Free DRAWN by Marian Tee

sure you’re okay seeing that?” she asks, but I can see half her mind’s already stolen by basketball.
              I nod very firmly. “Yes, so go!”
              When she’s gone, I text Yuki back: No, just meet me across the diner.
              Yuki comes out of the school clinic, typing on his phone and wearing a frown that tells me he’s going to arguing the matter.
              Senpai, you do know we’ve got a storm coming, right? How can you even think of walking in this weather?
              While debating with myself about the merits of typing “ with an umbrella? ” as my answer, I absently watch Amelia block Yuki’s way like a bulldozer with a purpose. A couple of cheerleaders are at her tail, and they giggle as Amelia dramatically places a hand on her forehead and moan.
              You have got to be kidding me.
    While typing a more responsible reply to Yuki – Be reasonable. They’re going to follow you around. They’ll see you drive me. - I shake my head, a bit taken aback at the lengths she’s taking to snag him.
              “I’m feeling so…hot…and feverish…”
              This is seriously not happening, is it?
              She bends back halfway. “Oh, I feel faint.” Then she starts to fall, inch by inch so Yuki has enough time to get her before she really ends up cracking her head on the floor.
              Yuki, his face inscrutable, reaches toward Amelia just as his phone beeps. Yuki stops in his track and reaches for his phone instead.
              Amelia gawks.
              One of her cheerleading slaves tries to approach her, but Amelia waves her away furiously.
              Yuki is still typing. Since he’s used to typing in Japanese, he’s slower than the average texter when he’s typing his message in English. And he doesn’t do shortcuts, too. When I messaged him with LOL one time, he actually had to Google it.
              “I don’t think I can hold on any longer!” she says loudly.
              I bite my lip very hard because I don’t think she really can, not when her body’s almost forming an inverted U and her head just a foot away from the ground. Still, I have to say I’m impressed with how limber she is. Someone who can twist her body like a pretzel definitely deserves to be Head Cheerleader.
              My phone beeps. Fine – but not as far as the diner. Just wait for me at the bus stop at Thomson Street.
              Fair enough , I text back just as Yuki returns his phone to pocket and gape at Amelia’s twisted form.
              “Help?” she squeaks out. I think she’s really broken her back this time.
              Over an hour later, Yuki’s car slides to a stop in front of me, the window of the passenger side already rolled down.
              “Don’t bother coming out,” I yell over the rain as I dive into the car, dripping wet. The weather seems to have upgraded to a Category 4 since I walked out of school just ten minutes ago.
    “I feel like I’m going to have re-think our situation, senpai ,” Yuki says, frowning from the driver’s seat as I shake my hair dry.           
    In the act of placing my umbrella on the floor, my head jerks up at his words, hitting his dashboard compartment from below. “Owww.”
              Yuki’s eyes are wide in alarm. “Are you okay, senpai ?”
              “I’m fine,” I say, rubbing the sore spot on my head gingerly. Bloody hell. I hate how I frequently turn into a klutz around this guy.
              Yuki gently pushes my hand away and starts rubbing the sore spot even as he shifts gears and get the car to move. “I’d rather I drive you to school and wherever we go, senpai . You’re going to get sick if you have to constantly wait for me in the rain---”
               “It’s okay, Yuki. If this