When Monday morning rolled around, Kibum was a nervous wreck.

As the sun began to peek through the curtains in the living room, Kibum closed his eyes and pursed his lips into a straight line as he breathed slowly through his nose in attempt to calm his nerves. He knew that he was being foolish, that it was only school and it might not turn out as bad as he imagined it would, but after months of neglect and being publically shunned, Kibum just couldn’t bring himself to see the bright side of returning to school; if there even was a bright side at all.

Well, this way I’ll be able to see Tiffany every day. At least, in the mornings if she decides to walk to school together. Which I know she’ll stop doing it after a week. So I’ll see her maybe…for three seconds of the day. Yeah. There is no bright side, he thought glumly, opening his eyes and sighing softly as he rested his head on the back of the couch.

Tiffany had promised yesterday that she would be here bright and early so they could walk to school together, just to ensure that he didn’t skive off again. Kibum knew that it wouldn’t last long though, because she had a record for being notoriously late for school almost every day.

But just as promised, there was a quick knock on the front door before it flung open and slammed closed. Just a few seconds later and she appeared in the doorway to the living room, school books in hand and an aggravated look on her face as she marched over to Kibum, who looked up at her curiously.

“Officer is in the driveway waiting to take you to school. We should go out the back door and walk through the park, and he can sit there all day for all I ca – oh my gosh. Kibum. You are not wearing that to school,” She said, her eyes growing wide when she took in Kibum’s appearance.

It wasn’t like he was dressed in all black with skulls everywhere or anything, because he’d never owned any clothes like that in the first place. He was wearing the same clothes he’d had four months ago, still very much in style and good looking. The only thing different was the fact that he was wearing one of his black hoodies.

In the middle of July.

“I am and it’s not any of your business. Can we go now and get this over with?” Kibum snapped exasperatedly as he stood up from the couch, leaning over to grab his own textbooks off the coffee table. His teachers had send them home to him with all the assignments he’d missed. He was all caught up and ready to go; it wasn’t like he sat around doing nothing for the past few months.

But as he tried to push past Tiffany to the front door, she grabbed the back of his jacket and yanked him to a halt.

“Look, I get that wearing it probably makes you feel safe and secure; it’s a comfort thing, right? Not to mention, it hides the scars on your wrists and you’re scared that if anyone sees them they will start harassing you, and all you want is to be invisible, right? Yeah, I pay attention in psychology class,” Tiffany lectured him, much to his annoyance. “But forget that. It’s freaking eighty-two degrees outside, Kibum, and you know damn well they don’t turn the air conditioning at school lower than seventy-five. You’re going to overheat and get sick.”

She gave him such a look that resembled a mother, and Kibum merely rolled his eyes at her.

“Whatever. I’m cold, okay? That tends to happen when you don’t eat, you’re body doesn’t have enough energy to keep warm,” He informed her, giving off an annoyed look as they walked towards the front door together.

“Kibum, I just gave you food like…a week ago?” Tiffany replied exasperatedly as he held open the door for her to step onto the front porch.

“Yeah, and you know there’s no electricity here, meaning no fridge. It’s eighty-two degrees outside, Tiffany,” Kibum remarked snidely, stomping down the steps. Tiffany scoffed angrily as she marched after him.

“God, y much? Go change your tampon,” She snapped as they came to a stop in front of the police cruiser. The conversation ceased as the passenger side window rolled down and Officer Choi leaned over casually.

“You two love birds ready to go now?” He asked, sipping his cup of coffee to go. The only confirmation he received from the two teens were death glares and silent wishes that he’d just get run over by a train or something terrible so his existence would be gone.

“Look, Tiffany. Just walk by yourself today, okay? We can walk together tomorrow,” Kibum said, opening the back door. But Tiffany threw her hand out, preventing him from opening it any furth