1 year later: Senior Year

“Sehun!”

Sehun turned around to find red hair in his vision.

“Hey Ellie, what’s up,” he smiled at her

“Welcome to JFK High. I bet it’s very different from your other school,”

“It’s a little different. I guess you heard the news,” he smiled at her

“What? That you made the football; I’m a cheerleader; of course I heard the news,” they laughed until someone accidently bumped into him

“Sorry,” it was more like a whisper but it caught Sehun’s attention

“It’s ok,” he looked at the petite female and gulped. He looked at Ellie who gave him a sympathetic look, “Who is that?”

“Aileen Banks. She transferred here in the middle of last year,”

“I’m assuming you know her story since you know everybody,” he smiled at his friend as she chuckled

“I know some kids that go to school she used to go to. Last year her best friend committed suicide,”

“Omg,” Sehun’s heart clutched

“Yea they were like sisters from what I hear. Her friend didn’t leave a note or anything. They found her at school in the greenhouse with a hose tied around her neck. It was pretty gruesome. My cousin Sara and her boyfriend found her. Ever since she’s been here she keeps to herself. Sometimes I catch her humming or writing something but some of the kids are pretty cruel to her. She doesn’t have any friends but I always make an effort. I can’t image what she’s going through and I know some people say that she should get over it because it’s been a year but no one can put a time on that; getting over someone you loved that much; it’s a hard thing to do. And then you have these what ifs in your head constantly. I don’t know. I don’t think the pain would be any different if someone died of causes out of their control but to have someone die because they killed themselves; I don’t know the pain would feel worst to me,”

“Yea you’re right; well then it’s our duty to befriend her,”

“You’re so sweet,”

Aileen did her normal routine. She avoided contact with any human being and she liked it that way; that way she couldn’t get close to anyone; that way she couldn’t get hurt. Losing Demi tore her soul to pieces and she has never recovered.

FLASHBACK

“Hey silly head! What are you doing?” Demi cam barging in Aileen’s room

“Don’t you ever knock?” Aileen smiled as she sat up on her bed

“No it’s my home too. Plus your mom let me in,”

“I’m studying,”

“So are you going to do it for me,” Aileen just stared at her and Demi rolled her eyes, “The lyric corner in the paper, editor,”

“You got something good?” she smiled

“I’ve been working on something. It’s for you actually. You’re my nightingale,”

“Aw,”

“You’ve always been there for me even in times of trouble,” she suddenly looked sad

“How are you holding up?”

“It’s hard. My parents have been together all my life but to hear so suddenly that he cheated and she’s getting a divorce. It hurts so much, you know,”

“No I don’t but I know what it’s like to hurt, not to the extent of your hurt though,”

“The woman is pregnant. I found that out today and she’s like 14 years younger than Dad,”

“I’m so sorry,”

“I don’t want to be a big sister. I’m too old to be a big sister,”

“Yeah,”

“But babies are a blessing no matter how they come into this world,”

“You’re always looking on the up and up. Can I hear that song?”

“I only have the first verse and chorus, ok?”

“That’s fine,”

I can't sleep tonight, wide awake and so confused

 Everything's in line, but I am bruised

 I need a voice to echo, I need a light to take me home

 I kinda need a hero, is it you?

 I never see the forest for the trees, I could really use your melody

 Baby I'm a little blind, I think it's time for you to find me

 Can you be my Nightingale, sing to me I know you're there. You could be my sanity, bring me peace, sing me to sleep.

 Say you'll be my Nightingale

END OF FLASHBACK

Demi’s voice echoed in Aileen’s head. She missed her so much. Why did she kill herself? She said Aileen was her nightingale. Why didn’t she think Aileen would be there for her? Why did Demi leave her?

“Are you ok?” she heard a deep voice and looked up to find a rather attractive Asian boy staring at her with a worried expression. He was holding a tissue. She didn’t even realize she was crying. She quickly wiped her eyes and looked down at her desk. Sehun sighed as he put the tissue back in his pocket, “I’m Sehun,”

Aileen didn’t say anything. She was hoping he would get the picture that she didn’t want to talk, “You’re Aileen,” she looked up at him

“How do you know my name?”

