XXXIX | Persuasion

❦

I only came to school today
because there's a stupid project work briefing

Kumar asked me to attend.

It has nothing to do

with the rebuttal
I came up with last night

to infuriate Rowan.

Nothing to do

with

wanting to see her either.

Project work
is an A Level subject
that can get me

into a good university.

To support my point,
most of my friends

(the ones so busy partying they didn't contact me)

are here in school too.

In any case,
Rowan doesn't even
look at me
even though
I'm sitting
in the same row
as her.

The briefing ends

and i'm surrounded by friends
who blot her out of existence.

Nora's smiling.

'Did something good happen?'
I ask.

'I got a new phone,' is her reply.

She wants
to take a picture
of all of us.

Ming is surprised that Kumar's not here
but I am.

'Usually, it's the other way around.'

He sniggers.

'Kumar taking notes for you.'

He elbows me.
'You've got it bad.'

A cold glare in return.
'You've got it wrong.'

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