Thirsty

Park Jimin

I wake up disoriented in a bed. Alone. What woke me, though, is the searing pain in my chest. I gasp and sit up, clutching my chest. It burns like the inside of my body is on fire. I try to sob but the pain is rising to my throat and I try to get up, get help.
       "Y-Yoongi..." I moan out inaudibly but he's nowhere to be seen. My legs get tangled in the sheets and I trip, falling onto the floor. The pain of contact from the floor is nothing compared to the fire consuming me from the inside out.
      I crawl out of the room and down the hall. Sweat falls into my eyes and I can't breath as I make my way to the only person that can help me. Hoseok. I knock on his door and he opens it after a minute. He smiles until he sees me in the floor, soaked in sweat. He picks me up and brings me to his bed.
      I lay down as he runs to get some water and medicine for my fever. It won't help, though. The fever is coming from inside me. I begin coughing severely and blood covers my lips and splatters on his sheets. He returns and pales when he sees my condition.
       "Jiminie, what happened?" He panics as he places a wet cloth over my head and wipes the sweat off my chest. My body hurts so bad and not just from my earlier sexual assault but from the fire. I gasp and try to speak but I can't. Only blood exits my mouth as another coughing fit overtakes me.
       "Hang on, Jimin." He disappears but I'm too lost in pain to notice until he sits beside me and puts a cup to my lips. I shake my head to say no but he grabs my chin and holds me still, forcing the liquid down my throat. I'm delirious at this point and I'm too far gone to even cry. I just close my eyes and lay in agony, silently screaming.
       "Just hang on...it'll stop. I'm so sorry. Please don't hate me." He begs but I don't the hear it. I can't hear anything as a ringing fills my ears. It lasts for several minutes, me dry heaving blood and my chest and throat on fire before...it all stops. It stops. I hesitantly open my eyes and wait for the pain to kick back in but there's nothing.
      It's like nothing even happened. I pull myself up and look over at Hobi in confusion. "W-what happened?" I croak. My throats doesn't hurt anymore but it's dry as hell.
       He sighs heavily before avoiding my gaze. "I'm really sorry, Jiminie. I had to, please understand." He pleads. I frown at him in confusion.
       "What are you talking about? What did you give me?" I ask, suddenly afraid by his hesitation.
        "...my blood." He whispers. It takes me a minute to grasp what he means and when I do I dry heave, stomach churning in disgust. He grabs my hands and shakes me slightly. "Don't fight it. It just saved your life." He says.
        "H-how? What happened to me." I sniffle.
       "After I hurt you that time I did some research and found out about all the dangers of biting a human. When I saw you and the bites on your neck I realized that Yoongi went too far this time. He bonded you to him." He explains solemnly. I cover the bites with my hand, ashamed. I remember reading that as well I just forgot.
      I also remember Yoongi biting and feeding from me that last time as he came deep inside me. I shiver at the harsh memory of being raped by the man I love. Bonded? It can't be. Where the hell is Yoongi anyway?
       "I have to talk to him." I move to get up but he pushes me back down.
        "I'm sorry to tell you this, Jiminie, but...he's gone." He whispers the last word so that it's almost inaudible.
        "Gone where?" I ask, not wanting the answer. Instinctively, I know.
        "He dropped out yesterday and left this morning. Not too long before you woke up, I'm guessing. I told you he's no good for you, Jimin. He left you here to die." His voice suddenly deepens and anger fills his expression. "You don't deserve this."
        "H-he dropped out?" I ask, disbelief coloring my shaking voice. Pain not unlike before pierces me as I take in the truth in his words. He's gone. He left me here. He really doesn't care about me at all.
       I want to break down and cry but instead...I feel nothing. I sit and let numbness wash over me preferring the nothingness compared to the crushing pain that wants to consume me. I push it back and let my heart break for the last time and just stare into nothing. My blank stare seems to scare Hobi because he pulls me into his arms and cries for me.
       I let his tears soak my shirt as I just sit...and stare. I've read over the bonding process. He's right, Yoongi basically left me to die. I don't honestly think he intentionally bonded to me but it doesn't matter now anyway. What's done is done.
       "You have to leave, Jimin." He whispers into my ear. I stiffen and look at him blankly.
       He sighs. "You can't let anyone know what happened to you, that you're human. You have only two options left. You either find Yoongi and make him give you his blood to complete the bonding or die. My blood will postpone the effects but only for so long." He fidgets with his fingers before getting up and digging around in his closet.
      I watch wearily as he pulls out a safe and opens it on the bed. My eyes widen in shock at the contents. He sets aside three huge stacks of $100 bills. I can't imagine how much money is actually in front of me. My stomach drops at the thought.
       "I wish I could come with you. When I graduate I will come find you, ok? Take this." He slides the stacks over to me. "This isn't going to hold you over for life but it'll be enough until I get out of here and meet you. $500,000." He then goes into his bathroom for about five minutes and when he returns his wrist has a bandage around it and he's holding a handful of vials.
        He hands them to me and I study them. "My blood. I know you don't want to but whenever the effects start back drink one. Hopefully you can find Yoongi by the time you run out." He sighs.
       "And if I don't?" I ask quietly.
       "The only way to complete or stop the bonding and changing process is by consuming his blood. It has to be the vampire feeding from you. If you can't find him or get your hands on any vampire blood then you'll die. It'll feel just like before but it won't stop." He chew on his bottom lip as he speaks.
       I nod slowly and tuck the viles into my pockets. "I don't know what to do. How do I even get out of here?" I sigh.
        "I'll help you. First, lets dye your hair. That orange is way too conspicuous." He goes to his bathroom once more and grabs a box of black hair dye. I frown at it, disdainfully. I much prefer more colorful choices. He's, right, though of course.

      
      "Wow. You look hot..not that you didn't before.." Hobi teases after it's done. I look ok but as much as I hate myself for thinking it, I wish Yoongi could see it and give his opinion. I'm an idiot.
       "Thanks." I blush and brush the now black strands out of my face. "I'm really gonna miss you, Hoseok." I say, biting my lip. He really has become my best friend in all this.
       He gives me his sunny smile and pulls me into a tight hug. "Everything will be alright. You'll find him." He pulls back and meets my eyes right before he kisses me softly on my lips, surprising me. It's just a small peck but it still makes me flush.
        "Here, take this." He hands me a silver cell phone. "Call me anytime you want and when I graduate next year I will come find you and we'll stay together, alright?" He says reassuringly and I nod.
        "Thank you so much. I don't know how to repay you.." I trail off as tears clog my voice.
        "Just please call me. I'll miss you so much and don't want to worry about you." He says with a watery smile.
        I take the big bag with the money, fake ID, passport, and a few extra essentials and follow Hobi as he leads me out of the campus and down the trail into the woods. We walk in silence to the end and he types in a code that I was never given.
       As he turns back to me he gives me directions to a location with a car and hands me a set of keys. "I really do love you, Jiminie." He says and pulls me into a sweet platonic kiss one last time and I let him slip his tongue inside, favoring his taste and sweetness. I pull back after a minute and give him a big hug.

       "I love you, too, Hobi. I'm sorry I couldn't return your feelings." I whisper and he pats my shoulder before leaving me alone and trekking back up the walk to the school. The gate closes behind him and I chew on my lip, debating what to do first.
      I set off on my long walk to the train station to get Hobi-now my-car. Then I'm going to find my vampire whether he wants me or not.