Baekhyun has stopped trying so damn hard to make himself even remotely presentable. He stopped caring about frutile things like eyeliner and chapstick. He had traded usual tight jeans for shorts or pants that were so baggy that they dragged when he tried to run. It was at times like this Baekhyun silently thanked on bended knee that the school didn't have dresscodes.

Appearances are everything when you go to one of the richest schools in Seoul. Not only does the school pride itself on excellence in academics; it's most prized possession are the students. It's an unspoken rule to always show up to school dressed as nice as you would be if you were going to visit the cemetary or something. Baekhyun knew this.

But he had stopped caring because the chances of him actually running into someone he's trying to impress, is almost zero to none. Especially since he avoids everyone but that one weird kid who refuses to leave him alone at lunch. But the company is good and Baekhyun hates eating alone because people stare. People stare because they think you're unapproachable.

"Mr. Byun, what are you wearing?" She pointed down to the boots and the shorts adorning his lower body. "Clothes." Baekhyun had also stopped caring about respect. Respect doesn't get you very far in life no matter what anyone tries to say. "Do not get smart with me." Ms. Kim glared and slapped at his shoulder with her ruler. "Would you rather I get stupid?"

She snickered and wrote something on a slip of paper. Baekhyun didn't have to read it when it was placed into his fist, to know it was a detention slip. "Tomorrow try to wear something," She paused and studied him a little more closer than he would've deemed necessary. "Something other than these shabby street clothes. It's repulsive and rude." 

Baekhyun tried not to laugh when she went to turn and hit another student. The slip read that it was for after school this afternoon and his stomach sank. 

So now he's been forced to scrub down the chalkboards in all the building two rooms. The soap made his forearms itch and it stung the still healing cuts on his wrists. "Damn it." He hissed as he stuck his hand back into the bucket only to pull it out and ring the rag out. He glared at the chalk on the board that was left from the calculus teacher. Debating whether or not to get rid of it.

"She said it was fine to clean." A deep voice boomed through the relatively silent room and Baekhyun flinched. He knew that voice like the back of his hand and then some but he'd never admit to anyone. Not even himself or his closest friends. "Ms. Kim told me so." Baekhyun heard a chair sliding across the floor and heard the faint sound of the wood creaking as Chanyeol sat.

"Oh." Was all Baekhyun said and moved the bucket across the floor with his feet. The next chalkboard was empty with barely any dust on it but Baekhyun needed to keep himself busy. He needed to open a window or a door because it was getting harder to breath the longer Chanyeol sat and stared. Baekhyun could feel his all too familiar eyes.

There was actually a spot on the top of the board that needed cleaning. But Baekhyun was much too short and he wasn't about to ask Chanyeol for help. He wasn't about to ask Chanyeol for anything other than for him to please leave. "Need help?" The deep voice resonated again and Baekhyun tried not to flinch too badly. It had been so long afterall.

"No." Baekhyun said in the quiet voice he used on his mom when he visited her some nights in the hospital. "You sure short stuff?" Baekhyun couldn't pinpoint the exact name for the feeling welling in his chest and stomach. But he knew it felt like the equivalent of hundreds of needles burying themselves in his lungs. He shuddered at the meer thought of needles.

"You don't get to call me that anymore." Baekhyun sighed and dragged a chair over to the board. He climbed up onto it and placed a hand on the board to steady himself. "You lost that privilege the second you made that bet." The memory was still fresh in both of their minds and Baekhyun knew Chanyeol didn't care. He got his money out of it.

"Look Baekhyun. I-" But he was cut off when the doors slid open and Baekhyun caught a glimpse of black hair. "Well well lookie whose here." Jongin said and his little entourage chuckled along with him. Baekhyun just ignored them cause this was his last room to clean and he just wanted to get to the hospital before closing hours.

"Why you wasting your time here?" Someone asked and a voice that deep, that wasn't Chanyeol, defintely belonged to Wufan. "Because you got me in trouble by egging that teacher's car." Chanyeol's voice still did things to Baekhyun. Four years worth of attraction didn't all just go away when happened. happens everyday.

"You're the one who decided to stick around and wait for the teacher to show up." There was more chairs being pulled out and the sound echoed in the small room. "I was waiting to tell on you." Chanyeol was treading dangerous terroritory and even Baekhyun knew that. "You traitor." But Baekhyun couldn't tell if he was being serious or just joking with Chanyeol.

Baekhyun was done with the boards so he quietly climbed off the chair. They were so busy arguing amongst themselves that they didn't see Baekhyun pick up the bucket of mucky water. They also failed to notice Baekhyun swinging his backpack over his shoulders and heading for the door. If he was lucky maybe he'd get away from them without having to talk to them.

