The Emo Girl

Is Ash really a germaphobe?

So I went for break with Ash again. She bought herself some food, and just sat there, looking at her phone, just like what she did yesterday. What is she even looking at in there. I decided to ask her.
"Hey Ash," I said after swallowing my mouthful of food. "What are you looking at on your phone?"
"Oh nothing," said Ash, putting away her phone. "Just checking some texts and stuff."
"Right..." I said, doubtfully. "Why don't you eat first?"
"Yeah," said Ash. "I'll eat in a minute."
Well, she didn't. I had already finished my food and she was still sitting there staring at her phone. She said she was checking texts and stuff, but she doesn't look like she's texting. It looks as if she was reading.
Anyway, I was done and got up. I told her that I'll be at the library, and she waved me off. Wait... does she only start eating after I leave? I turned around to confirm myself and from where I was, she was pulling down her mask to her chin and started eating. Is she covering her face from me? But why? Is there any wrong with her face that she's insecure about? I have no idea anymore...
I went to the library and decided to read the chapters I uploaded yesterday. I found that there were many overlooked errors. I will correct them when I get home. Ash came in at that moment and sat in front of me. Seriously though, how does she eat so fast?
"Did you even eat?" I asked her. "You eat really fast..."
"Yes I do," said Ash. "I'm a speedy eater."
I nodded at her and continued with my book. Ash started taking out her phone and started staring at it too. She's really hard to read. I decided to ask her why she only eats after I leave.
"Hey Ash," I said, and she hummed in reply. "Mind if I ask you a question?"
"Depends on what the question is about," she said, without looking up.
"Well..." I began. "Why do you only eat after I leave the cafeteria?"
"No reason, really," she said. "I just wanna eat in peace. I like tasting every bit of the food."
Well that doesn't make any sense. She eats so fast, I'm just imagining her to just gobble up the food in seconds, which doesn't actually mean that she's tasting every bit of the food...
"Well if that's the case," I said. "Then how do you eat so fast?"
She just started blankly at me. She looked like she was thinking of an answer, but in the end, she just shrugged.
"I don't know," she said. "But yeah I do taste every bit of the food..."
I nodded and continued to read my book. That clearly was a lie. She couldn't think up of an answer and just cut the conversation. But the question now is... why?
The library closed so we went back to our class after going to the bathroom. We sat next to each other and the teacher arrived. This time, it was maths. The teacher started teaching and I tried hard to stay focused without falling asleep, because this teacher can get the 'most boring teacher' award if she stood for it. But thankfully, I still understood what she was trying to teach.
The next period was free because the teacher wasn't at school. We were free to do whatever we wanted to do, and of course... some of our classmates went berserk and the place sounded more like a zoo than a classroom. I decided to just finish my day's homework so that I can be free at home later. I soon finished it because we didn't have much homework today.
Ash had been doing her homework too. She finished it before I could and was now staring at her phone again. I just couldn't take it anymore! I need to know why she covers her face like that! So, I decided to just chance it.
"Hey Ash," I said. "I wanna ask you something..."
"What?" asked Ash, turning to me so suddenly that I almost fell off my chair. "What is it that you wanna ask me?"
"Well..." I said, trying to think of a way to ask her. "Why do you wear a face mask?"
Her eyes turned wide and I could've sworn that I heard an 'uuuuhhhhhhhhhh' from her. She finally stopped and answered me.
"Well I'm just afraid of germs," Ash said at last. "I wanna protect myself from germs, that's all."
"I see..." I said, clearly not convinced. "Yeah with this air pollution and all now, right?"
"Yeah..." she said nodding. "The air isn't clean..."
So she's a germaphobe huh? I nodded and resumed to read my book on my phone. It was last period, and everyone was waiting for the second that the bell would ring.
It finally did, and we scrambled out of the classroom towards the foyer. I waited at the foyer as usual and this time, Ash didn't wait with me. She just walked out of the school.
Soon, my mom arrived and I went home and did my daily things. I didn't have any homework to do so I was free to do whatever I wanted. Yay!
I decided to continue writing, obviously. After uploading one chapter, I decided to play computer games instead. I played so long that it was already dinner time before I knew. I went down and had my dinner and went to sleep a few hours after that.
The next day, I went to school as usual. Lea was here today, so Ash didn't sit with me. School went on as usual and there was no English today so I didn't have to partner up with Ash today. Recess came and I went to look for Ash. I couldn't find her, she wasn't at her usual spot. Where could she have gone?
So I sat with Lea, Janet and Kate instead. We don't talk much, but at least they let me sit with them right?
Right after eating, I headed straight for the library. Wonder if our gothic friend was there too. Well, only one way to find out. So I entered the library and sat at one of the tables, the one one directly in front of the air conditioner. Well, Ash is definitely not here. Wonder where she is....
The library closed faster than usual today. The librarians are apparently having a meeting or something. As far as I know, their meetings mostly consists of them just sitting around and laughing at each other because this batch of librarians are just a group of best friends that joined in on purpose...
So I was forced to leave. I decided to go to the bathroom because I still had like 15 minutes left.