T H I R D    P E R S O N

"You...are not that bad." Scarlet complimented the girl who was a blushing mess. "Smile." She demanded, her face still stoic as ever.

The girl was confused but in order not to provoke the Scarlet's anger, she smiled reluctantly and shyly.

"So you wear braces." Scarlet stated dryly and the girl, ashamed of the metal in her teeth, dropped the smile but Scarlet wasn't done yet. "Your smile is not so bad, even with the braces." She complemented again. The girl flushed despite herself but couldn't help but feel that the red haired boy (remember, most people think Scarlet is a boy) was toying with her.

Scarlet noticed this and glared right into the girl's brown eyes until it felt like she was just an inch closer to the soul.

"Do I look like the type to joke or lie?" Her voice, even if trying to sound nice, was scary low. She was only telling the truth. The wounded girl shook her head in a no sign and Scarlet sighed once more. "I'm telling the truth though, you're beautiful." The girl was no different from a tomato now, why is he suddenly telling me these things? She thought.

"So you don't need to keep losing weight to remain pretty. If you don't eat, it causes ulcer, you should know that." Scarlet dropped the bombshell.

"W-w-what do you mean?" The girl spoke for the first time since they met and Scarlet sighed again, she was turning to a talkative because of this girl.

"Anorexia. You didn't cause my back to ache and you are slim like a broom. You don't eat, right?" Scarlet explained what she meant. The girl looked down and gripped the sheets of the bed as small tears dropped from her eyes.

"You don't understand since you're not the one bullied." She cried. Scarlet just stared blankly at her and sighed for the God knows how many times today. She walked over to the girl and flicked her head with a finger not so gently.

"Ow!"

"Your face is pretty but your mind isn't, now is it? You won't be bullied if you don't want it and I have helped the way I can. If you die of malnutrition, nobody's gonna cry over your grave."

And with that, she walked out to let the girl think about herself. Little did she know that the said girl started developing some feelings for her that day.

S C A R L E T

I still wonder why I danced at that stupid audition. Maybe it's because I wanted to show my skills? I don't dig it. The finals are next week and Bryan has been pestering me to teach him the Vermilion swerve move, which I obviously declined.

Asa arrived rather early today, maybe she wants to cook here today. I stood up from my bed, not like I use it anyway, to go downstairs to open the door but I fell right back.

Shit. They've started acting up again.

I found my way down the stairs to the door, thank God I know this house's layout so I found it easily. "Morn." I greeted and went upstairs to get ready. I know she is shocked by my reaction and greeting today but on my defense, it is difficult not to greet good morning with Logan as my seatmate. He pesters me to greet and nothing I do keeps him away, he's a cockroach!

I felt for my oversized red button down shirt and a pair of jeans and tried to look for my red jordan shoes but it was difficult to find it with me being almost blind. I never told Asa about this but sometimes, my eyes dim out because of my insomnia so I'm practically blind. Today, the symptoms got worse and I couldn't see save for very very dim images.

I asked Asa to help me with my shoes without exposing my secret and went to school. I can't ride a bike with my eyes so I decided to take the bus but the problem was how to get to the bus stop.

"Scarlet!"

Who is it? I see somebody running towards me but I can't see his/her face.

"Senior Scarlet! You live around here?" A gentle voice asked me.

Senior? Ah! The girl I saved last week. She has been following me around ever since that day, well not literarily but everywhere I go I see her there and now she lives in my neighborhood. Anyway, today it's a good thing she does live in my neighborhood. I was already thinking of calling Ayo and forcing him to give me a ride. Lucky boy.

"Bara." I acknowledged.

"Are you taking the bus?" She asked and I nodded. "Well, let's go." I stretched my arm out for support. "Hold me." I asked although it sounds more of a demand. I could feel her blush rising, I wonder why she does that around me!

She holds my hand gently as if it would break if she held on any tighter and led me to the bus stop. I paid for our bus fare and asked her to lead me to my class. Yes, yes, I earned whispers and stuff but a glare was more than enough to stop the jobless humans.

