RUINED 《 EXO 》

CHAPTER ONE △ #352

At the beginning of each year at Southwood High, the Social Ladder goes up. It's a list of every student in our grade in order of popularity. Sounds ridiculous, right? But everyone takes it seriously, as if the Social Ladder defines who they are. That's because in high school, what other people think of you matters more than anything - and the list written by the most important people of all; the popular kids.

I woke up early, expecting to feel refreshed and ready for the first school day. Instead, my eyes could barely stay open and I was pretty much the walking definition of grouchy. Pouring myself some coffee, extra dark, just to keep me awake, I turned on my phone.

No Social Ladder yet. One of the populars usually texted it to everyone in our year - how they got all our numbers, I had no idea. I guess that's what makes them 'popular'. I hated to admit it, but the list really mattered to me. I never did well and when a new version was due, I always anticipated it in hopes of making at least the top two hundred. This year was my eleventh year and I was determined to gain some popularity before the end of my twelfth year.

Sighing, I finished my coffee and returned to my bedroom to get dressed. I remembered my first day as a freshman, when I put on my best clothes, thinking that it would make me look prettier and help me make friends. I wasn't aware that my opshop skinny jeans and cute, lumpy sweater couldn't compete against the designer threads of a few select girls, who immediately became the cool kids. Nowadays I didn't dress very different - it was still jeans, highwaisted and ripped, mostly, with a warm jumper on top.

With elastics in between my teeth, I brushed my fluffy, caramel hair into an easy crown braid, before securing it with the hairties. It didn't hurt to look nice once in a while. Realising I was running behind schedule, I slung my denim duffle bag over my shoulder and rushed through to the kitchen. Mum was up now, still in her candyfloss night robe, trying to operate the waffle machine.

"Morning!" I grinned, whirring around the kitchen bench, trying to gather all my things.

"You're early today, Chunhei," she smiled wearily. Through her faded wrinkles, mousy brown bed hair and tired eyes, she looked beautiful. I planted a kiss on her cheek, eyes glued to my watch. Grabbing a can of soda and stuffing it into my bag, I ran off.

"Sorry, Mum, got to go!" I yelled, already half-way out the door. Not even bothering to wait for the elevator, I flew down the stairs and knocked on the door of my best friend's apartment.

"Chen!" I called through the heavy wooden door. "Get your ass out here!"

A few seconds later, I heard a laugh, followed by the opening of the door. Chen, whose real name was Jong-dae (but no one called him that anymore), appeared, his dark chocolate hair sticking up on one side. He was wearing a t-shirt with some kind of cartoon bear on it, paired with sky blue boxers that looked like they needed a wash.

"Someone's eager," he teased, sipping on an orange juice box. I was practically jumping up and down on his doorstep, my insides all jittery.

"Hurry up and get dressed, we're going to be late!" I scolded him, grinning. I loved Chen like a brother; he never failed to put a smile on my face. While he vanished into his bedroom to change, I snuck into the kitchen and stole a small bottle of banana milk from the fridge. I knew his family wouldn't mind - they stocked up regularly and left them in the fridge for me on purpose.

Upon Chen's return I beamed broadly, before dragging him by the wrist down to the ground floor, onto the street and to the bus stop. Going to school in London meant taking the red doubledecker bus everyday. Feeling impatient, I paid both Chen's and my fare in hopes to speed things up.

"Thanks," he smiled gratefully. I nodded, the Social Ladder invading my mind. My knee bounced the whole ride as I stared out the window at the ominous weather. It was only the beginning of autumn yet the air was already feeling gross and humid.