HERSHE - TIAOM

Cannot

Shit! Stupid! Why did I even ask that! Ugh!

Kim is somehow expecting that Pie would say something, maybe stop her or what, but the latter didn't. Instead, Pie moved aside to give way.

"Bye," said Kim, walking away from that area.

"Uh, Kim?"

Kim closed her eyes first, realizing how much she missed hearing Pie call her name. She turned around. "Yes?"

"W-we're cool, right?"

"Y-yeah... why...?"

"I don't know. It just feels like something's off lately," said Pie, bringing her hand to her necklace.

"Off with what?" asked Kim, pretending to have not any idea.

"With us?"

Kim scoffed to herself at Pie's usage of "us".

"Were you avoiding me?" asked Pie.

Kim cleared her throat. "No. W-why would I avoid you?"

"I don't know. It just feels like you've been far away these past few days..."

"I was just busy with tennis stuff and you're busy too, right?"

"Right."

"Nothing to worry about, okay?" said Kim, pulling the strap of her bag over her shoulders, ready to turn away. "I really have to go now."

I don't even want to see him pick you up here.

"Do you have a spare time for a quick coffee?" asked Pie, making Kim halt.

Kim put a hand to her waist as she turns back.

What do you want, Pie? Why are you doing this to me?

She took a deep breath and stared at Pie back for a long while before she nods.

---

They went to the small coffee shop down the office and sat across each other.

"So what's up?" Kim asked after sipping from her coffee.

Pie narrowed her eyes and stared at Kim. "I'm just curious, by any chance, are you mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you?"

Pie shrugged, still waiting for Kim to give her answer.

"I'm not. I told you we're cool, right?" Kim lied, still trying to pretend that she's not affected at all. However, there was a look on Pie that she cannot decipher. Is she worried? Is she troubled?

"Then why are you not wearing your necklace?" came Pie's response.

Kim scratched the tip of her eyebrow after realizing that she's wearing a v-neck shirt, exposing her clear neck and collarbone.

After what happened last week she never wore that necklace again. It just reminds her of the false pretense she had built her hopes up for.

"I-I just left it in my locker yesterday after the practice," said Kim.

"Left it? You have not been wearing it for a week now, Kim," said Pie in a matter-of-fact tone.

Kim groaned inside. "And your point?"

"I just want to know if there something wrong with us."

Kim smiled at Pie's usage of "us" again. "No, we're fine."

"We're fine? But why am I feeling that there is something going on?"

Kim took a deep breath and looked away. "Maybe you're just over thinking."