archetype | kth.

nine

Everyone was frazzled, chaos everywhere at the workplace. Even Selena was snapping on everyone and she was the cheerful one of the bunch. The establishment was watching freshmen from middle school for a tour. Nichole didn't know if it's the presence of Taehyung or coffee that made Selena stop snapping for a while. The freshmen had been there since the beginning of the week.  The freshmen loved Taehyung, even begged for him to watch them forever. It was calm for a good twenty minutes until Selena's words make one of the girls' cry. The girl was crying so hard that she stopped walking and a boy goes barreling into her. Nichole couldn't do much but brace herself when they both land on him.

The three of them fell and Nichole heard a crunch before the young girl's face scrunched up in pain. Nichole could tell that it was a mere sprain with the awkward angle the girl's hand is in. Jungkook rushed over to them and carefully got the boy up, who wasn't injured. The girl was crying way too hard for them to do anything, they had to wait for the ambulance. Jungkook had squat down beside Nichole, "Are you okay? That fall didn't look pretty, you took the worst of it."

Nichole was about to tell Jungkook that she was fine, just ice and she was fine. She was going to tell him to worry about the little girl instead. That was when Selena came back from the kitchen with more coffee, her face in a scowl. Taehyung was trailing behind her. "You gotta be kidding me, Nichole? You were the one that was supposed to be watching the kids, you can't even do that right!" Selena's lips were in a thin line, didn't even care to ask if she was okay.

"Selena." Taehyung said, mixed between reassurance and reprimand. He laid his hand on Selena's arm.

"She can't even watch the freshmen, Taehyung!" Selena was full of steam. "Why do y'all keep her here?! She's not the best photographer, she's Mina's pet, not like we'd fail without her." Nichole watched as Taehyung doesn't say a word to defend her. They were friends and friends stood up for people. Taehyung just stood there with his hand on Selena's arm.

"Selena, watch your words!" Jungkook stood in front of Nichole, blocking both Taehyung and Selena from the view. "You know it isn't Nichole's fault. If you want someone to blame then blame me. I was supposed to be helping Nichole too."

"If she was more observant," Selena fired back, "then she would've noticed that Hannah was not moving."

Jungkook frowned. "Next time, fix your attitude! If you weren't acting so cold, she wouldn't have been crying."

"Are you putting all the blame on Selena?!" Taehyung spoke up, now standing in front of Selena with hand in front of her. His tone was harsh and his head was tilted to the side.

"Let's not fight," Nichole cleared her throat, she had enough of it. She got on her feet carefully. Nichole didn't want things to become awkward because of this incident. "We still need to figure things out."

"Are you alright?" Taehyung turned to Selena with concern in his eyes. "None of this is your fault, I hope you know that." Nichole took two breaths and clenched her fists. It was so obvious who side Taehyung was on and it made her upset. She pushed her hurt aside for that moment, she could cry to Mina later.

"Want to go get something to drink?" Nichole tugged on Jungkook's arm. "Just a quick drink and we could continue to watch the kids?" Jungkook shot a glare over to Selena and Taehyung.

"I can't stand being in here anymore," Jungkook gathered their things easily, "let's go. I'm not allowing you to stay for the rest of the day. Your ankle doesn't seem okay."

"You could tell?!" Nichole asked, only the two of them can hear.

"Yeah," Jungkook nodded with a small smile, "let's go." Before Nichole walked out the door, she sighed to herself.

"I'm sorry for the things that happened today," Nichole spoke with her eyes on the floor, "I hope there aren't any hard feelings after this." She looked up and her eyes met with Taehyung's. She quickly looked away, couldn't bear seeing those dark eyes on her. Nichole was too hurt, too raw to show her emotions. She willed away any tears that might've gathered as she reminded herself that Taehyung won't be there to catch her if she falls apart.

Taehyung's mouth opened to say something but Nichole turned her head away. It was all too much for her, too much.

—

After Nichole was told to go home by Douglass, she went home. Her ankle was just aching so all she did was wrap it with the help of Jungkook. She was able to drive because her left ankle was the one affected. Once Nichole got relaxed at home, she called Mina on the verge of tears.

"Who the fuck have you crying?!"

Nichole ignored her question, "Do you think I'm worthless to the establishment? Am I just your pet, Mina?" Nichole was talking crazy, but she was vulnerable. Nichole was hurt and to just stand there and accept help from a person who barely knew her except Taehyung had stung.

"Nichole," Mina sighed, sniffling as well, "I love you and you're more than what you're talking about. Whoever has you talking like that aren't getting away with that shit. Once I find them, I'm fucking them up. Male or female, okay?!"

Nichole had no choice, but to accept that.

Mina came over in less than thirty minutes after their phone call. She brought over Cookies And Cream ice cream containers for her and Selena. Nichole did a good job at masking the fact that it was Selena who made her feel that. Mina demanded that she stayed home a week to rest her ankle and for her to stop thinking about the situation. "I don't know what happened and I know you're not going to tell me," Mina said as Nichole's head rested on her lap, "I just know it is hurting you a lot. Don't allow the person to hurt you so much. Don't give them that power, Nichole." Nichole didn't say anything, her eyes just closed.

—

Nichole listened to Mina and stayed home. Douglass and Nichole came to an agreement that she'd stay home for a week and get half pay. On Monday, Nichole noticed many text messages and phone calls from Selena. Many of them apologizing which made Nichole feel angry and confused. Selena snapped on Nichole for no reason and now was begging for forgiveness. Nichole just ignored those messages and spent that Monday, alone.

On Tuesday, Gina came over to visit Nichole. Nichole knew that Gina didn't know anybody from the establishment. Nichole used Gina as her own personal diary to vent. "It just hurt me that she was saying that shit to me and Taehyung was just not saying anything to defend me. I mean I know I shouldn't have been expecting anything because he's basically soulmates with Selena. It's just not fair though, I—"

"It sounds like you like him," Gina told her as they were watching Chicago.

"I don't like him." Nichole lied, she did like me. She came to terms with that a while before. "It's just—"

"Then why were you expecting him to have your back? Why are you mad he didn't say anything?" Nichole went mute after those questions then she sighed. "Damn you, Nichole, you like him!"

"I know!"

Gina paused the musical to sigh, "Nichole, what are you going to do?" Gina moved her body so quickly that the blanket on Nichole fell.

"Nothing," Nichole pulled the blanket back over her body, "he doesn't like me obviously." Nichole felt her eyes water. "It's fine though, I don't know why I'm like this."

"It's fine, Nichole."

It wasn't fine.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Mina kept inviting Nichole to places for the whole staff to hang out at. Nichole wasn't ready to face Selena or Taehyung yet. It felt like it was too much for her. Just seeing their contact names on her phone made her upset. No way that being in the same room with them was going to be better. Nichole politely declined and stayed at home. She used the time to reflect on everything that has happened to her. To her losing her mother to her meeting Taehyung. After midnight on Friday, Nichole stared at her phone. It was Jin this time and she felt guilty for just watching the phone ring. He had nothing to do with the situation but she still felt like she didn't want to be bothered.

She needed to get over this bitterness before she returned back to work.