The Prodigy Series

"You're just staring at me..." I trailed as I tried to get my shorts to go up my t.h.i.g.hs with my towel still wrapped around my waist. It was ridiculously difficult to do, and I'm sure I looked just as ridiculous.

How do people even do this? I thought to myself as I used a hand to steady the towel I had around me before I tried to get into my grey three quarter jean shorts again.

I sighed in relief when I finally got it to raise up my waist before I turned to find Ji-Hun snickering into his palm.

"You should have just told me to excuse you if you were so embarrassed," Ji-Hun pointed out, making my flush.

"I was not embarrassed," I snapped, making Ji-Hun laugh out loud. I guess my bright tomato colored face wasn't doing anything to back me up.

"Okay Wyatt, I believe you," Ji-Hun said, sarcasm staining every word. I ignored him, picking my backpack up from the ground before storming out of the locker room and into the empty gym room.

My gym teacher had let me of early again, and Ji-Hun was still trying to catch up in IT so he was excused as well. Ji-Hun came out from the locker room soon after with a massive grin on his face as he continued to laugh.

"I'm sorry, okay?" he muttered, walking up to my standing figure to give my shoulder a squeeze. "It's really just amusing to watch you turn different shades of red."

"You're pushing it," I warned, making him laugh as we looked out into the gym together. My eyes flickered up to the wall clock. I sighed, seeing that we had over twenty minutes until the period was over.

"Do you want to leave now?" Ji-Hun asked, making me look away from the clock to his face. I nodded, turning my attention back to the to ticking clock that hung above the two way entrance door.

I want to change my books. You know, avoid the crowd," I mumbled, feeling my heart race. It was obvious that Ji-Hun knew I had a problem with crowds. No one else seemed to have noticed apart from him, or maybe they just acted like they didn't.

It was a little comforting that he could read me so easily since I was someone that wasn't upfront with feelings, and felt awkward sharing them. It could be frustrating too because that meant he could read me even when I didn't want him to.

"I want to ask you something before you go," Ji-Hun mumbled, making me turn to face him. His shoulders rose as he sighed. He gave me a small smile, brushing strands of hair from his full bangs away from his face before speaking. "I was wondering if you'd like to hang around the lake this Saturday. You know, just take a walk."

I rose a brow at him, wondering what that was about. Couldn't we just talk online?

"You know, like a date," he tried to explain, making me let out a small 'oh'. My face became warmer almost instantly as I replayed the last part in my mind.

A date? I thought as my face continued to burn.

"You're asking me on a date?" I asked in a mumble that was barely audible as I tightened my grip on my bag. "Why?"

"Why? Maybe because that's what you're supposed to do when you want to hang out with the person you like."

I frowned slightly, feeling my stomach flip when Ji-Hun mentioned his reason. What's all this? I'm not a character in one of those Japanese and Korean cartoons Candice colonized the sitting room on Fridays to watch, then why was I blushing so much recently?

"You're so cute when you blush—"

"Ji-Hun..." I trialed in a warning tone. He laughed, raising his hands in surrender as he backed away slightly.

"Okay, okay, but will you come?" he asked, making me look down at the floor. I flushed, and I was starting to feel light headed.

"Yes," I muttered finally. The big grin Ji-Hun had on right after made me smile. It felt good to see him smile — see him happy.

"That's great! Plus, you better get going. You only have five minutes till the bell goes," Ji-Hun said, looking up at the clock. "I could walk to your locker with you if you want."

"It's not a problem. I can go on my own," I muttered, smiling at him. He looked at me before nodding in agreement. I left the gym after that, happy to find out that the halls were still empty.

As I was changing my books the question paper I'd picked up from Miss. Jones' desk fell on the floor. I panicked, looking about before squatting down to pick it up quickly and stuffing it back into my bag. I zipped it up while trying not to look incriminating as I locked my locker.

I almost jumped and dropped my books in fear when the bell for the next period rang suddenly. I let out a frustrated sigh, holding my books to my c.h.e.s.t firmly before heading to biology class. I was happy that I was able to avoid the crowd that was making its way to the hallway in groups.

I went through the rest of my classes with a divided attention. I wasn't used to this. I just wanted the test to pass by so I could dispose of the question paper. I'd brought it to school because I didn't want anyone to come across it at home... Even though I knew no one was interested in going into my room, not to talk of searching it. I was just paranoid. I'd thought of copying the questions down into my jotter then throwing it away, but Ji-Hun and Ben borrowed it often.

I let out a sigh of relief when I walked out of the school's main entrance when the day was over. I'd told the rest that I'd be walking home by myself today.

I really needed to clear my head.

When I got home I retreated to my room to settle down and do some studying. I hesitated for a minute when I took out my books, before taking the question paper out as well. I set up my laptop, placing it on my l.a.p as I went through the questions and searched for their answers.

A high pitched bell noise from my open email page drew my eyes away from the page I was presently on to the tiny tab that had opened up at the side. It had a green shining top, an indication that I had an unread message. I hurried to check and reply to the message.

What are you doing?

Ji-Hun, 6:50 PM.

The message was from Ji-Hun and it made a wave of shame and disgust wash over me.

What was I doing? Casually cheating on my test would be the answer, but I couldn't reply with that so I replied with a plain 'nothing.'

-

I'm not doing much as well.

Ji-Hun, 6:53 PM.

-

I smiled at the reply, and we soon got into a full blown conversation before Aiyana and Ben came online to chat for a bit.

I'm stressed out.

Aiyana, 7:40 PM.

We all are. I don't know what we were doing that time passed by so fast. Exams are just around the corner.

Ben, 7:41 PM.

It's going to be fine, don't panic.

Ji-Hun, 7:43 PM.

All this talk about exams was making me nauseous. Not only was guilt stinging me like a sugar ant, but it was causing the paranoia I always had towards exams to resurface. The feeling was only two times more because of the present situation.

Everyone soon logged out and left me behind. I closed the tab for my email soon after to continue solving questions.

This is laughable. I thought to myself. I couldn't even concentrate. The fact that I was doing this — that I was actually cheating was putting my mind in a stressed out position that made concentration almost impossible.

When I couldn't take it anymore I closed my laptop, letting out a sigh of frustration. I'd taken the question paper out of impulse, this wasn't me.

"What am I doing?" I asked myself out loud. The only answer I received was the silence of the room and the sound of the turning fan above me.

I got up, putting my laptop away before heading down the stairs to finally do something that didn't involve locking myself up in my room. I found Ava in the kitchen. She was raiding the fridge, and she gave me a nod of acknowledgment when she looked up from the fridge. I stayed behind her, patiently waiting until she left. I looked for something I could eat as Ava headed over to the counter to unwrap the cake she'd brought out from its foil.

"You look like you'll drop any minute from now," she mentioned as I closed the fridge door with a cup of banana yogurt in hand. I shrugged, not sure of how to reply to her.

"I guess I'm just tired," I mumbled, heading to stand beside her. She raised the plate from the counter, offering me a slice of cake as she munched on the one she was holding. I thanked her, taking a piece of the plain cake.

"Don't stress yourself out so much. I know your tests are coming up soon, but it's just a thought," Ava said, breaking the silence. I nodded at her words, before making to leave the kitchen.

If only it was that easy. I couldn't just forget about it. My attitude towards exams was impulsive and hard to put aside. It was just worse because I had competition.

But if you cheat, it won't really be you topping the class.

A voice in my head said. I ignored it as I walked up the stairs, even though I knew it was just stating facts.