Lilith's POV:
The first thing I did in the morning was to check if Hui Jie was back. I bit the inside of my cheek as I noticed her slumped on the floor, her back slouched against the side of the bed, her head lolled to the back. I sighed.
I glanced at my phone habitually. 9 a.m. Heaving myself off the bed, I shook Hui Jie awake.
"Hey, you alright?" I whispered, "where did you even go last night?"
She blinked drowsily before turning to me.
"None of your business," she stated cooly.
After that, she picked up her towel and left for the bathroom without another word.
Was she still mad at me? I paced the room, my head in a whirl. What did I do? I thought about what she said yesterday. Oh...that's right, she called me a coward for "not sticking up for her". I rolled my eyes. I would just explain everything to her, then everything would go back to normal, right?
Minutes later, I heard the bathroom door click open. Jumping to my feet, I strode toward her.
"About yesterday, I—" I began.
Hui Jie groaned. Wordlessly, she swung her bag over her shoulders and was out the door before I could continue what I was about to say.
I stood rooted to the ground. Had I done something wrong? Now I could not help but think again. What if I had hurt her?
A sharp ring pierced through my thoughts. Checking my phone, I scanned through the message: Good morning class! Today is the last day of our trip before we return home tomorrow! As such, the planning committee and I have decided that today, we would be doing something fun! We would be attending a cooking workshop, where you would be working with each of your assigned partners to make a classic Thai dish. Please bring along some tissues, hair ties (if needed), and all personal belongings. Assemble at the lobby by 12 p.m.
I flung myself face-down onto the bed. How could I be hyped up for today's activities if I was being ignored by my partner? I screamed into the pillow, releasing all my pent-up frustration.
After packing my belongings, I headed down to the lobby. Immediately, I spotted Hui Jie sitting on a bench in the corner away from the crowd, reading with her headphones plugged in. I tentatively walked toward her and sat down beside her.
Before I could speak, she sat up and walked away, disappearing into the crowd. I bit back the urge to run after her, grab her by the shoulders, and shake her until her head starts flopping around. Taking a deep breath, I waited for the bus to arrive alone. When it arrived, I rushed forward to join Hui Jie in boarding so I could sit next to her.
She shoved me aside and placed her bag on the seat beside her, glaring at me before refocusing on her phone.
"What's with the silent treatment? Come on, talk to me!" I urged.
"Could you move? You're clogging up the walkway!" someone yelled from behind.
Sighing, I moved to the end of the bus and flopped down like a deflated balloon.
