eyes light up, exhilarated. "Did I hear someone say start a real business that involves food?"

"I actually like that idea! Kind of reminds me of my great-grandfather when he first started the family business," Tessa says humbly, trying her very best not to sound conceited.

I chuckle. "Anyway, when I get home, I will give the returns to aunty Cherry. She should be the one to decide how much our share will be."

"Can we also stop by my house to pick up some cartons we might need for packaging?" Yvonne asks. "Last night, I told my mom and dad about the business, and they were in fact supportive. They said they'll help us in any way they can."

I giggle subtly. "They agreed quickly so you will stop depending on them for all your insatiable food cravings."

Tessa and I erupt into a loud laughter. The joke crossed my mind, I had to say it. I know Yvonne won't feel bad since there's still a lot of truth in it. She hits my back with a tough fist to vent her disconcertment. "Like you don't appreciate the idea."

"Of course I do!"

"If I tell my dad, maybe I can join in too!" Tessa requests. "Right?"

We exchange a weird glance Yvonne and I, as if our minds synchronize on the same thing. Then I turn to Tessa, scared to shatter her heart. But she seems way too excited and eager to join us. "Well..."

I'm afraid to bring myself to tell her what came to our minds but certainly, typical Yvonne must do anything her mind tells her to.

"That'd be sweet! Seriously. Except, you know, it may be somewhat inconveniencing." Yvonne finally spills the beans.

I withdraw myself – should there be any funny reactions afterwards.

Yvonne is confident to speak her mind, despite knowing how forlorn Tessa might feel. I see the disappointment in her facials, and it just breaks my heart. But let's face it, Yvonne is right. It will totally be inconveniencing.

First of all, Tessa, though she is not too spoilt a brat, already has everything she wants. Yvonne and I, on the other hand, aspire for something small so we can shape our way up without any external assistance. Also, we'd have to split the profits with her too. Not like it would matter to her, but to us, it does.

"Hey, come on, Tessa, that's not a conclusion," I say to lighten her mood, "we'll have to discuss with my aunt first. But absolutely, if we expand to a full-time business, we can employ as many people as we want."

"Really?!" Tessa exclaims.

"Of course! What we only need is the time and a good location."

"And capital, too," Yvonne chips in.

Not too long after, Xian and Felix join us.

"Hey Agnes, Tessa, Yvonne." Xian waves at us.

"Hey Xian." I wave back.

The girls with me wave back too, but the stupid boy named Felix stares ever so stupidly at me, the steady gaze he gives makes my flesh crawl. And I could try to tolerate it, but not today.

"Xian, could you ask that friend of yours to stop staring?" I ask seriously. It's so infuriating when he looks at me like I'm the food he plans to eat later.

Xian is a nice person, really cool, even though I don't exactly know him that well. I do know he is quite a bit of a nerd, with his medical glasses as evidence and the high antisocial tendencies, which brings me to this very big puzzle; how an introverted person like Xian and a jerk like Felix befriended each other.

He nudges Felix in the ribs to have his attention and make him stop with the creepy stare.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I've never seen anyone as cold as you. What have I ever done to offend you?" He asks.

That question catches me off-guard it leaves a vicious taste in my mouth. Meanwhile, three of them quickly give one another odd signals. But I'm severely enmeshed in my thoughts, sorting my response to the question to even care what those impish gestures mean.

"I sense a chemistry here. Tessa, can you feel it too?" Yvonne teases and she knows it's getting to me.

"My skin is starting to itch from the sweetness. I don't think we are supposed to be witnessing this moment."

They hoot, all except Felix, and their sniggering makes it more awkward. He already recognizes it is not something to laugh about, because I've made it clear on more than one occasion that I don't like him nor want to have anything to do with him, but here he is still trying.

Coming down to the reason why, I don't expect he'll understand it. I don't understand it myself either, but it feels safer hating him rather than pretending to be cool when I'm not. Yes, he's a player, and he's not even the first I have come across, so that is not a cogent reason to dislike him this much, yet, I do.

