Start of Something New

First day of school is always the worst.

Everything is unorganized.

Everyone is submerging in chaos.

“Excuse me, where is room number 221?” A tiny kid with glasses asked a fat kid with a baseball bat in his hand.

“Come let me give you a tour” The fat kid told the tiny kid, who by look was obviously a freshman. And the smirk on that fat kid’s face is evidence that he solemnly sweared, he is up to no good.

Cheers can be heard in every corner of the school. Cheers for friends meeting friends after long break. Girls are giggling together as they compare their attire and looks, while guys are bro hugging, trying to flaunt the muscle they developed during the break.

The youngest members of the high school are trying to make little groups to stick together so they don’t get lost in this sea of big and dangerous kids.

In try of staying safe, a group was developing in the corner of the cafeteria. So far nine freshmen got together. They all want to explore the school but there is still 10 minute left till the release bell so they have to stay put. Maybe gather some more freshmen. The more they are, the safer they feel.

They are feeling like baby fishes in a sea full of sharks and piranhas.

“Hey, what book are you reading?” A chubby boy asked a baby faced one who looks like he belongs to elementary school not high school.

“Life of Pi” the baby faced answered. “By the way, I am Luhan”

“Xiumin” the chubby kid said.

They were at lost of word. Everything went back to the same awkward silent again. But awkwardness wasn’t something a boy in the corner wanted to be. He wanted to make friends. So he clapped his hands loudly, grabbing every one in the table’s attention.

“Well, you know what guys? We need to stick together to survive this place. So we need allies. And to make allies, we need to talk. I’ll start, I am Thehun.” He had a slight lisp. The boy's lisp made others to loosen up.

“I am Tao” said a boy with dark eye circle.

“Kai” said another who barely woke up from sleep.

“Lay”, “D.O”, “Chanyeol”, and “Chen” said the others.

Freshmen from other tables also started to get interested at their interaction. Two kids from another table came to join them.

“Hey guys, can we sit here to? I am Baekhyun and this is my friend Suho.” The other boys welcomed them warm heartedly.

The bell was about to ring. 11 boys were ready to go find each others classes together. But right before the bell ring, another boy comes to their table.

The boy was wearing preppy Abercrombie hoodie with white t-shirt and pair of dark wash Levi’s. His hair was gelled and perfectly styled. Unlike all the other freshmen, who looked like they are going to pass out any moment; this boy had a calm front that made him look superior to others.

“Hey guys, you wouldn’t mind if I join right? Let’s go it’s about time we go to find our classes. Oh and by the way, I am Kris” the newcomer said. Without given permission to he became the leader of the group. They started to walk towards the classes.

Unknown to them four individuals were coming to their way.

“All freshmen must report to the auditorium before classes”

The P.A system announced. EXO, as those 12 boys named themselves, looked at each other. They had no clue where the auditorium is or how to go there. Kris was about to ask someone, but four girls came to their way.

“Are you guys’ freshmen?” A cute girl with apple cut hair asked. EXO nodded their heads.

“Oh we will show you around then. We are the Show-the-Freshmen committee” a girl with weird hairstyle said. The girl in the back with long black hair and chubby cute face let out a snicker. No one noticed but Kris did. He was about to ask but the girl with blonde hair started to rush them to go to class.

“Come on guys, you don’t want to be late in the first day of school!” Blonde said. “By the way I am CL; all of us are upperclassmen so you should call us noona”.

“And I am Dara.” Said the weird hair. She pointed at the apple cut, “She is Minzy.” Minzy waved at the group and group waved back like the nice little freshmen they were.

At last, the girl in the back spoke, “Hi my name is Park Bom. But its sunbae or noona to you guys,” She said in a bored tone.

Kris, who was noticing her since she giggled, couldn’t help but repeat what she said in his head. Usually people who are cute looking aren’t that cute sounding. But Bom was an exception. She was cute both her looks and voice. And Kris had a huge soft spot for everything that is cute. He even has a stuffed alpaca, which he named ACE!!

In a couple of minute, they reached to a door on the third floor.

“You guys go in first” Dara insisted.

EXO went inside to see why principle wanted all the freshmen to be there. But once they were inside, they saw nothing. It was an empty classroom full of dust and cobweb.

A faint sound of the door being closed made the boys turn around. What they saw made them dreadful. CL, Minzy, Dara, Bom all of them had a baseball bat in their hand. They had a dangerous look in their eyes, which made the freshmen boys feel the impending doom.

“OK fishies, new to school huh? Let me tell you something about this school. We are 2ne1, we rule this school. If you want to survive there is only one simple rule: Listen to what we say and comply. Understand?” CL glared the boys with mean eyes.

Considerably smaller kids like Baekhyun and D.O were holding each other; their faces looked like they will pee in their pants any moment.

“So what should be our first order to these kids?” Dara wondered.

“Strip down to your boxers” said a voice.

Kris’s head snapped up hearing that voice. It was Bom’s. Why is that whenever that girl talks he wants to hear her talk more?

He cannot get a crush on the first day of school. On top of that, he CANNOT develop a crush on a bully who was making his and his friends life hel-l.

“WHAT?!! Can you not hear me? I SAID STRIP!!!” Bom yelled. And boy, was that scary!

“You guys better listen to her. Don’t let her cute face to deceive you. She is part of a gang, she went to juvenile jail twice already and she is also older than us, failed her grade twice.” CL informed them.

Great! Kris thought, I had my eyes for a senior noona who is older than the seniors and a juvenile delinquent. Good job, Kris, now think of a way to get out of this sticky situation.

