The pain that had settled in my lower abdomen was excruciating. My father remained high on the drugs he had taken hours before. He kicked me in the stomach harshly once again; I doubled over in pain and let myself fall shakily to the ground while gasping for air like a fish out of water. Then the world went black.

When I awoke with a flutter of my eyes I noted that I was still on the cold tile floor. I became aware that there was a dull ache in my stomach and chest area as I stood with shaky knees and clutched my aching stomach and dragged myself to my shabby room. I checked the time with my slow ticking watch and saw that it was already 8:52 am on a Monday which meant that I was late. I considered not going but that meant that I would have to face my father which was something I would definitely not want to do.

I dressed in my wrinkly uniform and searched in the kitchen for breakfast but of course there was no food. I left for school with a growling stomach. As I was walking someone rode past on a navy blue bicycle. It happened to be Yixing, my eyes followed him on his bicycle till he disappeared. I continued walking with a ghost of a smile on my lips. When I arrived at school my back was aching so much that it had made me hunch over slightly.

The hallways were empty because class had already commenced. I enjoyed the silence it made me feel undisturbed for a moment I would be able to pretend that I didn’t have such a unpleasant life. I walked the halls and stopped at my locker, it opened with a quiet creak. I pulled out the books I would need for the current lesson I was supposed to be in and carried them in my weak arms.

I reached my class and in a breath preparing myself for the stares of my classmates who I barely knew. I opened the door and stepped inside.

“Finally decided to show up did you Minyoung?” The teacher drawled in a slightly annoyed tone.

The teacher’s words passed over my head, and I slowly walked to my seat as the ache in my torso strengthened. As I settled in my seat a feeling of discomfort washed over me; I glanced around the class and when I did my eyes happened to meet Yixing’s. He was looking at me curiously but then turned away when he noticed my stare. My eyes paid attention to every single detail of him, because I was sitting to the left of him I was able to peek at him once in a while. His hair was a blonde that none of the other boys in this school could pull off, his uniform looked pristine but what didn’t was that he had heavy eye bags under his eyes and he yawned from time to time.

The teacher announced that we were having a quiz that I was not prepared for; for I was busy all weekend being beaten and trying to cope with my illness. The paper was handed to everyone in the class; they immedisately started filling out the sheet while I sat there staring at it. 

The questions puzzled me. I glanced up from my work hoping that a plausible answer would pop up and my eyes hooked onto Yixing. He was filling out his sheet quickly and all that could be heard was the sound of pens on paper. Watching him work was so fascinating, he was one of the smartest in the whole school. The way his dark hair got in his eyes as he hunched over the table with a determined look in his eyes.

He finished his quiz with a sigh and ran his long slender fingers through his hair. He glanced about the class with innocent eyes as his eyes passed me I looked down to avoid his eyes.

The rest of the day consisted of me watching him… my love from afar and being constantly called upon to answer questions that I didn’t know the answer to. Every time I walked the halls people would stare and whisper about me. I’m not sure why they do that, I know I’m not as pretty or not as popular but what gives them the right to talk about someone they don’t even know?

The school day had finally ended and I was heading up to the rooftop like I usually do. I had my head down so no one would see me cringing in pain from the headache I had. My footsteps slowed as the headache intensified I leaned against the wall not able to continue when a voice, a male voice said something it sounded like “Are you all right?”

I focused my eyes on the male in front of me and my eyes widened to see that it was my one and only… Yixing. He was staring at me with concern in his eyes I was frozen I couldn’t speak; if I tried I’d choke up and make a fool out of myself. The Zhang Yixing spoke, to me. I finally choked out the words “I’m fine.”

I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment and prepared myself to walk up the steps leading up to the rooftop that I was nearing. I opened my eyes and Yixing was still there mouth open as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t get it out. I let my ey