Black And Blue

chapter 3

School had been less eventful on that Thursday. I had successfully avoided all the vile humans who found pleasure in tormenting me. The only downside was the fact that Han wasn't at school. He had caught a chill and wasn't up for a few hours at the retched place we called school.

I understood him in that. I would've taken any chance I got to skip school. It was something I was willing to do even if I wasn't sick. The only downside was that I couldn't disappoint my parents. I owed them too much to cause them such destress.

I trudged out of the school and onto the sports fields. It was a beautiful day for anyone who didn't have their mind clouded by misery. The sun was shining it's brightest and the clouds were nowhere to be seen. It was nice being warm for once. But it didn't change my opinion. The cold was always better. It made me numb and that was far better than mere warmth. I could've wagered on it. But that was before I knew, before I received a harsh awakening.

I sat myself on the soft grass and laid on my back. My headphones were on and the music just played at it's highest. I could tune out the world and allow myself to forget for a while.

My notebook was in my hands as I struggled to find the right words. If it were us or if we were the ones. It was a rather hard nut to crack. I didn't get much time to ponder it because a few minutes later my phone rang, cutting off my song to play a slow BTS song, house of cards.

I let the song play just so that I could revel in the beauty of the merging voices. It always put me in a state of reverie, the kind I craved.

I swiped my screen, answering the call. It was Han, it was always Han. I didn't know that many people. My circle was small. I simply couldn't expect calls from anyone else.

"Look, I have to tell you something. Don't be mad.", He started. I rolled my eyes. He was always the more dramatic one.

"Tell me already, I'm dieing of curiosity.", I laughed. He didn't seem to catch the same jolly energy. His tone remained a bit worried.

"I can't tell you like this. Can you come over?"

I could never turn down an offer to visit Han's home. Though his mother didn't really like me, his father made up. He always cooked up something nice when I visited and made it the best time. I was like the daughter he never had, except he had three daughters, one only a toddler and two studying abroad.

I stood in front of their white and pastel house. It was huge, like extremely so. I often got lost in there looking for the bathroom, which is why I had used the toilet before leaving school. My precautions had earned me some very unsubtle insults in the ladies room. I just didn't have the life in me to care.

I made for the front door and knocked timidly. I had to put on an act in case his mum answered the door. I was lucky that she didn't. His father did, a broad grin placed on his face. He barely looked like his son. Han looked more like his mother than anyone else. He was a pretty boy.

The man greeted me with a well expected hug. "Hey there. You haven't visited in a long while. What do you say I make you a batch of cookies to take home?" He asked me, the smile still constant on his face.

I couldn't refuse his offer. It would be rude. Plus, I really wanted some cookies. I agreed giddily and threw Mr Flores a smile. "Han's up stairs, I'll bring the cookies up when I'm done."

I nodded and bounded up the stairs. Han's room was the second one to the left in the East wing. Yes, the house had wings. I took a turn into the wing then walked past the first room and into his. He was on his bed staring at the ceiling.

He never acted like this, except for the time when his sisters were leaving. It was worrying. My brow furrowed as I made my way to him. "Hey", I whispered. He flinched at my words. Like the very thing he had been dreading had happened. I tossed my bag on his carpet and laid next to him.

He didn't speak at first. We just stared at the ceiling together, taking in low calculated breaths until he broke the silence, turning to look at me.

"I know I should have asked you first but I knew you'd say no and I just wanted to prove to you that...", He trailed off. Looking for the right words.

"What did you do, Flores. It can't be the end of the world.", I assured him. He closed his eyes before opening them again slowly.

"You'd be surprised.", He quipped. He was stalling and he knew I could tell. He sighed before he spoke again. Fast without taking a breath. "I put one of your videos online and now it's blowing up. I'm sorry." His eyes fell.

The hell he was! I couldn't understand why he had gone against me. He was usually understanding and respectful to my choices. What had changed?

I remember my heart skipping a beat at that moment. My heart would be doing a lot of that going forward. I couldn't breath, my sight was clouded and my hands, they were trembling.

"Why the hell would you do that?", I whispered. "Why would you disrespect my choices like that?" I was livid.

He tried to explain. "I made a mistake but I just wanted you to see. I wanted you to understand how it was more good than bad."

That wasn't good enough. It wasn't good enough for me. I stood from the bed and left his room, slamming the door behind me. I flinched for fear that his mother had heard. She'd just hate me more, I thought.

I bounded two times faster than usual down the stairs and passed a shocked Mr Flores by the kitchen before I whipped the door open and stepped outside. I hated the sun for shining so brightly that day whilst I drowned in the pain of betrayal. He was the only person I had and now he was the only person I didn't want.

I ran to the bus stop and waited. Waiting was agonizing and it gave me time to think. Time I didn't want. I looked up again and saw the sun, still shining and openly taunting me. Even the universe hated me. I'd know later on that maybe it hated me more than I had thought on that day.

I got into the bus and took a seat in a secluded corner. I spent the duration of the drive observing because what else could I have done? One pregnant woman rubbed her belly and smiled. A man put his phone to his ear and answered. "Hey, darling.", I remember hearing him say. "Yes, I'll be there in ten."

They all seemed so happy. But why couldn't I picture myself that way. Why was the mere feeling of happiness so foreign.

________

We've reached a bit of a pivot here. I feel like I'm getting closer to the soul of the story now. I hope you guys liked this chapter.

           Random question
Am I the only one whose obsessed with history?

Please vote and comment. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

TTMN🖤❄️