“Oh you won’t listen to me huh? Then let me show you an example with your group leader.” She suddenly went forward and grabbed Kris by his collar.

But the height difference was kind of awkward. Bom seem to notice that it was looking ridiculous to pull someone who is half a head taller than her. So she swung her bat at Kris’s knee, making him grant in pain as he kneeled in front of Bom.

“See this is what will happen to you if you don’t listen to me. If you don’t strip in count of three, then I’ll make sure this friend of your would end up in the hospital.” Bom said in menacing voice.

“ONE” the boys fiddled with nervousness, didn’t know what to do.

“TWO” Bom positioned the baseball bat by Kris’s head. The boys gasped. D.O’s eyes got even bigger.

“THREE” Bom got ready to swing that bat.

“STOP” Suho screamed.

“We will strip!”

“Take a picture!! Omo, so cute! Yo! kid in superman boxers” Kai looked up. “Superman? Seriously?” The girls giggled as they took pictures of the EXO boys in boxers doing squats.

“Ok now this picture is going to show those wannabes who rules this school.” CL smirked.

The tardy bell rang.

“Ok, that was the tardy bell; we better go to class now. Chao fishies!! Remember who we are. We are 2ne1!!” With that 2ne1 left the classroom.

They left the boys flabbergasted, humiliated, semi-, and in Kris’s case, in pain.

Kris was in his class.

It turns out that his first class was history and D.O and Tao was in that class with him.

Tao got a seat in the corner of the room. His kept his head down, but by the ways his body was shaking Kris can tell he was crying in humiliation.

D.O is in the other corner. He was distracted probably thinking where those pictures would end up.

As for Kris, he was in pain. His knees were visibly swelling. It was getting hard for him to move his feet. So he excused himself from class to go to the bathroom. Maybe some cold water would help with the swelling.

He limped toward the restroom. After putting some cold water he started to feel relived a little. He was about to go back to class when he heard noises coming from a corner.

“Don’t mess with me fatty. You don’t know what I can do to you.” It was a voice Kris would know anywhere, Bom. Kris didn’t want to get in trouble with her again. But curiosity won over him and he peeked out of the corner. But what he saw surprised him.

It wasn’t Bom who was bullying. But another fat kid with a baseball bat had pinned her to the wall with his bat pressing on Bom’s throat.

“Yah Ahjumma, who are you calling fat? Have you ever seen yourself? And you try to threat me? Huh!” the fat kid spitted on the ground. “Yah! Who are you to threat me? You don’t belong to this school. You should have graduated by now. Ahjumma do what is best for you and drop out of school.” He started hitting her head with his knuckles. “In this head of yours nothing will ever get in. You little piece of Sh*t.”

Kris has seen enough. Even though in the morning it was him who was bullied by her but still he couldn’t stand seeing her getting treated the same.

With his injured feet he dragged himself in front of the fat kid.

“Hey leave her alone” Kris said.

“Why is she your girlfriend? Oh wait, this B*tch is a .” Fat kid taunted her.

Kris can see her eyes getting watery, she is about to cry. Kris had had enough. If nicely asking doesn’t work then he has to show his inner dragon. It’s time for Kris, the b*tch face to make an appearance.

“I said, LEAVE HER ALONE!!” He grabbed the kid and pushed him hard against the wall. The fat kid looked startled. He didn’t think this sissy freshman would have that much strength.

“I’ll leave for now. But make sure never to mess with me” He fixed his collar and walked away. “Freaks”

As the kid left, Bom slid down the wall. She put her head down and hugged her knees. Kris could tell that she is crying.

Kris was stood there motionless. He didn’t know what to do. His feelings were so confusing.

In one hand he considered to leave her alone here in her misery. Because she deserve it after what she did to him and his friends.

But on the other hand, He couldn’t leave her. Yes, she did was bad. But leaving her in this situation, wouldn’t that make him just as bad?

Kris slowly sat down by her. He didn’t know how to comfort a girl when they are crying.

Instinctively, he wrapped his hands around her.

“Hey hey don’t cry! He was just a mean person. What he said wasn’t true. Don’t cry.” Kris patted her hair.

“But I AM fat. I at school, I should really quit school. I should die. I am a lowlife.” Bom started crying really hard. “Kris, I am so sorry, what I did to you. Please forgive me?”

Kris sighed. “Ok, I’ll forgive you if you stop crying and give me a smile.”

Bom raised her head and looked at Kris. Bom was so touched to hear his kind words that she couldn’t help but smile at him.

Her smile was the cutest thing Kris ever saw. It made his heart go ‘Ba-dum’ nonstop. Her long eyelashes were wet making them look even thicker. Her cute face so close to his. Seeing her so helpless made him feel older. A sense of protectiveness grew toward her. He can see that Bom isn’t as mean and cold hearted as everyone thinks she is.

Kris felt the need to be around her. To protect her. To keep her from the façade she puts on.

“Hey, promise me something. Promise me you would never cry. That you would talk to me when ever you feel down. That you would be yourself, not what others tell you to be? If anyone ever bothers you, you would tell me.”

“I am way older than you. I was so mean to you and your friends. I have such a bad reputation. Why are you being so kind to me? You know if you be my friend, if you be with me, people will talk. Why are you ruining your chance to shine in the first day of your High School life?” Bom tried to persuade him to let her go. But Kris just holds her tighter.

“Because you are worth it.”

Kris leaned down and kissed Bom’s cheek.

Thank you