Chapter Five

It's not a Date

I woke early in the morning to the screaming cry of my alarm clock.  After silencing the intolerable alarm, I dragged myself into the bathroom to prepare for the day, and, as usual, I decided against wearing the uniform.  Instead, I wore my black varsity jacket over a red tank top with a pair of jeans.   For once I had woken up early enough to eat a proper breakfast.  But as I sat at the table with a bowl of cereal, my mother entered the room.

"Oh," she said, "You're here?  That's good.  I had something to tell you, anyways."

I braced myself for her lecture as she took a seat beside me...

"Look," she placed her hand on my back in an awkward attempt to sugar-coat what ever she was about to say, "I know you're not going to like it, but it's for your own good."

I engulfed another spoonful of cereal, letting the milk drip from the corners of my mouth.  I stared at her, glaring almost, as I listened to her speak.

"I don't want you hanging out with...those boys anymore."

"Like that's happening," I scoffed after swallowing my food.

"Atleast not without a chaperone of some sort," she added, "I never have any idea what you and those boys are doing in your bedroom whenever they come over!"

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!"  I argued.

She spoke about them as if disgusted, which irked me to no end.  Those boys are my friends.

"You need some girl friends,"  I could only roll my eyes in response,  "That's healthy for girls your age."

"Mom," I swung my backpack over my shoulder, "I love you and all, but sometimes I just want to ring your neck."

Not allowing her the chance to say anything more, I hurried out the door.  To no surprise, Min Seok was waiting for me on my front lawn.  I took my place beside him, and we headed for school.  He reached into his pocket and took out a pack of gum.

"Want one?" he asked as he slipped a piece onto his tongue.

I held out my hand, and he dropped a strip of gum into my palm.  Unwrapping it, I chewed on the gum slowly.   Our walk to school was much quiter than usual.  After yesterday, it seemed as if there wasn't much to be said.

The abnormal lack of conversation was ended when we arrived at science class.  Luckily, my friends seemed to be more entertained and relaxed than I was.  From where I was standing, their gleeful shouts sounded like nothing more than chaos.  It looked much the same.

Kai stood on his desk, unsuccesfully trying to climb onto Tao's shoulders.  He caught sight of Min Seok and I and greeted us with an award winning smile.  We gladly joined them in whatever the heck they were doing.

"And, why?" Min Seok asked, gesturing toward Kai and Tao.

"We were trying to see who could be the first to tackle Tao," Luhan smiled, "It's not working very well."

"Anyways," Tao spoke, unfazed by the squirming Kai clinging to his back, "Sehun told us about what he said to that Chanyeol guy yesterday."

"But seriously though," Kai said as he jumped to the ground, "If he ever bothers you again, let us know.  I'll beat him worse than Sehun did Friday."

"You guys," I chuckled as I sat at my desk, "Just stop worrying about it.  Besides, I doubt that coward would ever even look at me again after what you said to him."

My guilt for my harsh words was only emphasized as Min Seok burned me with a judgemental glower.  I nervously looked at my feet.

"Alright children," the teacher interrupted our conversation, "class is now in session."

She was about to begin  her lesson when she turned her attention to me with a rather cross expression.  "Now Ms. Lee," she scolded me, "You know gum is not permitted."

"Your point?" I retorted, causing my friends to snicker.

"Spit it out," she growled.

"Yes ma'am," I batted my lashes before spitting my gum on the floor.

She looked at me, revolted, but only scoffed and continued her lesson.  After an hour of her droning on and on about some sort of chemical formula, the school bell called us to our next class.  In my case, I had study hall with my friends.

We sat at our usual table of six.  Tao sat beside me and began talking about the homeowrk or something.  I wasn't exactly paying attention.  My eyes had drifted to the back of the room where Chanyeol sat against the wall, his nose buried in a book. 

How many of my classes is he in?

The boys followed my gaze.  When they spotted Chanyeol, Kai rose to his feet and headed toward him, chortling.  The other five of us followed.

"What are you reading?" Kai taunted Chanyeol as he sat on the ground next to him.

Luhan plucked the book out of Chanyeol's hands and flipped through its pages, "Oh, it's a manga."

Tao looked over Luhan's shoulder to see the book's cover.  "A romantic manga," he laughed.

Chanyeol looked up at me with large, pleading eyes, as if I would save him.  I kneeled beside him and pinched his ear, "So this elf-eared freaked is a hopeless romantic?"

That's cute...

We laughed, but my smile was forced.  Chanyeol looked to me, confused and hurt.  His cheeks were bright red, burning from embarassment.

I am such a

The look on both Chanyeol and Min Seok's face seemed to confirm my thoughts. 

"Here's your book," Luhan chuckled as he threw the manga into Chanyeol's chest.

Sehun took my hand as the six of us turned to walk away.  In my peripheral vision, I noticed Sehun flash Chanyeol an arrogant smirk, as if he had just won.

From that moment on, my day wasn't noteable.  All that was on my mind was Chanyeol.  I hated it.  I hate that I was upset when he didn't sit next to me in math.  I hate that I feel guilty for mistreating him.  I hate that I even care...

"What the hell was that?" Min Seok snapped as we walked home.

"Just yesterday, you were like, 'Oh Chanyeol, my heart hurts for you'," he explained, with a terrible impersonation of me, "And then today you call him a cowardly freak?"

