“Hey, Ji.” I nearly jumped out my skin. It was Dark Sleeping Beauty waiting for me in the hallway on the way to my first class. I still wasn’t use to others who weren’t my best friends noticing my presence.

“Hey, Dara noona, ready for the school day?” I ask her.

“Well as long as I have you in a few of my classes I think I’ll survive.” She took my hand and we walked to first period class. I could feel my face heating up. I’m not use to a girl’s touch. It was soft, gentle and very warm.

Morning classes were more fun than usual. She would pass me funny notes then I'd reply back and forth. Then she'd make funny faces and imitate different people in the class. Dara had me cracking up. A couple of times I had to tell her to stop so I could focus on learning. It’s kind of weird though despite being a pleasant change. Just the other day she would only sleep through school all day but now she’s lively and awake. She even looked more radiant and bright despite her dark eye shadow and pale skin. Maybe I won’t be able to call her Dark Sleeping Beauty anymore.

We parted ways because she and I didn’t have the same Math class. I was in a higher more difficult level than she. The moment I was sitting in my class Dara-less I admit I began to miss her distracting behavior. Her smile and laughter were a bit addicting I couldn't lie. Noona was indeed a whole new world to me. She was the first female friend I ever had and the first friend I had other than Daesung and YoungBae. I can't believe she finds me interesting..me Jiyong...interesting? Hahaha.

After our math classes we met up again for dare I say it…Writing Composition. I don’t know why I feel nervous. Yesterday was great and like Siwon said I hada good paper that he helped me write. What could go wrong?

“Hey, buddy.” Siwon said as I walked in. I waved at him as me and Dara walked up to his desk.

”Oh hey, Miss Park.” He said to Dara. She turned her head and ignored him and sat at her seat.

Siwon frowned and looked at me. “She okay?”

“Yeah, I think she’s just a little shy.” I say. I didn’t want Siwon’s feelings to be hurt. I don’t get why she ignored him. I sat down at my desk and turn to face her. She was looking at me with this blank expression. I leaned close to her ear and whispered.

“Why did you ignore Siwon?”

“I don’t trust him.” She whispered back.

“Why don’t you trust him?” My doubts about Siwon disappeared yesterday when he stood up for me.

“He’s too nice.” She simply said.

What does she mean by too nice? Does she think he’s faking being nice? My thoughts were cut off when Mr. Kim came in with his fan girls.

They all sat down and started gushing at him. I could hear Dara gagging behind me. She is the only female I know alive who doesn’t fall for his charm. I wonder what her type is.

“Good Morning class. I got all your papers graded and I am going to be passing them out. First, however I would like to point out a student who was caught cheating on their paper.”

He made eye contact with me.

“Mr. Kwon.” Every thing was still for a moment.

“Yes, sir ?” My heart was now pumping in my throat I felt like I was going to throw up.

“I noticed when I read your paper. It was very good, too good. It was on the same level as Choi’s. Actually it sounded like Mr. Choi wrote the whole paper.”

“Mr. Kim, we worked on the paper together.” Siwon said.

“Mr. Choi, you are my favorite student and I would like to believe you but I know Kwon’s writing and there is no way he could do this well. Even with your help.”

Why couldn’t this man give me a break I just wanted this drama to stop? I will give in I don’t want Siwon to suffer because of me.

“You are right, Mr. Kim. He did write the whole paper. It…it’s not his fault. I made him do it.”

“Jiyong, no.” I heard him protest.

All the students gasped in shock.

“How could he do that to our poor Siwon?” I heard a girl whisper to her friends.

“I thought so.” He gave me an evil glare. “You know what that means. You get a ‘0’. You’re lucky I don’t send you to the principal’s office for cheating.”

“Yeah, because if you did that you wouldn’t be able to torture him the whole class period.” Dara shouted.

“Miss Park…!” Mr. Kim gasp in surprise at her sudden outburst. No one has ever dared raise their voice to him before.

“You’re an a**hole!” she stood up, glaring back so hard that I thought she would make his head burst. Her dark makeup made her look so sinister. I almost got the chills looking at her.The Dark Sleeping Beauty seriously looked like she could murder him with her cold stare.

“Get out of my class.” He ordered pointing at the door.

“Gladly..you coming too, Ji?” She stopped at my desk and held out her hand.

