''Hey, did you finish yesterday's homework?" Sen Lei'an asked me.
I raised my bandaged hand and gave him a flat look. "Can I even write with my hand like this?" I showed him my broken hand.
He laughed. "Whoa, that's your ace! This is your trump card!"
"What are you doing at my home so early in the morning?"
"I said I'd pick you up for school today."
We walked side by side on the way to school. He carried my backpack and held his own by hand.
When we arrived, the other students were staring at my bandaged hand. Before I could speak, Sen Lei'an shouted, "What are you all looking at?! Wanna lose your eyeballs?!"
But I didn't really care. After everything that happened yesterday, 20% of my heart felt dead. I didn't expect anything from them anymore.
After school, my mom asked me to feed my little brother. Looking at his innocent face made me even angrier. Why was I the one who got hurt, the one who got scolded, the one who got beaten?
My mom had already forgotten my hand was injured. She handed me the porridge. "Feed your brother."
"I'm not feeding him," I replied coldly.
"You can't even do this? Raising you is worse than raising a dog! Completely useless! Who else can you blame for breaking your own hand?!"
I slammed the door and ran out. I wandered aimlessly until I reached the riverside park.
I didn't want to go home. That place wasn't home to me.
Suddenly, something hit the back of my head.
I turned around and picked it up. It was a sausage bun.
I looked back—no one was there.
I threw the bun into the river.
Right as it splashed, a voice cried, "Ahhhh—!"
I had a hunch it was him.
Sen Lei'an came running out from the bushes. "That was my bun!"
"My mom told me not to eat food from strangers," I said.
"Hey! Am I a stranger to you?"
(I laughed inside.)
When we were little, Sen Lei'an and I grew up together. Until the incident in sixth grade…
Now we're in high school.
Today was another boring school day.
As always, I arrived early and sat quietly by the window, staring into space.
Across the building was a small garden. Tall trees stood there, swaying gently. I liked this peaceful morning, especially after a rain—the air was fresh and calming.
Through the mist, I seemed to see someone waving at me from the opposite building.
I squinted—
Ko Ko Ko (Knock)
I jumped!!
A pale face appeared in front of me, with red lips like someone had kissed a piece of white paper. She wore silver glasses.
It was our math teacher!!
Wait… class already started?!
I looked around—Li Min was already in her seat. Everyone was here.
"You look like you saw a ghost," the teacher said. "Is it your bad eyesight, or are you just not aware class started?"
The class burst into laughter.
I reached for my homework. Huh? Where was it?
I clearly remembered putting it in my bag last night.
I searched for my math book instead. Also gone.
What day is it today?
The teacher folded her arms. "Don't tell me a dog ate your homework."
"No! I really did it! I put it in my bag—I swear I brought it!"
"Enough acting. Stay after class and redo it."
I sighed and took out paper to start over.
"Why didn't you do your homework?" Li Min whispered to me.
"I did! I swear it just disappeared."
What a cursed day. After school, I stayed behind alone to finish my homework.
By the time I was done, it was already 5:30 p.m. The last bus had long left.
I had no choice but to walk home.
At the school gate, I saw someone waving in the distance.
"You're so slow," he said.
He walked closer. It was Chen Hao'an.
"What are you doing here?"
"I was doing some work in the student office, so I left late too."
"Oh…"
"Did you finish your math homework?"
I was stunned. "Wait, how did you know?!"
He laughed. " I think the entire 11th and 12th grade knows about it."
"What?! How?!"
"You forgot? Your seat's by the window. Your teacher's voice is basically the school's Loudspeaker."
Oh no…
I forgot she had a voice louder than a megaphone.
My face flushed red.
Chen Hao'an smiled. "So… you finished it?"
"Of course. Or I wouldn't be leaving now."
We walked in silence for a while.
"You looked really sleepy this morning," he said.
"I'm always tired. Wait—you saw me?"
"Yeah. From my classroom. Right across from yours."
I froze. So… that wasn't a dream?
"I waved, but you ignored me and kept sleeping."
"I didn't see you! I thought I dreamed that…"
Suddenly, a loud motorcycle pulled up beside us.
The rider was dressed in black from head to toe, helmet and all.
What the heck?! Is this a robbery?
Then came the voice.
"Ying Chuanling, dating now instead of going home?"
I narrowed my eyes. The rider took off his helmet— Sen Lei'an.
I rolled my eyes. "You're nuts. Trying to scare people like that?"
Chen Hao'an stood awkwardly beside us.
Sen Lei'an handed me a helmet. "Hop on."
Honestly, I didn't feel like talking to Chen Hao'an anymore. Our conversations were always awkward.
I put on the helmet and got on the bike.
Sen Lei'an smirked at Chen Hao'an. "Later, bro. Enjoy the walk. Hahaha!"
I smacked the back of his helmet. "Drive!!"
I waved at Chen Hao'an.
Suddenly, Sen Lei'an grabbed my hand and wrapped it around his waist.
"Hold tight. But don't fall into my heart."
I kicked him lightly.
He finally revved the engine and took off.
The sky turned dark, the sun slowly setting.
"Come to my house tonight," he said suddenly.
"Huh?"
"My mom wants to meet you."
I fell silent.
Ever since that sixth-grade incident, I hadn't stepped into his house again. Just thinking about it made my chest hurt.
Bonus Scene
That morning, Chen Hao'an had come to school early.
He saw chuanling dragging feet across the building, slowly heading to class.
He called chuanLing name a few times but didn't respond.
Then I slammed ChuanLing head onto the desk like a zombie.
He was speechless. Chuanling looked even more dead than a zombie.
He waved at ChuangLing from his window.
ChuanLingdidn't react.
He slowly put his hand down.
So, he just sat quietly by the window, watching her.
Through the glass, he wondered how she could sleep with her eyes open.
At that moment, Li Min was walking through the hallway and happened to see it all.
Chen Hao'an waving at ChuanLing ,darkened Limin expression even more than the morning rain.
She clutched her books tightly.
Then a voice came from behind her.
"Spying on your crush?"
She jumped. "Ah! It's you, Lei'an. Morning… I wasn't spying…"
"I know you like Chen Hao'an," he said.
"Did Chuanling tell you?"
"No. Your eyes told me. They told me something else, too."
"What… what else?"
"Treat your best friend better. She really cares about you."
Then he walked past her and into the classroom.
He saw ChuanLin sleeping on the desk.
He was about to tease ChuanLin when he noticed someone else staring through the opposite window.
~Chen Hao'an.
He smirked and gently put his jacket on ChuanLin
Maybe it was childish.
But he wanted to make it clear—he was closer to me than anyone else.