“Yul, how many times do I have to tell you? We didn’t talk about it! I couldn’t just ask her, she was upset, of course she was upset! Some prick drugged her hoping to her on a ing party!”

Taeyeon was walking and arguing with Yuri to school. The day was hot and the cotton of her shirt was really bothering her.

“I got it, really. But we have to do something to that bastard! He can’t just get away with that.” Her short friend was about to punch her right into her stomach, they had been on this topic all Sunday and now again, on a Monday morning for s sake.

“Yes, yes, but we need to know what she wants to do Yul, with her timing.” Yuri looked at her angry and unsatisfied, she knows her friend was worried for all the girls of the school, and there was a lot going around the male basketball team.

“Why are you screaming first thing in the morning? It’s not human you know, I just woke up.” Jessica had terrifying eyebags covered in any way possible with make up and shades.

“You didn’t sleep?” Taeyeon asked lowering her voice from the prior tone.

“What do you think?” The explicit glare shut her up and she embraced her friend’s waist with her arm, squeezing a bit in sympathy.

She didn’t sleep well neither, her mind to preoccupied with other matters. Such as how approach the Miss President and ask how she was doing, or if she was totally crushing over her. Maybe she could remedy the first thing without having to engage. “So, how’s Sunny doing? Tiffany didn’t tell you anything?”

She was being casual about it, or she thought so.

“Why are you asking me? You have her number, text her!” Jessi was glaring at her as if she was trash.

“I don’t, though. I don’t have her number.” Yuri slapped her head hard, she almost screamed.

“You don’t have her number? After you played prince charming with her? Oh my God I can’t believe you.” She was pinching her nose with those long fingers.

Jessica raised her head from her phone to watch her with disgust.

Great friends she has.

“Well, it wasn’t the first thing in my head to ask her number that morning! You two were not in my place so you can’t judge me!” Yul smacked her head, again. “Stop that! I am going to end up more stupid then you like this!” She got another slap, harder this time.

Taeyeon growled low in caressing her now pulsing head.

“You are a lost case Frodo, you really will end up alone with seven cats.” Tae pinched her waist and Jessica screamed so high that she felt her eardrums breaking. “Why you screamed that way? Oh my God I only pinched you! Anyway, I like dogs better. And I don’t like her like that!”

Jessi kept herself at an arm length away from her, just to be sure, then rolled her eyes to the sky.

Her other loyal friend snorted. “Sure, sure, we believe you.”

She was going to respond with some sarcastic line but, in the hallway, they passed Tiffany and Sunny chatting near their lockers, Tae looked at them trying to find the willpower to talk to them, but all she got was a hint of Miss President’s head toward her and then they were gone.

Yuri was observing her with delusion all over her face, then she saw her confused pouting expression and sighed out loud, embracing her. Reassuring her, it worked for a while.

She kept replaying the scene with Sunny in her car, all day, barely listening to the history teacher, completely ignoring the literature one, not really into Oscar Wilde aestheticism. She was waiting for Edgar Allan Poe, anyway, now that was her style. She remembers perfectly her words, one by one, followed by the kiss. She still doesn’t understand, the change of attitude, switching from cold, sarcastic, to sweet and warm. Her mind was losing itself in a maze of a words and glares, she wasn’t going to find her way out any time soon.

“I can’t believe they are making us eat this, I mean what is this anyway? It doesn’t like pasta to me, at all.” Jessica was trying to choose what to eat, the three of them were.

“Close your eyes and eat, we can’t know anyhow. Trust your gastric juices.” Yul was serving herself a double portion of what was supposed to be pasta. Taeyeon, having gave up a lot of time ago, just took her portion grimacing.

“Look at that! There they are! Come on let’s go.” Yuri took her arm and without even asking she dragged her to Sunny’s table.

“Yuri let me go! Are you crazy?? Yuri!” But her begging and her grumbling didn’t have any effect. Her friends were already sitting at the other girls table, big smiles on their face contraposing confused ones.

Yuri pushed her to sit down, then with a satisfied aura she said:” Hi, can we talk for a moment?”

Taeyeon was fast to intervene. “Look I am sorry this all their doing, I didn’t agree to any of this!” She met Sunny’s eyes from across the table. Her face inclined in confusion, her eyebrows knitting, she was munching on what seemed grilled chicken, does she have an obsession?

“So you don’t want to talk to me?” Her head was still tilted and on her lips was almost invisible pout, but she caught it.

Taeyeon opened unable to answer, she just wanted to bury herself into the ground. Yuri glanced at her briefly with compassion, instead she could feel Jessi’s disgust even without looking. She was gasping like a fish, trying to articulate a sentence. “No! That’s not it. I didn’t want to disturb you, yes that’s it.”

