Nora wasn’t sure if her brother can answer the call at all. Nevertheless, she persists with the ringing and eyes at the clock hanged above.

“Fifteen minutes,” she mutters and bit her lips as the call ends with an automated voice call – excusing the unrequited with either the call was unattended or out of coverage area. Nora just mumbles along to the message, memorizing each word to a fault.

Honestly, it was also her fault. But she tries to elevate the situation. No matter how she’ll get shit on if her brother finally answers. Or Lily might beat him to it, if she knows.

Nora sighs, frustrated. Staring at the messages she got from Julia with a grimace, her impressions soured by the clear intent her online friend was doing to her.

‘Oh, wow! I haven’t gone to the Korean place yet uwu now I can’t wait to go there with you 😊’

‘QWQ oh gosh, unlucky me. My money has been fucking drained from thesis that I ended up with none for myself… can you spare me some change, cutie?’

Nora still continues to assure Julia though. Hanging onto some hope that the sudden change of perspective was irrational, biased. That Julia’s words were genuine and that there could be more to the story than what Nora gathered from a couple of messages.

Then her brother finally calls back.

“You want money.” Damn.

Nora fiddles with her bag, touching the zipper of her backpack and lies her head down on the arm of her desk. She hesitates, aware that lying to her brother about the truth would be useless anyways.

Still, she answers, “No?”

Noah, her brother, chuckles, lacking the humor behind the tone of his voice. “Okay, if you that’s your answer then I’m going to end this conversation right no-“

“No!” Nora flinches, hissing. She didn’t mean to shout but she can’t deny that she’s desperate. Her allowance wasn’t at the amount she wanted for the date. Who knows what dinner could lead to and Nora was, somewhat, prepared to throw some bills for a cheap lodge room.

If that’s what Julia wanted.

“Cool, cool,” Noah replies immediately, obviously amused by her reaction. “Now I shall waste my time by talking to my sister about my daily grievances as the eldest son in the family.”

“I have a class to attend,” she tells him.

“But you miss me, right?” Noah answers back.

“I didn’t say that.”

“So, you’re only calling me for the money.”

Nora sighs and confesses, “Yes.”

“The truth will always set you free,” Noah humors.

“Cool, cool,” Nora ends the call afterwards, feeling lighter. Headache stops and the mood elevates, she straightens her posture and stretches her limbs. The many hours spent sedentary was scary and she knew it’ll increase soon with the upcoming exams and projects handed out like hot cake.

She sighs for the future but, for now, the present seems bright.

“Is this seat taken?” She hears someone from the chair next to her and Nora glances, raising her head to face the person.

It was Janice, in her medical technology uniform and eyes boring to Nora’s soul. She looks bored too but Nora concluded that it was the girl’s default expression.

Nora nodded. “Sure, you can take it. Most classmates I have in this subject prefer to stay in the front for some reason.” Janice sat down with ease, her hair tied in a ponytail and bag placed on the backrest of the chair in front of her.

“So, who is it?” Janice asks, looking at her with chin cupped on her palm. Her eyes glint with interest and Nora wonders what she meant.

So, Nora just assumes on the phone call and replies, “It was my brother.”

“No, the one you’re currently seeing right now,” Janice corrects and Nora’s eyes widened, wondering if Lily had told her classmate about Julia. “Did Lily tell you about this too?”

Janice rolls her eyes and says, “You’re too easy to read.”

“I’m beginning to think you’re pursuing the wrong profession if you can point it out easily with my face,” Nora comments.

“Unlike most people, you wear your heart on your sleeve – that, and you also have a one-track mind.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Nora question, worries. She also doesn’t know how to feel when Janice chuckles, accompanied by a smirk that Nora reacts with her shiver.

“Let’s just say you’re easily forgivable because you’re cute.”