A week went by, and so it was back to being a Monday. Class had just started, and I was already restless. Who thought starting the week with math was a good idea anyway?

I peeked at Violet. She had her elbow resting on the table, and the chin supported on her hand as she stared blankly to the blackboard. She looked tired to the point where she only had small slits for eyes. Even so, she was, somehow, taking notes. If she was actually listening, that was a whole other thing.

Remembering who the teacher was, I decided to make some doodles instead of trying a conversation with Violet. I was going to put into paper some caricature of our… “dear” teacher when I remembered that during the presentation, he told us he would check our notebooks to see if we did our homework. I think he also said how well kept our notes were also counted in our evaluations.

Violet moved, and I looked to see what she was doing. Apparently, she was trying to yawn and stretch as discreetly as possible. She wasn’t being very successful in that, I must say. Her sides were now asking me to poke them.

Should I?

I wondered, but before I could reach a decision, she was already back to her previous position, now seeming a bit more awake.

Well, you snooze, you lose.

I looked to see what was being taught to us today. I looked, but I didn’t really saw or heard anything. I wasn’t curious enough. I had read through some pages and exercises. I honestly didn’t find them that hard. Just more of the same I had previously done with the tutor my mum hired to keep me from being anything less than the best in class. In the whole school even.

I took another peek at Violet. Since today she had her hair on a ponytail, I could better see her features. She had a very well-made face. Beautiful, really. I wondered what her reaction would be if I said that to her.

She must have noticed my staring, because she looked at me, her chin still on her hand, and nodded her head as if asking what is it?

I wrote on my notebook I’m bored and nudged it towards her. She read it and looked back at me with an expression that clearly said and what am I supposed to say to that?

“Wanna play a game?”

She briefly shifted her gaze between me and the notebook before putting her pen to use.

“No”

“Why?”

“I’m tired and I can’t understand what is on the board.”

“Tired? Were you unable to sleep?”

At this point I could see she was getting annoyed with our back and forth. Even so, she answered.

“I just had a rough night at work.”

So, she’s still working?

Was she hard for cash or something? Her clothes weren’t any of those high brands, but they weren’t shabby either. A bit plain, but that had nothing to do with it.

Her finances apart, I was curious about her job.

“What is it that you do?”

“I’m a waitress.”

“At a café?”

“Restaurant.”

“Which one?”

“Not telling.”

“What? Why?”

“I have the feeling you would go there to annoy me.”

I looked at her while pouting. She wasn’t one to pull any punches, was she? My reaction to her answer made the corners of her mouth twitch slightly up.

So now I’m the one being teased?

“Anyway, please let me pay attention to class,” she whispered instead of writing.

“If you don’t understand something, I can give you a hand,” I hushed back.

She looked back to me, showing no signs of believing my words.

“It’s true!” I insisted while still pouting. “Remember the exam? And if you don’t believe me, try me.”

She stared at me for a couple of seconds before writing something in my notebook.

“7.c.”

Looking to said exercised, I saw it as one of those equations which were big, but if you were aware of the basis, they weren’t hard. It was just the size of it made it look worse than it really was. And no, I’m not saying that just because I was smart. It really was a kitty pretending to be a lion.

When I had it solved in a matter of seconds, I nudged the notebook back to her.

It was funny to see her reaction after she confirmed it was the right answer. It was always funny to see that reaction on people who thought I might not be that bright just because I couldn’t stay put in class.

“What game?” she wrote.

We spent the rest of the class and the next one between playing what games we could play on paper with the occasional notes-taking. Only in the end did I recall I would need to get rid of those pages if I were to give it for evaluation. But since I had fun, I didn’t care one bit.

“Hey Violet, what were you planning to do about lunch?”

“I’m going to eat in the cafeteria.”

“Oh, that’s a pity,” I lamented. “Well, I’m eating at home, but I’ll be alone. That’s why I thought about inviting you over.”

After that, we got quiet. Seeing her not budging, and me having nothing else to say, I decided to make my way.

“Well, erm, see ya in a while,” I said with a hand wave.

“Wait Abby,” she blurted.

“What is it, Violet?” I asked slightly startled.

“I still haven’t bought my meal ticket…” she stuttered. “So, I… could make you company, if you… want…”

“Oh! You do care!” I said jokingly.

“I’m just being polite!” she retorted.

“My, such a nice girl,” I giggled. “Anyway, shall we go? It’s meat and potatoes we are having.”

We ended up eating in complete silence. Initially I had thought about chatting and laughing the whole time, but I somehow was able to restrain myself. Just having her with me was making me plenty happy.

