-Daehyun POV-

"HONEY!" I heard mom scream from the kitchen. "HURRY UP AND GET YOUR DOWN HERE FOR BREAKFAST!" I felt a chill of fear run through me, imagining what kind of monster my mom made for breakfast today.

It's been almost a week since we moved to this new city. My parents got a divorce and I chose to stay with my mom. At least that is what I tell myself, ignoring the fact that my dad made no effort to convince me to stay with him. My parents were once a very lovey dovey couple until my dad got promoted. Work consumed him and he was never the same after the first day. My mom couldn't take it anymore and filed for divorce. What hurt the most for my mom was when he didn't even argue and just agreed before returning to work. That was when I knew I wouldn't be happy living with my dad. Even though I had to move away from where I was born, it didn't bother me. I didn't have much of a life there anyways being with fake people all day.

As soon as I sat down, I wanted to throw up. I chuckled. My mom was sure something. How could she make french toast and egg look like it's gone through the desert and then the rainforest and lastly the pan?

"Come on dig in! It doesn't taste good cold" She said, completely oblivious to the monster she created. I watched as she ate the monster. She didn't look dead so I gathered the courage to let the monster into my body. As soon as my mouth closed, I regretted that decision greatly. I was about to throw it back up when my mom asked how it was with a great big smile. I couldn't bring myself to hurt the smile and so I told her it was pretty good but to lay off the salt a bit next time. She nodded and went to the kitchen to get seconds. I took the chance to spit it out and run out of the dining room. I hurriedly gathered my wallet and phone before running down to the kitchen. Mom was still scooping some monster. I told her I was going out to explore on this beautiful Saturday before kissing her on the cheek and running off.

As soon as I stepped out, I was greeted by sunshine which I gladly accepted. I decided to head into the city and find somewhere to eat. I checked the time and realized the next bus was coming in 10 minutes. I ran towards the closer bus stop, just making it. As I waited in line to get on, I noticed the girl. The girl who wasn't like the others. What was her name again? I thought long and hard. It had something to do with a bird I remembered... I was interrupted when the bus driver yelled at me to hurry on up. I apologized and got on. I saw her sitting on a window seat, looking out. I'm guessing she didn't know I was there. I quietly walked past her and took the seat two rows behind hers.

Throughout the bus ride, she didn't look away from the window even once. Just like the first time I saw her, she had her hair block her face. For some reason, I enjoyed watching her even though she literally didn't move a bit. I was mesmerized.

"81 Herter Street" The bus notified everyone. I saw her get up and move towards the exit. Without thinking, I followed her getting off the bus. I considered getting back on the bus but as I watched her walk away, I felt an urge to follow and so I did.

We entered the middle of the city. People were everyone, going in and out stores. I made sure to keep at least 2 people in between us. It amazed me how easily you could lose her within the crowd of people. It wasn't that she was short or anything. It's just that when she surrounded by people, she lowers her presence. I lost count on how many people bumped into her already after 10. It was kind of cute.

I watched as she entered a building. I stood outside the door, observing it. It was a cafe called Simply Coffee. I smiled to myself because it seemed like a place I would go to too. I happily walked into the cafe. I was greeted by a bittersweet aroma and saw a few others inside but none were her. As I scanned the place more, an elderly lady walked over to me.

"Excuse me. Are you looking for someone?" She asked.

I gave my her one of my "forced to perfection" smiles and shook my head. "It's my first time here so I was just observing the place."

"Oh well welcome to Simply Coffee. I'm the owner of this cafe." She gave me a sweet smile before directing me to the counter where I would order my drink. I ordered a mocha latte. "Will you be drinking it here or to go?" She asked me. Since I lost her, I decided I might as well try the latte in this nice atmosphere. She handed me a little stand with the number 3 and told me to sit wherever I liked. I thanked her and chose a seat in back corner. I was still confused on where Raven could have gone. I got a bit bored of just sitting and so I walked over to a bookshelf. I skimmed my fingers against the books until I found one that seemed interesting. I sat down and opened the book. It was those books filled with professionally taken photos with quotes that are connected to them.

"Excuse me sir. Here is your mocha latte." I heard a quiet voice say, scaring me a bit.

"Thank" I paused once I saw the server. My mouth immediately formed a smile before saying "you." It was Raven.

She nodded. I found it cute as she kept her head down, not making eye contact with me. She carefully placed my drink on the table and took the stand. As she was turning away to leave, I grabbed her arm.

"Hey. Are you really gonna act as if you don't know me?"

"Well I really don't know you." She tried to get out of my grip. I just held on to her stronger.

"I'm Daehyun like I told you earlier this week. I just moved here and I'm interested in becoming friends with you." I shook her arm a little, trying to get her to face me.

"I'm sorry but I'm not interested in becoming friends with people like you." She said with a dark voice before hitting my hand with the stand. I automatically let her go and rubbed the injured area.

She walked away quickly. "Do you hit everyone that wants to be your friend?" I said loudly for her to hear but she never looked back. I was honestly quite pissed. Like seriously, I just want to become friends. It wasn't like I was threatening her or something. Why so defensive and violent?

I focused my attention on the book to calm myself down. I slowly calmed down as time passed.

Right before I finished my mocha latte, I flipped to a page with this picture that stood out to me. It was a black and white photo. It was so closed up that more than half of the picture was only a side profile of a girl's face from the top of her eye to the bottom of her lips. Her head was tilted upwards colored with different tones of gray to white. Eyes closed with a stream of tears running down. Her teeth biting her bottom lip. The background was jet black.

"Pain hurts more in the dark"

I stared at the picture, skimming my fingertips against it. I'm not much of a photographer but I must say that this pairing was definitely the best.

