Zaion’s POV:

The next day was Saturday. For the first time in years, I woke up miserable on a weekend. I looked over at my clock. 1:00 pm. I was up early.

I went over to my window and peered at the bright street outside. A frown crept on my onto my face as I remembered yesterday’s walk home. Uuuugh!

-Flashback-

Baekhyun and I were nearing our shared street. I wanted to vomit once I found out which house he lived in. His house was directly across from mine. How did I not know they moved in?

“Well, I’m going to go inside. Tomorrow, expect a call or text from me. Sometime around the evening.”

I had nearly forgotten I gave him my number.

“How ‘bout you just don’t call?”

He laughed at me.

“Silly girl, calling is what phone numbers are for!”

“I agreed to give you my number, not that you’d actually use it!”

“Ugh. Details, details. It was implied.”

-_- This has probably become my permanent face.

-Flashback over-

I forced myself to not flop back into my bed and dragged myself over to my closet. My lime green shark bite tank, black skinnies, and a pair of boots did me just fine. I went into the bathroom and did all my hygienic stuff.

As if on cue, when I stepped out of the bathroom, my phone rang. The number was unknown but I had a hunch about who it was.

“Hello?”

Hey, neighbor!”

I wanted to cry at how corny and cute that sounded.

“Watchu want?”

He chuckled.

“I want to know if you wanted to come with me to Starbucks.”

I hesitated. Would I really risk everything? For coffee?

“I’m busy.”

Lies.

“You sure, Zaion?”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure I know my own schedule.”

What this boy was going to do really made me hate his determination to hang out with me.

“Well, what is it that you have to do? Maybe we could work out a time or something.”

Seriously, of all the times, he picks the moment I’m not prepared for specific questions.

“Okay, I’m not busy! Give me fifteen minutes and I will meet you outside, got it?”

“Okay!”

I could practically hear the smile in his voice. I hung up my phone and jogged downstairs. I hadn’t eaten but I’d buy something at Starbucks. I grabbed my wallet and phone, and then went to tell my parents I was going.

 Instead of them in the kitchen, I found a note:

Hey sweetie,

            Dad and I are going on a business trip and we’ll be back next week. Until then, if you need anything, ask the Byun family and if need be, they will tell us.

                                                                                                            -Mommy

I felt my left eye twitch as I crumpled the note and threw it in the trash. Apparently, Principal Greyson told my parents. Like they cared. How could they if they weren’t even there through my time of extreme need?

I was still deep in thought until I heard a knock on the door.

Only this once will I accept his interruption.

“Hey, you ready?”

I nodded.

As we walked we were once again trapped in the awkward silence. I wondered if we were ever going to end this stupid punishment and get on with our individual lives. I was so caught up in wondering that I let out a sigh.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, I‘m fine.”

Honestly I would have preferred out awkward silence again instead of a conversation.

“Well, one of the main points of the whole punishment thing was to get to know each other and become friends, so tell me about you.”

I only looked at him. I wouldn’t even know where to start. I wouldn’t know where to end. There are only so many things I could pick out and consider information worth sharing.

He let out a small laugh and scratched the back of his neck in that cute way boys do.

“If you want, I can start to make it easier. Or you can ask questions. It’s your choice.”

I couldn’t pass up a good opportunity.

“I choose questions!”

“Okay, ask away.”

I thought for a bit. There were two questions I was longing to ask but I chose to avoid them.

“Okay…what are some of your hobbies? You know, besides appearing everywhere I am.”

“Haha! Well my favorite hobbies are singing and dancing.”

 That’s very interesting.

“What about you? What are your hobbies?”

I had to think about that one. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to tell him about those.

“Alright, my favorite hobbies are writing poetry and dancing even though I at it.”

“I’m definitely going to have to see that with my own eyes”, he laughed.

“Yeah whatever”, I mumbled.

Even though I tried to be distant, I couldn’t help but smile. Baekhyun was seriously contagious. I didn’t wanna be infected with his happiness but perhaps it was a moment of weakness.

“Next question”, he said as we walked into Starbucks.

When the smell of coffee hit my nostrils and the thought of a muffin entered my mind, my stomach rumbled with hunger.

“I’ll come up with another question when my brain isn’t in my stomach.”

“Okay then”, he laughed.

I hate to admit it but he wasn’t all bad. Maybe he wasn’t bad at all. I shook my head. Even if he wasn’t bad, I surely wasn’t going to get close.

So much for that because when we got our coffee (and I got my muffin!) we continued our little question game.

“Alright”, I asked, “What’s your favorite….movie?”

“Anything, as long as it has a good plot. Yours?”

“Promise you won’t tell?”

“I promise.”

“Okay”, I took a deep breath, “My favorite movie is Chicago. I love musicals.”

He smiled.

“Well that’s a shocking discovery.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. I just never imagined you to be the type to really watch movies. It seems like you’d be the type to make one instead.”

“Please explain.”

I mentally crossed my fingers, hoping for a compliment. I looked him in the eyes and as he spoke, he was all seriousness.

“When I first saw you, I could tell you were unique. When I heard you speak, however, the power of your individuality, cleverness, and creativity began to shine through. You said you write poetry, but do you write stories, songs, and other things?”

“I write it all.”

I honestly didn’t know what was happening to me. When Baekhyun was speaking, my heart was beating faster than before. People who have known me for years never said anything like that. This person who has only known me for two days actually something so thought out and kind.

I hadn’t realized that we were still in Starbucks, or that I was still staring at Baekhyun until my phone rang. I looked down at the caller ID and my expression hardened. I felt it.

“Hello?”