Sunny didn’t look very convinced but she nodded one time, pursing her lips. Tiffany at her side was dying trying not to laugh and the other two ignored her. From the uniforms they were cheerleaders too, she even found their faces familiar.

“So what do you want to talk about?” The Student Council President was playing with her long and thick braid, her stare serious and almost bored.

“Hey what’s this gathering? Can I infiltrate?” Sooyoung had arrived, already eating some bread and sitting near Taeyeon, smiling at her. They all glared at her but Sunny shrugged and they resumed their talking.

“Anyway, we know is a delicate matter, you know?” Yul kept hinting towards the two girls who weren’t there Friday night.

The nerdy songwriter could feel the situation ending badly, in her tiny and unused bones.

“Alright, and?” Sunny seemed hesitant and very annoyed. She couldn’t blame her, she was annoyed too.

“Well… well…” Yuri was on a crossroad, stuck on what to say, she could tell by the panic in her eyes.

Finally Jessica intervened:” We want to know what to do about the jerk. She, the tanned one, and the animal inhaling her food over there want to beat him up. I think it’s because of the steroids their coach gives them, you know too much testosterones.”

Soo choked on her food and Yuri glared at her. “How many times I need to tell you that we are not on steroids? You were just born short and lazy.” Jessi stopped her fork in the midair, took a deep breath. “Do you want me to get angry Know Yuri?”

Taeyeon wanted to smash her face on the desk and disappear. They sounded exactly like an old married couple.

Anyway, her tall friend was about to respond but Miss President stopped their arguing, with an authoritarian “Enough!” Then she cleared and stared at Yuri and Sooyoung straight into their souls.

Tae could almost feel the flames of her burning gaze, that was kind of hot, thought.

“You will do absolutely nothing, do you hear me?” She waited for them to nod. “And I am handling the situation, and it’s none of your business how am I doing it.”

The softball captain was about to reply but Taeyeon closed with her hand, holding it tight shut. “And she is perfectly right Yul! So shut the hell up.” Sunny looked at her, her eyes big with surprise, but she didn’t say anything, just kept her glance on her.

“Baby, I think we should tell them. We are telling people what happened without putting her name in it.” Tiffany voice was soft and comprehensive, the scowl she received wasn’t any of that. “Come on Sun, they deserve it, look how worried they are.” Sunny didn’t change her expression one bit. “See, they now are satisfied, right?”

They said a soft yes, Jessi smiled in a sort of proud way.

The girl eventually returned at her lunch, chewing now in an angry way. Taeyeon wanted more then anything to die in that instant, so the earth could swallow her whole and she could finally salute her dear friend Lucifer. It was so damn embarrassing.

Then seeing the angry frown transform gradually to a sad and worried one, she changed her wish. She wanted to do something for her, like buy her a giant ice cream or whatever could make her happy and smiling.

Yuri and Sooyoung started to chit chat with the group, yes they were cheerleaders, Yoona was really pretty and seemed gentle too, while Hyoyeon gave her anything but cheerleaders vibes, that girl belonged to a street break dance gang.

Even so Taeyeon’s stare and attention kept going back to the girl finishing her lunch in absolute silence, like if she was in deep thinking. Eventually she caught her observing, their eyes meet for a second or so across the table, the brunette shock her head and raised an eyebrow, Tae could swear on her imagine dragons CD collection that she saw a smirk, maybe an hint, on the other lips. But then she blushed and escaped the lock of stares.

“If you want to ask something just ask, don’t stare while I am eating.” Sunny stopped munching, leaning her chin on her crossed hands, looking almost curios.

Now all the eyes were on the blond girl, who got a bit into the panic trying to think of something. Her cheeks still burning red for being caught, she scratched her neck smiling awkwardly. “Hmm, I, well my mom, oh yeah my mom wanted to know how you were doing. You know, in case there was some collateral effects.” She breath out a sigh of relief, that was a good improvisation.

Sooyoung who was in a deep conversation with Yoona about what kind of rice was the best stopped, turned to glance at her with a expression that could be only of pity.

“Alright, you can tell your mom that I am doing fine and thank her again, for everything.” The stress she put on the word mom made her think that yes, she ed up again. “Hmm sure, sure thing.” She directed all her attention on the food and made sure to not raise her head, ever again.

Taeyeon couldn’t get the hang of it, this push and pull, this sort of tense atmosphere that now was between the two of them. Sunny was like water, fickle and always changing forms. One moment she seems like she was at ease with her, other times she was snarky and looked uncomfortable, like she didn’t want to talk or see her ever again. But then she kissed her cheek, she smiled at her, she laughed and giggled with her. It was all so confusing and intricated.

She felt a headache coming.

She was walking with Yul and Soo towards the exit from school, finally that day was coming to an end.Taeyeon was already dreaming of her soft bed and a hot tea.

