Chapter 35: Change partners?

Amber was reading her notes when suddenly, she felt someone grabbing a chair beside her and sat down. She looked up to find a pretty girl smiling at her, with her books on the table. She looked sexy with her hair bundled up in a bun.

"Hi, do you mind me sitting here?" the girl asked sweetly, smiling down at her. She was placing her backpack on the table, next to her books.

Amber looked confused and could only nod. How can she say no when she's already there? She then turned back to her notebook, a pen in her hand, scribbling. Though, something about this girl felt off. She doesn't know what it was but she has this weird feeling about her. She looked very familiar as well but again, she wasn't sure where she had seen her from.

Amber was positive that she was definitely someone not from her circles of friends. Because she does not look like she belongs in her circle. She seems too… pretty. Just then realization dawned on her.

She sneaked a glance at the girl sitting beside her. She was the same girl who had glared at her when Erick told her that he was going to partner with Amber instead! The one who had told her that she wasn't even worthy to be with Erick. The one with that deathly glare.

Amber inwardly shrugged to herself. This girl probably forgot about her since she doesn't seem to recognize Amber at all. But she still couldn't shake this weird feeling at all.

She discreetly looked around her and saw that there were many empty tables. If there were a lot of empty tables, why would she specifically pick this one? And looking at her now and knowing a bit of her personality from their previous 'encounter', this girl doesn't seem to be lacking in attention. In fact, she probably loved the attention. So, why would she want to sit here with her where no one can see her?

They aren't even that close. Additionally, they have never talked with each other before. The 'encounter' back then cannot be counted as a 'talk'.

This made her feel even more suspicious. Why, indeed?

While she was feeling suspicious and trying to think of why she was at her table, the girl beside her suddenly turned to her and said, "Oh yeah, hi. My name is Zoe. What's yours?"

Amber blinked her eyes in surprise. "Um, I'm Amber," she introduced herself.

Zoe smiled. "Nice to meet you! So, what are you studying?" she asked, peering in at Amber's notebook.

Amber moved her body back a bit so that Zoe could catch a glimpse of her notebook and said, "Ah, I'm just studying on the subject of World History. I've got class later on that."

Zoe nodded. "I see. I'm taking that subject too. Is there a test that I don't know about?" she asked, tilting her head. Her face looked all confused, making her eyes bigger with innocence and her expression cute.

"Uh, I'm not so sure about that. I'm just studying just in case there's one," Amber said. 'And because I need to finish my homework before the class,' she added silently, as she looked back down on her notebook.

"Oh, I see."

The two of them then fell into an awkward silence.

Shortly after, Zoe brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. She then said, "By the way, I just want to know… how well do you know Erick?"

Amber inwardly rolled her eyes. 'Now we are finally heading to the topic that you really want to know, huh?' she thought sarcastically. And it seems like she definitely recognized Amber but pretended to be not.

She inwardly sighed. 'Why do I have to encounter such a white lotus person?' she thought resignedly. 'I always thought that kind of thing would happen in dramas or novels!'

She turned to Zoe with a fake smile plastered on her face. "Not that well, I would guess. Why?" she asked innocently, feigning ignorance.

Zoe looked down at her hands, which were entwined together on top of the table. "Hmmm, nothing," she said slowly. "I just find it weird that he insisted on partnering with you."

"Why couldn't he?" Amber asked again. 'Find it weird?' she thought darkly. 'You mean, weird because it's me?'

Zoe bit her lip nervously as she continued to look down. Amber could see red flushing up to her cheeks from her neck. Not sure from embarrassment or from her being questioned. "Well, it's just that… Erick and I are actually dating," she confessed softly.

Amber cocked an eyebrow. This is the first time that she had heard that the two of them were dating. But she kept quiet. She knows that Erick does hang out with Zoe sometimes. But she also knows that Erick had been seeing other girls, other than Zoe. So, being the outside party, she doesn't know who is telling the truth. Then again, this does not even concern her so why should she bother?

Hence, she could only say, "I see," while nodding, looking as if she understood.

"He probably felt like he had to help the new girl in school so that you won't get overwhelmed or something," Zoe reasoned. "I mean, he can be too friendly. So, I hope you would not see his actions in a different way."

"In a different way, how?" Amber pressed, still looking innocent.

Zoe let out a breath as if she was trying to hold onto her temper. "As in, thinking that he likes you in a romantic way or something."

"I see," Amber repeated, still nodding.

"Then, regarding the assignment, would you help me with a favour?" Zoe asked, her eyes brightening.

Amber cocked an eyebrow. "What do you suggest?" she asked sarcastically.

Not noticing the sarcasm in her tone, Zoe's face began to bloom into a huge smile. "Why don't you change partners with me?" she suggested. "I'm sure Erick doesn't mind. And you probably might feel awkward if you group up with him when you don't really know him well."

Before Amber could say a word, a shadow fell upon them and the two girls looked up.