“Ryoma, what's the answer to question four?”
“Baghdad, founded in 762 AD. Also dubbed as the City of Peace.”
“Good. Charlotte, what about question five—”
“1776, and no, Hamilton was not a president.”
“Fantastic… Ryoma, question 6-”
“Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.”
“Right, eh,” the teacher was getting nervous, “Charlotte, question-”
“The answer is Ibn Battuta. He performed his Rhilah with 22 years and covered over 75,000 miles, or 120,701 kilometres, from North Africa to China. His meticulous documentary has tremendous value for the historiography and study of the history of the 14th century of Islam.”
“Ohhhhhh,” the class awed as the teacher was about to cry, who spent all night preparing the quiz for today to grill his students.
Lotte and Ryoma, the new exchange student, mercilessly dominated the quiz—though both were too disinterested to pay attention as they had to sit next to each other.
Liara nudged Lotte. “Stop acting so cool. You're making us all look bad.”
Lotte blinked, waking up from her stupor. “Sorry, what was the topic?” She whispered to Liara, who snorted a bit too loudly for the teacher.
“Ah, Miss Shepard.” the teacher grinned, knowing he would win this one. “Enlighten us. Who invented Penicillin?”
“Alexander Fleming in 1928, but Mass Production didn’t begin until WW2, all while Charles Drew standardised blood plasma production around the same time.”
The teacher, alongside the other students, were stunned. Liara had a reputation for being a little troublemaker and impulsive during class and forgot she was a student at their school for a reason. He hurriedly flipped through his pages to save face.
“Name me the one female scientist who achieved two Nobel Prizes—” the teacher stuttered upon the question, knowing he walked into a trap.
“Want me to answer it in French?” Liara giggled gingerly, took off her glasses and ruffled up her hair, sitting up straight. “En 1903, Madame Curie devient la première femme à remporter un prix Nobel de physique. En 1911, après avoir remporté le prix Nobel de chimie, Curie est devenue la première personne à remporter deux prix Nobel. Elle est toujours la seule femme à avoir accompli cela et reste la seule personne à avoir remporté deux prix Nobel dans plusieurs sciences.”
Lotte clapped, drawing the other students in to do the same. The teacher frustratingly threw in the towel. “Quiz is over. Do what you want with your free time while I sob in shame.”
The teacher withdrew into a corner. Lotte nudged closer to Liara. “I totally forgot you could speak French. Not even I know about medicinal history as much as you do.”
Picking up her glasses again, Liara whispered in Lotte’s ear, “We lived in France when I was little. My parents have professions in both the military and science. They chewed my ears off with facts until they bled.” Liara scowled over to Ryoma. “How much longer do you plan on sitting in MY original seat?”
“Until the end of the year,” he replied, jotting down something in his journal.
“Well, bugger off already! That's still my seat.”
“It's not anymore.”
“Grrrrr,” Liara growled at Ryoma. Lotte placidly put her hands before Liara.
“What's wrong?” she asked.
“That. Guy.” Liara pointed at Ryoma. “Ever since he took my seat, our project time together has cut in half. And I swear to JHWH, wherever we go, I feel like he's already there. Like a creep stalking us.”
Ryoma clicked his pen and switched to writing with his other hand. “Just your imagination.”
“DON’T PRETEND LIKE YOU DON’T DO THAT ON PURPOSE!”
Lotte agreed. It was weird how often they stumbled upon Ryoma inside and outside of school and in the city. Whenever the girls thought they were momentarily alone to hold hands or share some time together as a secret couple, Ryoma would walk out of a nearby hallway, stealthily reading a book and interrupting their moment.
On itself, they didn't do anything suspicious, except for publicly holding hands for a bit too long or hiding in a corner to have a quick kiss. Ryoma would always pop out of nowhere to interrupt it.
It was also awkward that he increasingly came into the spotlight of Lotte’s mother, thinking he was a new friend. Despite both girls denied it vehemently.
“You're right, it is weird,” said Lotte, squinting at Ryoma, too, who kept ignoring them and scribbling in his notebook. “How come you're always there wherever we go?”
“Just your imagination,” Ryoma replied cooly. “Ain't your problem.”
“It is,” complained Liara. “Especially when you sit at my place and Lotte gets stuck with you, and I get stuck with Svea!”
“At least I don't have fingers like a man,” said Svea from behind them.
