"A new beginning is a new opportunity"

       The raindrops pound vigorously against my car's roof. Clutching the hem of my red and yellow plaid shirt, I can't stop my lower lip from quivering. I fake a placid expression and turn my eyes to fix at dad- who clears his throat.

 "So, are you planning to make new friends today?" He says half-heartedly.

           Being the polite person I am, I nod and grin. But the truth is I never had any friends, if I did they would always leave me. The car stops abruptly and I find myself staring at my own misery-school. Before opening the car door, dad pats my left shoulder.

"You'll be alright";"I'll be alright." I repeat those three words of encouragement.

       Probably the only three I'll get for today and the rest must be insults. Insults I shouldn't be listening to. As I exit from my car, a strong gust attacks my entire body crawling up into my bare skin. The only thing that I found decent was the smell of the wet petrichor. I start to walk towards the main entrance of the school, but soon I hear nothing but the sound of my own breathing.

        Pulling the entrance door open, a mixture of strong colognes fills my nose. It’s strong enough to be used as a weapon against terrorist groups. Stale-cold eyes glare at me everytime I take a couple steps, but it’s the kind of stare I am used to. Nothing had changed over the summer; I still wear my hair in tacky ponytail and I still act like how everyone treats me: invisible.

         In a world where change is necessary, I'm the only one who doesn't know how to. It's a routine now, once you start a cycle it's difficult to get break out of it. I would've had a lot of friends by now, the kind of friends that you would trust and rely on.

        By now, my heart and mind are probably underneath my shoes because of so much weight. All they'd do is ask you what's wrong but that doesn't mean they'd necessarily understand what you're going through.

          Even worse, I'm afraid that a certain picture will get leaked. All was calm until people start to shove me. Some even go up to me and smack my head. The kind of smack a parent would do if their child has a hard head.

        But I clearly don't have a hard head. 10 minutes before the bell, and I'm already at my homeroom. It's just as I imagined, the average vertical row by row seating arrangement, the smell of chalk lingering in the air, and the memories I try not to remember.

           Sitting at the nearest desk beside a window, I begin to stare at the surface of my desk. Inside me the phrase: 'Make friends' chants in my head. A group of girls enter the classroom. My eyes start to flicker with alarm. Their cake-faces give me a smile, although I don't believe they're being sincere; I smile back.

       After all, they're bullies-at least to me. And I also don't think change can happen in a year. I turn my attention back to the fogged up window. Wiping fog away, I figure that I'd get a better view of the swaying leaves upon the tree branches.

            A palm slams against my shoulder making me jolt, turning around I come face to face with the person with who caused the most misery. The exact girl with eyes tainted with black eye-shadow, a dimple on her left cheek, and the look of intimidation she had always inherited.

       You might think that she's pretty decent, but I've told myself many times not to believe what I see. And it's even absurd that I used to be best friends with her. That was until she made everyone turn against me.

"Hey," She says, but I don't think I can speak to her after all these years.

An unintentional sign escapes me, "Yes?" I say barely audible.

          She takes a chair from the desk behind me, and turns it around so the back of the chair is facing me. She then takes the seat.

"How's your summer?” I pretend I don't hear anything.

Does she have no shame? She left me for 4 years, back-stabbed me, and took the one boy I actually liked away from me. Then, suddenly she goes up to me and asks me 'how's my summer?' At any moment now, if she doesn't leave me alone, I might as well let go of my anger kept inside me for 4 years. I'm not saying it'll be pretty. 

"Please, answer me" She croaks even grabbing my shoulder.

         As I turn around, to my bewilderment, pinpricks of water come streaming down her cheeks. Her face is glowing red with an expression I'd never thought I'd see. But I'll be stupid to believe it.

"Can you please stop the drama?" I say not convinced.

            That only made this situation worse, she stands up and her kneecaps drop to the ground. More tears are streaming down her face, and the lump in my throat tightens. Gasps fill the room as everyone arrives at homeroom, and she's still on her knees-begging.

"Get up, you like pitiful." My voice shakes.

...

               For the past few days, she had been looking for me. Even eating and hanging out with me. She even put her own phone number on mine. I'm not the type of person who will forgive easily, and I'm definitely not the type of person to forget events that might've emotionally scarred me. Sitting on the left side of the bench, she sits to the right.

"Truth or dare?" I ask her,

"Truth." She says grinning.

