Chemistry

Beyond the aisles

Life is just like that—people come and go. I always bury myself in my studies because I'm afraid of living the same life I have today, and I'm afraid of being unemployed like other members of my family. I never once thought about romance; even though some people have confessed to me, I rejected them. I think it would only be a distraction from my studies. I never have permanent friendships. I meet new people every school year, but once we are no longer classmates, they don't talk to me again, and I let it happen.

It was already late at night, and I decided to go to a convenience store to buy some drinks and snacks because I couldn't sleep. It was 11 PM. I felt a bit nervous going out so late, but the road wasn't that dark because of the streetlights. I only brought my wallet and my phone. I wore a jacket because it was cold outside and the store was a bit far away.

When I arrived at the convenience store, I saw a boy sitting outside. He was wearing an all-black outfit—an at-shirt. He was alone. After I glanced at him, I went inside; he didn't seem to notice me. I walked through the aisles and picked out a chocolate drink and the snacks I wanted. I noticed him coming inside a bit later, but I ignored it.

When I went to the cashier to pay, I noticed him standing beside me. He was tall and was holding a beer. He looked like a teenager, about the same age as me. When it was time to pay, I realized the wallet I brought didn't have any money in it, but the cashier had already scanned everything and put it in a bag. I started to panic.

Then, he spoke. "Miss, the things she bought and also this," he said, giving his beer to the cashier, "are on the same bill." He handed me the bag, and I didn't know what to say.

"Uhm, excuse me, thank you. I will pay you back; I just didn't check my wallet and thought it had money in it." He just looked at me. "Also... is the beer for you? I think it is bad for a teenager like you."

He looked at me for a minute and finally spoke: "It's not for me; it's for my father. Also, you don't need to pay for it." Then he walked out of the store.

I ran after him and said, "Wait! Can I at least know your name? Or where do you live? I'm not used to not paying for things." He just looked at me and left.

Well, haha, he isn't very talkative, but at least he's kind. I walked back home and didn't see him again. When I got home, I felt tired just from walking those few steps; I really need to exercise more. I ate what I bought and watched some movies on my phone while eating. Eventually, I felt sleepy and decided to go to bed.

I woke up to my alarm at 5:30 AM because I had class. After showering and eating breakfast and lunch my mom packed for me, and I left the house at 6:30 AM. I arrived at school at 7:00 AM, even though our classes start at 7:30 AM. When I entered the classroom, some of my classmates were already there talking. Some greeted me, so I smiled and went to my seat. I put on my earphones and decided to take a nap because I had slept late the night before.

A few minutes later, my friends arrived and woke me up, teasing me about being early.

"I have to wake up early because my uncle drives me to school," I explained.

"Let's go, let's go to the canteen," said Hezi, one of my friends.

Raina, my other friend, replied, "Let's go, what are you going to buy?"

Hezi replied, "Anything, come on, Ivy, come with us."

"Okay, I'll also stop by the restroom," I replied.

While we were walking, I wasn't looking at the path because I was on my phone. Suddenly, I bumped into someone and tripped over their foot. Just as I was about to fall, he caught me. When I saw who it was, I realized he looked exactly like the guy from the convenience store last night.

I quickly stood up. My friends asked if I was okay while smiling weirdly at me. I looked at the guy, certain it was him, and decided to ask.

"Thank you. Also... did we meet last night? Was that you?" I asked. He simply nodded and continued walking.

"Wait!" I called out. "I still haven't paid you back for the snacks."

He stopped and looked at me again. He really had no emotion on his face. Just as I was about to speak again, some of his friends called him, and he walked away. I decided to let it go for now. My friends were still grinning and looking at me weirdly.

Hezi teased, "Who's that Pokemon? This is the first time you've approached a boy, huh?"

"That’s true, girl, and earlier their vibe was like something out of a K-drama," Raina added.

"I was just grateful to him for paying for my snacks last night. I forgot my money at home, and he wouldn't even let me pay him back," I replied as we continued walking to the canteen.

"Do you guys know, maybe yesterday or the day before? I saw people fighting behind our school. The guy talking to you earlier, Ivy, looked like one of them," Hezi said.

"You were probably out wandering with your 'stinky' boyfriend yesterday," Raina replied, laughing.

"That’s how it is when you don’t have a boyfriend, I feel sorry for you," Hezi replied to Raina, who rolled her eyes.

"There they go again, that argument won't be over until later," I said. "And also, when did you see that? I don't really recognize him here at school; the first time I saw him was at the convenience store," I added.

"Oh, so you don't know him? You know, I've heard his name already. My boyfriend probably knows him, too. He's kind of famous for beating up a lot of students here; they say he’s always getting into trouble," Hezi said.

"Are you sure about that? He seemed decent to me, even just looking at him," I replied.

"Like they say, 'You can't judge the book by its notebook' hahaha" Raina replied sarcastically.

"You know too much," I replied laughing.

"I wonder sometimes if Raina has a screw loose, she’s so random," Hezi replied rolling her eyes.

"Ignoring you," Raina responds.

"I heard that he's also an academic achiever in his class. I don't know if that's him, but as Hezi said, he's pretty famous here. There are also a lot of girls who have a crush on him. Besides his appearance, he's tall too, but as they say, he rarely talks. They haven't even seen him smile," Raina added.

"You two really have a lot of information, huh? Also, I couldn't care less about that. I just want to pay him back the money he spent for me, and then that's it," I replied.

"Well, what else can we expect from you? Even if the top one handsome guy in the world was standing in front of you, you wouldn't even feel a spark. Because you have a heart of stone," Raina responded sarcastically.

"Hey, don't be so harsh on Ivy! Even if she were surrounded by guys, you know what she'd do? She’d run away from them," Hezi added, laughing with Raina.

"You guys are just seeking attention, I just really don't have time for that," I replied.

"Yeah, that’s why sometimes it’s boring to be you," Hezi said.

Maybe Hezi was right—was my life really boring because I didn't have time for romance? Honestly, I don't think so. Even though people say being in a relationship is a good experience, I wouldn't bother trying it. I enjoy my life just like this, hanging out with my friends

When I got home, no one was there. My mother texted me that they went out, and my brother was with my grandpa. When I'm alone, I always feel empty. After all, I don't think I've healed enough from my trauma. I had no one when I was at the lowest point of my life, yet they still thought I was being dramatic. I eventually got used to it.

I felt so lonely and sad that I decided to go for a walk by the sea to relax my mind. The place was so peaceful and quiet that I wanted to cry so badly. Before I knew it, I was already crying while looking at the water. I was glad no one was there to hear me.

After a few minutes, I snapped back to reality and wiped my tears. I felt much lighter and at ease. It's true that when you're on your own, you mostly notice what people miss you crave having someone by your side.