“B#!CH, what!?” Liara slammed her fists on the table and turned around. “I don't need to hear that from someone who chews on her nails or bullies others with gender stereotypes!”
“Am not.” Svea bit on her nails again. “And you wear pants again today, which you shouldn't. They make your butt look fat.”
Liara wanted to shout. She was about to pounce on the girl if Lotte didn’t pull her back with both arms.
“Don’t stop me,” said Liara. “Let me break that ugly face of hers even further.”
“Not now, maybe later,” Lotte whispered into Liara’s ear. “Ms Dämerich is here.”
Liara stopped. She sank back in her chair when she noticed the new teacher in the room. “H-hi, Mrs. Dodds.”
Mrs. Dämerich wrinkled her nose. “I'll let your behaviour slide for today, Miss Shepard.” She nodded over to the other girl. “On a word about your behaviour, Miss George.”
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Liara mouthed a silent thank you to the underworld that the Fury chose a different target for today. The bell soon rang, and class was dismissed.
Lotte gravitated closer to Liara as they walked. “You could have got into big trouble there.”
Liara scoffed. “Would have been worth it. That stupid, snake-eyed Blaireau is so annoying! She always tries to get under our skin. Did you forget how you got a note from the teachers for something as stupid as leaving a half-eaten sandwich in class?”
“I didn't even eat it.” Lotte frowned. “I think she stole it from my bag during PE, took a bite and spat it out on the teacher's table… That's why I avoid taking food to school sometimes.”
“Even worse!” Liara shouted. “I hate her.” Liara rubbed her hip. “And now I worry about what she said about my butt, curse her!”
Lotte was mumbling.
“What?” Liara asked and got muffled, mumbling again. Blithely, Liara wrapped an arm around Lotte’s waist. “Could you repeat that, please?”
Lotte’s face grew red. “I think your butt looks great.” Lotte hid her red face in her hands. Liara restrained a laugh, pulled Lotte closer and slung both her arms around her. “Please, stop, I wanna die.”
“Never, that was sweet.” Liara went up on her toes and kissed Lotte on the cheek, colouring her face like a strawberry. “Wanna know what I think about you?”
“Not here. I'll seriously die.”
Liara grinned, adjusting Lotte’s bowtie. “Well, I like your-”
“You two should stop that,” Ryoma warned them, slinging his arms over both their shoulders as he came in between them. He leaned closer and pulled them to a stop. “You two are too obvious.”
Liara struggled in his hold. “The hell is your problem, you stupid Asian-American-”
“Keep your face straight,” he warned, inclining his head to Lotte. “Carefully look backwards.”
Liara protested. “What’s behind us-”
“Not you.” Ryoma held Liara by the chin. “You're too obvious.” He looked at Lotte. “Do you see those two at the corner?”
Lotte peered furtively behind her. She glimpsed how two girls were shushing between them and looked at something on the phone before looking back in their direction. She didn’t like what was happening. Ryoma kept his hold around them as they left the school's building.
Liara elbowed him to let go of her. “What was that about now?”
Ryoma straightened his tie. “I don't care what you do as a couple, but keep it low profile if you don't want to get caught.”
The girls’ eyes widened. They looked at each other at a loss for words. They hadn’t expected to get caught.
“We weren't that obvious,” muttered Liara.
“Sure, and I'm not Asian,” Ryoma retorted.
“Fine, whatever. Thanks for your help, I guess.” Liara kept her glare on him. “How much longer do you intend to hug my girlfriend?”
The moment Ryoma let go, Lotte immediately rushed to Liara’s side. “Why did you help us?” Lotte asked.
Ryoma turned wordlessly. The couple stared at him as he looked back at them one last time. “I didn't.” And left.
—❂—
Dinner was awkward back at home. Lotte’s father still refused to talk with his daughter or change his frown—and her mother was extraordinarily cheerful as of late. Both were signs that something was still not right.
Forking at her food, Lotte glances over to her father. He looked up at her and turned away immediately. "I don't know what to do to make things right.”
Lotte kept on forking her food until the doorbell rang. She was about to stand when her father said, “I'll get it,” and walked away. Lotte’s hand shook, and she gripped onto her tights.
“How's school?” Her mother asked, taking a bite. She was still in her work clothes, minus the jacket and an unbuttoned collar. She nudged closer. “How’s it going with the new exchange student?”