“I asked someone,” he smiled at her but she frowned, “I’m a Senior,” she nodded her head, “I…”

“Look let me make this easy for you. I don’t want any friends. I don’t need any friends. I just want to get through this year alone and drama free. So quit while you’re ahead, ok?”

“Everyone wants friends. Come on, am I that bad?”

“Yes because even though everyone wants friends or has them somehow, somewhere they disappoint you along the way. They hurt you and then you never feel the same again. So please leave me alone,”

Sehun looked at Ellie who heard the whole exchange. He felt terrible. This poor girl had cut herself off from the entire world. She was invisible and she actually liked it that. But it made him more determined to get to know her. He wasn’t giving up.

“I’m not giving up on you Aileen,” she decided to ignore him

Next in her routine was lunch. She hated lunch. She usually got her food and then found the nearest bathroom. Only today she became a target of bullying.

“Hey loser,” a girl by the name of Carrie tried to get her attention but Aileen chose to ignore her, “I know you hear me,” she got in front of Aileen, “I saw you talking to Sehun this morning. Stay away from him. He’s mine,” Aileen didn’t say anything and she didn’t acknowledge Carrie either, “So you’re not going to talk. I’m not surprised. You haven’t said anything all year…”

“So can we move this along? I have somewhere to be?”

“It’s not like you have any friends. The only friend you ever had killed herself,” the tears came, “Gee I wonder why she did that, oh maybe because you’re a loser,” the girl laughed as Aileen, “Omg she’s crying,” Carrie shoved her. By now everyone was looking at them but no one stepped in, “Stay away from Sehun. Do you understand me?”

“I don’t want him anyways,” she blinked away her tears and shoved past Carrie. She ran out of the cafeteria.

“Aileen wait up!” yelled Sehun with a smile

“Stay the hell away from me,” she looked him dead in the face, “Like I said I want a drama free year and your stupid girlfriend embarrassed me,”

“I don’t have a girlfriend,”

“Carrie isn’t your girlfriend?”

“Hell no. Who told you that?”

“She did. She told me to stay away from you,”

“Don’t believe a word that girl says. She’s a liar. What else did she say?” he was worried

“Stop doing that?”

“Doing what?”

“Feeling sorry for me. I don’t need any friends so just go away,” she tried to walk from him but he grabbed her wrist

“Ouch,” she yanked her arm away and he frowned

“Are you ok?” he gently grabbed her wrist and looked at it. He shocked of what he found, “Omg, why are you doing this?”

“Why do you care?”

“I don’t know. I’m invested now. You made me invested,”

“Well what I do is none of your business,”

“You’re hurting yourself. Look I don’t know what it’s like to lose someone like you lost your friend but I know how to be a good friend. You know someone you can talk to. Someone you can laugh with. Someone you can learn to care for. Let me be that kind of friend,” he didn't seem like he was joking around but she barely knew the guy. What was his hidden agenda? The more Aileen looked at Sehun; it seemed he didn't have a hidden agenda.

“You seem sincere,”

“That’s because I am,” she thought for a moment, “Oh and you have to meet Ellie. She’s really nice,”

“I don’t know. I’m used to being alone,”

“Just try it. And if you don’t like us within a week, you can dump us,” he chuckled

FLASHBACK

“Just try it. And if you don’t like it within a week you can dump the class,”

“Demi I can’t sing,”

“Yes you can. I’ve heard you before. You sing beautifully; like my nightingale,” she giggled

“What is with you and this whole nightingale thing? Have you finished the song?”

“I’ve been a little busy,” she suddenly went off into her own world

“Earth to Demi?” Aileen chuckled at her friend

“Sorry,”

“Alright I’ll try; within a week right,”

“Within a week,” they laughed as they went into the room

END OF FLASHBACK

“Alright I’ll try. Within a week, right?”

“Within a week,” he smiled at her