Can't You See Me?

Twenty

"Yeah, the ring is an emerald stone." He smiled smugly and turned his face back to me. "Did you know that Haerin's favorite stone and color is emerald? "I just know she's gonna love it." Niki gives me one final wink and he and Jake turn and leave to wherever the hell those two idiots are going.

"What the hell is talking about?" I whip my head around to the two girls who just shrugged. "I need to talk to Haerin." I slammed my locker shut and made my way out of the school.

-

I was supposed to go shopping with Hyein and my mother after school to get new outfits for our trip, but I need to know why Haerin didn't tell me this. I know she hasn't really been at school this week, but she could've texted or called me. As I pulled up to the gate the guard seemed to recognize me by the way he rolled his eyes and just let me in. What an asshole.

I pull into the Kang's massive driveway and make my way to the door knocking on it. A few seconds later one of the maids answered the door with a  frown on her face.

"Miss Kim? How may I help you?" Her voice sounded chipper but her scowl gave away that she was not excited to see me.

"I uh, is Haerin home?" I stuttered over my words trying to not look into the maids scrutinizing eyes. The maid seemed to be in deep thought before she shook her head.

"Miss. Haerin isn't allowed to have company right now." My uneasy smile soon turned downwards.

"Um well could you tell her that I stopped by and to call me when she can." The maid remained quiet and finally let out an exasperated sigh and walked out the door closing it behind her and stood in front of me.

"I'm sorry but Haerin is no longer permitted to see you, so it's best if you were to just leave her be so she can do what she is supposed to do." huh?

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I usually try to be polite towards adults, but literally what the hell is this lady talking about? I'm not going to leave her alone.

"Miss. Haerin is with Mr. Nishimura and will marry after graduation." I roll my eyes and let out a mocking laugh.

"Yeah well that isn't going to happen. I love Haerin and she loves me so if you will just step aside I need to speak to her." I tried to get by her, but she just stood in my way again blocking me. After a few more tries of me trying to get by, the door opened and there stood the girl I was here for. She looked as if she had been crying for days. Her eyes were swollen and sunken in and her face looked so pale as if she had been dead for weeks.

"Let her in." Haerin said in a deadpan voice. She looked absolutely miserable. Like all life had been sucked out of her.

"But Miss. Haerin your father specifically said she wasn't allowed in the house." Haerin paused thinking then walked out the door and stood next to me. As she came closer there was a faint purple mark on her face. What happened?

"Well then we'll talk out here. You can go back inside." The maid just sighed and bowed and walked back into the house shutting the door behind her. I immediately turned towards the younger girl who just sat on a concrete step. "Why are you here Minji?" I furrowed my eyebrows and sat next to the ghost-like girl.

"I've barely seen you this week and every time I texted you, you were short with me. What's going on?" The younger girl just sighed and pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped arms around them pulling them even closer. She looked so small, so fragile.

"My father found out about us. Shockingly enough he didn't take it too well." There was sarcasm laced in her voice. How in the world did he find out? As if she read my mind she responded. "Niki told him, well after further investigation Jake convinced Niki to tell my father about us." I balled my fists trying to control the anger that was boiling inside of me.