Taehyung POV
"My hair gets all frizzy in this car, Jin. Every time I put the top down, my hair looks like I've walked through a wind storm." I say to my best friend as I drive on Colla Street toward Cherokee High in my new gold Camaro 2016.
"Outward appearances mean everything." My parents taught me the motto that rules my life. It's the exact reason I didn't comment about the BMW when my dad gave me the big birthday present two weeks ago.
"We live a half hour from the Windy City." Jin says, holding his hat on in the wind as we drive. "It's okay though Taetae... You're just nervous about seeing Chanyeol again."
My eyes wander to the heart-shaped picture of me and Chanyeol taped to my rear view mirror. "A summer apart changes people."
"Distance makes the heart grow fonder." Jin throws back. "You're the captain of the dance squad and he's the captain of the football team. You two have to date or the moon will crash into Earth."
Chanyeol called a few times during the summer from his family's beach house, where he was staying with friends, but I don't know where our relationship stands. He came back last night.
"I love those jeans." Jin says looking at my cut up acid jeans. "I'll be borrowing them before you know it."
"My mom hates them." I tell him, combing down my hair in the mirror trying to look as flawless as possible.
I drive into the high school parking lot with my mind on Chanyeol more than the road. My wheels screech to a stop when I almost hit a guy and a girl on a motorcycle. I thought it was an empty space.
"Watch it, biatch" Bang Minah, the girl on the back of the motorcycle, says as she flips me the middle finger.
She clearly missed the road rage lesson in Driver's Ed.
"Sorry." I yell so I can be heard over the motorcycle engine. "It didn't look like anyone was in this spot."
Then I realize who's motorcycle I almost hit. The driver turns around. Angry eyes. Red and black bandana. I duck down into the drivers seat as far as I can.
"Oh, hell. It's Park Jimin" I say whispering.
"Jesus, Tae" Jin says with his voice low. "I'd like I live to see graduation. Hurry and go before he kills us."
Jimin is staring at me with his demon eyes while putting his kick stand down on his motorcycles. I wonder if he's going to confront me.
I search for reverse, rapidly moving the stick back and forth.
Jimin takes a step towards my car. My instinct tells me to hop out the car and run. I glance at Jin who's desperately searching through his gym for something. Is she serious right now?
"I can't get this damn car to reverse... what are you looking for?" I say
"Oh ... nothing. Just trying not to make eye contact with those Asian Codee's. Hurry now" Jin says quickly. "Besides your car is complicated to drive. I only know how to drive an automatic."
Finally going in reverse my tires screech loud and hard as I moved backward and searched for another parking spot.
After parking in the lot, far from
a certain gang member with a reputation that could scare off the secret service., Jin and I walk up the front steps of Cherokee high. Unfortunately, Park Jimin, Bang Minah, Min Yoongi, Kim Namjoon, Brienna Pease, Jung Hoseok and the rest of his gang friends are hanging by the front doors.
"Don't you think Yoongi is pretty hot? Look at him, but not now they look scary. Whatever you don't look in their eyes." Jin asks.
It's pretty hard not to when Park Jimin steps right in front of me while I'm at my locker and puts his right hand on the locker and leans and stares at me hard..
What's that prayer you're supposed to say right before you die?
"You're a lousy driver." Jimin says with his slight korean accent.
The guy looks like a Versace model with his ripped bod and flawless face, but his picture is more likely to be taken for a mug shot.
The kids from north side don't really mix with kiss from the south side. It's not that we think we're better than them, we're just different. We've grown up in the same town, but on totally opposite sides. We live in big houses on Lake Canton and they live next to the train tracks. We look, talk, act, and dress different. I'm not saying it's good of bad; it's just the way it is in Canton. and to be honest... most of the south side girls treat me like Bang Minah does... they hate me because of who I am.
or, rather, who they think I am.
Jimin's slowly looks down my body, traveling the length of me before looking back up. It's not the first time a guy checked me out but it's that I never had a guy like Jimin (who I know for a fact is straight since he dated Bang Minah) do it so open ... and so up-close. I can feel my face getting hot.
