I peer through the door noticing Mariah and Professor Neuman were talking to each other, both smiling ways more than they usually do.

Mariah has parents but they tend to ignore and treat her like she was younger. I think that's why every time I see her, she always has this blank look. This may be one of the few times I've seen her so...happy. As happy as I was for her, my gut couldn't help but feel that something was wrong. Teacher and student?

Nope. What is wrong with you Brooke? You have been watching too many TV dramas.

'Hey teach!' I shout, making sure I ruin whatever strange thoughts are in my mind and stop them from whatever they are doing.

'H-hey Brooke, may I ask what you are doing here?' Mariah asks me, giving me the vibe that I should leave immediately.

I just decide to ignore it completely.

'I could ask the same about you. It's about the cooking club note, right?'

'Yeah, it is.'

Awkward silence ensues and I start to regret interrupting the two as clearly it must be a normal conversation between a student and teacher; it's just me taking that out of context and blowing it to proportion.

'So, at the end of the day, I'll be announcing who gets the position. So, look forward to that.' Professor Neuman declares probably sick and tired of the awkward silence himself.

'I will be. I should get going. I'll see you when.'

As I walk out of the cooking room many emotions cross my mind. Initially was embarrassed for assuming the worst out of people. The second is regret for even deciding to interrupt the two. I'll just go ahead and clear my mind off many things.

There's a difference between fiction and reality, Brooke.

***

'Have you ever met anyone else who can tolerate your crap?' Eloise asks me out of the blue, her white dyed hair tied into a ponytail.

Ava sat next to her, holding her girlfriend's hand, and working on her lab report. Ava's ginger hair swayed as she bopped her head to the music.

'What do you mean? I have you guys.' I close a tab for online shops and look back at Eloise.

'You know, we're not going to be here forever. Ava and I are heading to Melbourne. I'm pretty sure you said that Mariah is going to a fashion university in Sydney. And you want to go to some fancy, expensive culinary school in France. We're in year 12 now and can no longer be as naive as we used to be.'

'I hate that you are talking as if you're some protagonist of a YA novel.'

'Thanks.' Eloise smirks at me before looking at Ava and playing with her hand.

'I see what you mean though. I'll eventually find someone to marry. In due time. If I rush things, the guy I will eventually meet will pass me. Slow and steady wins the race.'

Eloise looks back at me and sighs adjusting herself on the couch. ' I already worry for your future husband. He has a lot to deal with. Dealing with the entire Brooke package.'

'Complete with an additional smelling kink.' Ava adds taking off her AirPods.

I immediately whack her. 'Don't say that. That is so not true.'

Ava giggles. 'Eloise told me everything. Whose clothes are you smelling weirdo?'

'No one.'

'Not what I heard.' Eloise added straightening herself up.

'You two, should stick to your happy relationship and not interfere with my dating life. Which is currently on hiatus.' I stand up and pose in an authoritative pose. Somehow it felt a lot more awkward than I expected.

'What kind of guy would date you, Brooke.' Eloise spins in her chair.

'I don't know.'