"Come on, guys. Let's go to my place to pick up the materials we'll need, since Agnes is busy at the moment," Yvonne says.

"I'm coming with you, too!"

"Um... Agnes, Felix might need some company. You don't want to make the poor guy go home alone now, do you?" Tessa intentionally takes it as a point of honour to tease the heck out of me.

Now, I don't even know who I'm to be angry at; my friends who are just about to sell me out or Felix. I get cheesed off at everything and before I realize, they bail out. I watch them go with the thought of being alone with Felix swirling in my head. All of a sudden, I get super pissed.

"Why do you hate me this much?" He starts off strongly, standing right behind me.

"Isn't it obvious?" I snap at him without looking back.

He follows at my pace. "Well, I'm sorry!"

What is he apologizing for? Is he seeking to get my sympathy? His sorry can't change the bitter truth that his reputation and high infidelity will precede him wherever he goes. "Thanks, Tessa and Yvonne. Thank you two for flaking on me," I say to myself out loud.

"I just want to be your friend!"

My friend?! Why would I want to be a friend to an arrogant, selfish flirt like Felix? It'll be easier to find snow on the beach at the very height of summer than to befriend a person like Felix.

My blood boils when I find that he is still on my trail. I prefer to ignore him and walk faster, but I also have to tell him this once and for all so he will think twice before coming to me again.

I turn back. "Listen to me. I'll only say this once. I don't want to be your friend, and nothing you do will ever make me consider you a friend. We absolutely have no business with each other so just like we have been for the past three years, leave me the hell alone! Okay?!"

He halts dead in his tracks, flabbergasted by my impulsive outburst wherever it came from – he should've expected it. I turn my back and walk away. Thankfully, he stops following me.

FELIX

By morning, I arrive late to class with the worst saggy eyes my eyes have ever seen after I spent the entire night thinking about what Agnes said just because my foolish brain couldn't get over it.

She'd known me for the past three years, and I have done nothing to her, at least nothing I can think of, but she still dislikes me. Why?

Xian enters the class and takes his rightful seat beside me. He's probably ignoring the fact that I didn't regard him with a 'hey' or a 'what's up', but surely, these eye bags can't be ignored too long.

"Did you have any sleep last night?"

"Obviously not," I reply apathetically.

He giggles, "you look like you were run over by a truck before coming to school today."

I choose not to respond to that cynicism, but it seems he isn't done with me yet.

He waves his worry goodbye and becomes a bit more serious. "Anyway, I still don't like the idea of making a deal with Rex to date Agnes."

"Xian, we've been through this already and my decision remains the same."

For a tiny moment, he maintains a suspiciously austere expression. "Okay!"

"Okay?" I repeat after him.

"You want to date Agnes, right? Okay!"

I give him one crossed look. He appears awfully casual, which only happens when he knows I'm about to embarrass myself.

"If you want, I can set you up."

A giggle bubbles effervescently in my stomach, but I fight to contain it, completely forgetting I was an insomniac few moments ago. "Hold up, what's wrong? Did you hit your head last night on something?"

"You're my friend and I want to help you."

I furrow my eyes, squinting as if I will ever scan through his change of attitude. "Okay... what's going on?"

"Nothing."

"I'm being serious. Why do you suddenly want to help me?"

"I know Agnes will never fall for you. I want you to try your luck with her and realize that it's not every girl you can toy with."

I truly couldn't hold it in anymore, the laughter erupts. For people to not divert their attention towards me, I put my forehead on my desk and laugh to my heart's content. A while later, after I manage to recover from that comical joke and raise my head, Xian still wears the same serious expression on.

"You can help me. And by the time I prove it to you that I am Felix King, you'll be sorry."

"More like, you will be sorry by the time Agnes totally humiliates you. Do not say I didn't warn you."

Halfway to give a response to that self-effacing caution, the Math teacher walks into the class. I suppose I'll save it for later, after dealing with calculus.

* # * #

Thank you so much if you've read to this point. It means you are enjoying the story. I hope the rest of the book satisfies you.