**Very long chapter

Luhan's POV:

I dragged Ara back to the elementary school where we first met.  Everything was new to me back then.  I had just moved into town from Beijing and I didn't know Korean.  I mean of course I had some lessons because of my wealthy background, but I didn't know every word or phrase.  And I admit, I kind of looked a little girly at one point in my elementary school life.  That's when Ara came in.  She was in my class and so nice to everyone.  She would get angry whenever someone was getting made fun of, and I guess that's when I started to like her when she stood up for me. 

We sat on the swing sets near by and hung out there.  It was actually really nice being here.  It brought many memories back to me.  I took in the fresh air and smiled to the playground.  Then I turned my head to Ara.  She sat there on the swings with her same old emotionless face.  Suddenly I pictured a child version of her laughing and smiling swinging on the swings. 

"Okay... so, I've been watching you from a far a lot even though we haven't talked in for so long.  To be honest, I was kind of nervous... well, I still am," I said after a while.  She looked at me.  I could tell that she was waiting for me to say more.  "And... could we become friends again?"  She just nodded her head. 

It became silent again.  Only the wind was blowing lightly and little noises here and there.  "So... your turn," I said. 

"Hmm?" she hummed. 

"Tell me your secret.  I would really like to know, since I did tell you mine."

"I have none."  Her expression seemed to turn dark after she said that. 

Trying to lift the atmosphere up, I said, "Come on, every one has at least one little secret.  Tell me."  When she still didn't say anything, I started to feel that she didn't trust me.  "I-I mean we're friends, right?"  She still didn't look up.  "Ara, I can tell you're hiding something.  You can tell me.  I promise I won't tell anyone.  It'll just be between you and I." 

"I'm not good at trusting people," she said lowly. 

I got up from my swing and knelt down in front of her.  I looked up to her face and smiled, trying to assure her that she can trust me.  Her emotionless face turned into a slight sad one. 

"You wouldn't understand," she said and her voice cracked. 

My face turned from a smiling one, to a serious one.  I knew that something wasn't right.  I started to wonder if this secret that she's keeping to herself is what's causing her pain.  At first I thought that when she started smiling less and less that it was just the students at our school that upset her by speaking behind her back, but it doesn't seem so. 

"Tell me," I said. 

She stood up quickly and made me fall.  "I'll be going back first," she mumbled and started walking back towards the high school.  I got up and watched as she walked away.  A minute passed and she was quite far away now.  I sighed and tried to catch up to her. 

We got back to the school and finished up with the papers and brought them back to Mrs. Hwang.  Soon our detention time was over and everyone rushed out of the classroom.  After I packed up my stuff I searched for Ara with my eyes, but didn't see her at all. 

I caught up with Baehyun and Chanyeol as they were making their way out as well and walked with them.  That's when I spotted Ara and Jahee.  They exited from the far door and were walking towards downtown as well. 

"Huh, Luhan?" Baekhyun asked. 

"W-what?" I asked getting back to the conversation. 

"We asked who that girl you were walking with today," Chanyeol said.  "We saw you and a girl walking outside earlier." 

"No one," I said with a smile starting to creep onto my face. 

"Luhan has a girlfriend!" Baekhyun teased.  I laughed it off and tried denying it, but I really did want a girlfriend, specifically Ara. 

Your/Ara's POV:

After hanging out with Jahee for the afternoon, I had to go back to home which I wasn't looking forward to at all.  When I finally reached my house, I stopped right in front of it and just stared at it.  I sighed and carefully crept in afraid that I'd get caught. 

When I got up to my room safely, I let out a sigh of relief.  I was safe... for now.  I heard the front door open and shut.  Then laughing.  And footsteps coming up the stairs.  They were for sure drunk, I knew because it was a Friday and their footsteps were getting closer to my room.  Plus it was always like this every single Friday. 

I quietly went to sit on my bed and wait for the torture to start.  There wasn't any where I could go, so I just got ready for the pain to begin.  The door opened and it the wall hard leaving a dent in it.  The two figures of my "parents" came in with devilish smiles. 

The abuse finally stopped at around 3 am in the morning.  They left my on the ground and left my room without a word, just their evil laughs.  Being pretty immune to the beating by now, I got up and crawled into bed. 

As soon as I woke up the next morning, I changed and ran out of the house as fast as I could.  When I got down the the bottom of the stairs, my dad caught me and chased after me until I reached the corner of the street.  I had to catch my breath before starting on my walk to random places. 

I put my sunglasses on before I went on walking because I saw that I had a black eye from yesterday's beating.  I also had to wear a sweater, even though it's nice out, because of the bruises I had received. 