“Huh?” Lotte asked, confused. “We're almost done with the assignment. I finished my parts. He's finishing up the editing and fact checks about American Colonialism.”
“Anything else?” Her mother asked, touching shoulders with her daughter. “How is he?”
Still confused, Lotte gave her a dumbfounded expression. “What does she expect me to say?”
Then they heard the door slamming shut and her father rushing back inside. “Charlotte,” he restrained a shout, “go to your room to study.”
“I- wha-”
“GO!” he yelled, and Lotte scrambled out of her chair.
Her father rarely shouted like this, and Lotte barely registered anything until she was in her room. Her heart beat fast, making her feel dizzy. The lights in her room turned red and blue. Lotte’s breath felt cold. She felt like she was inside an underground desert where time trapped her in the intense feeling of her father shouting.
Lotte was so gone with her head that she didn’t register the light banging against the window.
“Hey, open up.” Liara climbed inside. “Gosh, why is it such a stereotype to live on the second floor? My pants are all dirty from climbing.”
“I-” Lotte stuttered, “what are you doing here?”
“I heard you were having dinner and thought I’d invite myself inside.” Liara brushed her hands over her black shirt with an open collar and put her hands on her white pants full of smudges from climbing. She tried to look welcoming, but her smile dropped when she saw Lotte’s frown and held back tears. “I'm sorry your father yelled at you. It's my fault-”
“Don’t,” Lotte grabbed Liara’s hands, “It's alright,” she cried. “Thank you for coming.”
Liara’s smile quivered back. “You're welcome-”
*knock knock*
“Already?” Liara whispered through gritted teeth. “I barely snuck in–”
“Hide!” In a panic, Lotte pushes Liara onto the bed, making the scene look even worse when Lotte’s mother walks in.
Her mother looked surprised at them before hurrying inside and locking the door. “I recommend not wearing white pants when climbing any facades next time.”
“Aye,” Liara grimaced in agreement, “sorry, Ma'am.”
“Don't. My husband is simply being difficult. I know things must be rough. Especially with the big move-away-”
“Mom, what’s this about?” Lotte asked and tried to restrain the agitation in her voice. Liara immediately picked up on it and soothingly held Lotte’s shoulder for support.
Her mother, though, didn't pick up on it. “Considering Liara is moving by the end of the school year, I thought you'd like to have things patched up between her and your father. Regardless, I know what will help you. Just wait. Come down in an hour when Liara left. Toodles, you two.”
Her mother left, leaving Lotte more dumbfounded than before. Liara pulled her hand away and walked to the window, pulling in a hidden plastic bag with smoothies.
“Want to watch a trashy anime as a distraction?” she offered.
Lotte didn’t feel like it. She sat down with Liara on the bed and watched something on a tablet, but all she could think about was that Liara would be gone by the end of the year.
Gone. And probably forever.
“This anime is so corny, but kinda funny,” laughed Liara, resting her head on Lotte’s shoulder. “Wanna bet it will turn into a love triangle? Or worse, a harem?”
No reply. The blue screen blurred before Lotte as she cried.
“Hey. Hey, don’t!” Liara buried her chin into Lotte’s shoulder to get her attention. “Even with me gone. Everything will be alright, you hear me?”
Lotte heard her, but no matter how much or how hard Liara squeezed her hand, eventually, they would not remain together. Similar to how Liara had to head home. They stood frozen at the staircase. Before Lotte, the stairs morphed into a stone staircase down a dark path.
“I can't do this,” Lotte thought, knowing this was one step closer to an ending she hated.
Despite all that, Liara helped her navigate downstairs. There, Lotte found a stranger talking in the living room with her mother. A Japanese woman in a business suit similar to her mother’s.
“Charlotte, my dear,” her mother smiled, “meet Yua. She moved here with her family from America not long ago.”
Yua stood up and stepped towards Lotte. She was smaller than her, yet was much more intimidating in how she carried herself. Her sharp eyes behind her glasses were clinical and cold, reminding her of Ryoma.
No, they were exactly like his. “Okada Yua. Charlotte, I presume? I think you're acquainted with my son already.” Yua offered Lotte her gloved hand. “Pleased to meet you. Your mother told me about you.”
Lotte hesitated but shook Yua's hand like her mother had taught her. Just as Lotte suspected. It was Ryoma’s Mother. She didn't know why she was here, but it couldn’t be good.