Art of Deceit

XVII

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Different

"Hey!" We chimed in unison, entering Annora's ward. She seemed a little more alert than before but just as weak.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, sitting down next to her on the bed. Annora frowns a little at the question.

"I don't know." Her voice was soft, unlike her usual softness. "It's weird, the policemen were asking me questions and I had no idea how to answer them." She said. "I can't remember a thing."

"Really? What about where you were last? Were-"

"Dawn," I stopped her, staring at her with furrowed brows. The look of anxiousness in her eyes bugged me, causing my suspicion to grow. "I think we should let her rest." I said, wanting to speak to Dawn, alone and Annora nodded.

"I am a little tired," she breathed out, sinking into the bed.

"I'll be back tomorrow." I say, giving a gentle kiss on her forehead and I feel Dawn walk out being me.

I leave the room, shadowing Dawn and I grab her arm, pulling her towards me. "Jina-"

"Are you covering it up?" I sprung out the question, not even attempting to be subtle about it. I needed to clear it up.

"What?" She yanked her arm away from me, the same anxiousness filling her eyes for a second but it was instantly replaced with shock.

"Annora's accident, are you covering it up for Jungkook?" I asked, heart pounding against my chest.

"How can you even think that?" She hissed as she looked at me with disgust but I still don't back down.

"Jungkook's car was wrecked and I know the both of you were at Woods Field the night of Annora's accident." I say and she starts shaking her head.

"Jina, enough with this."

"Then tell me, why did you lie about where you were that night?" I looked at her, wanting answers.

"I don't know," she threw her hands up. "Why were you at Woods Field then?" She threw back a question, getting defensive.

"Don't make this about me."

"No, but it is, isn't it? Everything's always about you, Jina." Dawn's voice began raising. "No matter what happens, you manage to make the whole thing revolve around you." She gritted her teeth, walking towards me as her words silenced me.

"Like what you did with Yeona," she said and my breath gets caught in my throat.

"W-what?" I faltered, shuffling backwards a few steps.

"She couldn't even have her own goddamn funeral without you running off with her boyfriend." She spat and I get taken aback.

"Dawn, that's not fair." I stared at her with exasperation, not believing the fact that she used it against me.

She goes quiet for a moment, almost like what she had just said was sinking into her and he eyes soften the moment she catches the look of hurt in my eyes. "Jina, I'm sorry. I didn't-"

"Just, don't." I raised my palm towards her, gesturing for her to stop talking as I turned on my heel. And with a deep breath I walked away, feeling like I had left the friendship behind as I left.

"So you promise you'll start going back to school?" Annora stuck out her pinky and with a sigh, I interlocked mine with hers. "And that you'll also go for the interview with Mona." She said and I paused for a second, confused as to how she knew about it.

"Anna told me, and you have to go. This is huge." She said and I sighed.

"But I wanted to do it with you, tomorrow's the last day and-"

"And I'm getting discharged in two. It sucks but life moves on, Jina. I don't want my best friend lacking behind because of me." She held my hand and my body relaxes as I looked at her. "So, say you'll go. Please!" She pouted slightly. "For me!"

"Okay," I give in, smiling at her.

She squealed, wrapping an arm around me. "Oh, I spoke to Dawn. She said we can go over to her place to get ready for the Graduation Dance." She said and I tense up a little.

"I don't think I'm going." I whispered, sinking into the bed next to her.

"Why not?" She gasped, looking at me as though I had just said the vilest thing.

"I don't know. With everything going on, I just feel like it'd be best if I sit this one out." I sighed, not wanting to surround myself with people that I had grown suspicious about. I would probably lose my mind.

"Jina, are you okay?" Annora asked, pulling my hand into hers.

"Annora, you're the one in a cast." I glance at her foot and arm and she clicked out of annoyance.

"That doesn't downplay your emotions. Everything about you has been off for a while now, are you okay?" In that moment, I wanted to tell her about Jungkook and what I suspected along with hearing Yeona that night but I couldn't do that to her.

If what Dawn said did have some truth to it then I couldn't make this about me, I had to be there for Annora.

"Don't worry about me, I'm fine." I smiled but I could see that she wasn't convinced. "You, on the other hand, have not spoken about yourself. At all." I say and she averted her gaze almost immediately.

"It's still a lot to take in." She breathed out as she looked to her hands that were shaking lightly. "But I can't remember exactly how it happened and I guess that's one of the reasons why I'm still sane." Annora looked up at me, a sad smile spreading across her lips.

I nodded, simply giving her a listening ear.

"Back to the dance!" She chimed after a few seconds, not wanting to wallow in the negativity. "You have to come, it'll probably be the last time we get to do this together."

"Okay, fine but I don't want to go to Dawn's place. I don't know if she told you but we aren't on the best of terms." I say, pulling a thread from the hospital blanket.

"Whatever it is, can't it wait Jina?" She was slightly upset, and I glance at the machine monitoring her heart rate and watched how it picked up.

"You're right, I'm sorry. That was selfish." I shake my head, backing down.

"So, Dawn's place then we're going for the dance."