Mad Love

“NEVER AGAIN!”

Min scrambled to her feet and grabbed her bag then glared at the back of Jackson’s head that was already making its way out of the eerie and seemingly haunted house. “How could you just leave me in there alone !?” Min yelled, running after him. Jackson glanced back over his shoulder, but in that moment tripped over one of the many weeds that decorated the front yard. “That’s what you get!” Min bellowed, running past the fallen boy. Jackson cursed out loud and pushed up on his hand, then without bothering to dust himself off, started running again.   “Don’t worry Jackson, there aren’t any ghosts in there. It’s just an abandoned house. There’s nothing to be afraid of. Stop being such a baby. Who said that !?” Jackson chided, easily catching up to Min and hoisting her up in his arms in a clean motion. Min naturally wrapped around his neck, “It was for an assignment! I sure as hell wasn’t going to come alone!”   Jackson shot her a glare and slowed down when they reached his car. He set Min down and removed his snapback to fan himself. “You so owe me” He said, pointing at her accusingly as she opened the passenger door. Min scoffed and threw in her camera bag, “I so do not. I won fair and square and you had to do the punishment. Those are the rules.” Jackson huffed and opened the driver’s door to get in.   “Then you best hope you don’t lose next game, cause I’m going to make you do something so much worse”, He mumbled as he the car, his face still red from the run. “What’s worse than possibly evoking a demon and having it latch onto you?” Min leaned her head back and released a long breath of relief. “I don’t know, but I’ll think of something. Now, should we pass by the church just in case?” “Pass by?” Min scoffed and glanced back at the house then shuddered when she thought she saw something by one of the windows. “We need a full on cleansing! Now drive!” ▲   Min puffed up her cheeks and dramatically fell back on the couch. “Ramen, now. And it better be hot when you get here” Min rolled her eyes and got on her feet, grabbing her phone from the coffee table. “Fine, but I’m just saying you need to check those controllers” She said, before dragging her feet to the front door where her shoes were. “Yeah, sure. Blame the controllers” Jackson scrolled down the menu to the solo player option. “And don’t take so long!” “Yeah, yeah” Min closed the door behind her and made her way downstairs.   It was a tradition. At least for the past 12 years when a 10 year old Min decided that their parents "friendly gatherings" were boring and since Jackson was the only kid around that didn’t their thumbs, she chose him as her partner in crime. Well, partner in a game she made up, which was: Whoever lost whatever game they were playing, had to grant the wish of the winner.   Back then it was easy and simple. They were wishes from, steal the last cookie in grandma’s cookie jar or put a dead bug in one of the grown up’s pocket, in hindsight, they were dares that were labeled as wishes.   Though Jackson was 3 years younger than Min, she never cared for it. She wasn’t the type to get embarrassed with hanging out with a 12 year old when she 15, or being best friends with a high school kid when she was in college. If anything, she cared for Jackson more than most of her same aged friends. They grew up together and saw each other constantly, whether at school or at each other’s houses. Their parents were social creatures that had get together constantly so they couldn’t really escape each other even if they wanted to.   Which is probably why they had never acted upon the hidden feelings they had for each other. Whether it was the fear of starting something and having it end bad and still having to see each other or just not wanting to risk the beautiful friendship they had. Their friends could see the chemistry and truly couldn’t believe that they weren’t an item and the fact that they even lived together in the same apartment and nothing had happened boggled their minds. While they did have another roommate, Mark, who sneakily did his best to not get in the way of something actually happening between them, he had no luck. They were stubborn and though naturally blunt, they were quite simply too scared to blurt out their feelings as apposed to blurting out their opinions on other occasions.   Min hummed along to some random remix the radio was playing and reached over to put on her earphone when her phone started ringing. “Hello?” “Why do you sound so static-y?”  “Is that even a word? I’m driving” Min answered. “You out? At 2am?” “That’s the beauty of the restaurants around campus, they’re open late for poor starving students” “Okay, metal of honor for them, but whatever. Listen,  I have big news! I heard from Mir that Joon is going to ask you out” “That’s nice” Min said, her focus was more on trying not to fall into the temptation of stopping the car and eating her food.   Irene dramatically sighed, “Min, c’mon. He’s one of the hottest guy at school, and the richest AND he’s into you, how can you sound so melancholy about that?” “Tell her that he has a freaking hot body too! Saw him in Cancun last spring break and oh my god, nearly fainted” Min laughed when she heard her other best friend and Irene’s roommate, Hyoyeon. “Are you sure that wasn’t heat ?” “She says she’s sure”, Irene said. Min laughed again. “C’mon, Min. Just agree to go out with him. You never know where it might lead and if you don’t feel a connection, just dump him like you have the other guys, but I’ll tell you right now, Lee Joon isn’t like the other guys you’ve dated” “He has a future for once” Min guessed Irene put her on speaker since she was know able to hear Hyoyeon clearly. “Are you saying I have bad taste in men?” She asked, making a turn in her street. “Of course not. You have the perfect guy waiting for you at home almost every night” Min smile disappeared, “Okay, what did I say about mentioning Jackson when talking about my love life?” “So it is love!” Min rolled her eyes at Irene’s over enthusiastic voice and parked the car. “Shut up. I’m home and need to get Jackson his food or he won’t stop complaining all night” “See! You get him food even at 2am! How is that not love?” “He won the game” She mumbled, “Oh please, that game is just a damn excuse you two use to do nice things for each other to hide the fact that you love ea-” “Goodnight!” Min interrupted Hyoyeon and hanged up.      She hated it when they brought it up. She was aware of her feelings, she wasn’t that much of a air head, but she was sure he didn’t have feeling for her, at least not the same way she did. First of all, Jackson was Jackson with everyone. He was himself and treated everyone the same. If he liked her, he would treat her different right?   Min shook the thought away and grabbed the bag. She knew how he was with girls he liked. He was this perfect gentleman around them, but still managed to add his charm that made him likable. He flirted with them openly and if he liked her he would act that way around her too, right? She felt her stomach drop at her thoughts. It was the main reason she hated thinking about it; she always felt horrible in the end, even her appetite was gone. She had known she was in love with him, but never admitted out loud mainly to save herself the heartache.   She released a sigh and unlocked the front door. Jackson was still on the couch, shooting some aliens and mumbling under his breath. Min gulped back the lump in ; “I’m back” She called out, removing her shoes. Jackson immediately released the controller and jumped over the couch, his eyes brightening at the idea that his food had arrived. “Here” Min handed him the bag and began to make her way to her room. “You aren’t going to eat?” He asked, noticing there were two containers in the bag.   “I woke up early and I’m finally feeling it. Goodnight” Min was a bit surprised that she had managed to speak all those words clearly with how horrible she was feeling. “All right” Jackson said a bit unsure. Min may have thought she sounded normal, but Jackson took notice of her sad tone. He knew her very well, just like he knew the difference between her tired voice and upset voice. When she was tired she mumbled things, when she was upset her voice was low, but clear. She was really good at hiding how she felt and had years to perfect the “everything’s okay” defense system a lot of people fell for. But not Jackson; he knew her better than anyone else.     He set down the bag and walked over to her room, where she had shut the door a few seconds prior. He reached for the doorknob and furrowed his eyebrows when it wouldn’t turn; she locked it. “Min?” “Let me go to sleep, Jackson” She said, sternly. Jackson sighed and released the doorknob. She was stubborn and she sure as hell wasn’t going to open the door. So instead of knocking again, he walked over to the kitchen and put away the bag of food, then turned off the living room TV and lights before going to his room, where Mark was already fast asleep.  - “There he is!” “Ow!” Min yelped when Irene screamed near her. She pouted and rubbed her ear, shooting a glare at her taller friend. “Who?” “Joon!” Min blew on her bangs and dropped her hand, following her best friend’s gaze. “And he’s making his way towards you!” At that Min internally panicked. It wasn’t that she didn’t think Joon was good looking, he was, but she was just not interested. She made a note to get back at Jackson one way or another since this was kind of his fault. Min could feel Irene pushing her forward so they could meet him halfway and that’s when she started to look around for a salvation.   Finally she spotted one.   “Mark!” Min called out, getting out of Irene’s grasp and rushing over to her roommate passing by them. He adjusted his book to his other arm and was about to stop walking, but Min looped her arm through his and continued to walk. “Min!” She heard Irene hiss, but simply waved and walked faster. Mark raised a brow and looked down at her, “What’s going on?” “I’m running away from a potential date” Mark looked over his shoulder where he saw Irene talking to a blonde haired guy who was partially listening to her while he watched them walk away. “Don’t look!” Min exclaimed, slapping his stomach.   “Why are you running away from a date?” “Because according to Irene, he’s not like any of the guys I’ve dated. He’s serious about starting a relationship with me” At that, Min shuddered. Mark furrowed his eyebrows, “And that’s bad?” “Yes!” Mark shook his head, still confused. “How is that bad? Isn’t that what girls want?” “Not me” “Why?” “Because I’m not interested in a serious relationship” “Why?” “Because I’m not ready for a serious relationship” At that Mark rolled his eyes, “You’ve been in a serious relationship for years now, you live with the guy you’re madly in love with, fight like an old married couple and are pretty much partners in every figurative crime. All that’s missing is the making out and I thank you for that” Min released Mark’s arm and stopped walking. Mark stopped and turned to look at her,   “Is it that obvious?” She asked softly, but loud enough for him to hear.    Mark didn’t blink, “duh”    Min nibbled on her lip. “Maybe I should move out” Mark laughed, “Move out? Jackson would just follow you and I’d be left alone paying for an apartment I can’t afford” “Then I’ll tell Jackson not to follow me. You’ll get your own rooms” Mark walked over to her, noticing absolutely no humor in her voice. “You’re seriously considering it aren’t you?” Min looked up at him and shrugged, “I guess? I don’t know” “You’re talking crazy. C’mon, I have an hour before my next class, let’s get some ice cream” Min nodded and looped her arms through his again, “Fine”.   ▲   “Better move it, your class starts in 15 minutes” “You think? I can’t believe I grabbed the wrong book” Mark said, rushing into their apartment. Min closed the door and noticed Jackson’s shoes along with wedges that weren’t hers. She clenched her jaw, already knowing the situation, but still walked over to the living room. “Jackson you in here?” She called out, and raised a brow when she saw him and a pretty girl sitting on the couch acting as if nothing happened prior to them walking in. Except Min took notice of their tousled hair and lipstick stains smudged on his lips.   Min placed a container of ice cream on the kitchen counter. “We brought you some ice cream” “Cool, thanks” He said, running a hand through his hair. “I should go” The girl said, realizing that Min wasn’t going planning on going anywhere; she was already sitting on the counter. “Oh so soon?” Jackson stood up right after her. “Yeah” She smiled politely at Min and bowed her head lightly when she passed by her. For some reason the 5’2 girl oozed intimidation and it helped that Min was one of the most loved girl’s at their university with lots of connections and friendships that it would be a bad idea to have as an enemy or even on her bad side.  But Min wasn’t someone who would take advantage of that, so instead she returned the smile.   “All right, see ya” Jackson called out as he turned around to search for his snapback. Min frowned when his back was turned and then glanced at Mark making his way toward her with his right book at hand. “What’s up?” He noticed her upset expression. “Nothing. Got your book?” Mark nodded, and glanced at Jackson who was now placing his hat over his hair. “Good. I’m going to go look for Joon” Min declared, jumping off the counter then turning on her heel and walking out the apartment.   “Joon? I don’t know a Joon. Whose Joon?” Jackson asked as he comfortably strode towards the kitchen counter for his ice cream. Mark sighed, noticing the lipstick stain on Jackson. “A guy interested in marrying Min” Jackson’s hand slipped from the container and he looked at Mark with wide eyes, “I beg your pardon?” Mark shrugged, “Or a serious relationship, but those end up in marriages right?” Jackson swallowed, “And