Jimin
The next day, I just go about my day with a faint headache buzzing my temples from my drinking spree last night. As far as my recollection goes, I only remember myself building something like a fort made out of the beach chairs in the front yard. However, I can't recall what happened after that and judging from the nasty smell in the bathroom, I probably threw up everything I had consumed.
I hang out with Tae, Sam and Dylan on campus, but I haven't seen Yoongi all day which is something I'm relieved about since he used me in order to keep an eye out for Nox. If I'm being honest, I don't really think he approached me solely for that reason, as I genuinely enjoy hanging out with him, but it's insulting to think that someone became your friend just so that they could gain something out of it. I really hate it when people disrespect me like that and I simply tend to ignore whoever isn't worth my time.
On the other hand, I haven't seen Nox either while I was at the apartment. Usually, she does laundry in the mornings and today I didn't see her walking to the laundry room in her peach colored sweats and dusty pink flip flops. I happened to see her brother Axel though, who was leaving with some girl whom I assume is his girlfriend and they're meeting in secret. I place my bets on the fact that Nox is unaware of the fact that her little brother is spending time with a girl, but then again they were only walking to school.
I yawn tiredly as I'm shifting on my seat when Sam flashes me a dumbfounded glare. "Jesus what's wrong with you? You've been like a walking corpse ever since you arrived."
"I'm just tired." I raise my hood so that the light coming in from the windows doesn't find my face.
"You look like the aftermath of a hangover." Dylan comments. "Did the masseuse douse you in vodka instead of oil while breaking the knots on your back?"
"About that, what the hell happened yesterday?" Sam inquires. "Nox stormed out of the room totally pissed and then you slammed the door on my face. What the fuck was that?"
Arching my neck, I screw my eyes shut. "Please, stop talking." Damn, I need coffee.
"Are you serious?" Taehyung intervenes. "They just left?"
"Dude I don't fucking know at this point. I didn't even pay the girl."
"Oh my fucking God," I exclaim, my voice still groggy. "If you really need to know what happened, Nox is my neighbor and she has some issues that I happened to find out unexpectedly and she got angry at me because it was intrusive and disrespectful. Now please be quiet."
"Is that why you look like shit?" Sam coos. "She's gonna get over it dude. Nox is temperamental and hotheaded alright, but she doesn't hold grudges very long. If you told me sooner, you wouldn't have to go drink your ass off. She's like the most chill person I know."
"Anyway, enough of Jimin's shit," says Taehyung after a while. "You guys have any plans tonight?"
"Nope,"
"Not really,"
"Let's go at the Sage tonight." He continues swiftly. "Drinks are on me."
"You just had to plan this now Tae." I blow out.
"Not my fault you let shit affect you this deeply."
"What's the occasion?" Dylan questions and the edges of Taehyung's mouth tilt into a squarish smile.
"I managed to land the tutoring job I was telling you about in the group chat." He proceeds. "You know, for extra credit and stuff."
"That's great Tae," I try my best to sound cheerful, but my excitement comes out more underwhelming than it should. "How many students are you gonna tutor?"
"Just one. Haven't seen her yet and from what I know she's a freshman. Majors in business and seems to have a fall out on algebra."
Dylan quirks a brow. "Is that so?"
"I'm not going to do something with a someone I tutor moron." Taehyung throws.
"Jesus Dyl, do you ever catch a break?"
"But you don't even need extra credit." I further the conversation with Taehyung while the other two continue bickering. "You seem to be at the top of your class. I don't see what you're going to earn out of this experience."
"A mind-blowing gawk gawk 3000." Dylan tosses. "No pun intended."
"Look usually professors have a lot on their plates, having to review shit ton of essays every single day and the same goes for us students." Taehyung goes on, ignoring Dylan completely. "However, there are a few cases in which some of us have missed several assignments in the course of the semester which means that we're looking for ways to make that shit up to the professor in order to land a semi decent grade. If you're lucky the professor will give you a chance to redeem yourself by giving you an assignment or a project or in my case this tutoring position. And yes, you're right. I don't have a reason to tutor this girl when it comes to upping my grade, but I think that it would be a valuable experience because I'm actually considering teaching as a side job in the future if college flops."
"Seems like you got it all figured out." I remark.
"Yeah, I'm trying to make a point though." Taehyung continues. "You see, when the professor of said subject decides to make your life a tad easier by announcing the project for extra credit points, the ones who usually land the As are the same students that remain at the top, while other lower ranked students typically show up for attendance because they think that will solve their problems. Besides, there are times when you can choose out of the pile of shit they tell you to do and you pick the one that needs the least effort. I simply wanted to gain some teaching experience so yeah,"
Sam smiles, "Alright, as long as you're happy and you're buying me drinks tonight I'm peachy."
