Chapter 6
Quicksand
Jaekyung couldn't focus on her classwork what with the constant look she received from Joonmyun in the front. Nonetheless, she bided her position until it came time for lunch.
"Kyungsoo oppa," she said.
"Ne?" her brother answered.
"Hurry up. I'm hungry."
"Go on ahead; Jongin, Chanyeol, and I have to stay behind to talk with Kim Seonsaengnim."
"Ah, ne." Jaekyung began on the trek towards the cafeteria without her three main friends. She did have a few other acquaintances, she just refused to talk to them.
Jaekyung was just reminiscing in her few fond memories when suddenly she felt two arms shove her into a locker. The combination dial stabbed her right shoulder, making her flinch in pain and sink down to the marble tiles.
The high-pitched female voice spoke. "Oh, well look what the diseased cat dragged in." Her two other posse members laughed along with her while Jaekyung lied in pain.
She attempted to call out for her brother when the lead girl kicked her in the stomach. "This is what you get, you little druggie. You think Jongin oppa will ever like someone who does things like you?! Stupid!"
Another kick.
Jaekyung coughed up a few drops of blood. "Chaerin... why.." she gasped out, "you.... we were friends..!"
Chaerin's eyes flashed with guilt for a millisecond's time before reverting back to be cold. "That was then, Jaekyungie. That was then."
Chaerin ordered one of her friends to stand Jaekyung up before she swung her arm out to punch her in the face. "Now, quit hanging out with Oppa if you know what's good for you-"
Everything seemed to happen in triple slow-motion as a large hand suddenly blocked Jaekyung's view and stopped Chaerin's hand in mid-air.
The owner of the hand growled in anger, "Lee Chaerin, gather all your and take it somewhere else, okay? Do not come near my Jaekyung ever again." Jaekyung's eyes widened.
"Jongin..?" Her eyes pooled over with tears. Jongin used his free arm to wrap his body around hers. He dropped Chaerin's hand as she scurried off somewhere else.
Jongin turned Jaekyung around to see that she was doubled over in intense pain. Her nose and mouth were both bleeding. "Oh my God, what did she do to you?"
"She.. she kicked... me." Jongin now understood why she was hunched over.
"Jaekyung... oh, my Jaekyungie," He hugged her body closer to his, "Jaekyung... I'm so sorry I didn't come on time. I shouldn't have told Kyungsoo to stay behind. It's all my fault. It's all my fault."
Jaekyung reached up with one of her shaking hands to touch his face and smiled weakly. "Thank you. It's not your fault. It's all okay now, Jongin oppa. I think.. I think I can walk now." She removed his hands from her waist and stood upright with a wince. Jongin tried to replace them on her body in worry, but she shook her head gently and slowly limped in the other direction.
He sighed.
I'm still waiting, Jaekyung. I bet you would've been so much happier if it was Baekhyun who saved you, right?
--
"Omo! Jaekyung, what happened?!" Chanyeol yelled.
"Oh, nothing, don't worry! Jongin oppa was there to help." She smiled towards Jongin. He smiled back.
"Who did this to you?" Kyungsoo's eyes were hard.
"Ah- ah.. Lee Chaerin.. but it's okay, really! I'm fine.." Jaekyung continued to reassure the three worried boys as she smiled. In truth, she was the opposite of okay.
Chaerin was the only other person who walked on this Earth who knew about her addiction. Now, Jaekyung wasn't even sure of how many people knew, of how many people would discriminate her. Everything just felt like a colossal weight dampening her life.
Jaekyung didn't utter another word to anyone for the rest of the school day.
--
The boys were all once again at debate. Jaekyung took advantage of this isolation and walked with her damaged gait over to the kitchen. She walked past the refrigerator straight towards one of the drawers. From the topmost drawer, she produced a small sharp knife. Holding it to her slim wrist, she jerked it downwards once. A second time, a third time, a fourth time, an eleventh time, until she felt satisfied.
Life was just one big canvas- one big blank artist's canvas, Jaekyung thought, and every splay of crimson she left on the counter simply served to complete the painting. She watched on in passive interest as the warm blood oozed out of the cuts.
"Such a pretty shade of red paint."
--
Lol, yes I know that escalated quickly. I'M SORRY IDK HOW TO DEVELOP A PLOT LINE
~carelesswhispers
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