the courtyard [j.hs] ✔️

[1]

*Opal right up there.*

Jaelyn

"Jae!"

I spun my head around, looking for the voice that called my name. Almost getting whiplash, I turn my body around facing away from the doors of the school.

"Jae!", the voice calls again when I suddenly see arms waving manically in the air. Opal.

She waves her hand at me, gesturing for me to come over. I grab the skateboard resting at my feet, holding the end of it while I make my way over to her.

I tried to ignore the death glares I was receiving from a group of girls I walked past.

"Why does she get all the stares from Hoseok? What's so special?"

I came to a halt and turned my head toward them in a robotic way. They got quiet while I sarcastically smiled at them.

"I don't know what's special," I speak out, taking a step toward them. "Why don't you go ask him?"

They nodded their heads as I went back to my original plans. Opal. I dropped the skateboard to the ground, heavily plopping into the seat in front of her.

"You called?"

"Yes, which picture is better?", she leaned over to me, scrolling through two different photos. "I can't choose which to show her."

Opal draw on her driveway in chalk, making beautiful pieces of art. She had recently told the art teacher about her obsession with it, while the teacher wanted to see one of her works.

"The first one definitely," I nod, tapping the phone when she stopped on it.

"So opinionated," she mumbled, putting her phone into her back pocket. "You only choose that one because you were there."

"And because I like it a lot," I add on, stealing one of her apple slices. I take a bite of it, shrugging my shoulders. "I can't help what I like!"

"That's true. You don't like many things," she lets out a 'hm' of approval, before handing me a plastic bag. "Your payment."

"You brought it?", I hold the bag in my hands, looking at it in astonishment.

"All the cherry ones," she firmly nods, while I hug the bag to my chest. She promised to give me a full bag of cherry lollipops. No reason needed, I wanted them.

I eagerly pulled one out, ripping the wrapping off the top. I put it into my mouth, sighing at the sweet taste.

I felt my skateboard move as I realized someone kicked it. I looked up, frowning deeply when I see a familiar face I wish I didn't know.

"You should move that thing," she snaps, pointing directly at my skateboard.

I pick it up, standing up in front of her. I hold it up, looking down at it. "This is a skateboard, it has feelings, don't abuse it."

"This is my face, it says 'I don't care'," She twirls a finger around her head, giggling to herself.

"Josie, why don't you and your crew go bother someone who will care?", I suggest, trying to shoo her along.

"That's why I'm here," she looks at me from head to toe, her face forming in disgust.

"Move along, wise one," I comment sarcastically, harshly grabbing my bag of lollipops. I gestured with my head for Opal to follow while she collected her things.

I walk away, smiling as I felt holes being burnt into the back of my head from Josie's intense glare.

Those same girls were still whispering about me and this Hoseok guy.

"He's looking directly at her. Don't you see it?", one of them slyly pointed beyond me. I caught sight of them, while she slowly retracted her finger. She smiled nervously at me, while I ignored their entire table.

"Opal, who's Hoseok?", I absentmindedly ask, opening the door to the school. I let her walk through, a look of shock on her face. "What?"

"You've lived here for your whole life you say?", she speaks, looking out the door window. "And you don't know who Hoseok is?"

"Nope," I rock back and forth on my feet, waiting for an explanation. "Who is he?"

She points a finger, while I followed it to one of the far left ones.

"Which one?", I ask, seeing as there were multiple guys at the table. The uneven heights making their heads look like a roller coaster track. Up and down, up and down.

"Red-orange hair," she tries, still pointing, her finger against the glass.

I finally notice him, his hair messily styled, while he casually conversed with his friends. He looked somewhat familiar, but not enough to trigger anything in my mind.

"Huh? I may have seen him in the hallway once or twice," I admit, shrugging before lugging my bag up my shoulder. Opal grabs my arm, directly me in the right direction of the art room.

"I'm showing her my picture, remember?", she laughs, walking a few paces ahead of me.

"Oh, right," I say, following her as she rounded the corner.

"What did Josie want this time?", she asked, walking backward to face me as we got closer to the room.

"The usual," I shrug, as she stopped walking to stop in front of the door. "Trying to diss me, it's getting boring. She needs to switch it up a little. Make it interesting."

"You'll be the only person to actually promote her 'bullying' you in a different way," she laughed, pulling open the door.

"Of course!", I exclaimed, catching the teacher's attention.

"What brings you in here today? Loud voice and all," she snarls, eyeing me as she pushed up her glasses.

"Her," I point at Opal while she walked forwards to her desk.

"The pictures you wanted to see of my chalk driveway art," Opal reminds her, a look of excitement replacing her snarl.

"Yes, Yes!", she claps, aiming her glasses at the phone placed in front of her. She inspected it, her eyes scanning over the whole drawing. "This is rather unique of you. I love it!"

"Really?", Opal's look of disbelief washed over her as she started to smile. "Thank you so much!"

"I have a class coming in," she pauses, checking the time. People start to walk in and take their seats, looking directly at us. "Right about now. You better get going."

"Right, thanks again!", Opal thanks her, before pulling me out by my arm. She pulls me along, making me bump into someone.

"Sorry," I mumble, finally shaking my arm out of Opal's strong grip. I opened the door, looking back at the person. Well, guy.

Hoseok.