He slid the door shut behind him once he was in the hallway but he could still hear the others inside. He gripped the bucket handle a little harder and  maybe he was eavesdropping when he pushed his head against the door. "Hey! Where did he go?" Wufan asked and everyone else got quiet. "I didn't see him leave." Yixing wasn't too observant to begin with.

"Who cares." Jongin chuckled and Baekhyun heard them getting up. There was someone trying to open the door so he dropped the bucket and ran. Ran down the hallway and turned into the staircase. Baekhyun had perfected running away. Because his father taught him that if you can run fast enough not even the wind will be able to catch up.

He rounded the railing to the second flight of stairs when he heard the others coming into the staircase. The school was small so there was no way Baekhyun wouldn't eventually run into one of them or anyone for that matter. "We should go to the arcade." He could hear Jongin getting closer so Baekhyun just jumped the last couple stairs.

Which was stupid considering the boots he was wearing. But some good they did as his leg twisted from under him. But Baekhyun stayed quiet and just stayed on his knees. He didn't want to risk hurting himself more by trying to get up.

"Found him." Yixing said and Baekhyun felt a hand on his shoulder. 'Don't touch me." Because Baekhyun knew who was touching him and he didn't like it. "Just let me help you up." Chanyeol's hand was still on him and Baekhyun hurt too much to shake him off. "No." Chanyeol's hand was heavy and warm on his shoulder. Just like it was when Chanyeol danced with him at the Spring Dance.

"Guys just go ahead I'll catch up." Chanyeol said and the hand finally fell off of Baekhyun who only sighed in relief. "If you say so." Wufan and Jongin kicked Baekhyun's foot out of the way. Baekhyun didn't care much that he was crying because it really hurt and maybe he broke something on the fall.

It was quiet when everyone was out of earshot and almost out of the building. "Do you need help up?" Chanyeol sat on the bottom step and Baekhyun just balled his fists on the floor. "I don't need anything from you except for you to leave me alone." Baekhyun spat and grabbed up at the railing, pulling himself up to his feet. Maybe if he got away from Chanyeol he could collect himself.

Chanyeol didn't follow when Baekhyun limped his way down the hallway. 

Two days later Baekhyun was in a leg cast because he had fractured his ankle. Soccer practice would have to wait, not that he cared much about sports anymore. It wasn't going to improve his grades or his life so why play something that he didn't even like. Soccer was dumb and Chanyeol was the school's goalie. Which added intiative not to bother.

"That was brutal." Luhan sat on the bleachers next to him and kicked the dirt off his cleats. Luhan's half of the team had lost after Woohyun kicked a ball out of the field. "How's your foot?" Luhan asked and patted Baekhyun's leg. "It's fine." Baekhyun handed over the black marker to Luhan as Sehun came and joined them. "Sign it if you want." Baekhyun said and put his foot up on the bleacher in front of them.

"Chanyeol blocked the only goal our team tried to make." Sehun complained and leaned over Luhan's shoulder. "Shh! Don't talk about him in front of Baekhyun." Luhan said and capped the marker, passing it off to Sehun. "It's fine to talk about him. I'm over all of that." Baekhyun was never a good liar. Zitao said his eyes give everything away but he prayed they'd believe him.

"Sure." Luhan nodded but neither of them looked remotely convinced. "Well we have a date. Can you get home by yourself?" Sehun said and slipped the marker into his pocket. Baekhyun got use to Sehun always stealing his writing utensils. "I'll manage." Though Baekhyun didn't really want to be alone for the long walk home. None the less on crutches.

"Thanks. I'll call you later." Luhan pulled Sehun off the bleachers and headed for the exit gate. Baekhyun glanced up at the clear sky and wondered if it was going to rain again tonight. It was cloudy but across the field the sun seemed so bright. Zitao was right about Baekhyun having a dark cloud around him but he didn't think he meant it literally.

Baekhyun used the crutches to get up on his feet again and avoided the dirt left by Luhan and Sehun. "Need help?" Chanyeol came along side him and offered him a hand but Baekhyun just ignored him. It wasn't even worth it to tell him to go away because Baekhyun knew he wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. "Looks like you do." And once again Chanyeol's hand was on his shoulder.

"How many times do I have to tell you," Baekhyun leaned onto the crutches for support and pushed Chanyeol away. "Stop touching me. And stop talking. You know what I think it's better if you just stop trying so damn hard." Baekhyun was never one to cuss out loud but he figured the situation warranted the curse. Baekhyun tried not to smile when Chanyeol stopped smiling.

"I'm just trying to fix what I did." Chanyeol followed Baekhyun off the bleachers and towards the gate. Baekhyun could hear Jongin and the others before he could see them. But he knew they were waiting for Chanyeol to be done with what they deemed a stupid sport. "You can't." Was all Baekhyun said before breakign away from the younger.

