Chapter Twelve: Where I Like to Suffer

“It’s not so hard to spend time with me,” I griped. “I’m your girlfriend. I’m not exactly asking for a lot.”

Jungkook slammed his locker closed, a prominent glare against his features. “Yeah, well I’m entitled to having more of a life than that. I have friends too.”

“I’m not saying don’t hang out with your friends,” I said slowly. “I’m telling you that I should matter too. I should be one of your priorities. You are one of mine.”

He scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Well that was your decision. I didn’t ask you to do that.”

I clutched my books tightly against my chest, feeling small and insignificant. I’d only ever had one boyfriend before, and Jungkook was so confusing. Perhaps it was me and I really was asking too much.

I couldn’t tell. I didn’t know. I only wanted to be happy with Jungkook.

“I’m sorry you feel that way,” I whispered, staring at the cold, linoleum floor. Part of it had chipped away to show the concrete beneath.

“Look, I can’t deal with this, or you. I don’t want to be tied down like this. We should break up.” He adjusted the strap of his backpack, waiting with even features for me to agree.

I blinked back tears, nodding my head. I couldn’t force him to do something he didn’t want. If he didn’t want to be with me begging and pleading would make a difference.

It would only make me more pitiful than I already was.

I skipped first period to cry in the bathroom stalls, forcing back sobs every time someone entered.

“Did you hear? Jungkook is single again.” Someone gossiped, a girl I didn’t know. I didn’t expect the information to be passed around so quickly, but we were talking about Jeon Jungkook. Everyone wanted to know more about him.

“I’m not surprised,” a blonde girl announced. “Did you even see the girl? Yeri is so much prettier. He probably meant for it to be a fling, but the girl got too clingy.”

“Hara,” a third said. “I heard her name was Hara.”

“Poor Hara,” the blonde lamented.

“At least she got to date him,” another snorted. “When will we ever?”

They left, the only sounds reverberating through the bathroom stalls was the door as it stopped rattling against the frame.

I was so stupid. Namjoon and Nana had been right. Both of them tried to tell me, but I refused to listen. Stuck in my fantasy where Jungkook actually liked me back. It was time to come back to reality, where I was single and had no chance of dating.

I struggled through my morning classes, one of my teachers even pulling me aside and asking what was wrong. When I refused to answer she told me that counseling services were available if I needed them.

As if that would make Jungkook come back to me.

As soon as Nana saw me she could tell something had happened. She wrapped her arms around me and I began to sniffle. “You were right,” I blubbered. “Jungkook didn’t even like me. He broke up with me this morning.”

No one voice what I hoped they wouldn’t, that it had been exactly a week since we started dating. Just like all the other girls.<