"Ara!" I heard someone call out my name.  At first I ignored it and kept walking.  But then I heard the voice again.  I stopped and turned around to see Luhan running to catch up to me.  I was about to turn and keep walking, but he caught up to me fast and gently grabbed onto my shoulder.  I winced in pain because that's where one of my bruises were.  He immediately took his hand off my shoulder and looked at me worriedly. 

"Are you okay?" he asked with concern in his voice. 

I nodded my head and turned back to walk in the direction I was already walking in.  He walked beside me.  I could feel his eyes on me even though I wasn't looking at him. 

"Why are you wearing a sweater?  Aren't you hot?" he asked. 

To be honest, I was starting to sweat like crazy underneath this thing.  But still, I shook my head.  I didn't want to show him- or any one actually, that I have all these injuries. 

"Where are you going?" he asked.  I shrugged my shoulders in response.  "Mind if I join you?" 

I stopped walking and looked at him through my glasses.  "Don't you have somewhere else to be?  Like with your friends?" I asked. 

"They can live without me for a day." 

"I want to be alone." 

"Are you okay?" 

"Yes.  Now, I'll just be going."  I turned and started to leave. 

"Wait, Ara..." 

I stopped and looked at him.  He came up very close to me and stared into my eyes.  Without me having time to react, he lifted his hands up and pulled my glasses off.  I was completely shocked when he did that and immediately turned away, not wanting him to see my eye. 

"Your not okay..." Luhan muttered.  I felt his hand sneak around to my cheek and gently turned my head so that I was looking at him again.  He scanned my eye and looked worried and a bit angry.  "What happened?" he asked. 

"Nothing," I replied and tried reaching for my glasses, but Luhan pushed them into his front pocket. 

"Tell me," he said.  His voice sounded soft, yet stern at the same time. 

"It's nothing you have to worry about." 

Giving up on trying to get my glasses back, I turned and started walking away again.  Luhan grabbed my arm and twisted me back around.  I winced in pain again and held onto the arm her pulled on.  He gave me a look and pushed up my sleeve.  Then he saw my purple bruises.  I tried to quickly hid it and push my sleeve back down, but Luhan's hand was in the way. 

"What- why- how are you getting these?" he asked looking up to me with concern in his sparkling eyes. 

I didn't reply.  I didn't want or know how to reply to his question.  All I could do was look away from his eyes and just let all this happen.  The silence stayed in the air as Luhan waited for my answer. 

"Ara..." he said.  

"Why should I tell you?  No one cares, so it wouldn't be worth it," I spat and removed my arm out of Luhan's grip. 

"Who said that I didn't care?"  I stayed quiet and covered up my arm.  "Ara, I care.  I want to help you... I don't want to see you getting hurt like this."  I continued to stay silent and stared down at the ground. 

Luhan grabbed my hand and started leading me somewhere.  At this point I didn't really care about anything, so I just went along with him.  When we finally stopped, we were in his house.  He let me go and pushed me into a seat. 

"I'll be right back, do not go any where," he firmly said. 

I listened to him and stayed put.  As I sat there, I thought about my life and what it had become.  Then Luhan popped up into my mind.  Why was he being so nice to me all of a sudden? 

He came back with an ice pack and a first aid kit.  I watched his as he placed the first aid kit down beside me on the table and passed me the ice pack.  When I just let the ice pack sit in my hands, he took it and carefully placed it on my eye and then brought my hand up to hold it there.  While I held onto the ice for my eye, he opened up the first aid kit and then said, "Take you sweater off." 

Surprised by his sudden command, I just looked at him.  He stared right back and waited for me to do what he said.  I didn't budge though.  After a minute, Luhan stood up and sighed.  "Don't make me take it off for you," he warned.  When I still didn't move, his hands made its way towards the bottom of my sweater.  Before he touched me, I got up quickly and took it off myself.

He started giggling and made me sit back in the chair.  He put my sweater on the table and started treating my wounds.  When he was finished, he closed up the first aid kit and took the ice pack away.  He came back within a couple of moments and smiled to me. 

"You still have to tell me," he said. 

"Hmm?" I hummed. 

"How did you get those bruises?"  I decided to remain silent.  He gave me a worried look again and pulled up a chair and sat in front of me.  "Tell me.  Don't you trust me?"  I shrugged my shoulders and looked down to the ground.  Luhan lifted his hand up and tilted my head back so that I was looking at him.  "Please?  I can only help you if you tell me what's happening." 

"There are some things that aren't meant to be told," I replied. 

"I know, but this is something that is supposed to be told." 

"Luhan, thanks for caring, but you won't understand." 

"Well, I'll determine that once you tell me." 

