"I still can't understand why you would do that though."

"What have I done?" Ryan asked back curiously.

It was lunch. The cafeteria was buzzing with conversations of different groups. Michelle and Ryan were amongst them, tucked away at the corner of the cafeteria, by the steps of the staircase.

"What do you mean? You rejected Brittany's friendship!" Michelle exclaimed like how she would to a five-year-old.

"Yeah, so what if I did?" he asked back, eyebrows raised in confusion.

"Well, firstly, you rejected the most popular girl in school. And secondly, I thought you had an interest in her?"

He shook his head defensively.

"Well, she was so cruel to you, she'd better be glad I let her off easy." Ryan brandished his sandwich up and down, earning a laugh from Michelle.

Seeing that she was laughing, he finally decided to drop the big question on his mind the whole day.

He fidgeted with his sandwich.

"Michelle, can I ask, were you really affected by her words in the morning? I mean if you need me to defend you, I am here..."

That was the closest he could get to comforting someone, and he took half the day to craft the whole chunk out.

Michelle blinked twice.

"Well, honestly, I was actually scared that you would join her, like what most people would, but you didn't. And for that, I am really grateful. I didn't want to just lose a friend that I just met two days ago, so I guess I didn't want to look..."

She took a deep breath.

"And honestly, I am immune to Brittany's words. They're always the same thing."

Now, it was time for Ryan to blink twice.

"So.we are considered friends now?" He did an awkward motion pointing to him and her.

Michelle looked slightly embarrassed.

"Oh I am sorry, I just assumed we are friends I didn't know you didn't want to be my friend," she stopped, looking down.

"No, you're mistaken! I love hanging out with you, I just didn't know making friends is just that easy. Well, then,  we friends?" He ended, showing Michelle an open palm.

Michelle high-fived him back.

"We friends."

---

The chemistry teacher walked in briskly, placing the different apparatuses on the table.

"Attention here class! To start this new module, we would need to assign lab partners. So to make our lives collectively easier, could you all split up to pairs and report your names to me. Let's get started."

Ryan and Michelle instinctively turned their heads and their eyes met.

"Lab partners?" They both asked at the same time.

"I am so glad we have this telepathy." Michelle smiled.

.

"Any questions? If not, we will begin. Please do not forget to wear your laboratory glasses for safety measures. I am going around to inspect."

Ryan held onto the worksheet, reading the steps for the crystallisation of copper(II) sulfate, before splitting the work.

Ryan was in charge of the first part. Michelle sat beside him, observing.  Unconsciously, she studied his face, currently scrunched up in concentration.

"Wait, is it just me or do you only have an earring on your left ear?"

He looked up, touching his left ear unconsciously.

"Yeah. My brother and I both pierced it when we were younger."

"That's so sweet! So you have elder siblings? What's his name?"

"I don't know." Came his short reply.

"Why not?"

"It has been quite a while since I last seen him." He replied.

Michelle noticed his shoulders getting tensed up. She decided to no longer probe into this sensitive subject.

"Oh I see, I like your earring though, it's so cool," she laughed, easing up the awkward atmosphere.

However, deep down, she knew she would get it out from him someday.