Violet on the other hand was so nervous, she moved like an automaton. That made me think this was the first time she ever went to someone’s house.

I also came to know that she was a very light eater. That, in this occasion, came as a blessing. She ate just enough for the food to last for the both of us, with me having another half a plate for seconds. Pried as hard as I did, she kept claiming the amount she had eaten was her normal. That she wasn’t eating such a small amount just because she was anxious or that she didn’t want me thinking she was a glutton. In other words, the two of us ate the amount for two people, with her eating half a dose and I eating the rest.

Still, it seemed too few of a quantity for someone to eat. Was that why she was so thin?

“Oh, right,” she spoke. “I forgot to thank you.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I replied. “I really appreciate the company. And besides, you even came out of your comfort zone.”

She shifted on her chair, trying to loosen up her body.

“…Actually, this isn’t so bad,” she mumbled.

“Eh? So, do you think you would have preferred to eat at the cafeteria?” I jokingly prodded.

To my surprise she didn’t retort. Instead, she actually took it seriously and appeared to be giving it some serious thought.

A few moments later, she showed a surprised face before shaking her head side to side.

“No,” she said softly. “If I ate there, I would either be sitting alone, or would have to sit with people I don’t know. Either one would suck.”

I felt a bit touched by her words. They rang very sincere and… lonely, was it? Something like that, I thought. She didn’t come across to me as someone who would be bothered with being alone. Quite the opposite, actually.

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“You don’t like being alone?” I asked inquisitively.

She looked at me in thought. For a second it looked like she was going to say something, but her face just went a slight pink.

“What? What is it?” I asked.

“It’s nothing!” she said quickly.

I stood up and was now holding her face with my hands.

“That so, huh? So why are you blushing?”

“Let me go, Abby!” she squirmed as her eyes darted in their sockets.

“Not if you don’t fess up,” I laughed.

“No way!”

“C’mon! I promise to let go and not laugh at what you have to say.”

She squirmed a little more. Then looked slightly down. Had I gone too far?

“I just thought…” she mumbled. “Being in school alone would be… a bit boring.”

Those words were spoken in the same tone before. She was actually a lonely person who tried to act tough, wasn’t she?

“Are you saying you would miss me?”

“No!” she said while shaking her head. “I’m just saying… you know…”

I actually didn’t know what she meant. And I was very sure she didn’t know either. What I knew was, she was making a sad face and that made me feel like giving her a hug.

“I’m sorry Violet,” I said dead serious. “I won’t be able to keep part of my promise.”

“Don’t you dare laugh!” she yelled.

I pressed her head against my chest. Surprisingly enough, she just sat there as I hugged her and patted her head. She was being unexpectedly docile, considering her previous reaction. I half expected her to start hitting me at any second.

As I finally let her head free, the reason why she was so still became clear. She looked like she was in a daze.

“Anyway,” I started. “What should we do for the next hour?”

She looked at the clock, and back at me.

“Well… could you explain me how are those equations solved? I’ve got work almost the whole week, so… could you help me with it?” she requested in a bit of a monotone.

“That?” I stammered. “Well, I don’t mind, but… why not leave the homework for the weekend? We could even meet up for that if you need help.”

“Thanks, but I don’t think I’ll be able to relax if I leave all the homework for the weekend. Also…” she muttered. “I wouldn’t feel right to take your free time just to help me out.”

She is a really nice person, huh?

“So, in other words,” I started while giving her a slight smile. “You are fine with us hanging out during the weekend?”

“Huh… yeah, I guess so. But why?”

“I find your reactions very entertaining,” I remarked.

For a while we got silent. She didn’t seem satisfied with my answer, but that wasn’t my point to begin with.

“I have a suggestion!” I said triumphantly.

“A suggestion? About what?”

She sounded a bit fearful. Regardless, I started explaining.

“How about we have lunch here every day of this week? We can use the free time to do as much homework as we can. That way, we will have the weekend to do as we please.”

“And you are fine with that? Won’t you be bored?”

“It’s fine! I’ll be having an hour and a half in which I can tease and annoy you after all!”

“I’d rather you didn’t,” she grumbled. “And won’t your parents be bothered with having to cook for me too?”

“It will be fine! I mean, they aren’t the ones cooking. Besides, you saw how much food there was today. That’s always the amount they have for me. It’s always too much, but they still nag me for leaving leftovers. It’s as if they are trying to fatten me.”

That was another lie. They weren’t cooking and it was too much, but they never told me anything about how much I ate. I just wanted to have someone other than my parents with me for a bit. Violet, in particular.