* * *
Ironically enough, my migraines seemed to fade away during class, while the professor blabbed on and on with her lecture. When I was finally done for the day, I drove back home in order to get some work done. Time flew away so incredibly fast that I couldn't believe it was half past nine and I was supposed to meet the guys like thirty minutes ago at the Sage.
I take out a random white stripped baseball shirt and some jeans and pair them up with my jean jacket I usually wear then put on some deodorant, a feeble imitation of the shower I needed so bad, before I head out the door with my keys in hand.
The first thing I come across is Yoongi's closed door, but judging from the faint lights that poke through the gap, I assume that he's probably streaming or filming a video at the moment. I'm tempted to knock or text him to come out so that he can join us, as a way to reconcile, but give up soon after when I make my way downstairs.
I would be lying if I said that I wasn't expecting him to apologize or at least do something to make it up to me. His head is so far up his ass since the moment he was born, I doubt this will happen anytime soon.
When I reach the front yard, I can see Nox and some other dude sitting near the water fountain holding a cigarette in hand; I don't know why this caught me off guard. Not the fact that she's with some guy, but the smoking thing. She did tell me that smoking was prohibited after all. As I stare at her from a distance, I watch her raise the cigarette to her dark pink lips, her nose scrunching at the smell of the smoke, before inhaling deeply and then exhaling. Her eyes shut on instinct, painted black lashes touching her cheek, only this time I notice something different. Her eyelids are sparkling and her blondish red hair is curlier than before. That begs the question; why is she wearing makeup when she's in sweats?
Her guy friend says something that makes her explode in a pit of laughter and she hits his arm. She nearly falls off the beach chair and that's when her shiny jade eyes clash with mine. Not knowing what else to do, I wave awkwardly at her and her friend murmurs something that I can't hear.
"Jimin, hi," Nox finally says with a small smile and I decide to head over there for the sake of being polite despite all the shit that happened yesterday.
"Hi Nox," I return. I don't know where exactly I stand with this woman, because from what I recall we had a heated argument last night and now she's being nice all of a sudden. "What's up?"
"Nothing much, just hanging out with Ryan." This girl is so confusing. What's with the sudden change of attitude. I thought she hated my guts. "Ryan, this is my neighbor, Jimin. Jimin, Ryan. We've been friends since highschool."
"Nice to meet you." He says and extends his arm to shake mine and I take it. His voice somewhat sounds gentler; is that the right word? That's when I start paying more attention at his round face. Dark brown hair, almost black, brown eyes, strong brows. "Wait is that the guy you just showed me?"
"Ryan, shut up."
"What do you mean?" I ask bewildered and Ryan snickers.
"It's nothing man."
I eye her cigarette. "Thought you said that smoking is prohibited."
"It is prohibited inside the apartment." She says swiftly then flicks her hair. "You going out?"
"Yeah, my friend landed a tutoring job and he wants to celebrate at the Sage." I look at my phone only to see that I'm late for another ten minutes and I'm being constantly bombed with texts. "I'm kind of late, so I guess I'll see you guys around."
As soon as I turn on my heel to leave, Nox calls me, "Jimin,"
"Yeah?"
"Since you want to celebrate with your friends, how about you guys join us?" She asks and I quirk a brow. "I mean, the Sage is great and all, but um...I want to make it up to you."
"What do you mean Nox?"
She rolls her eyes. "I want to treat you for all the things you did for me as an apology for the way I treated you yesterday at Sam's." I'm amazed at her straightforwardness and frankly I appreciate the fact that she knows she did wrong. How can I possibly decline this offer?
"Does that mean you're gonna buy me drinks too?" Ryan asks sweetly.
"No."
"Wait, so you want my friends and I to join you? Where?" I inquire.
"A club."
That explains why she's wearing makeup.
"I'll text them then." I smile.
"Just know that I'm only buying you drinks. I'm a little bit broke and my wallet will grow anorexic after this night."
"No, problem."
A sudden rush of excitement washes over me when she tells me that and as I'm texting my friends about the change of plan, Nox continues, "Also, you're not getting shitfaced two times in a row. I don't think I'll be able to handle you making forts out of beach chairs or you throwing up in front of my face."
My fingers freeze mid text. "What did you just say?"
But Nox only giggles when she licks both of her fingers before puting out her cigarette. "I'm gonna go get dressed real quick. Don't go anywhere!"
What the hell just happened?