Compassion- Lookism

S i x t y F o u r

(I meant Jiho, not Jinho)

Irene glanced up from the call of her name and so did her walking partner. The two looked up to see they were on the same road of the school. Irene glanced across the sid eof the road to see Jinho. Jinho stood at the side of the road and once a car wasnt in sight, he quickly ran over with his lanky limbs.

"Oh, hey." Irene smiled as Jinho reached her side and Vasco's. Vasco and Irene quickly swapped phones and walked side by side with Jinho to her right and Vasco on her left.

"Hi Vasco." Jinho quietly said with a nervous haunch on his back form the unknown classmate. Everyone in the entire school knows Vasco, but very few were close to him.

"It's been a while. How are you doing?" Irene asked, placing her phone in her pocket and giving Jinho her full attention. He was blushing already to see her new kind of make up she wore. She really did look good and normal for heer first day back from the incident.

"Im good. Our class feels sad without you." He spoke lowly with a lighthearted tone.

"Really? Im surprised." Irene chuckled, feeling a warm growth in her chest.

The group walked together to the school. Irene was tense and felt her heart beating loudly in her ears. She felt as though something was blocking her airways as she continued forward. She gulped with the bright sun now shining down on them with the blue sky and stuffing clouds.

"Don't worry." Vasco said beside her and gave her a comforting, small smile. Irene nodded and glanced down at the cement in front of her as they walked through the front of the school.

Jinho talked with Irene, snesing she was a little tense as her eyes darted everywhere.

"Come on, i'll walk you to class." Vasco smiled down at her as they started up the stairs together. Irene nodded with a blush brewing up on her cheeks. They walked down the crowded halls together with stares and whispers thrown at Irene.

"Irene, are you okay?"
"You were so brave."
"How are you doing now?"
"What happened to that creep?"

She got questions from people she didnt even know. She was a little overwhelmed with all the questions some of her acquaintences had, but she understood they were curious. It was a reminder people still remembered the news, but luckily that she was with Vasco, not many people asked her questions and he was able to avert their attention off of her.

"I guess people havent forgotten..." Irene mumbled with a sigh.

"It's dying down." Vasco promised, trying to give her a hopeful look, but she barely pulled her head up from the ground.

"Jiho, mind going in before us real quick?" Vasco asked as they finally reached her classroom a few minutes before the bell. Irene brought her eyes up to Vasco with a confused and somewhat defeated look on her face. When Irene was turned around from Jiho he gave Vasco a thumbs up and slipped through the door. Luckily Irene isnt tall enough to look through the windows in her classrooms walls, but Vasco could.

"What is it?" Irene asked, looking up at him with a soft expresison.

"I know you dont want people to know about what happened, but they remember. I know you are a tough woman and you'll get through this." Vasco smiled to her. Irene pursed her lips and looked down at the ground with her blurry tars forming a sheet infront of her eyes.

"Hey! I didnt mean to make you cry! Im sorry!" Vasco said starting to panic and look around to see a few poeple pasisng by.

"No, thats not it. I honestly dont feel that strong right now, but your words are helpful." Irene sniffled and brought her head up. She dabbed her wasterline with her lavender sleeve and let out a breathy laugh. Vasco frowned at her vulnerability. He's seen her at her worst moments and right now he could see she was still hurting, but hopefully what he was going to do would bring her mood up.