I returned the book and got another one. As I was reading it, Raven came over. She grabbed my empty cup. "I hope you enjoyed your mocha latte. May you please have a nice day and leave."

"What if I don't want to leave?"

She stared at me with a confused face and I returned with a smile to her. Before she could say anything back, I walked over to the counter. "Oh you're still here?" the owner lady asked surprised.

"yes I am haha the mocha latte was so good that I want to order another one please." I smiled and held out my debit card to her. She gladly accepted it and placed the order. I thanked her and took back my card. I turned to walk back to see Raven still by my table, staring at me. I gave her a smile but she held no expression and walked away. I chuckled to myself a little. She sure was an interesting one.

"Excuse me. This might be too nosy of me but are you friends with Raven?" the owner lady asked.

I turned to face her. "Will be. Just not at the moment. I'm working on it" I laughed a little.

She gave me a big smile. "Don't give up on her. She's just very careful about relationships but when you get to open her heart, she's nothing like the other girls around here."

"I can see that." I replied before returning to my seat.

As time past by, the amount of mocha lattes did too and eventually I had to buy some cakes or else my stomach wouldn't be able to handle all the coffee I was drinking. After I finished my 15th cup, Raven came over immediately to get it. By now, she would have given me another cup but this time she didn't.

"We're closing. Please leave now." She said and left to go back into the kitchen.

I sighed and reluctantly left. Instead of going home, I stood against the wall near the door of the cafe.

-40 minutes later-

"I'll be going now. Bye!" I heard her yell as she opened the door to leave. She took two steps out before stretching out her arms and stood with her legs a little more than shoulder wide apart. She closed her eyes and looked up to the sky. She breathed in deeply and smiled. "I'm FREEEE!" She screamed, which scared me and I banged my head against the wall. She let out a little yelp as she turned around to see me. She stared at me for a few seconds before realizing I had seen everything just now. Her cheeks started to color themselves red. I smirked a bit as I rubbed the part of head that was aching.

"What the heck are you still doing here?!" She said loudly with her finger pointed at me.

I held up my hands. "I did nothing wrong. Just felt like standing here." I answered. Why did I just stay here?I didn't really give it anything thought when I found myself leaning against the wall.

"Tell no one of what you just saw or else I'll put poison in your next cup of mocha latte." She attempted to make a mad face but it was closer to a cute face. It was adorable how her lips pouted up and her eyebrows scrunched together. In these few minutes, I was able to see this complete opposite side of her. It was a lot more cuter and open than I would have imagined but I'm definitely not complaining about it.

"AISHH!" She screamed with her hands on her head,hitting herself and jumping up and down before turning around and walking away quickly. I blinked a few times, registering her actions just now before laughing and running to catch up with her.

-20 minutes-

"AIYA WHY ARE YOU STILL FOLLOWING ME?!" She screamed at me. I stuck my tongue at her and run up to her with a few centimeters between us.

I've been following behind her since we left the cafe. Being the gentlemen I was, I made sure to keep my distance from her of course. I mean I just wanted to make sure she got home safely. Plus, she was going exactly the same way as I would to get home anyways.

"hmm I can't let a pretty girl like you go home all by yourself." I gave her a smile.

She pushed me away from her. I was so surprised that I ended up falling to the floor. I could see her feel guilty and sort of reach to help me but stopped herself. She turned her body to the side.

"One. I'm not pretty. Two. I don't need your protection. I'm perfectly fine on my own. Now get the freak away from me." She screamed before running off. I stayed still as I watched her figure fade with the distance.

Finally I got myself and groaned as I felt the pain from a cut on my hand. I stared at it as I laughed softly. Never had a girl done something like this to me and it sure did intrigue me.

-Raven POV-

I quickly slammed the front door shut before falling on to the floor. I felt so guilty for making him fall but it's not completely my fault. All day he's been following me. It makes me uncomfortable. I sighed as I got up and looked at the dirty house.

I walked up the stairs and into the bathroom after putting my stuff done. I turned the sink on and cupped some water into my hands to splash on to my face.

hmm I can't let a pretty girl like you go home all by yourself

Pretty girl? I chuckled to myself as I carefully peeled my shirt off, leaving me in my tank top.

I stared into the mirror reflection. Is this a body of a pretty girl? I carefully traced the multiple bruises running up my arms. As I traced them I suddenly remembered the thing my mother told me to buy on my way home. I started to panic just as loud bangs rang from the bathroom door.

"Lllloovely is that chu?" I heard my mother slur out of . My body went completely stiff. The door knob started moving but I didn't make a move to open the door. "YAH open this door nowww" She said. I gathered all my courage and opened the door.

She smiled at me drunkenly. I could smell the alcohol that she's been downing since the morning. She held her hand out. "Where are the goodies I told you get for me?" She said with an even wider smile. I hugged my trembling self and looked at the floor, praying for a miracle. She walked closer to me and grabbed my hair to make me look into her eyes. "Where. Are. The. Goodies?" She asked pronouncing each word separately. I started tearing up. She yanked my hair. "WHERE IS IT?!" She kept yanking my head back and forth until finally I screamed I forgot. Then she threw me to the side. I groaned in pain as I felt the bruises scream at me.

She squatted down to my level. "you forgot it?" I nodded, while curling myself into a ball. Then she just started beating me like always. After a while, my body became numb to the pain and I let the darkness bring me away.

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ok I literally started this the day I posted the first chapter but didn't finish it until today...... GAH I'M TERRIBLE XO

hope it was still ok and worth the long wait XP

ignore mistakes.

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