Chapter 2

Lucy sat next to Ryeon, tapping her fingers on her knee, with nothing to do.

She couldn't even use her phone; she always left it at home because her mother didn't allow her to bring it to school.

"Are you going to the prom?" Lucy heard Ryeon ask, putting his phone in his pocket.

Lucy shook her head.

"I'm not that interested in that kind of thing, you know."

"But I thought you would. It won't be fun without you there, Woojin!"

"As if you would care, Ryeon. You'll be too busy with Sun."

"Sun is only going with me because she couldn't find a partner and begged me." Ryeon turned to face Lucy better, slowly getting closer. "I thought we could both have fun..."

Lucy shrugged, not wanting to be deluded by anything that was crossing her mind at the moment.

"Come on, Woojin... Let's go, please..." Ryeon pleaded, clasping his hands together.

"No, Ryeon, I'm not going."

"Please... We can go to the mall and buy matching suits."

"Only couples wear matching clothes nowadays."

"Then let's pretend we're a couple? That way, will you go with me?"

Lucy laughed, falsely denying it, while her own heart started to race again.

She wondered why her heart was so weak. It started pounding hard once more, and she had no answer to give to Ryeon because she was in shock.

But, to her relief, she saw the bus turn the corner and stood up at that moment, escaping the conversation.

She quickly got on the bus, heading to the seats in the back and placed her backpack on her lap as she sat down, adjusting her tie that was itching her.

Ryeon followed the same path, sitting next to her, still without an answer.

"Did you study for the physics test?" Lucy changed the subject.

"Test? What test?"

"I can't believe this, Ryeon, did you forget?"

"Are you serious?"

"Of course, I am! Luckily, it's a group test, so you can either partner with me or with your prom date..."

"You really don't like Sun, do you?" he asked, smiling.

"I never said I didn't like her, I just don't want to be friends."

"She said you're cute," he said, glancing at her.

"That's her problem."

The girl really didn't like talking about the other girl; she could be seen as selfish, but she didn't care.

"Can I come to your house tonight?" he asked, changing the subject.

"At night?" she nodded. "Only if we stay in the backyard. My mom has a meeting with the 'ladies' from the neighborhood tonight."

"My mom never goes to those," he said, chuckling softly.

"Lucky for your mom. They only talk about how well their kids are doing in school, college, and their husbands' jobs. And they criticize other women for not being like them."

"Thank goodness my mom doesn't go to those either. She would easily tell everyone off... even your mom."

Lucy laughed. She wouldn't doubt that.

She looked out the window, observing the houses, and soon silence settled between them. Lucy rested her head and admired the people walking calmly on the streets.

She subtly felt her hand being held and quickly turned to see Ryeon smiling with his hand intertwined with hers.

"Do you want to listen to music with me?" he asked, raising one side of his earphone.

Jeon nodded, smiling. She placed the earpiece in her ear and waited.

She tried to focus on the sound of "Head First" that started playing, but Ryeon still held her hand, their fingers fitting together so well that it made her completely blush.

But Ryeon seemed to care little about it; he tapped his feet to the rhythm of the music and even played with their intertwined fingers.

"You've got me in the palm of your hand"

That's what the lyrics said, but Lucy felt like it was an indirect message sent directly from the universe to her.

In a way, Park Ryeon had her in the palm of his hands.

"Tangled around your finger 'til the lights go out"

Lucy glanced at Ryeon, watching him play with his phone again.

She wanted so much for him to look at her and kiss her right there.

"That's all she asked the universe for in that moment.

"Feeding the adrenaline that's racing through my veins, you take a step closer, and I can feel it coming."

And Lucy felt it. She felt her heart beating faster, the butterflies in her stomach fluttering and causing intense turmoil.

And like a feather floating, while still lost in the other's face, Ryeon turned to her, not like before, but like a first time.

Their eyes met, sparks igniting between their bodies.

"It hit me like a wave, I'm falling... you've mesmerized me, enchanted. Tangled around your finger 'til the lights go out."

"You've got me in the palm of your hand."

"You've got me..."

And in that moment, it was different. It wasn't Lucy who felt strange, but Ryeon. The impulse that took over his body, propelling him forward, made the girl freeze.

There were only centimeters of distance between them, and both were breathing heavily with anticipation coursing through their bodies.

Their faces were almost touching, still sharing the same music, and probably the same feeling.

Their eyes locked, but it was their mouths that begged for each other.

Ryeon lowered his gaze, his eyes fixated on her thin, well-defined, and slightly pink lips.

Lucy had applied her peach-colored lipstick that morning. And as if he had a heightened sense of smell, Park could sense the sweet scent and swallowed hard, eager to taste it.

But Lucy had to intervene. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't kiss him there, amidst so many other people.

She quickly rose from the seat, causing the earphone to fall from her ears.

"It's our stop," she announced, averting her gaze.

Ryeon nodded, feeling embarrassed. They walked off the bus together, and when they entered the school, they parted ways with a simple "See you in class."

And when she was alone, the girl could finally take several deep breaths, trying to process what could have happened.

Lucy trembled, walking quickly. She ran to the classroom, heading straight into the arms of the only person who truly understood her up until that point.

As soon as she entered the room, she thanked the heavens that her best friend was there, alone, sitting in the last chair of the right row, near the windows, as he always did.

Jeon ran, stumbling over her own feet, throwing her backpack onto the desk to sit down while her friend stared at her, still unaware of why she was behaving a bit differently. Lucy took a deep breath and blurted out all at once:

"I'm going crazy!"