36

**a couple days later, or so

"Hey, Emi?" he called after her when she stepped out of the SRC room. She was finishing a year-end proposal on the last day of school. He waited for her because he needed to ask her something. It was a little over 7 p.m. when she finished and it was dark outside.

She kept walking because didn't hear him since she had earphones plugged in. He jogged to catch up with her and touched her shoulder, making her scream and then huff when she saw that it was him.

"What do you want?" she asked, annoyed that he spooked her.

"Can I ask you something?"

"No. Now go away," she said, plugging back her earphones.

He stopped her again, getting a cold glare from her. "I hardly talk to you. But this is important."

"Is it about the Council?"

"No, it's ab-"

"Then I don't really care," she shrugged, trying to put in her earphones again.

"It's about us," he blurted, watching her freeze in place.

She exhaled sharply and turned around. "What about us?"