Chapter Thirteen: Where I Am Mentally Scarred

Nana ran a brush through my locks of hair, taking care of each tress. She was trying to distract me, talking about anything but Jungkook.

“Your grandpa seems okay today.”

“Yeah,” I murmured. “It was a better day for him.”

I watched her through the mirror as she fought a frown, struggling to stay positive for me. “He didn’t remember me, but at least he remembered you!”

“Yeah,” I agreed again, checking my phone for messages. Namjoon had been sending me worried text all day. I had ignored them until about an hour ago, sending him a simple 'I'm fine'. I didn’t much feeling like talking.

There were two messages from Jungkook.

I was too afraid to check them. We were together, but a part of me was worried it would be him breaking up with me all over again.

“You should tell your parents.” She looked up from the French braid, meeting my eyes through the reflection. “Or at least your mom.”

“About what?”

“Jungkook.”

Neither of them had a clue about him. I wanted it to stay that way. “My dad would probably try to kill him if he found out what happened. My mom… I don’t know what she would do.”

Probably cry with me. She tended to do that. Whenever I was upset, she would cry with me, and vice versa. It always left my father at a loss, who would eventually disappear out of awkwardness to do something like change the oil in his truck or go to back to work.

No, I was better off keeping it to myself.

It was a Friday, and after having such a difficult day Nana had decided to spend the night with me. She locked the door, closing the closet and dresser drawers before getting in bed with me. It was just one of her silly rituals. She couldn’t go to sleep unless she did that.

“Ara?”

“Hm?”

She clicked off the lamp blanketing us in darkness. “Maybe your parents are right about your grandpa.”

I twisted around to face her, getting comfortable. “They’re not.”

“You’re really stressed out, Ara. You’ve got your classes, and all your homework. Maintaining your grades and