“If you say so… thanks.”

She said this and stared at me. At my belly to be exact. I was now getting a bit self-aware. Did she actually find that I was a bit fat? I even had pressed her against me just now.

“W-what?” I asked.

“I… I don’t think you are fat,” she stammered.

Well, yeah. I even do a lot of exercise. Why was I even worrying?

Still, this presented another opportunity to tease her.

“Well, thanks. But still, I wouldn’t mind being as slim as you.”

“No, you don’t! I’m too thin. Compared to you I…”

She didn’t finish her sentence. She just looked down to her knees where she was clutching her hands.

This wasn’t what I had expected. I had apparently struck a nerve. How was I going to salvage this? Was I even able to salvage it? True, she was thin, but I didn’t think she was too thin. I had seen her change in the locker room for PE, so I wasn’t just basing this on my imagination. Maybe it was because she was… featureless? Just what could I do? Or say? She was looking worse each second that went by. Finally, it hit me.

“Violet, come with me for a second,” I said as I grabbed her by the hand.

I basically dragged her inside my room. She was so shocked with my abrupt actions, she hadn’t even reacted. I began going through my wardrobe, and not finding what I was looking for, proceeded to look inside my drawers.

“Do you need help?” she asked.

“No, it’s fine. You can just start undressing.”

It took me way too much time to realize what I had said. I looked at her and, to the surprise of no one, it was impossible for her face to be any redder than it already was. I almost laughed at the thought that, had the sun disappeared suddenly, we wouldn’t notice it until she calmed down. It was that bright.

Trying to keep my cool, I offered an explanation.

“Actually, I’m looking for a dress that I think would be perfect for you. If it is to your liking, I’ll even give it to you.”

“Thanks, but you really don’t have—”

“Here it is!” I said while raising it towards her. “Here, put it on!”

She shyly took it, her gaze shifting between me and the dress.

“It’s very… pretty.”

She was completely lost about how to react or speak. It was clear to me I would need to give her a little push… or a full-blown tackle.

“Won’t you try it on? Please?” I pleaded in my best whiny voice.

“I… I erm… Ok… if you insist,” she mumbled incoherently.

“I do! So… please,” I told her in a tone that was both a request and a demand.

“Ok, but… can you… turn around?”

“Hmm? Sure, but…why?”

“…You’re… staring.”

“Oh, ok. If that makes you feel better.”

Now, I’ll admit. I took some peeks at her since she also had turned her backs to me for some reason. Watching her change was something more entertaining than what I had expected. And I hadn’t expected for it to be, so there was that. I especially liked the parts where she seemed to be dancing the robot but without any grace, and also, when she forgot to take off her shoes before her skirt, causing her to almost go face first with a gasp when they caught the fabric by the strap. I shouldn’t laugh, but she wasn’t making it easy.

She was now only in her underwear, her backs still facing me. Now that I didn’t have to also be changing, as it was the case for PE, I got myself a good look of her figure. I found it hard not to. Like I had thought, she was slim, but not in a sickly way. Sure, she could do with some extra weight, but she didn’t have bones jutting out of her skin like some of our schoolmates did. She was just, for better or for worse a bit of a board. Nevertheless, I still found her…charming? Elegant? Yeah, those would be the words I’d use. Specially if we were talking about her legs.

“Does it really look good on me?” she asked when she was finally dressed.

“Does it really look good on me?” I repeated in my mind. Not something like ‘It looks weird, doesn’t it?’ or ‘it really doesn’t suit me’. Was she hopeful that it looked good on her because of all my insistence? Because of what I had told her? Perhaps it was something in my expression as I looked at her? Or maybe—and this was something I was hoping for—she had already peeked at the mirror and was just awaiting my confirmation of her own thoughts.

It really was a sight to behold. The dress was strapless, of a pearly white colour with a blue flower pattern close to the seam around the legs and had some frills around the chest area, which helped a bit to hide her flat chest, and the waist was made in a way to hug the wearer’s physique. It didn’t have buttons or a zip, so that was how it held itself up. It also showed her very pretty legs, the seam flowing slightly above her knees.

I had bought it impulsively during the summer. The reason why was that I was hopeful mum would find it an acceptable alternative to the other dress I had. And of course, it wasn’t. I intended to now gift it to her because it didn’t serve its intended purpose and the fact it was too small in some areas. It also covered my knees, but with me being shorter than her, it was not surprising. Still, with it squeezing my chest uncomfortably, I still felt more comfortable in it than in the other one. I still preferred my shorts and t-shirts, though.

