Page 37 of XOXO

“We?” I say.

The door slides open again.

“Jaewoo!” Sori rushes from the window to grab onto Jaewoo’s arm. This seems a little dramatic for her, seeing as how I’ve never heard her use a tone of voice that would include an exclamation point at the end.

Jaewoo looks down at Sori with a quizzical expression, then at Nathaniel, who shrugs. Then his eyes land on me.

As with every time he looks at me, my heart does a somersault in my chest.

“Jaewoo,” Nathaniel says, “you remember Jenny, right? From LA? Plays the cello.”

Jaewoo glances at Nathaniel, then at me. “Why are you taking dance if you’re a cellist?” He starts to take off his large puffer jacket. Like Nathaniel, he’s dressed in stylish sportswear, men’s joggers and a hoodie.

I realize in this moment that I have a thing for guys and sportswear. Jaewoo’s black sweatshirt clings loosely to his shoulders and chest, his sweatpants riding low at his hips.

“Why wouldn’t Jenny take dance?” Nathaniel says, answering for me, and also reminding me of what was asked. “Not everything has to be done for a reason. Sometimes you just do things for the fun of it.”

Jaewoo and Nathaniel exchange a look and I wonder if this is an old argument.

The door slides open for the third time and the rest of the students enter the room, followed by the teacher. She claps herhands. “Everyone move to the sides of the room,” she says without preamble.

The students hesitate, and it’s obvious they’re waiting to see which side of the room Jaewoo and Nathaniel head toward. When they move in opposite directions, there’s this moment where the students realize they’ll have to choose, which is sort of like choosing your favorite member in XOXO.

The students each start heading toward one or the other side of the room, and it seems like an even split, until only Sori and I are left standing. She looks at me, tosses her hair, and moves toward Jaewoo’s side of the room.

And now I’m just standing here alone, like the last person picked for a dodgeball team.

Except I’m the one doing the choosing. I glance over at Jaewoo, who’s watching me with an unreadable expression on his face.

Then I glance at Nathaniel, who beckons me over.

I guess the choice is clear. I should go where I’m wanted. I walk over to Nathaniel who shifts to the side to make room for me.

“For those of you who don’t know me,” the teacher begins, “my name is Ms. Dan. This is an elective class for Year Three. If you are a dance major, you will not receive credit toward your major, understood?”

“Yes,” all the students reply in unison.

“Perfect! Does anyone want to read the class expectations from the syllabus?”

A boy from Jaewoo’s team—I mean, side of the room—volunteers. I listen carefully as he reads aloud from off Ms. Dan’s tablet. For the most part, I’m fine with the lessons, which are broken down into genres of dance, like ballet and jazz. I’m not looking forward to the group project though, where groups of four or five of us will have to a pick a song and choreograph a dance to it.

Luckily, Ms. Dan informs us that choreography won’t start until next week so we spend the rest of class stretching.

“Why are you hanging out with me?” I ask Nathaniel, who’s pretty much only talked to me since the class started. On the other side of the room, Jaewoo is practically holding court like the prince he is, doling out his attention like favors.

Is Nathanielusingme to make Sori jealous? That seems mean-spirited, especially with how much I believe he still cares for her. The way he looked at her when he first entered the room said it all. There must be another reason.

“We’re countrymen,” he says, and I roll my eyes. “I like to practice my English?”

“I don’t buy it.”

“Damn, Jenny. Maybe I like to hang out with you ’cause you don’t take my bullshit.”

I laugh, but I wish he’d just tell me. It can’t be just that I’m American. There are other kids from the US here. I’dliketo think it’s because he just likes me—as a friend—but I don’t know, something about his attention seems pointed.

Yet if it’s not to make Sori jealous then why does he keep singling me out?

“Jaewoo-yah! What are you staring at?”

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