tuition and fees ☆ z.cl | ✔

02

"Y/N!" Donghyuck had yelled out in the quiet library, startling everybody in the vicinity.

You had hoped that by coming in a little late to your study period, everybody would be studying, and you could avoid being questioned about not sitting with your swim team for the third week in a row. At first, they had accepted your reasoning of tests in your AP classes, but once all of your unit tests had passed and it was a relatively quiet time in terms of schoolwork, they started to get suspicious. You just weren't ready to introduce Chenle to them yet.

Pretending that you hadn't heard him, you steeled your nerves and continued on your way to the back corner where Chenle was waiting as always. Your lonely friend watched you with intrigue as you took the seat beside him, your backs to the librarian's desk as per usual. That was how you two could get away with watching videos together and showing each other things on your phones, as long as you didn't giggle too loud.

Chenle didn't take his phone out when you sat down, instead turning sideways in his chair to fully face you. No way you could get up to your usual study hall shenanigans now. He must want to talk.

"What's up?" You titled your head questioningly, resting your cheek on your hand.

His anxiety with being around you had generally faded, but now he was fidgeting again, unable to look you in the eye. After taking a deep breath, he started quietly, "Do you want to maybe... come over to, uhm, my house, for dinner tonight?"

Relief washed over you, so happy that it wasn't anything serious or bad or weird. Letting out a short burst of air that was nearly a laugh, you nodded, "Sure, yeah. Does that mean I'm going to meet your parents?"

"Actually no, they're on a business trip. Dinner will most likely be delivery, if that's okay with you. If not, we have our private chef that could—"

"Delivery is just fine, Chenle."

You were even more relieved that you wouldn't have to see his parents again. As far as you were concerned with, they had paid for your first semester and bought you new swim equipment, so you had no desire to interact with them. You were both holding up your ends of the deal, there was no reason to even be in the same room as them.

"You could come over right after school, if you want. We could hang out a bit before eating. I have a lot of video games, or we could watch a movie, or there's some swings in my backyard, or—"

You cut him off with a gentle hand on his forearm, "Wish I could, but I have swim practice tonight. I'll come right after then, okay?"

"Okay." He smiled, accepting the slight change of plans.

☆

After showering to rinse off as much of the chlorine off your body as possible and returning to real clothes, you caught up to Mark in the parking lot. As soon as you had joined him, you started the short trek out to where he had parked.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," You apologized, still messing with your wet hair. "I had to shower, dry off again, and figure out what the hell this is doing."

In reality, you had dawdled around wasting as much time as possible, not wanting your teammates to see you leaving with Mark. It wasn't that you didn't like your co-captain, but there would be a million questions to deal with since you normally walked to the closest bus stop to take public transportation home. You didn't want to tell any of your other friends what you were doing, only trusting Mark not to blab about it. You had accosted him as soon as you'd gotten onto the pool deck, quietly asking if he'd drive you to your friend's house after practice.

"It's fine, Y/N." Mark reassured you, clicking his remote to unlock his car.

Opening the passenger side door, you tossed your stuff into the backseat before getting in yourself. You both buckled up, and Mark started his car, hand resting on the stick to reverse out of the parking spot.