“It doesn’t just look good. It looks fantastic on you.”

“Really? Thanks Abby!” she proclaimed while hugging me.

That was unexpected.

“Are you that happy just because of a dress?” I asked as I hugged her back.

“Well, it looks just like the one I saw in a shop close to where I work, but when I finally convinced myself to buy it, it was already sold.”

I squeezed her a bit tighter. I didn’t want to risk her letting go and see my face. I was having a needle pricking my conscience right now because the one I had was the last one available at the store. Could it really be the same one?

“Then it’s more than decided it is now yours! I mean, I don’t even fit in it,” I then quickly added not in these past two years anyway.

“You had it for two years? Why didn’t you just give it to someone you knew?”

“Well, I liked it a lot, and I always thought it wouldn’t suit any of my friends. Until you came along, that is.”

That was all a lie, but it wasn’t a big one and it was to make her happy, so it was fine, right?

“Thanks Abby. I’ll take really good care of it. I mean it.”

“You are more than welcome, Violet.”

“I’m really thankful but…” she said, starting to jumble a bit her words, her hands now on my shoulders, trembling slightly. “Could you now please let me go?”

“But you were the one that hugged me!” I teased in a whiny voice.

“I know, but that was in the spur of the moment,” she said rapidly. “And right now, it’s getting very awkward for me.”

“But you smell nice.”

“Stop it! It’s hot and I’m sweaty!”

“I run every day. Sweat and the heat doesn’t bother me at all.”

At this point we were almost wrestling.

“Please Abby! You said you were going to help me with homework!”

“Oh, that’s right!” I said, releasing her from my hug. “We were having so much fun that I forgot!”

“You were having fun! Not me!” she growled.

The way she looked at me made it very clear I had crossed a line. She was glaring at me with her face completely red.

“I’m sorry Violet. I didn’t mean to make you mad.”

“Well, you just did,” she said frowning.

“In that case, just give me a hit on the head if you think I’m going overboard.”

“You say it like that’s a valid solution.”

“Well, my mum sometimes does it when I really go overboard. I’d rather having you do that than souring the mood like I did just now.”

Her eyes were still on me. Her expression has now become one of sadness and worry. She seemed to be thinking about what I had just said.

“She… I won’t be doing that to you… but please… try to be a bit more aware of what you do, ok?”

I simply nodded a yes. She was still looking at me with the same expression.

“Are you… like this with all your friends?”

That was a good question. Thinking about it I had to say no. The friends I now had were more acquaintances than proper friends. I acted like this when we were younger, but at those ages, it was normal. There was also the fact they all seemed like they had little to no patience for me. I really was childish, wasn’t I?

“No, I guess I’m not. We used to, but we grew distant and now barely even talk. Except perhaps for my friend Paul, but he is more of a cousin. And a guy. Also, he got himself a girlfriend, so this type of goofing around would be unacceptable.”

“I see… I guess I was wrong…”

“Wrong? About what?”

“Oh, nothing. Just… some nonsense.”

“Hmm…If you say so.”

An awkward silence now formed between us. She was looking down and to the side, with the occasional peek at me. Not being able to take it, I ended up blurting the first thing that came up to my mind.

“I’m dead serious when I say the dress looks good on you.”

She lightened a little, showing a bit of a smile while grabbing one of the frills.

“Thanks… again. But… I feel bad to just take it.”

“Really? That’s just what gifts are though.”

“I know, but… you invited me here, shared your food, agreed to help me with homework for the whole week, and now the dress? I really feel like I’m taking advantage.”

She was now with her backs turned to me again and was staring into the mirror longingly.

“In that case, I want you go to the next two classes in that dress.”

“What?! I-I can’t! The uniform!” she gasped.

“Also, if we do meet up on a weekend, I want you to go wearing it.”

“Oh, Abby please! I’ll be attracting way too much attention! Can’t I just do something else? Can’t I just give you the money for it?” she pleaded as she went redder.

“That’s not how gifts work! Besides, I gave you the dress because I like to see you in it. So, of course I would want to see you showing it around.”

“But Abby, this is a strapless dress!”

“Yeah… so?” I asked in genuine confusion.

“It’s embarrassing that people can see the straps of my bra! And am I not supposed to not wear one with this?”

“Why do you even bother with wearing a bra?” was something I barely averted saying. I had the feeling that if it had escaped my mouth, I’d be on the news as a murder victim. Seriously, I’m annoying, but she was also a handful in her own way, wasn’t she?