Friendship
Madness
I think accepting to go to the talent show was also accepting Leo and Haru as friends.
At least that’s the only reasonable conclusion I have come up with as to why they were sitting in front of me at the library.
I had also learned a couple of things about these two.
5 things I’ve learned about Leo:
· He really didn’t talk to anyone but Haru outside of class.
· He approached me because he had leaned on that wall, alone with the gate closed on his first day as well.
· He and Haru became friends after Leo helped Haru defend himself from a group of guys wanting to start a fight.
· He wanted to be a filmmaker or work in the film industry. I had thought about introducing him to my stepfather, who worked in a successful film company as a producer and scriptwriter, but I have yet to do so.
· He remembered little things and I noticed he paid very close attention when someone spoke to him. It was reassuring and although he didn’t speak much, you could be certain he was listening to you.
5 things I’ve learned about Haru:
· He was always writing, but wasn’t too confident in his writing. He turned red once when I slyly read a bit of his lyrics and told him they were good. He took the paper away and mumbled something about it not being ready yet.
· He had a bit of temper, especially when someone interrupted his writing, like I had done when I had the courage to greet him first. He didn’t yell or scold anyone he simply looked frustrated. He did apologize, but now I was wary whenever he was writing.
· His hair was naturally auburn. Leo had to sneak a picture of him as a baby in order for me to believe it. Haru wasn’t too happy.
· Haru’s parents were very active in the school. I met them three times now and they were so sweet and friendly, that it’s a bit strange that Haru was quiet and reserved.
· And lastly, the way he teased me, smiled at me or simply looked at me caused my face to flush and my heartbeat to speed up.
I understand the last one is a problem, but for the past few weeks the feeling of emptiness and loneliness were nowhere near me.
Both Fei and my father seemed to be pleased that I had begun to move forward with my life. I knew they were hoping I was leaving behind the pain from the past.
I was content too, I suppose. I had forgotten the warm feeling of having friends, but even friends and these new butterflies in my stomach didn’t fill up the hole of confusion still inside me.
Who was the voice? Who were those men who killed my sister?
My blood boils at my lack of remembrance of the men who ruined my life. My main goal was to one day remember their faces and put them behind bars.
I was the only one who had seen their faces and lived.
I tighten the grip on my pen as I thought about it.
“Min?” I looked up at Haru who was eyeing my pen.
“Yeah” I released my grip and ran a hand through my hair.
“Need help with something?” He signaled to the paper.
I shook my head. “No”
“Then why do you look so frustrated?”
I thought about what I could say, “I’m just stressed”
I wasn’t entirely lying.
AP courses were twice the work, but only I knew the real reason I was strained.
The day I realized that the voice was someone from my past, the nightmares I thought had ended, returned.
Unfortunately, they had not changed.
I was in a simple black room and she was there, reassuring me and my hair. Then, she disappeared and I woke up gasping for air.
“All right, how about we get out of here then” Haru said, closing his notebook.
“And go where?” Leo asked, lifting his head up.
“The pier? What do you say?” Haru looked at me, I bit my lip.
“I don’t know”
“Call your parents and let them know. Leo has a license and is a good driver, my parents can vouch for him,” Haru said reassuringly.
I took out my phone and walked outside to make the phone call.
As usual, my father didn’t answer his cell or the house phone. I left a message and went back into the library.
“CL is coming, she’ll pick us up” Leo said, gathering his things.
Just then my phone vibrated, I checked the message CL sent me: “Be there in a bit, wait for me outside!”
I smiled, the only other person who texted me was Fei.
Like I said before, having friends gave a warm reassurance that I wasn’t alone.
“CL says she’ll wait for us outside” I said, putting my phone back in my pocket.
I looked up when I realized the movement around me had stopped.
“What?”
Haru and Leo had their arms crossed around their chests and were both looking at me with glares.
“CL has your number, but we don’t?” Leo said in disbelief.
“I didn’t even know I had it” I defended.
I should have suspected it though. Why else would she have asked to make a call with my phone when she had a fully charged phone in her other hand?
I simply didn’t think she would contact me.
Haru marched over to me. I subconsciously stepped back, but Haru didn’t stop until he was a few inches away from my face.
“Phone” He ordered as held out his hand
I could feel my cheeks burning, but even I was surprised by my sudden outburst.
“Don’t you know anything about personal space?” I yelled, shoving him back. Haru and Leo looked at me surprised. I took out my phone and put in on the table, then crossed my arms around my chest.
“Simply ask. Is that so hard?” I mumbled, shoving his shoulder as I passed him. “I’ll wait outside”
Too close
I felt my cheeks heat up when I remembered how close his face was. I knew he didn’t do it to upset me, but having him so close startled me.
I had forgotten the feeling of liking someone…..but it wasn’t right.
I was complicated to say the least.
I was hesitant of being friends with Haru and Leo, knowing well they could discover my terrorizing past and feel too overwhelmed to deal with it, but I didn’t want to lose the feeling of security again.
I knew I was being selfish, but I liked the feeling of good people being around me. Though I only knew them for 2 months, they haven’t shown any signs of being people who would hurt me like the others had done before.
I should be fair though. The monsters were simply that, monsters. Monsters who took young girls from the streets and transformed them, then sold them without repentance.
I shivered. It wasn’t what was done to me that frightened me; I had it easy compared to the other girls.
I can’t make out faces, but I do remember them attacking me and screaming that it wasn’t fair I was being “spared”.
I didn’t remember how the voice protected me, but she did at least from the monsters.
I wrapped my arms around myself and sighed.
Leo and Haru weren’t like that, I'm sure of it.
“Min!” I opened my eyes and saw CL waving her hands around. I smiled and waved back, then looked around me.
Where were they?
CL walked over and greeted me with a hug.
“Where are the idiots?”
“Not sure, they were behind me. At least I thought they were”
“Hey” Leo appeared next to me and handed me my phone.
“Hey, ready to go?” CL looked around, “Haru?”
“He went to get something from the vending machine”
Haru showed up a few minutes later, a smile on his face and a bag of my favorite chocolate chip cookies in his hand.
I furrowed my eyebrows at the bag and then looked up at him. He grinned and handed me the bag, then greeted CL.
“Let’s go?” Leo asked me, I nodded put the cookies in my bag.
“All right, come on” CL patted Haru in the back and we followed her to her car.
Just enjoy the rest of the day, Min.
You deserve a good day.
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AN: A light chapter with a bit more information about Min’s past. I decided to add some information on Haru and Leo too since they’re going to start appearing more. Suzy's death is an obstacle Min has to get over, but it's not the only one.....
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