"Ugh. You're joking, right?" Yronica's face soured, and she'd been expressing explicit disgust. Her countenance was unsettling, a looming dread lingering across the table as she stood firm, arms crossed. 

"There is no way I'm sitting with these..." She gave it thought as if trying to even conceive a fraction of the possible words to describe her utter dissatisfaction upon her after seeing her least favourite people. "...these losers! There is absolutely no way we are sitting here! Do I look like a loser to you?"

Eman ignored her, paying little attention to the unease marked upon both Aaaqil and Taylor's faces, sat down and sighed, "How have you two been?" 

"W-Well, we've been-"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!"  Yronica yelled, interrupting a frightened Aaaqil, tears pooling under his eyes, "I don't want to hear your stupid voice! It's so grating!" 

Yronica's face was red, and even for her, this reaction was unnatural to Aaaqil. What shocked the nerd was that she  apologised after being shot a glare from Eman.

"Sorry, Aaaqil." Yronica half-heartedly uttered to the unsettled boy, taking her leisure close to Eman. The unpleasant silence shortly followed, the loud echoes of the other students serving to do nothing to break the awkwardness. 

"Anyways, have you guys heard the latest single? It's literally so good!" Taylor cheerfully asked, trying to lighten the mood with her bubbly personality.

"Chaoxing? Eh, I don't really listen to-"

"Chaxoing? Really? Hmm... Actually, I'm not really surprised." Yronica responded harshly, cutting off Eman, much to her distaste, groaning.

"What do you listen to then? You come off as a rock person," Taylor asked, oblivious to the rude tone of the girl.

"How do I come off as a rock person? I don't even listen to music  that  much."

"I just feel like you'd like, I don't know... like, indie rock?"

"Ugh." Yronica abruptly stood from her seat next to Eman. "I'm going to do something else. I'd rather watch paint dry and literally anything else than have to listen to you.

The soft footsteps grew softer as she walked away from the table, the group watching her disappear into the masses navigating the room with their lunch. 

An unpleasant silence returned to stay with the group for much longer than a moment. Another breath escaped Eman's mouth, giving a sincere sigh. "Sorry, but I'm just... going to go. Sorry for ruining your lunch."

"I-It's okay, Eman..." Aaaqil tried to comfort Eman, now getting up to leave. "S-See you tomorrow..."

"See you."

✰

The final bell rang through the school's corridors, followed by the rumbling of students, ushering those in front of them to hurry out of the establishment doors.

The weather was cold out, the biting winds freezing the necks of those who didn't care enough to bring a scarf that day. It was nippy, the breeze chilling yet comfortable enough for a walk. It'd been the kind of weather that put Yronica at ease.

The two girls walked the pavement without conversation shared between each other. The soft breaths accompanying their steps at every non-rhythmic interval were the only sounds than the rustling of leaves and the songs of birds above them.

"Yronica."

"Eman."

A few seconds passed before Eman sighted, prompting Yronica to turn her face away from hers as if hiding something. 
"You know you shouldn't have said that. Come on, Yronica."

"So? It's not like it'll even matter tomorrow." Yronica's view was still directed away from Eman's darker skin and jet-black hair, avoiding her somewhat.

"Ugh! You'll never change, will you! How do you think Aaaqil felt?" Eman had chastised, a calm air in her tone. She acted not like a friend but someone who'd known Yronica for a long time. "Sure, it might've not mattered to him tomorrow, but you do this to him daily. He is trying to be your friend."

"Whatever, I just..." Yronica paused, stirring Eman's curiosity. "Ugh! I don't care, whatever!" 

Eman nearly snapped from that remark until she took in Yronica's face. She stared forward in the direction they were going, but her face was teary. Streaks and lines of her own sadness stained her soft face and her breathing her face.  It was all but emphasised through the rosy hue marked across her cheeks.

"Eman, just... Just..." Yronica shuffled towards Eman, awkwardly wrapping her arm around Eman's, tightening her grip as if looking for closure. 

"Can you tell Aaaqil I... said sorry, I guess," Yronica mumbled, her words softspoken and barely heard by the wallflower. 
"But not Taylor, Taylor is... whatever, so don't think I'm apologising to them."

Eman, not wanting to ruin the moment, stared blankly with her at the path ahead. She didn't feel like smiling, yet she felt warmer being alongside Yronica than she'd ever felt before with anyone else. Time began to melt as they walked together, paying no mind to the passing hours. As dusk settled in, the streets illuminated their path, and the pair stopped in front of the cozy house they'd slept over in together all those times. 

Yronica let go of Eman and stumbled tiredly towards her front door. The wallflower watched her ever footstep as she gripped the doorknob and twisted it open.

"I... Goodnight, Eman..."

Eman smiled, giving back her sincerest reply, "Goodnight, Yronica. Maybe we could sleepover again sometime."

"Mhm... That'd be nice. I can't wait..." Yronica candidly thought aloud before leaving Eman to her thoughts as the door closed.