I shook my head. She frowned and stormed out the classroom by herself. Siwon mouthed ‘I’m sorry.’ to me. I mouthed back that it was okay. Mr. Kim was right about what he said. I know he really wanted to help me do well in class but this is something I’m better off doing by myself.

 _____________________________________________________________________________

“Ji, you shouldn’t let him bully you like that!” Dara was yelling loudly enough for the whole cafeteria to hear.

“Shh…everyone is staring.” I say.

“Come on, he bullies you because he knows you’ll allow him to…just like that Seunghyun.”

“So what, you going to suggest that I beat him up too?”

“That actually is a good idea.” Her eyes seem to twinkle at my suggestion.

“No, I can handle myself.”

“That’s what you always say. Dae…Bae, why won’t you tell him?” She turned to them at the table. Both of them unsure at how to respond.

Daesung scratched his head and smiled nervously. “Umm…. Ever thought of dropping out, Jiyong hyung?”

I can’t believe he said the D word. I can’t even repeat it myself.

“I would never.” I rejected his idea completely.

YoungBae just stayed quiet. He didn’t like to get into arguments. Dara wouldn't shut up about me allowing myself to be bullied. Why can't she understand that I was spineless and a coward. Besides if I said anything to Mr. Kim he'd probably increase his torment on me..all I need to do is just endure this. It's what we geeks do. We take everyone's crap then go home and release our stress on whatever we are obsessed with. Video games and comics have been a great medicine for me and there's no way I'm going to change that.

A week has gone by and Dara has become a new member of our posse. She has even come over Daesung’s house to play video games with us nerds. It has become natural for her to hang out with us almost as if she has always been a part of our group. YoungBae is still a bit shy towards her but I know in time he will be more comfortable with her.

Dara stopped harassing me about standing up to my enemies and I still do my best to not lose my sanity.

Today was a day that I usually love, progress report card day. Where we smart kids get to show off our achievements and not so bright kids sulk and hope that with the reminder time they have they can at least pull a passing grade. However I didn’t feel quite up to looking at my progress report card. I breathed in and out as I scanned over each letter grade.

Geography- A+

Biography- A+

Calculus- A+

Home Ec- A+

Chemistry- A+

P.E.- A

Yeah even in P.E. I got an A because Mr. Kim Junsu believes that any student that tries their best deserves an A.

I hesitated before looking at the last letter grade.

Writing Composition- D-

I buried myself into my arms and tried not to sob in Home Room.

“Hey, Ji what’s the matter with you?” my female friend tapped me on the shoulder to get my attention. I just hand her my progress report without out saying a word.

“Is this why you're so upset? You got like all A’s. So what if you got this stupid D.”

“D-“I corrected her.

“Still a D. Hey will this make you feel better?” I looked up to see her holding up her own progress report. I looked it over.

D,D,D,F,F,D, A….! The only good grade she had was in art class, which isn’t even an important class. Her parents are going to drop dead when they see these grades. How is she able to be so happy and sane with low marks like these?

“Noona, your grades are terrible! If I had grades like these I would kill myself.” I freaked out.

“Oh, Ji you are sucha nerd.” She ruffled my hair. “I guess that made you feel better, right?”

“No, actually. Do you need help with homework?” I offer. She just shakes her head.

“I just don’t really care. To be honest I’ve even thought about dropping out of school.”

She said the D word.

“Noona, you can’t education is important. You need to go to school get an education. Then go to a good college, get a degree and start a career.”

“That’s so boring. I rather live my life more freely.”

“Life isn’t a fairytale.”

We grew quiet for sometime. I was the first to break the silence.

“I’m going to go talk to Mr. Kim. I’m going to see if there’s a way I can get extra credit or if he will go easy on me.” I had doubt that he would especially after the whole cheating thing. I had to try though. I don’t think that the remainder weeks that I’ll be able to improve my grade before report cards came out without some aid.

“I’ll come too.” She volunteered. We spoke to the home room teacher and told her that we needed to speak to Mr. Kim. She gave us both passes and we left to go straight to his class. Luckily he was in there and we didn’t have to go look through the whole school for him.

“Excuse me, Mr. Kim.” He was at his desk grading some papers. He looked at me in surprise then scanned his eyes over to Dara.

“Can I help you, Mr. Kwon?” he sat down his pen and leaned back in his chair with that signature smug look of his. No matter what facial expression he gives he always looks so beautiful.

