The Transfer Student

Chapter 32: Definitely Not the Hiccups

Liz was really beginning to worry about me at this point. I had hardly said anything since last night's dinner with Hana and her friends and not only that but I always replied with the same, annoying 'nothing' whenever she asked what was wrong with me. She didn't even stop pestering me when I tried to use the washroom when we got into the airport.

"Elvira May!" she shouted angrily.

Liz never usually calls me by my full name. She must've been really desperate.

"You tell me what happened in that washroom yesterday, this instant!" she demanded at the top of her lungs.

Hidden in the stall, I could not see anyone but I could be almost a hundred and ten percent sure that they were all currently staring at Liz.

"I told you!" I answered stubbornly, "Nothing!" I repeated for what seemed like the thousandth time.

Liz let out a wild, frustrated cry and from the sound of her heavy, retreating footfalls, she had stormed back out. I released a loud sigh, letting my head fall limp on my shoulders. I hadn't taken off my scarf for a single second since the incident with Sasuke and all the problems revolving around Hana had nearly caused me to forget the embarrassing markings on my neck. I didn't really want to go to the bathroom but it was one of the only places I could go to get away from the others for a while at least. Sasuke and Gaara had immediately loosened up after we had gotten into the car heading towards the airport. It was then that Sasuke resumed his usual behaviour towards me, teasing and being a pervert. Truthfully, I wasn't ready to make a move yet and all he was doing was distracting me so I decided to keep my distance for now. I gave him a stern look in the car and he was immediately tamed. He seemed worried that something he had done had changed my recent behaviour towards him drastically.

"Elvira?" there was a timid knock on my stall door.

"Hm?" I answered, knowing it was Karin by the sound of her voice.

"We're boarding, you better hurry" she said before quietly taking her leave.

I sighed. And Karin. Before we reached the airport, she seemed to have been in a sour mood, her glare always turned towards some distant enemy. But once we entered the airport, she seemed to have lost all her strength as if something had vacuumed her soul right out of her. It was hard to believe that just one meeting with Hana could change all of us like this. I reluctantly left my hiding place and splashed myself with some cold water before leaving and joining the others in the steadily shortening line up.

I opened my eyes and listened. The only sound in Liz and I's apartment was our steady breathing. I quietly got up and slipped into the washroom where I closed the door behind me and switched on the lights. I still couldn't really believe what I had done. Was I really able to seduce someone and keep them by my side even if my opponent was a living, breathing Barbie? Well, first things first...

"You just won't leave me alone, will you?" I sighed as I eyed the red markings on the skin along my neck.

I had iced them as soon as I had gotten in the door but all it seemed to do was make my neck cold. I exited the washroom and tiptoed into the living room. My laptop was sitting on our dining table, lights flashing idly.

"Might as well" I shrugged and sat in front of my laptop, opening it cautiously.

I winced as the laptop booted into life with a loud beep but made no sounds otherwise. There seemed to be silence in our room too so Liz was most likely still sleeping. As my computer finished starting up, I opened up a search page immediately.

"How long does it take for a hickey to go away" I spoke the words aloud as I typed them in and hit the enter button.

My cheeks warmed as I realized how ridiculous it would look to someone else. I, myself, didn't think that I would ever need to look this question up online.