The night air hits her like an unpleasant joke made at her expense.

Praying that there aren't too many couples out in the garden, she stumbles around, feeling blind, until she finds a secluded little fountain with a bench next to it. She collapses on the bench and slowly peels her fingers away from her face. All of her makeup has made it onto her fingers. Sitting there alone, she still can't bring herself to believe what just happened. Her senior prom has been ruined. She's been humiliated, in front of most of her grade, and, more importantly, Sehun. As she cries a little more, feeling immensely sorry for herself, a horrible suspicion roots itself in her mind.

What if the person behind everything - the texts, the prank - was Sehun? He is one of the few people that has her number, after all. It's such a disgusting thought that Haeri tries to push it away. But it lingers nastily, unwilling to leave.

Slightly more over the shock, she sighs and props her chin up with her hands. Now, she thinks, what should I do? Going back into the dance and pretending nothing happened is out of the question. For one, that would mean going to the bathroom to wash punch off herself. Also, her dress is already ruined and she just can't take any more humiliation. What she really wants to do is just go home and see her parents. Relaxing in her room, watching a TV show, drinking a hot bowl of soup... these things sound wonderful right now. I knew it was a mistake to come here, she thinks sadly as the fountain gurgles with a silvery sound. A quiet breeze plays over her shoulders, and she feels a little better. She's going to go out the garden and call her parents to pick her up, and then everything will be okay. She only has to show her face at graduation, after all.

Just as she's stood up and is moving out a small gate, she hears footsteps behind her and gasping, hurried breaths. Her own heartbeat quickens. Oh, no. Not now.

"Haeri!" Just as she suspected, it's Sehun. She ignores him and continues walking quickly.

"Haeri, don't go!" he cries. She feels a hand on her shoulder and whirls around, anger rising through her. All of the sudden, all the pain and hurt she's been through these past few minutes resurfaces. It rears inside her like a lion, ready to attack. She lets it loose.

"Don't you take another step towards me," she says, ice cold. Sehun's head snaps back in surprise and perhaps some hurt, and she feels a erse sense of satisfaction that he's suffering, too.

"I know it was you," she continues impassively. She refuses to let any emotion show on her face.

"What?" he asks, looking confused. Haeri burns at his pretended innocence.

"Don't pretend you don't know," she snaps back savagely. "The text messages. Just then, the punch bowl. You were always dating me just to mess with me, weren't you?"

Sehun's face changes. "Haeri," he begins slowly. Haeri waits for his confession. "-Haeri, I have no idea what you're talking about. I- what text messages? And the punch bowl- why would I hurt you like that?"

Haeri stares hard at him. She wants so badly to believe it's true, but something holds her back. It couldn't have been anybody else. The more she thinks about it, the more true it seems. "You set out to hurt me from the beginning," she states finally. "I bet everyone else was in on it, everyone but me. Oh Sehun, one of the most popular boys in the school, dating the goody goody nerd Lee Haeri? Impossible."

Frustrated, Sehun interjects. "Haeri, I swear on my life that's not why I'm dating you. I thought I'd made it clear already. I never got to finish just then, but I will now. I lo-"

"Don't say it!" The scream that leaves Haeri's mouth is loud and harsh and Sehun stops, mouth still wide open. "Don't you dare ing say it," she hisses. "Lies. It's all lies you've been spoonfeeding me like poison. You should have stayed away from me when I first broke up with you. You just don't get it, do you? I want nothing to do with you."

Sehun's staring at her as if she's transformed into a monster. She can see the disbelief and pain cloud his eyes.

"Fine," he whispers, barely audible. "If that's the way you want it, then. I'll stay away."

She nods, quickly, and then turns and walks out the gate.

She hopes he can't see how much she's shaking.