Riannon's POV
The weather today was just as dull as my mood, I sigh for the umpteenth time as I stared blankly at the foggy window of my lecture hall. Since yesterday, it had been raining cats and dogs, and it didn't look like it was going to stop anytime soon. After the talk I had with Jiyeon,I couldn't help but feel a bit bitter and the resentment I felt towards the woman was only growing after what she said.
~~Flashback~~
'I need to talk to you.' Jiyeon spoke as she came forward, pulling me by my arm and leading me towards a secluded area nearby.
I shook her hand off me, not wanting to be pushed around by anybody regardless of who it might be. She stared at me, eyes wide open, clearly not used to any form of retaliation from people around her.
'You better learn to respect me if you know what's good for you.'
'And what would I get out of that?' I retorted, my mouth throwing back words before I could actually process my actions.
'I could make it hell for you if I wanted to so you better watch it.' She smiled with a look that spoke thousands of her feeling of superiority.
Crazy people, really.
'I don't have time to chit chat with small people like you. Makes me wonder why Jackson even wasted his time with someone so insignificant.' Her statement stung but I had to keep my face straight, refusing to let her words affect me.
'Speaking of Jackson, I came to tell you something or.. let's just say it's more of a friendly warning?' She smirked as she scrutinised my face for any sign of fear. Well she could bark all she want but I wasn't going to give her any permission to run over me. I folded my arms and waited for her to complete her statement. My lack of reaction only instigated her anger as her look turned murderous.
'Listen here, and listen well you despicable little wench. I'm gonna say this only once, and I don't like to repeat myself. Be a good little girl and stay far away from Jackson if you know what's good for him and for yourself as well. You are only in the way and his career will go downhill if he keeps entertaining a pathetic girl like you. And now he realised that finally so get it out of your head that you ever stood a chance and know your place, understood? Stop ruining his life.' She didn't wait for my answer, she pushed past me and nudged my shoulder hard as she went into the car waiting for her at the side of the road.
I didn't even feel the pain nor moved as I let whatever she said sink in, the throb in my chest only growing even more every second as I had clung desperately to the love I had for him and wishing this was all a nightmare.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The person seated next to me stomped on my foot hard and I was rudely shaken out of my thoughts. I realised that the professor was looking my way, an expectant look on his face.
'Well Miss Taylor, do you know the answer?'
The guy next to me whispered 'calamari' so I figured he was trying to be helpful and I repeated the answer hoping that he was just asking some random question since the guy answered calamari. And when I did, the whole class burst out laughing but the professor didn't look amused in the slightest.
'I asked what are the causes of Basal cell carcinoma not what you wanted for lunch Miss Taylor.' The guy next to me was snickering a lot and how dearly I wanted to punch that face of his at that instant. I felt so humiliated as I looked at the floor.
'I don't know if I should be worried, concerned or annoyed that you hardly even heard the question even though I've been repeating the question for the third time. I am highly disappointed.' The clock struck 1pm just in time as the sound of the bell ringing vibrated through the corridors. 'Class dismissed. I will see you in the next class Miss Taylor.' The professor added as he left.
I slumped down on my seat and let out a groan. The guy next to me already scrambled to his feet and ran away laughing when he saw the glint in my eye. I slowly walked out of the class and dragged my feet towards my locker.
How much more worse was this day gonna get? At least the rain had stopped for a while so I suppose that was a good sign.
I regretted those thoughts immediately a second later.
As I turned to make my way home, somebody stuck out their leg and I realised too late as I tripped, falling on the solid floor. Thankfully my arms covered my landing so only they, were bruised. My books were scattered all around me and I looked up to see who had deliberately tried to hurt me. Standing there, were two girls, whom I had never seen before looking down at me, huge grins painted on their faces. They looked like the typical girls who made it a habit to bully people in their free time with their high heels, short skirts, tightly fitted shirts and face covered in thick layers of make up. It made me wonder what were such girls even doing at a medical school dressed like that.
'You must be Riannon,' One of them spoke. My eyes widen as they uttured my name. 'Oh we've heard so much about you from Jiyeon. She's our best friend, you see and she told us all about your pitiful story of how you keep pining after her boyfriend, Jackson.' They cackled like it was the funniest thing they had ever heard.
'What a loser!' The other one commented, holding a cup of smoothies in one of her hands. 'Well how about we give you a proper introduction and show you how it works when you mess with our friend.' She was about to tip the cup on top of me when somebody pushed her away, the contents spilling on her shirt instead. She screamed in anger as she was about to slap the person responsible but her hand stopped halfway and she swallowed whatever she was about to say as she noticed the person in front of her.
'Jinyoung! Wha- what are you doing here?' She stammered as she blushed a crimson red, not entirely sure if it was out of embaressment or out of something else as I noticed the other girl was also staring at him openly, practically drooling. Probably the latter.
'I should ask you the same thing. Don't you have some other useful things to do than picking on her? If I see any of you near her again, then know that you just bought yourself a one way ticket out of the JYP do you understand?'
'Ye-ye-yes jinyoung.' They both replied.
'Now leave.' He said with a calm tone but you could feel the restraint in his voice as he tried to keep himself collected. They both turned on their heels and briskly walked away. Throughout this whole ordeal, a huge crowd had gathered but jinyoung paid them no heed. He turned around with that same look of concern he always had on his face whenever he saw me and bent down on his knees to take a look at my bruised hands.
'Come on. Let's get you home quick and get this fixed okay?' He gave me a small smile and helped me stand up. He scooped up all my books and took my hand, leading me away from all the prying stares and whispers.
We were walking towards the university parking lot when I finally found my voice again. 'Thank you Jinyoung for helping me back there.'
'You don't have to thank me Riannon. Those girls needed someone to put them in their place.' He bit back his anger as he said it.
'What were you doing here anyways?' That question popped in my head as I realised how randomly Jinyoung just happened to show up there.
'Well as funny or unbelievable this may sound, I actually took up psychiatry a year ago. I talked with the director of the university about my situation so they granted me admission as long as I handed in my assignments and project works on time. I can attend exams even if I don't sit for the classes fortunately. I was just handing in my latest assignment when I spotted you. I'm glad I made it on time.' He smiled at me,one which would have probably made any girl's heart melt especially after what he did but my heart was already too broken to feel anything else but gratitude at his actions.
We reached the spot where his car was parked and I had to hand it to him, he had a really nice taste in wheels as I stared at his white lamborghini aventador. It made me smile realising that he was such a modest person and wasn't even a little bit conceited despite the amount of money he owned.
He opened the door for me and went to put my books in the trunk and came back a minute later as he climbed into the driver's seat and started the car.
'You want to talk about it?' He pressed gently.
'I don't know. Not right now if that's okay with you. I just.. I just need to think a few things over.' I felt bad for not telling him yet but I didn't know how. A part of me didn't want to trouble him with my useless problems.
'Alright. Anytime you need someone to talk to, I'll be there okay?' He took a quick look at me, smiling as he turned his eyes on the road again.
I was glad he didn't dwell long on the topic. I wasn't sure how much he had heard back there in the corridor but he kept quiet about it and I was grateful. I didn't know how to explain the situation yet to anyone anyways. Or maybe I was just being pathetic like Jiyeon said and he never really cared and had finally come to his senses. I mulled over these thoughts again and again as I rested my head against the cold glass, the rain started pounding hard on the window again, my heart already drowning even deeper into the now reopened bleeding wounds.
I wonder if this was all really nothing to you Jackson.
I wonder how long it will take for me to finally forget you.