"We're here." Her voice announced that I was at my class already. Giving her a nod as a gesture of thanks, I went inside the class trying to find my seat. It was quite easy since I have memorized the layout of the class. Basically, I am walking through the class by muscle memory. If I'm lucky, Logan would yell a 'good morning Scarlet' to me so I would be able to trace the seat. Whew! I'm one lucky bird, he practically dragged me to my seat. I flinched but did not complain. I mean, he helped me unwittingly so yeah.

I took classes easily because I don't use my eyes in class anyway. I placed my head on the table and listen to explanations and as for notes, I have my ways. It was lunch break already and all I did was to stand at the door way and Bara came to fetch me. I wonder why she does this anyway. I get that she's appreciative and all but giving me homemade lunch boxes every lunch everyday was all over the top. I can't see the expression on the clique's faces but I know that they are also as confused as I am. I shrugged and sat where she instructed me to sit.

I discovered later that it was in between a bunch of banshees that magically started to like my guts and bravado ever since I danced for the auditions and saved Bara. It's funny how people are so easily swayed. Now I know why Ayo and Logan always come early to school. It is to escape most of the banshees.

***

P H Y L L I S

Scarlet and Jordan met me at the gym which was where we were doing our group assignment. Other teachers liked the idea of splitting us into groups so they maintained the group formations. At first I was horrified at the thought of Scarlet as my teammate but at time went by, I discovered that she just has a very awkward way of expressing herself.

The gang warmed up to her starting from Logan and Ayo but I feel they warmed up even before I did and now after her dopesome (dope + awesome) dance at the audition, she gained fan girls and a few fanboys like Bryan who kept pestering her to join the dance club. Each time she declined, he asked to be taught Vermilion's swerve move which always leads to another rejection.

Of all fan girls, there was one who stuck to Scarlet like glue– Bara. We were all confused as to why she makes lunch for Scarlet and why she blushes and stutters if Scarlet just as small as touches her until we saw her interaction with Scarlet and other fan girls at lunch today. We came to an astonishing conclusion that
.
.
.
Bara Has a CRUSH On Scarlet !!!

Oh I can't wait to see the look on Scarlet's face when she hears this.

Scarlet comes in with Bara as usual, which is strange because she dreads physical contact like a plague, and they both walked over to where we were. When Bara left, she scratched the back of her head awkwardly. Her face showed confusion which was rare considering how emotionless she is.

"She's weird." She muttered before she sat. A smug smile played on Jordan's lips as he wiggled his grey eyebrows.

"Who's weird?" He asked. Oh I know where this is going and I want to be a part of the fun.

"Bara. She's been acting...tipsy and clingy around me...I don't dig it." She fumbled with her words so I decided to just break it down for her.

"Hmn, have you ever considered her having a crush on you?" I asked her but I was obviously hinting her towards the answer. Smart girl figured it out the moment it dropped out of my mouth.

"Bara has a crush on me?!" Her face scrunched up in a confused manner which was so funny, I was trying so hard to keep my face as practical and serious as possible. Jordan was being a pro at it unlike me.

"Yes. You know, she might be having dreams about you, or she might want to give you a love letter on the day of the competition, who knows?" He stated smoothly whereas I am currently dying of laughter as Scarlet scratched her unruly hair. If she wore less baggy clothes and more skirts, people won't mistake her for a boy as much but I guess she likes it like that.

"I'm a girl though." She continued talking to herself, "I can't reciprocate her feelings, hech I don't even have feelings!" Glad she knows. The red head stood up only to be dragged down by Jordan. She turned angrily and hissed at him.

"I. Should. Tell. Her. Now." She coldly stated but it was deadlier than a yell. I guess I'm not the only one affected by her coldness because Jordan released her with ever so shaky hands after uttering a little 'aye Sir'.

This should be fun to watch. After she left, which was awkward because she kept stopping and turning or walking to the wrong direction, I followed her with Jordan on my trail to the rooftop. This would be good.

***
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Sayonara.

-★Hoshi(Star)