"I was just nervous, okay?" I defended myself, but my stomach twisted.  I knew there was no excuse for what I said to him, and the guilt was overbearing.

"Whatever," he said before turning to his house, "Bye."

I waved to him and proceeded forward.  Farther down the road, I caught sight of Chanyeol.  I quickened my pace so that I was walking along side him.

"Are you still up to going to the cafe?" I smiled.

"I don't know," he spat, "Are you still up to hanging out with an elf-eared freak?"

"I really didn't mean that," I muttered an apology.

"Then why did you say it?" he spoke with a harsh tone.

"I guess I just," I stuttered, struggling to find an honest answer, "I don't know..."

I bit my bottom lip as I considered his question.  Why did I say it?  No one pressured me to join their mockery of him.  I don't exactly know what I was feeling.  The closest thing to associate it with would be to say I was nervous, but that doesn't seem quite right.

"If I'm an elf-eared freak, then you're a blue-haired freak," he laughed.

"Does that mean we're even?" I giggled.

Chanyeol released an elongated sigh, "I suppose that you're forgiven..."

"And do you also suppose that we could still go to that cafe?" I beamed, unable to contain my true excitement.

"I'm not sure," he glanced nervously at his house, "My dad wouldn't allow this.  He would be furious."

"Is your dad even home?" I coaxed.

"Well no, but-"

"Then he won't know!" I convinced him.

"Then I guess it's a date!" he cheered.

"It's not a date."

To my luck, the cafe was practically empty.  No one from school was there to spread rumours of Chanyeol and I.  The two of us sat at a booth in the back of the resturaunt.

"Why do your friends hate me?" Chanyeol bluntly asked, "Min Seok especially."

I was struck by his question and wasn't able to form any speciffic answer.  "Min Seok doesn't hate you," I began, "He's just a bit protective of me.  And I'm pretty sure he's just mad at me for kissing you and takes it out on you."

Chanyeol nodded in understanding.  "What about the others?" he coerced.

"Why don't we go order coffee or something?" I suggested in an attempt to change the subject

"I don't really like coffee," he shrugged.

"Then why'd you agree to come to a cafe?" I accentuated the last word as I rest my elbows on the table, leaning forward.

"So I could see you again."

I could feel myself blushing.  I hid my cheeks behind my hands so that Chanyeol couldn't see the embarrassing effect he has on me.

"Cute!" he teased me.

His contagious laughter sounded through the cafe.  A similar laugh escaped my mouth.  Soon enough, I was laughing just as hard as him.  His expression quickly fell when a message alert rang from his phone.

"Who is it?" I sat up, recomposing myself.

"My mom," he knitted his eyebrows upward, "Look."

He showed me the screen of his phone.  The text from his mother read:  Why are you not home yet?

"I'm going to be in so much trouble," he paniced, "I'm not allowed to go anywhere without permission.  Let alone with a girl!"

I took his phone and spoke aloud as I typed a response, "Sorry Mom.  I'm studying at school.  I promise I won't be too much longer.  Love you!"

"But I'm not studying..." he pursed his lips.

"She doesn't know that," I smirked.

"I've never lied to my parents before," a smile tugged at the corner of his lips, "I feel so defiant and rebellious.  I feel so...so-"

"Bad ?" I chortled.

"Yeah, that's it," he laughed, "I like it."

"Can we hang out again tomorrow?" he chimed, a hopeful glint twinkling in his eyes.

I compressed my lips.  "Sorry, Chanyeol, but," I rejected his offer, "I'm hanging out with my friends tomorrow."

His broad shoulders slumped over in disappointment, and I was immediately sympathetic for him.

"I'll tell you what," he perked up as I compromised, "We skip math tomorrow and hang out under the staircase?"

"Skip class?  That sounds so insubordinate," he contended.

"Come on," I tempted him, "I thought you liked being bad ?"

"Well.." He skeptically complied, "I suppose missing one class can't be of any vital damage, so... I'll cut class with you."

"Awesome!" I upthrusted my fist in the air.

"But we should be going about now," he added, "My mom will be mad if I don't get home soon."

"So I guess being bad starts right after your mommy tucks you in?" I poked fun at him.

"What ever," he rolled his eyes, "Let's just get going."

"See you tomorrow, Eun Mi," he bent ove and hugged me.

I stiffened under his touch, and I could tell that my cheeks had become pink.  "Uh, yeah, I will just see you tomorrow then," I faltered awkwardly.

"I had alot of fun on our date," he said to me before returning to his house.

"It wasn't a date!" I incredulously called to him.

It wasn't a date.  It wasn't a date.

Was this a date?

Did I just cheat on Sehun?

No.  Sehun always was, is, and always will be, the love of my life.  That day five years ago, he stole my heart and I stole his.  He will always have my heart.  No one can ever come between that or ever rise above.  No one can own my heart besides Sehun.

Right?

author's note:

  Hello my beautiful readers!!!  I hope you enjoyed this update, I enjoyed writing it even though it took a while due to a certain habit of mine **cough cough** procrastination **cough**  Anyways, I'm not going to be updating in a week or two.  I don't see why I need to inform you of this, that's about how long I usually take anyways, but I actually have a legitimate excuse this time!  I'm going on vacation!! OHARAT!!!   Well anyways, be sure to comment and subscribe if you haven't!!! 

I love you!