If he were to be completely honest he would've put up with Chanyeol's nonsense if it meant not walking home alone. Especially considering today Baekhyun chose to wear shorts and came without so much as a jacket, none the less an umbrella. But the bus stop was within sight when a clap of thunder sounded through the seemingly busy streets. 

So that's how Baekhyun got home. Crammed onto a bus with too many people and not nearly enough leg room.

It's a Tuesday when he finally gets his cast off. Though his leg still hurts and walking is painful, he manages. Because he thrives on the pain because at least he knows he's okay. As long as he can feel his leg, even if it feels like dead weight, he knows he'll be alright. Afterall he's always alright.

"Baek! How long until you can play soccer again?" Sehun slides his tray of food onto the table and takes his normal seat between Luhan and Baekhyun. "The doctor said about another month. Should be strong enough by then." Hopefully. "Too bad you're gonna miss the tournament this weekend. Chanyeol's gotten better at goalie so maybe the other team won't win this time." Sehun shrugs.

With the reminder of the person he hates Baekhyun is kind of glad he'll miss the match. He doesn't have to see Chanyeol smiling and cheering and pretending like everything is sunshine and sugar. Baekhyun would love to come to cheer Luhan and Sehun and maybe even cheer for Sunggyu. But Chanyeol has yet again ruined his plans.

"I'm sure I won't miss much. Besides it'll be broadcasted come Monday morning." Their school had a pretty fast news team. No doubt it'd be all anyone is gonna talk about no matter how the match turns out. "Yeah." Then the rest of the lunch is silent. But Baekhyun can hear Wufan and Chanyeol's deep pitched laughter from across the room. So he favors slamming his head into the table over finishing his food.

"Do you have any plans for today?" Baekhyun asks the two when they're walking back to class. "We have a date." Sehun smiles and Luhan plays with his hair. Baekhyun knew the answer before he asked so he wasn't disappointed. "What about you?" Luhan asks as they enter the classroom and all he can hear is students yelling and laughing.

"I got detention." Baekhyun says it like it's no big deal and it's really not. "What was it this time?" Sehun laughs and they take their seats at the tables in the back of the room. "Ms. Park didn't like my choice in shoes today." Baekhyun threw a leg up on the table and his boot thudded against the wood. "I see why. Those things are a death trap. Especially with your weak leg." Luhan looks worried.

Baekhyun is about to respond when the teacher appears at the front of the room. "Mr. Byun if you'd be so inclined as to remove your foot from the desk." The teacher pushes her glasses up and Baekhyun sighs but does what he's told. He already got one detention and he didn't another. With his luck you-know-who wouldn't be there.

Byun Beakhyun was never lucky. So he doesn't know why he's so surprised to see Chanyeol in one of the classrooms scrubbing away at the floors. Jongin isn't too far behind him and is cleanign the desks. Baekhyun is in the next room over and it's so quiet Baekhyun swears he can hear the other students breathing in the hallway.

He steps onto the step ladder and starts to wash off the days chalk collection. And it is so quiet that Baekhyun can hear Chanyeol and Jongin in the next room over. 

"You should really stop." Jongin says and Baekhyun halts with his cleaning. "No." Chanyeol's voice sounds calm and just like it did the night of that Spring Dance. "He obviously wants nothing to do with you." It wouldn't take a genuis to figure out what they must be refrring to. So Baekhyun presses closer to the wall to eavesdrop. Letting the dirty rag drop from his hand.

"You think I don't know that? You think I don't know that he hates me?" Chanyeol sounds bitter and Baekhyun doesn't know what to feel. "He has good reason too, Yeol. You played him." Jongin sounded a lot different then he did with his entourage around. Jongin actually sounded like a person and not just the school's bully. At one point Baekhyun remembers really liking Jongin.

"You paid me to play him so you're no better." Chanyeol bites and his deep voice startles Baekhyun a bit. So he takes a step back only to realize too late that the wet rag had fallen into the step. And Baekhyun's boots didn't have very good traction. It happened so fast that the breath got knocked out of him when he hit the tiled floor.

There was pain in his leg again and it hurt more than when he first broke it. He knew he was crying but was too busy trying to catch his breath to make any noises. God Baekhyun just really wanted the floor to swallow him right now. He wanted to just go home in one piece. But he was seriously questioning his choices in footwear this morning.

The door slid open and a deep, "Oh my God! Are you okay?" Echoed around the room. Baekhyun only shook his head and closed his eyes. It was dark from there but he remembers someone picking him up and the sound of other students coming to see what was wrong. Then there was nothing. Nothing but buzzing in his ears and silence.

A/n: sorry it tok so damn long. I just got distracted elsewhere though there's really no excuse. this will probably only be a two-shot . But at least i finally updated right? 

Anyways thanks for sticking around for so long through the nonsense.