The entire class was silent. But everyone was thinking the same thing.
'Did Alicia… just get rejected?'
'Brutal.'
'Damn. I thought it was just a rumor, but maybe he really is asexual… or even gay.'
Alicia's gaze was locked onto the tab Mark had just handed her. Her face remained cold and composed, but her thoughts turned a shade darker.
'Mark… so you really don't remember me at all, huh? FINE! I'll make you remember. After all… it's a wife's duty to help her husband!'
"Thanks," she said, accepting the tab and a small bag from Mark's hands.
Lisa, seated nearby, wore a mischievous grin as she watched the exchange unfold.
'Hehe~ Mark, you're still the same. That's good.'
Then her smile faltered.
'Wait… is it really good? What if he treats me the same way he did Alicia if I ever try to make a move?'
'Ugh. Why is this so complicated? Whatever. I'll think about it later. No point frying my brain over it now.'
Mark, silent as ever, didn't even bother replying. He turned and began setting up his tab.
"Ahem. Alright, everyone, turn to page seventy in the Calculus chapter," Miss Florence said, trying to restore order.
The students snapped out of their daze and did as instructed. One by one, they opened the math app and navigated to the assigned chapter.
"Ugh… I hate this chapter."
"Can't we just skip it?"
"Why are we even doing this?"
"Whoever invented mathematics should be buried alive."
"Oh? Want me to send you to the grave myself so you can enact that plan?" Miss Florence said sharply, her glare cutting through the class.
"S-Sorry, Miss Florence."
"Instead of whining like fools, focus on the lesson. It's your lack of attention that makes this harder than it is. Now, pay attention."
"Yes, ma'am."
The lecture continued for about forty minutes before the bell finally rang.
"Alright. That's it for math class. You have a ten-minute break before the next period. Use it wisely."
"Yes, ma'am."
Tak Tak Tak
With that, Miss Florence walked out of the room.
'This is it.'
Several boys took the opportunity to approach Alicia.
"H-Hii!"
But their efforts were frozen solid the moment she gave them a glance. Her icy stare could've chilled lava. The same fate awaited the girls who tried approaching her.
Tak. Tak. Tak.
Without a word, Alicia stood up, grabbed her bag, and walked out of the room.
Some students remembered she hadn't yet received her school-issued tab. That likely explained her sudden departure—but that didn't stop the gossip.
"Damn, did you see the look she gave us?" one boy whispered.
"Yeah. Felt like I was about to freeze to death," another said.
"Why the heck is she so angry, though?" a third asked.
"You serious, Pete?" said a fourth. "Didn't you see what Mark did?"
More guys joined in, curious.
"I know I might sound crazy saying this to you all, but hear me out," Pete said. "She entered the class with an icy expression and demeanor, like she hated the world. Even after Mark handed her the second tab, her expression didn't change. It stayed cold."
"So? What are you trying to get at?"
"I'm saying… maybe she didn't care at all. Hell, maybe she was glad she didn't have to sit near a guy."
"Hmm. When you put it like that… it does make sense."
"I never thought of it that way."
"But just to be clear, it is only a theory, so take it with a pinch of salt." Pete reminded them. "It's also possible she was annoyed about being indirectly rejected by Mark—but I think the first option's more likely."
"Yeah, why would she care about being rejected by someone she barely knows?"
"Exactly."
"Sounds reasonable enough."
"The first one has more plausibility."
"I agree."
"So do I."
The boys nodded, coming to a shared conclusion that Alicia probably didn't care. With that matter settled, they moved on to other topics.
The girls, however, weren't as diplomatic.
"What's wrong with that witch? How dare she glare at us like that?"
"Right?! Does she think we are her maids or something?"
"We were just being nice and what did she do? Gave us the cold shoulder!"
"That stuck-up idiot. Thinks she's better than us just because she's pretty and has a big bust and thicc ass."
"Hah! She probably got a bunch of surgeries for that body. What a bimbo."
The venom continued flowing so much that it would even make a snake look harmless. That is why, dear children, always remember that unless your mental barrier is diamond-hard, don't mess with a girl.
"What do you think, Lisa?" One of the girls asked. It drew the attention of the other girls on her too.
Lisa however, had an indifferent look on her face. But inwardly, her mind was racing.
Should I talk to Mark today? No… what if he thinks that I'm a creep and pushes me away? That'd be so embarrassing. But then, how do I start a conversation with him? Maybe if I—'
"Lisa?" the same girl gently tapped her shoulder, pulling her out of her thoughts.
"Hm? What is it?"
"What do you think? About the new girl, Alicia?"
Lisa blinked. "About her? I don't know and Don't care." Lisa replied before going back to something of crucial importance, which was pondering about Mark.
"..."
The girls were momentarily speechless.
"Lisa is right. Why are we even wasting our energy by talking about her?" One said, finally breaking the silence.
"That is true."
"Thanks so much Lisa. You're the best. Helping us opening our eyes and all."
"No use in spending our precious time on that witch."
"So anyway—did you hear the new single that new band dropped yesterday?"
"Of course! I've listened to it, like, ten times already!"
"Same! It is amazing."
"They are really taking over the charts lately."
And just like the boys, the girls veered off into an entirely new conversation.
***