“Um, I wanted to see if I could possibly. Have some form of extra credit?”

“Extra credit…Extra credit?” he repeated. “Mr. Kwon, I don’t give out extra credit, I don’t think its fair to the other students.”

“Oh…well is it possible that I could get a better grade like a C. I know I’m not the best writer but I try my hardest to improve.”

The teacher stood up from his desk and walked over to the door and opened it.

“After the whole cheating incident you think you deserve a better grade?”

“But…Mr. Kim…”

“If you want to get a better grade I suggest in the next assignments you start improving with results that are actually decent. Now, get out.” I could tell he was starting to get irritated. He made a motion for us to leave.

I just stood there. This couldn’t be it. I didn’t want to give up like this.

“Ji, don’t worry I got your back.” When she spoke those words I felt a blanket of warmth sweep through me.

“Mr. Kim, I think you should go easy on Ji, he tries the hardest in your class more than anything. I really do believe he deserves a C.”

“Miss Park, you of all people are the one that should be asking me for extra credit and such. You give absolutely 0 effort in my class.”

“We aren’t here about me. I could careless about passing your class.” Mr. Kim stepped away from the door and got closer to Dara.

“I don’t know what I did to upset you, but I’d like it if you stop being disrespectful to me. Dara at the rate you are going, not only will you have to repeat the 11^th grade again. You will lose all respect from your teachers.”

Repeat the 11^th grade! Is that what he really said?

“Are you going to help him or not.”

“I made it clear earlier that if he wants a better grade he better work hard for it.”

“I see.” She nods. Just when we thought it was over Dara takes her hand and smears her makeup and rubs some on Mr. Kim.

“What are you doing?”

Then she messes up her school uniform; exposing her bra. Then she shakes her head which makes her hair look wild as well as running her hands through it. I watch her in amazement as she made tears fall from her eyes. Her small body drops to the floor.

“SOMEONE HELP ME PLEASE!” she screamed.

It didn’t take me long to understand what she was doing. She was playing victim and setting up our teacher. I watched my his facial expression change from shock to complete utter horror. I never have seen Mr. Kim so afraid in my life. He kept trying to calm her and covered but she bit it. He pulled back his hand and winced in pain.

“STOP THAT!” he yelled. She still continued to cry and scream like she really was in fear. I felt like I was watching a scene from a movie. What is my role in all this? A part of me sparked…somewhere deep in the regions of my brain there was a part of me that acted on its own. The part that always appears when I black out at my most embarrassed and extreme moments. I don’t know when I started to do this but I had my head out of the classroom door.

“HELP SOMEONE COME QUICK!” I yelled down the hall. I could see some teachers and students down the hall rushing to the classroom.

“Please, please stop this! I COULD LOSE MY JOB!” he was holding onto Dara and shaking her but her screaming never stopped. The way he gripped on her was only making things worst. His shirt was all open and the red lipstick on his lip made him look like a complete ert. Dara's face was red and makeup was still streaming down her face, she really looked weak and helpless. I could see everyone was getting closer to the classroom. It was going to be over for Mr. Kim, he was going to lose his teacher’s license. No way would anyone want to hire a teacher who his students. No matter how hot he is.

“Okay, fine I’ll GIVE HIM AN ‘A’ JUST PLEASE STOP!!!” He finally gave in and on cue Dara stopped. She cleaned off Mr. Kim’s face and straightened herself up so quickly as if she had done this 1000 times before. Then she dropped onto the floor with her eyes closed like she had just passed out.

Everyone was now at the classroom door.

“What’s happen here?” Everyone could see Dara on the floor. “Omg!” a female teacher panicked.

“She had a seizure and…p-assed out.” Mr. Kim said. One of the teachers picked her up and someone yelled that they need to get her to the hospital. While all this was going on I just stood in the background. Did this really just happen? Was this a dream? In the corner of my eye as the mob walked passed me, I could see Dara in the geography teacher’s arms smiling. She really was a good…no great actress.

...

“Jiyong, what’s the matter you haven’t touched your food.” My mom was worried. Ever since I got home I hadn’t really been myself. The scene from this morning kept playing over and over in my mind. It was all I could think about. Who knew that something small as me just trying to get a better grade could turn into something so horrifying and dramatic. How can I face Mr. Kim tomorrow? I don’t know what to do right now. All I know is that I needed to stay away from her.

The Dark Sleeping Beauty is trouble.