Hye-jin was rattled.
This was too much for one day. Not only had she sent someone to the infirmary (it was obviously their fault, not hers), but she somehow ended up being put on cleaning duty. She would never have guessed that this was how her first day would be. Her mother would laugh her ass off.
Her mother had told her that morning to try and make some friends. She barely paid attention to her words, though. What was the point? She just wanted to sleep.
Coming to this new school from her old school was just another phase she would have to pass through. She would've even preferred to stay home and take care of her mother, but she'd gotten an earful when she had even tried to suggest it. All she needed to do was graduate, her mother told her. Easy for her to say.
When she had come to school, she was in a terrible mood from being nagged at by her mom that morning and had just wanted to sleep. And she did. It was a nightmare. A beautiful nightmare, one where she was back at the place where she loved most in the world. She had enjoyed that nightmare. Until that noisy witch had to wake her up.
Thinking back on it, she should've thrown it at her mouth. That would've kept her from talking more.
"Do you know who I am?" The fake blonde witch had screeched. Did she have to be so obnoxiously loud?
"You'll pay for this. Do you even know who my father is?" Hye-jin just stared at her, unimpressed. She had seen many like her before. The types who thought their parents' money could protect them forever. How boring.
"How dare you ignore me when I'm talking to you?" She reached her claws forward, trying to grab her, but Hye-jin was faster. She simply stepped aside, and the blond girl crashed into the lockers. A group project then fell from the top and crashed into her.
At least that had shut her up. She wouldn't be seeing that one in a few weeks, which worked out the same, she guessed.
But there was another problem. A big problem. She hadn't realised how popular this girl really was. And having a go at her made everyone start talking about the new girl. The whole reason she had come to this school was to lay low. She couldn't switch schools now, her mother would skin her alive. Seriously. That woman may be small, but she was deadly.
Thinking about everything was such a pain. She was trying so hard not to notice all the stares when she went anywhere at all. Very soon, they would realise who she was. What a disaster.
And it didn't help that her sitting mate was constantly trying to say something and kept chickening out. Her fidgeting and tension made everything so awkward. How irritating. Why wouldn't she just spit it out? She felt the urge to shake it out of her.
Why was she so timid anyway? Hye-jin snuck a glance at her. What was her name again? The annoying people called her Lightpole, but she was sure that wasn't her name. What was it, Ye-na? Ye-rin? Ye-eun? Yes that. She thought it was what she heard the teacher call her..
Her height could easily make her the best at whatever sport she tried. Before she could stop herself, Hye-jin wondered if she'd consider playing volleyball. Guilt immediately flooded through her after. She was supposed to be done with those kinds of thoughts. Volleyball was behind her now. She had to focus on taking care of her mom.
Though it was weird that this tall girl was such a pushover, she let it go. No good could come out of prying.
She was determined to get this day over and done with until the horrible teacher announced that she was on cleaning duty. Luck seriously wasn't on her side today.
The cleaning was uncomfortably awkward, and she wondered whether she should say something. She glanced at the Ye-eun girl behind her and took note of her for the first time. Her face was framed with messy, long, unkempt auburn hair and green eyes. Her uniform was too big on her and hung off her awkwardly. Hye-jin was about to say something about it, but decided against it when she looked at her face. She looked even more uncomfortable. Maybe she was scared of Hye-jin. She guessed she was reasonable to fear getting close to someone who had assaulted someone on her first day.
"U-Uhh, thank you for this morning." She was so deep in thought, those words made her jump out of her skin.
Hearing her thank her for that morning startled Hye-jin. She hadn't even done it with her in mind, but then she realised she was probably the one they were beating on. Rage filled her. Who do they think they are to do such a thing? And why didn't this tall girl stand up for herself? She could easily scare them off with her height.
She sighed and let it go. No use in this, she just needed to get this done and over with and return home.
She ended the conversation, and they returned to the awkward silence. But then the worst thing happened.
Jae-Hwa barged into her life once again.
After the incident, they had lost contact, and it had been a while since she had last seen him. But the boy was just as she remembered. His long black hair was tied back into a half-up half half-down hairstyle, unable to keep wisps of stray hair from framing his features. His Midnight blue eyes search the room, and when they land on her, his lips immediately curve up into his familiar evil grin.
"Hye-jin!" Her name in his mouth made Hye-jin shiver in contempt and subconsciously take a step back.
Hye-jin was so over this. If she could just jump out the window and onto a tree, she could run out without having to talk to this guy. The only thing stopping her was her injury. She didn't want to get it worked up again. The slightest mistake and it could be fatal.
She squared her shoulders and decided to face the boy. She won't back down. Not today.