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DARA

“You’re sure Jae knows you’re leaving?” Dad asked for the nth time. He took me to the airport when I said I am spending Christmas with Mom afterall.

“Yep.”

“You’re sure? Because he called and told me you were spending thanksgiving with him and his Mom said I should come by after my shift.”

“It’s fine dad. We talked about it besides it was a last-minute thing.”

“Okay kiddo, so I guess I’ll see you Sunday at six right?”

“Right dad.”

I kissed his cheek quickly and exited the car.

Sitting on the plane, I was afraid Jaejoong was gonna come strolling down the aisle to drag me off. I kept looking around every other second, my heart beating wildly in my chest.

We took off twenty minutes later without incident but I was still nervous as though. Now I’d done it, there was no turning back I’d made my decision.

I might have feelings for him, but I’m not his child. I’ve been taking care of myself for too long for someone to come along and rule me now.

I’d seen him the last couple of days and never once let on that I was going to pull a fast one. In fact, last night he slept in my bed before climbing through my window this morning to go home.

This is probably a ed up thing to do, but it’s all his fault.

───

Mom’s driver was there to pick me up at the other end. I have no idea if Jae knew where exactly Mom lived but the way he seemed to just know things, I wouldn’t be surprised.

I’d turned off my phone and planned to leave it that way. Teach his a lesson.

Mom was her usual annoying self. She had a houseful of guests which is why she needed her little puppy, that's me, to trot out to impress the masses.

“Oh Sandara you’re here.” She hugged me with her air kisses bull. Fake !

“I’m checking my account as soon as I get upstairs. The money had better be there, or I’ll walk.” I whispered that in her ear with a smile of my own as she hugged me. That put a damper on her megawatt smile.

She introduced me to her jet setter buddies. Her husband was cordial as usual and I was already missing a certain someone.

I checked my phone because I couldn’t help myself any longer. Hmm, no missed calls from Jae, five from Shinhye though. I smiled and put the phone away again. I’ll call her later. If he was using her to get to me, let him sweat a little. It’ll do him good, bring him down a notch or two.

As promised I checked my account online and saw that Mom had deposited the two grand into my account. Good. New Year is almost here that will come in handy. Every time she wanted to trick me oit, the price was going to go up. All actresses deserved to be paid for their work after all.

───

I spent the next few days including Christams playing the dutiful daughter and be the fact that I didn’t ask for more money. This chick was off her nut.

There were times I thought I would just lose it and rip her a new one especially when she tried to play the devoted mother. She was so bad at it she always overdid things.

There was lots of eye rolling and please grumbles that’s for sure.

By Sunday I was ready to pull my hair out. Thank God her guests had left the night before and I could breathe again.

It was almost time to leave for the airport anyway.

“Why are you such an ungrateful ?”

“Excuse me don’t you know how to knock? And what the hell are you talking about anyway?”

“I’m talking about you moping around here like a lost ing puppy. You made me look bad in front of my friends.”

“Friends, huh? Did you know that at least two of your friends are screwing your husband?”

“That’s just not true! How dare you?”

“Listen Kathy, this little farce is almost over so you can kill the act already. Your current husband already knows I can’t stand your . He’s the oonly person in this house aside from us so kindly get the out of my room.”

“How dare you speak to me in such a fashion?”

“I dare because you’re a selfish who only remembers she has a daughter when she wants to use her for her own ed up purposes. I ing hate you.”I was screaming and close to tears by the time I was done.

Okay, I’ve had it out with the monster mom before but I never really told her I hated her.

I knew this anger and frustration was coming from another place. I’ve long been over Mom and her bull.

The reason I was so out of sorts was because I hadn’t heard from Jaejoong in five whole days. When I tried to return Shinhye’s calls, all ten times, they had gone straight to voicemail soo no, I was in no mood to deal with Kathy’s bull.

We pretty much left things as they were since her husband already came back from his golf game or whatever and she needed to save face.

───

On the flight home I was on pins and needles. I didn’t breathe easily until I saw Dad waiting for me. I remembered that he’d said something about Jae's mom inviting him to Thanksgiving dinner, maybe he had information.

I’d resisted calling my father because I didn’t want him to know I’d lied.

I have no idea if crazy boy had said anything to him.

In the car he didn’t say anything and I didn’t quite know how to broach the subject. Finally I could take it no longer so I took the plunge.

“So how was your Thanksgiving?”

“Oh it was okay I guess, except......”

“Except what?” My heart started beating really fast waiting for him to say something about Jae that would help me understand why I haven’t heard from him or why Shinhye seemed to be avoiding my calls.

“We’ve had a series of attacks in the last few days out of nowhere. The profiler thinks the perpetrator has escalated his attacks. I’s not the first time he’s done this but he seems to have gone off the rails maybe because of the holidays or something happened to trigger it. Either way I need you to be careful. Some of the attacks were local, some in Busan, there was even one out at the Beach so please be careful. Try not to go anywhere alone after dark. I know I don’t have to worry since you’re always with Jaejoong anyway but still, be on the lookout and tell your little girlfriends at school as well.”

“So I guess you didn’t have much of a Thanksgiving dinner then huh.”

“Nope, had to work late, I missed you though kiddo.”

“Thanks dad, missed you too.”

I felt really sad and alone all of a sudden.

───

When we got home I sent Shinhye one last text but again there was no reply. I was almost tempted to go to their house.I had a really bad feeling about this, like the kind of feeling when you’ve made a life altering decision that wasn’t necessarily the best one for you.

That night I tossed and turned miserably, I must’ve gotten five hours of sleep total. In the morning my stomach hurts from anxiety.

I waited for him to show up at his usual time to take me to school but somehow I knew he wouldn’t be here.

“Dara, is everything okay? Where’s Joshua this morning? I missed my morning entertainment.”

“I don’t know, dad. Maybe he’s sick or something.”

“Well didn’t you talk to him when you got home last night? I’m surprised the boy wasn’t camped out on my couch waiting for you.” He grinned as he came down the stairs.

All of this just made me feel worse. What the hell was going on?

“I need a ride dad. I haven’t driven the truck in so long I’m not sure it’ll even start.”

“Not to worry kiddo, I’ll give you a ride and have someone look at your truck in the meantime. You need me to pick you up or have someone come get you?”

“I’ll call you if I do.”

In the school parking lot, seeing Jaejoong and Shinhye's cars were like a death knell. I hoped dad didn’t notice and start asking embarrassing questions.

In the halls the kids were their usual noisy selves, no one said anything to me, there was no pointing and whispering behind their hand.

I was shocked when Jae was absent from biology first period though.

That feeling in the pit of my stomach just kept getting worse as the morning wore on.

By lunch period I think I got the message, but not as loudly as when I entered the cafeteria and found the Kims Joongki, Shinhye and Jaejoong at the usual table but my chair was missing somehow. In fact the chair was there but it was stacked with their stuff. Jessica is also with them, her face  mocking right at me.

People were starting to look and the whispers began as I stood there with my tray in hand.

There were some snickers and giggles and Jessie gave me a smirk and the finger. Joongki said something to her and she frowned and turned away.

I swallowed the bile that was beginning to rise in my throat as I made my way to a table in the corner where no one sat.

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