"Do you really have no shame? You left me for 4 years and came back to me like this. What the are you trying to do? Are you using me?" I say trying to say calm. "Don't you get it? I want to start all over again. I hadn't even realized how much I was hurting you. Why can't you just give me a chance?" Her eyes start to fill.

"Chances are limited in life." I reply coldly.

"Fine, if you don't want to give me a chance I might as well stay like this forever." She argues,

"And since you started this truth and dare thing. You'll regret it." 

 I remain emotionless, it's not like I've never heard that phrase before.

 "You see Jong In, coming out of that car?” I nod my head.

 "I dare you to date him. You can't break up with him. He has to break up with you." I shake my head,

  "And why the would I do what you want?"

 "You have a week to confirm, you are dating him.” 

"If not; you don't want that picture to go out don't you?"

          My fingernails dig into the skin of my palm. I'm an idiot for letting fear control me. But I don't have a choice anymore. It's better to be called shy, and weak than to be called a , or a . She storms stands up and goes walking back toward the school. I'm tired of the same old cycle. I want to scream, I want to rip my hair out, I want to press the barrel of a gun on my forehead and pull the trigger. I want to jump off a building.

I want to die; I just want to die.

Why does it have to be me? Why am I always the victim?

        Blinking rapidly, I know it'll help make the tears disappear in my eyes. I get up and enter the school. Running in the hallways, I spot Jong In carrying a pile of books. Purposely bumping into him, he did drop them. And all of it scatters around the two of us. I bend down to help him.

       His enormous Ray ban glasses fit his face perfectly. The thickness of his lips made his jaw become even more distinctive. And his hair was messy, making him look innocent. As I stare at him, I couldn't help but get flustered. Why did everyone hate this kid? He's purely good-looking. Looking away out of embarrassment, he smiles at me and says

"Thank you."

"Sorry, I'm a klutz." I bow. 

        Waving my hand; Jongin's expression flushes. Another bloated sigh escapes me, forcing someone to fall in love with you is like telling a tomato that it's a potato.

...

    Light burns my pupils, making them squeeze shut. Groaning, my older brother-Joon Myeon- enters my room.

“What are you doing just lying there? Go cook breakfast!" He says nagging.

I pause and think; must be my new neighbor. 

          The visitor was no other than Jong In- how absurd. Rubbing my eyes like a three-year old toddler I assume I'm daydreaming, until my eyes produce a clear vivid image of Jongin- who is sitting on my couch looking -or rather, examining my house. He's lucky that I know how to cook, or he'll have to deal with Joon Myeon's ty ramyeon. The moment Jongin recognizes me; his facial expression is like an owl's.  Clearing his throat he says

"Thank you, and uh, nice to meet you." He smiles timidly. And I return the favour.  

"You're Welcome."

           I smack my brother's head. By the time I was exciting my house, Jong In was already outside waiting for me; well I thought he was.

"Hi." He says to me. I respond with a casual hello. 

  I didn't say anything after that, it's too awkward. Walking to school, he walks right behind me. Kind of like a bodyguard.

"Why are you following me?" I turn around and ask him. Jong In chuckles briefly.

But he says nothing at all. I grab his head and rub my knuckles against his cranium.

"You're really cute" I whisper in his ear.

          I never knew I could flirt like this. I'm not acting like myself. What the is wrong with me? I immediately let go-bewildered with my own actions. And so was Jongin.

"Would you like to date me?" What the am I saying?

         The usual habit of being unaware of my surroundings had always been there for the last four years. To the point where, I don't know where or what class I am in. This time, I've actually notice that Jongin is in every one of my classes. Now, each teacher is making him sit with me because they say that I'm a good 'influence' and that we're both smart so we would probably work together well too. 

        Fate had already decided to play in. If I was ever a good influence, people shouldn't be bulling me right now. Good influences are bold leaders who know their own pathway, not a weak, solemn, anti-social freak who can't express her anger in word form. The last bell rang, and I started to look for Jong In. I couldn't find him.

He disappeared. I search the back of the building and I finally find him.

But I'm not the only one.

*author's note

Hello! I hope you like the first chapter! And yes this is the edited one.

Yeah. I hope this isn't too long for you guys because it used to be really short.

Don't mean to cause bewilderment.

Oh, and I'd like to thank the subscribers who had already read this first chapter, and decided to read the edit one.

I'm sorry if I'm taking your time away from you.

Anyways, Happy Reading ^-^  -oasisgrounds