“Tae are you thinking about the extra curriculum activity? You know that without the extra credits they won’t let you diplomate?”

She knew, she hated the idea. “I know but I can’t find anything that would be at least interesting! I just want to pass with the minimum why can’t I?” Yuri patted her dropping shoulders and Sooyoung chuckled under her breath.

“You could try theatre, maybe they’d let you sing something.” Taeyeon glared at her best friend.

“I have no intentions to perform for this high school, as if they don’t make fun of me enough!” Yul was responding but something in the hallway made her shift her focus.

Sunny and Oliver were talking, more like arguing, near the girl's locker. Tae accelerated her footing, already worried by the situation. The guy looked angry, his eyebrows knitted together and hands closed in fists. The difference of height and tonnage was incredible, he towered over her in a very disturbing and worrisome way. Sunny didn’t look scared at all, she was furious, her arms crossed firmly on her chest, her glare on fire.

Now she was close and was about to intervene.

Then he touched her shoulder, shaking it clearly and the girl took immediately the hand off, or at least tried, he was too strong. So when he squeezed the other shoulder between his big hand she reacted and kicked him hard, right into his balls. The pathetic growling of pain made everyone turn, he was on the ground murmuring under his breath.

She was stuck on her spot, observing. Yuri and Sooyoung almost clapped.

Oliver looked around him, becoming all red from the embarrassment, everyone was staring at him and someone was giggling, so he got up fast, loading up a fist. She just acted, never happened in her whole life, but she acted without overthinking it.

Two fast steps and the right side of her face was on fire. Then she found herself colliding with the metal surface of the locker. She heard someone scream while trying to stand still on her feet. She felt the metallic flavor of blood in , her cheek was on flames and hurt a whole ing lot. Something warm was travelling from her lips to her chin, Taeyeon touched it with a finger, yes it was blood, that jerk broke her lower lip.

Yeah, another thing to check on her to do list, took a hard punch right in her face from a very big guy.

 God, , .

Every part of her face pulsed and she grimaced, finally being able to open her eyes.

Oliver was held on the wall by Yuri and Sooyoung, they were blocking his arms and the captain punched him into the stomach to make he lose is breath.

Holding her pulsing cheek she spat the blood on the floor and took a long breath.

Yuri glanced at her with worried and terrorized eyes. Then she saw Sunny stuck on her side, stunned with her hands held in front of her, brown shining eyes wide and directed on her.

“Tae? Tae are you okay?” She touched gently her bleeding lip.

“Yeah, all alright, but I am not sure this is how you are supposed to fight.” Yuri smirked while struggling to keep Oliver tamed. “I think I need to teach you on how to take a punch.” Soo nodded laughing. “Glade you not lose the auto ironic attitude.” Taeyeon tried to laugh but her whole face just hurt more, she cursed out loud.

“It hurts a lot?” Sunny got out of her freezing state and now with soft movements took her face in her hands. They were warm, totally not helping with the pain, but she didn’t detest the smooth feeling. She was patently and attentively examining her with one hand holding her chin, turning it right to left, she kept pursing her plumps looking at the cut on .

“Well, a bit.” The only words Taeyeon managed to get out.

“Your lip and cheek are starting to swell, I think it hurts a lot more then a bit.” She shrugged, her focus switching between Sunny’s careful eyes, her little nose and the full lips that were been bitten right at that moment. It was better then to think of the pain spreading in her head.

In the meanwhile a teacher heard the turmoil and sent Oliver to the principal, while sending Taeyeon to the infirmary. Not that she noticed to invested in the face of the other girl so close to her.

Well, she just took a punch for that face.

Yuri was patting her shoulder and texting Jessica about the all story.

“You’re such an idiot, let’s get you to infirmary.” Sunny dropped her hands and she felt the pain twice as hard. “I am accompanying her, it’s okay.” She was talking with Yuri who nodded.

“Alright Tae, you beast! I am calling you after practice okay? Say hi to the cute nurse for me.” She winked at her and ran with Sooyoung to the gym.

Sunny rolled her eyes to the ceiling and started walking, she followed, her hand still holding the red cheek.

“Now will you cut playing the middle ages knight? Evidently the role doesn’t fit you.” She was talking with her head down, biting her lip, arms crossed on her chest. “You can’t even defend yourself!” And now she was angry, again.

Taeyeon smirked a bit, or tried to, sensing the nagging tone. “I think that I fit the role alright, and you said it yourself, remember?”

The shorter girl throwed her an explicit glare, then grimaced looking at her face.

“It doesn’t hurt that bad, you know. And I get to see the cute nurse! It’s a win situation.” Sunny almost elbowed her on the stomach but restrained herself, maybe for her already beaten condition.

“How romantic.” She just whispered in an all poisoned tone and quickened her steps.

And they were back to it.

She should learn to take punches and shut up.