two.

            “Maybe life is just a series of images that pass before our eyes, the same way that dreams play in our subconscious.” Baekhyun says as he takes in a lot of air and exhales it. He does the same thing over and over again and I just can’t help but stare at him as he does it. What he said… maybe it’s true, or maybe not. Perhaps it’s just Edgar Allan Poe’s thoughts…

            No one is saying anything, not me or you or anybody else. The classroom remains quiet, but not for long. I take in the polluted air that comes from the window. None of the air in this world isn’t contaminated anyway. Before I even breathe out all of the air left in my lungs, hundreds of small stones and papers were thrown at me through the window. I covered my face as I try to look down when my head stops halfway and someone hugs me and pulls me away from the window. I didn’t notice I was crying until I heard Baekhyun’s comforting words. “Don’t cry…” he whispers at my ear. “It’s okay; everything’s going to be okay.” He says and perhaps I’m too dumb for my own good for I believed him.Everything won’t be okay unless I learn how to speak up for myself that is. He cradled me in his arms as he shushed me to sleep.

            I woke up screaming at this terrifying dream I had and found Baekhyun calming me down. I looked around and noticed the familiar setting. I was in the infirmary and when I held the left side of my face, Baekhyun had already treated and put a bandage on top of the scars the stones embedded on my skin. But scars will remain scars, wouldn’t it? It’s possible to erase but the damage it made still lingers when I remember just how hard those stones hit me. Mental abuse is worse than physical abuse, you know. But it’s quite the contrary because physical abuse also damages your mentality, doesn’t it? Well, I’m not really good at this so I’ll leave my thoughts at that.

            Baekhyun gave me a bottle of water and I uttered a ‘thank you’ before sipping a small portion of water and coughing right after. He asked me if I’m okay and I nodded. After a while, he helped me up and walked me home but he didn’t leave. He stayed and asked me if he could stay for the night. I asked him why but he just smiled, “I can’t leave an injured, can I?” He said. I told him that I’m fine but he insisted so I let him stay until morning, I’ll just have to enjoy his company then. I let him sit on the couch as I bring him a glass of apple juice – his favorite flavor. “So…” he started and I sat down across him, sipping on my own glass of kiwi juice. “Where are your parents?” He asked and I shrugged. “What? They’re not here?” He asked again and this time, I nodded motioning over to a picture of the country where they were on a frame beside him. He looked at where I was pointing at and examined the picture.

             My parents had always lived overseas, a maid used to take care of me but she passed away two years ago and that’s when I completely shut myself out from other people. I used to have lots of friends but when she died, I pushed them all away. She used to say that I should be careful in telling people my secrets for not all of them cares, some are just really curious. I listened to her and when I did, I noticed how my friends were not really my friends. They insulted me behind my back and spread false stories that made me wonder how creative they were for making up such ridiculous rumors. That’s when I started to lessen my speaking and I start to prefer being alone rather than being with someone else’s company.

             At least when I’m alone, I don’t have anyone to entertain, to mind, and no one can hurt me other than myself. At least that’s what I thought until now that I’ve fallen in love. Baekhyun made me change the way I think without him knowing, I started to think that maybe somebody’s company would’ve been better, even just one or two people to hang with. I don’t know anymore. Now that Baekhyun and I are acquaintances and nearing to friends, I wish we’ll stay the same. I don’t care if he never notices my feelings; I actually prefer it that way. I just want to be by his side until the end. That’s all I’m asking for.

             “Is that why you’re not very comfortable talking with other people?” He asked as he turned his gaze towards me. I shrugged, “The person who raised me died two years ago and that’s when I stopped talking.” I answered back. He smiled at me showing his pearly white teeth and that cute eye smile that he possess. “At least you’re talking to me now.” His eyes twinkled as he grabbed the half glass of apple juice and drinks again.

             “So, got anything interesting to talk about?” I instantly shook my head. “Probably because you never talk.” That kind of hurts me a little bit but it is true so who am I to be complaining, right? “Mind if I give you some advice?” He leaned back and lifted his feet off the floor and crossed them to form an Indian seat. I nodded at him as I did the same. “Start answering back,” I tilted my head to the left indicating that I’m confused. “Don’t let them trample on you. Fight back. No one in this world survives without fighting back, you know. You should have more confidence in yourself.” I just listened to him with open ears. What he’s saying is right and I should probably be more confident and brave. Perhaps it’s just the thought of the future that stops me but I don’t care anymore, he’s probably right wait, no, he is right and I can’t just cower in my shell, he pulled me outside and I should learn how to adapt. Yeah, that’s right. I can’t stay quiet any longer; I have to fight for myself.

             The day went by pretty fast; we ordered pizza and watched some old 90s movies which I didn’t really understand. We played a few video games and fell asleep pretty early. The next day while I was reading outside under the shade of a tree, a group of jocks closed in on me and surrounded me. One guy with huge muscles and a very tight shirt and pants on grabbed the book I was reading and threw it to who-knows-where. A group of girls then joined them and grabbed the back of my head and pulled my hair as she moved her face closer to mine. “You know what, ? I hate you. I really do. Getting all cocky just because Baekhyun’s standing up for you? And God, just look at this outfit! This is so disgusting. Like, where did you even get all these? In the garbage?” She gripped my hair a little tighter than before which made me cringe in pain.

             It hurts really badly and I keep on wishing someone would help me but who would, right? No one knows me, no one even likes me. But for a moment there, I wish Baekhyun was here to help me. “Why won’t you talk, ? Too scared to answer back? Did you pee in your pants or something?” She laughed and the other people around us did the same. “God, you are so ing annoying!” She was about to slam my head on the trunk of the tree when a very high-pitched, girly kind of voice came in from someone near us. “STOP!” It said and it shushed everyone for a moment there.

             I look around and see Baekhyun smiling at me. Why is he smiling when I’m being bullied by the seniors? Everything turned to pitch black right after and I couldn’t remember what happened next. All I know is when I opened my eyes, the jocks were carrying the lady who grabbed my hair and running away.What happened? I thought but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t remember anything. Baekhyun came running towards me afterwards and saying things like ‘I did well’ and such but I couldn’t really understand him. What happened? Did I do something good? Or was it something bad? Did I put more fuel on the fire? Or water, maybe? I don’t know.