X | Ice

❦

'Why don't you introduce yourselves to Rowan?'
Mrs. Lim suggests.

We're the only group
still in the classroom

after receiving the 'team-bonding activity'
instructions.

I roll my eyes.

Julie stares at me angrily.
She looks angry whenever she's thinking.

(Is she angry with Mrs. Lim?)

(Or with us because we're useless group members?)

Rizwan sighs out loud.

'I'm Rowan,' Rowan says.
'Nice to meet you.'

She doesn't look at me.

'Rizwan,' Rizwan says.
'Julie,' Julie says.

Mrs. Lim walks away,
satisfied at having
'started the ball rolling'.

The four of us lapse
into awkward silence immediately after.

Julie notices Rowan doesn't ask for my name.

She asks,
'You know him already?'

The tip of her ears
turn red.

'We've crossed paths.'

It's funny,
the way her gaze wavers,
darting like a frog.

Honestly, everyone knows me.

It's not a big deal.

Discomfort over such a dull incident.

I lean forward.

'Come on,' I add in a low voice,
'We're much closer than that.'
Rizwan looks less bored now.

He's grinning.

'She's your new girlfriend?'

I hook my arm around his shoulder.
'Here's what happened–'

'LET'S FINISH THIS EXERCISE QUICKLY,'
Rowan interrupts.

She grabs the instruction sheet off the table
and rushes out of the classroom.

We follow behind slowly.

[Read the full story at novelconbini.com!]