"Next time watch where you're goin'" he says with his voice smooth and calm.
He's trying to bully me. He's totally a pro at this. I won't let him get to me and win this game of intimidation.
"Thanks for the tip" I say walking forward towards to class building doors.
"If you ever need a real man to teach you how to drive, I can help you pretty boy" Jimin snickers.
Slurs and laughs from Namjoon, Yoongi, & Hoseok set my blood boiling.
"If you were a real man, you'd open the door for me instead of blocking my way." I say admiring my own comeback as my knees shake.
Jimin steps back, pulls the door open, and bows like he's my butler. He's totally mocking me, he knows it. I know it. Everyone knows it. I catch a glimpse of Jin, still looking in his bag for nothing. He's clueless.
"Get a life." I tell him.
"Like yours? Let me tell you somethin'" Jimin says harshly. "Your life isn't reality, ITS FAKE. JUST LIKE YOU"
"It's better than living my life as a loser." I throw back, hoping my words sting as much as his words did.
Grabbing Jin's arm, I pull him towards the open door. Slurs and laughs follow us as we walk into the school.
I finally let out a breath I must have been keeping in forever, then turn to Jin.
My best friend is staring at me. "Holy shit, Tae! You have a death wish or something?... but did you see Yoongi? oh my gosh. He winked at me."
"What gives Park Jimin the right to bully everyone in his path? and Yoongi is 100% straight. He doesn't want another boy even looking at him too long. He's scary anyways."
"Uh, maybe the gun in his pants or the gang colors he wears, and shut it up. I will date Yoongi.. he totally just checked me out." Jin says.
"He's not stupid enough to carry a gun to school." I reason. "And I refuse to be bullied by him or anyone at that." School is the only place I can keep up my "flawless" facade; everyone at school buys it. Suddenly pumped I shout. Starting my last year at Cherokee, I shake Jin's shoulders. "We're seniors now." I say with the same enthusiasm I use while running down the soccer field.
"So?"
"So starting right now everything is going to be f-l-a-w-l-e-s-s."
The bell rings, which is not exactly a bell because the student body voted last year to replace bells with music between classes. Right now they're playing "Hello Bi+ches" by CL. The edited version of course. Jungkook my other best friend walks up and hugs us. He was supposed to catch a ride with us but he told us he was going to ride with another friend. I wonder who that friend is. Then Jin starts walking down the hall. "I'll make sure you have a f-l-a-w-l-e-s-s funeral with flowers and everything."
"Who died?"a voice from behind me asks.
I turn around. It's Chanyeol. With a grin so large it takes up almost his whole face. I wish I had a mirror to see if my hair was messed up. But surely Chanyeol will date me even if it is, won't he? I run up and give him biggest hug.
He holds me tight, kisses me lightly on the lips, and pulls back. "Who died?" he asks again.
"Nobody." I answer. "Forget about what Jin said he's crazy."
"Ok but you look so damn hot." Chanyeol kisses me again. "Sorry I haven't called. It's been so crazy unpacking and everything."
"Okay you two... get a room" Jungkook says walking off texting someone ..I glanced at his phone and I saw "Hos" and two heart emojis. I couldn't see the rest
I smile up at Chanyeol after Jungkook leaves. Glad our summer hasn't changed our relationship. The moon is safe.... at least for now.
Chanyeol drapes his arm around me shoulders as the front doors open. Jimin, Minah, Namjoon, Brienna, & Hoseok burst through as if they were going to hijack the school. Yoongi is missing this time. I wonder where he went.
"Why do they even come to school?" Chanyeol mutters lie so only I can hear. "Half of them will probably drop out before the year is over with anyways"
My eyes meets Jimin's and a shiver runs down my spine.
"I almost hit Park Jimin's motorcycle this morning." I tell Chanyeol once Jimin is out of hearing range.
"You should have."
"Chanyeol". I hit him.
"At least it would've been an exciting first day. This school is boring as shit."
Boring? I almost got in a car accident, was flipped off by a girl from the south side, and was harassed by a dangerous gang member by the lockers. If that was an indication of the rest of the senior year, this will be anything but boring.