"You wouldn't even be able to help me, so it's fine.  Thanks for treating my wounds, but I think I need to get going."  I got up, but Luhan sat me back down. 

"No, you did this to me yesterday, I'm not letting you do it again today.  Now, spill it." 

"Luhan-" 

"I'm not letting you leave until you tell me."  I sighed.  He raised his eyebrows and said, "I'm waiting." 

"Fine.  My parents abuse me at home, I have no relatives, and I have no friends.  Happy?" 

He stared at me in shock.  I felt a little bad that I just spat that out at him, but what could I do.  I hate talking about this topic.  It makes me feel emotional, and I don't like it.  I bit my bottom lip and tried to suppress myself from letting a tear out.  After nothing coming out of Luhan's mouth for a minute, I got up and started heading towards the door with my sweater in hand. 

Right when I reached for the door knob, I heard a chair screech against the floor and footsteps quickly walking towards me.  Soon enough I could feel Luhan's chest against my back and his arms wrapped around my body.  His chin rested on my shoulder that wasn't hurt. 

"Just stay with me," he said in a soft calming voice that made me feel warm inside. 

I bit my bottom lip.  This time I failed to suppress my tears and let them fall.  Those small tears that I've been holding in turned into sobs quickly and soon enough I was crying a river. 

Luhan's POV:

As I held Ara in my arms, I could feel her tears dropping down to my bare arms.  All I wanted to do was hold her forever like this and keep her safe within my hug. 

"Luhan, let go," I heard her say between tears. 

"No," I said softly and shook my head. 

She put her hand up to my forearm and peeled my arms off of her.  She moved away from me, but stared up to me.  A small smile appeared and disappeared within seconds.  Her tears were still falling and she looked so sad that it hurt me a lot on the inside. 

"Ara..." her name escaped from my lips. 

"I'll see you later," she said and left. 

I felt like an idiot as I just stood there.  Ara had closed the door and left already.  I sighed and pushed the chair that she was sitting in in and put mine away.  After a while, I went back to mowing the lawn. 

The next day, I wanted to see if Ara was okay, so I went to her house.  I rang the door bell and waited for an answer.  When the door finally opened, a man was standing there.  I bowed and greeted him. 

"Uh, is Ara home?" I asked. 

"Why?" he gave me a stern look and I kind of got scared. 

"I-I wanted to talk to her." 

"She's not here." 

"Do you know where she went?" 

"You don't have the right to know that, now leave you're wasting my time." 

"O-okay... I'm s-sorry." 

Quickly I ran back home.  When I got home, I thought about how scary Ara's father was.  He looked like a normal man in his maybe late thirties, but his voice was deep, even deeper than Chanyeol and Kris', and scary-like.  I couldn't even imagine how her mother might be like. 

The whole day passed by within a flash and it was night already.  All 11 of the guys decided to come over and hang out for a while at the last minute, so I had to forget about getting to bed early today.  Most of them were all were chilling on the couch and watching t.v.  Then Yixing and Xiumin came into the living room. 

"Hey, are these your glasses?" Yixing asked while looking at a pair f sunglasses that were in his hands.  I realized that they were Ara's.  They were the ones that I took away from her.  I guess she forgot them. 

"They're nice glasses," Suho commented when he saw them. 

"I've never seen you wear them before," Tao said and reached for them. 

"It's 'cause they're not mine," I said. 

"Who's are they then?" Xiumin asked. 

"A friend's," I replied. 

"Do we know this friend?" Kyungsoo asked. 

"Yes." 

"Who?" Kris asked. 

"Just a friend." 

"Fine, don't tell us," Kai said and scoffed. 

I smirked and took them away from Tao.  Then I threw them onto my backpack that was sitting on the floor.  I plopped myself down next to Sehun and thought of Ara.  As I was lost in my thoughts, I felt someone pinch my cheek. 

"Ouch!" I screamed. 

All of them laughed.  "What are you day dreaming about, Lulu?" Chen asked while laughing. 

"Nothing," I said and rubbed the cheek that he had pinched. 

"Tell us!" Chanyeol exclaimed. 

"Are you day dreaming about that girl that you were walking with?" Baekhyun asked. 

"Don't you guys have to get home?" I asked changing the topic.  All of them shook their heads.  I sighed and got up.  "Well, I'm going to sleep, lock up when you guys leave." 

I left to go up to my bedroom and get some sleep.  A few minutes later I heard them calling up to me and saying that they were leaving and that they'd see me tomorrow.  Then I heard the door open and shut.  I could finally sleep peacefully. 

The next day, I went to school and met up with my idiotic squad of friends.  I had Ara's sunglasses in my pocket and tried looking for her.  She was just on my mind non-stop and this would be an excuse to talk to her other than asking if she was okay. 