“Hey, sweetheart, how are things?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were leaving?”

“What?”

“You heard me, mom, why didn’t you tell me you were leaving?”

“Because you are the child, I didn’t have to.”

I put on a poker face and rid myself of as much emotion as I could to keep myself from crying and possibly yelling.

“You still should have. You always do this. What if something happened to you or me while you were away? Would you care?”

The response she gave would have killed me on the spot if I saw her careless expression along with it.

“No, I wouldn’t, actually. You’re a sad excuse for a daughter anyway. Everything that’s happened to you, you were the main cause of it all. I didn’t care then and I don’t care now.”

The call ended. I couldn’t believe she’d just said that. Old feelings crept back up inside me.

“Is everything alright?”

“Yes, everything is fine. I just have to go home.”

“Okay, I have to head home to help my mom with dinner.”

“Dinner?”

I looked outside. It was getting dark out. When I checked the time on my phone, the clock said 7:00.

“Time flies when you have something to do.”

I gave him a small smile. I doubt he noticed.

While we were walking home, no one said a word. I took the time to think. Nothing would form in my mind so I just stayed silent. We got home quicker than I expected but I was really thankful. I was going to run inside but I kind of didn’t want Baekhyun to go.

“Well I have to go so, see ya later.”

“Bye”, I said, trying to keep my voice even.

I went inside and quickly looked the door. I ran up to my room and shut that door too. I leaned my back against it and slid down to the floor.

At first a few tears dropped, but I told myself I wasn’t going to cry. Not completely. I got up and crawled into my bed. I can’t really remember what happened after that because I gave in to the exhaustion and drift to sleep.

On Sunday, I actually woke up in the morning so I decided to make a breakfast of bacon, eggs, and cheese grits. I ate happily and decided to get dressed for the day. I wore a plain dark grey camisole (hahaha ;D), a black vest, denim skinnies, and grey Roxy Ponderosa boots. I put my hair up in a bun a decided to check myself out in the mirror.

“Hey there, hot stuff!”

I grinned and walked outside. The weather was great. I went back inside to grab my wallet and phone then went back outside.

To the park!

My walk to the park was decent. It was quiet but without the awkward. I felt as if I were living the life I had before he walked into it.

Baekhyun.

He was so nice even though I was such a jerk to him. He flirted sometimes and he didn’t seem to give up on people easily.

Push him out of your mind or you’ll get your heart stepped on!

I looked down at my feet.

“I shouldn’t even be thinking about him right now.”

“Thinking about whom?”

I looked up. Why am I not surprised?

“No one important. So, what brings you here?”

“I was just walking around, getting to know the area. Walk with me.”

“What?”

“Walk with me. This would be a lot more pleasant with a companion-slash-guide.”

So much for living my old life. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to spend more time with him. Only because my records and what happens to them depends on him.

“So where do you want to go?”

He thought for a second.

“Anywhere but home at the moment.”

I was going to ask what he meant by that but that would be unfair. I never told him what happened with me when he asked. All I know is that I might not be the only one hiding things.

“Tell you what; there’s a Braum’s ice cream shop not too far from here. I brought money and I was gonna head over there anyway.”

He smiled brightly. There was something about this smile in particular. I guess it seemed more…genuine.

This time, as we walked, we made small talk. I still distanced myself, but not as much. I actually felt like talking to Baekhyun. Maybe I was holding on to the possibility that he understood me.

“Well here we are, Baek, and you will be able to actually see me partially happy.”

“You get partially happy? What a relief, I thought you were always bitter.”

I hit him playfully and we both laughed while waiting in line. When we got to the front we put in our orders.

“Can I get a double scoop of rocky road?”

The cashier lady nodded then looked to Baekhyun.

“I’d like a double scoop, rocky road and cookies and cream.”

Then the cashier girl did something that made me want to beat the life out of her.

“You can have a double scoop and my phone number.”

The girl winked at him!

Baekhyun only smiled nervously. Why isn’t he saying anything?! The nerve of some and the weakness of others. Cue the eye roll.

“Sorry, but he doesn’t need to call you for anything when he has me. I don’t think he’s going to buy whatever it is you’re selling”, the girl glared at me while Baek stared, wide eyed, “Oh, and you should do something about that facial tic, Hun. People could mistake that for a wink.”

I was about to pay for my ice cream so I could get out of there, but, Baekhyun stopped me and paid for both. After that we left the ice cream shop.

“What was that about?”

I stayed silent and walked ahead.

“Nothing.”

“Didn’t seem like nothing.”

“She’s promiscuous”, was all I said.

I showed him around the city and told him where to avoid. He took in all that I said. At the end of the day, we parted ways and went to our separate houses.

Baekhyun’s POV:

“Eomma, na wass-eo!” I called to tell my mom I was home.

No response.

“Eomma!”

Nothing.

I walked toward my parents’ room. There were voices. Those voices got louder than before and there was the sound of breaking glass.

“Not again”, I whispered, looking back at the room door.

They’ll probably never stop. They’re too selfish to realize that their fighting might harm me or my sister. A realization of what I was thinking hit me.

“Su-young”, I called for my little sister.

“I’m in here.”

I followed her voice to her room. Good, she was wrapped in a blanket watching TV. Our mom and dad’s fight didn’t get too out of hand.

I sat and watched TV with my sister, pulling her close. She’s probably not even safe anymore. I had to get her out but what could I do?

A/N: I hope you liked my story!!! It’s seems to be progressing!!!! Although I feel this wasn't my best chapter. Please comment, upvote, and subscribe if you want!!! Next chapter will be even more progression and I 'll try to write better.

Thanks for reading, I luv you!!!