Stranded

~ Jihye ~

I have to take a test. It's just your regular test. Nothing particularly important that you find in an action book or whatever. Just a spelling test.

Okay, okay, I just want to get on the spelling team. We're having a contest across schools, and I want to compete badly. This was pretty last minute, but I panicked and told my father to pick me up at 5 pm, as I'm pretty sure it'll end then.

I walk towards the room I am to take the test in. The halls are quiet-ish, most of everyone left. The hall I walked into was as quiet as Mona Lisa. The only thing that could be heard was my sneakers against the ground. I wear a determined look on my face. I want to get in. I need to get in. I'm known across schools for my straight A's and my extroverted-ness. I just like to walk to pretty much anyone, which makes me popular with a bunch of friends.

I snap back to reality as the teacher hands me a paper. She says the instructions, but they go in one ear, and out the other. I already know how this works. She The starts reading words off a list she had. My mind no longer wanders off as I carefully sound out the words and spell them correctly on the paper. Some words don't look right, so I rewrite them.

By the time I'm finished, it's 4:30 pm. Crap. I'll have to wait 30 minutes. The one day I leave my phone at home..

I gather my things and head for the door. Waiting 30 minutes shouldn't be that bad, right? I make my way down to the half empty office area. Some of the staff are still there, which gives me relief. Though, the lights are off.

I place my things down and stare out the window, hoping that my father would just show up immediately. My mind wanders to how well I did on the test. I don't think I spelt Liquify right.. it's the easiest word though! I mentally curse myself.

I snap out of my thoughts when a boy a little bit older than me, most likely a sophomore walks into the office. Good to know I'm not alone. He looks like your average emo kid. His dark blue hood up over his head, his expression bored.

Time passes, it's 5:34 pm. The boy is still here as well. The office staff is all gone. Just us and the janitor. Maybe he has a phone on him.

"Hey." He seemed startled by my sudden interaction with him. "..." He just stared at me. "Do you have a phone on you? I really need to call my-"

"No." He interrupted me. "I don't sorry." I went back to my seat defeated, yet worried.

Should I walk?
No, it's too far.
Should I hail a taxi?
No, I don't have any money to pay for the ride.
Should I ask this random boy that I met two seconds ago for a ride home?
Hell no. My dude has daggers for eyes.

"You good?" He asks me. I look at me with a puzzled expression. "Uh, doin' amazing over here. It's not like my father was meant to pick me up at 5, but it's almost 6." I let out a harsh laugh. "So yes, you're okay?" He asked, densely. "Ever heard of sarcasm?" I ask him, even though it was more of a statement.

"Yes, but if you're tryna portray it, don't, Y'know someone might get the wrong idea." He said, not looking up from his book. I huffed, frustrated. I hope he doesn't talk to me anymore. I don't think I'll be able to deal with his outsmarting ass.

"Not that it matters or anything-to you of course- I'm Souda." He said suddenly. I'm now more confused.
"Eh?"
"You heard me, whatever." He scoffed and stared back down at his book.

He probably doesn't know shit about talking to people, but I'm not gonna judge. "I'm Jihye, but I guess you can call me Ji for short." I said. "Yeah, yeah just continue waiting I'm sure he'll be here." He said once again not picking up his nose from his book.