When I didn't succeed in finding her, I felt sad.  I wondered if she was even here today.  Then when I saw Jahee, I basically ditched my friends and ran over to her to ask if she has seen Ara at all. 

"Hey, Jahee, have you seen Ara?" I asked when I stopped her. 

"No... why?" she asked. 

"I... I-I need to talk to her." 

"Oh, well if I see her I'll tell you." 

I nodded my head and let her leave.  Then I went back to my group of friends.  When I got back they stared at me weirdly.  "What?" I asked.  The just smirked at me and went on talking about what they were talking about.  I rolled my eyes because as soon as they had thier little smirks on, I knew exactly what they were thinking. 

It was almost time for first hour to start and I still didn't see Ara anywhere.  I started to wonder if she was sick or maybe she was stuck at home with her parents.  But all my worrying stopped when I saw her walk into school looking sluggish.  I ran over to her with a big smile. 

Your/Ara's POV:

Finally I got to school after being beaten by my mother.  My body was already starting to ache badly and every step I took hurt a lot.  I probably should've stayed home, but I don't think it would be the greatest idea to stay home with an abusive mother, so school was the only option for now. 

Right as I walked in, Luhan had run up to me with his same prince smile.  I acknowledged his presence, but wanted to get to class since I was already late and I had to run all the way to the other side of the building just to get there. 

Luhan followed me though asking questions as we walked.  I replied to them, but only shortly because all my focus was on getting to class.  When I finally reached my class, the bell had rung, but Luhan was still there. 

"Get to class," I said and was about to walk in. 

"I'll see you in Biology!" he sang and left. 

When biology class had finally come around, I went there and sat in my regular seat and did what I usually did.  I took out my doodle notebook and started doodling in there.  Then someone sat next to me.  I quickly looked up and saw Luhan again with his prince smile. 

"Nice drawing," he said. 

I nodded my head and closed the notebook and put it away.  Then Mrs. Hwang walked in as the bell rang.  Everyone ran to their seats and quieted down.  And class began smoothly. 

At the end of class, Mrs. Hwang said, "Oh!  And don't forget about your guys' detetion tonight... and the rest of the week."  I heard a lot of the people whine and ask why and that they didn't know that it was for a whole week, but I sat there in silence knowing full and well that we did.  If they had just took the time to read the detention slip maybe they would know. 

I did my routine and threw my stuff into my locker and took out my lunch bag and went to find Jahee.  When I found her, she apologized that she had to help out during lunch because she had volunteered the week before and forgot to tell me that she was busy this whole week and the next.  She made it seem like it was such a big deal, but I understood and said it was okay. 

Once she was done apologizing for... nothing really, I went outside to sit at our regular spot.  I expected for it to be just me, but when I got there I saw Luhan sitting there silently eating a sandwich. 

"Oh, there you are.  It took you long enough," he said and scooted over. 

"What are you doing here?  You don't need to pity me," I replied, quite harshly actually even though I didn't mean it. 

"Aren't we friends?"

I just stared at him.  I didn't know how to answer that. 

"Any ways," he began, "is your eye okay now?" 

"Yes," I said quickly and sat a distance away from him. 

He came near me and turned my head himself so that he could see my eye.  He examined it carefully and then pulled up my sleeves to check my arms.  To be honest, the medicine that he put on the other day really helped and they weren't really visible anymore, but after getting hit by my mother again, made new marks. 

"What happened?" he asked looking worried. 

"Nothing," I replied and opened my lunch. 

"You're very stubborn, you know that?" 

Instead of replying, I just bit into my sandwich that was now in my hands.  It was only a half sandwich since I didn't have time to make or buy one before I got to school and it was the only source of food I had for now.  After I quickly ate it all up, I sighed because I was still hungry.  I got up to throw my trash away and was about to walk back into the school, but Luhan stopped me. 

"Are you okay?  Like aren't you still hungry?  That was only half a sandwich you ate," he said walking up to me. 

Although I nodded my head telling him that I was okay, my stomach growled at the same time.  He stared at me for a second before giggling and handing me an apple.  Then he wrapped his arm around me and we walked into the school together. 

"You don't have to lie to me," he said.  "But you better eat that or else I'll get mad.  I'll see you after school at detention." 

He let go of me and walked away waving and smiling at me.  Once he was out of sight I looked down to the apple he had given me.  Secretly a small smile grew on my face and I took a bite out of it and made my way towards my locker. 

Hi guys!! Here's a chapter for you all!  I'm sorry it's kind of long... and I'm sorry that I didn't update earlier, I was sick... and it really to be sick... :(  but any ways, I hope you liked it!! :D

~Angelflyer