There was something about Joon Kim, something that kept me totally enraptured. No matter what we talked about, his favorite books, his favorite authors, or favorite nerd shows, I was fascinated. It was the way his eyes would light up, and how he would start speaking faster as he got excited, his deep voice running his words together. When he’d smirk, his dimples would just slightly make an appearance but when he grinned wide his eyes would crinkle and the dimples would seem to take over his whole face. It was all so fascinating to watch. He was so, alive. And that’s what it was, Joon was alive. He had passion, he was the opposite of me.

“Right up here.” I said as Joon stopped his car in front of my large house. It was late yet all the lights were on, illuminating the street around it. This was the first sign that my mother was in one of her moods. I sighed and looked up at the mansion my father had personally made for my mother. I didn’t want to go inside. I was so tempted to turn to Joon and ask him where he was going and if I could come to. But as much as that seemed like the best idea, I couldn’t impose any further. My light buzz was starting to where off with time and a full belly which made me aware of how foolish I’d been tonight. Going off with a stranger.

“This is it, home sweet home.” I glanced over to see if he read the sarcasm in my voice. One of his eyebrows quirked up.

“Looks more like a museum or something than a home.”

I smiled slightly, my hand was on the door handle but I couldn’t force myself to pull it open. I wasn’t ready to be away from him. Or more likely I was using him as an escape, I’d rather spend time with him than go inside my house and deal with whatever version of my mother I would find inside. “So, I guess I’ll see yah.” I said quickly before opening the door, getting out, closing it and walking away without looking back.

I didn’t even turn back as I heard his car pulling away while I opened my front door, he’d waited until he saw me enter safely. I smiled, such a gentleman.

I dropped my house keys in a crystal vase that mom had bought in Thailand last summer and made my way to the kitchen as quietly as possible. I didn’t know where she was in the house but it would be best if I could avoid her until I made it to my room. I rounded the corner to the kitchen, the light was on in here as well, but unlike the other rooms I had passed through it wasn’t empty. My mom stood against one of the counters an expensive bottle of wine in hand. She was completely dressed up in a cream silk colored suit skirt ensemble.

She even had on heels.

Her makeup was perfectly done and her hair was pressed back into a perfect bun, not one strand was out of place.

I gulped as her eyes narrowed on me, taking in my less than perfect appearance.

“Where, might I ask have you been?”

I debated on lying, saying I was home the whole time, the house was large enough that she couldn’t have looked everywhere in her search for me; but something in the way she watched me told me that would be a bad idea. She was in the mood that she’d want to punish me for any little infraction.

“I went out to grab some food with some friends.”

“This late?”

I shrugged, not knowing what else to say, which was a mistake. I know how much my mother hates not being answered properly when she asks a question.

The bottle of wine sailed through the air, I screamed and covered my head as I ducked just in time. The bottle smashed against the wall, right where I had been standing a moment earlier. The glass shards shattered raining down on me, getting stuck in my hair, piercing my legs and feet.

“What are you doing on the floor? Stand up!” She yelled.

I immediately sprang to my feet, and winced as I wasn’t paying attention and had step