My grandma brushes my hair back with a familiar touch, just as I’m trying to slip out the door.
“Make me proud today, okay?”
“Yes, grandma.”
She furrows her brow, studying me for a moment.
“You’ve got toothpaste on your face. Let me get that.”
She licks her thumb, and a wave of disgust washes over me. I turn away, hurrying out the door.
“Get that toothpaste off your face!”
“Yes, grandma!”
I rub at my mouth as I speed-walk down the hallway of our apartment building.
Grandma and I lost our last place a few weeks ago. It wasn’t affordable anymore, so we moved to this cheaper building. My dad, who never calls or visits, paid for me to attend this expensive school. Apparently, he wants me to at least *go*.
It feels like a blessing for both of us, and I need to try my hardest. Not just anyone gets a place here.
As I approach the school doors, a guy stands smoking, leaning against the wall. The smoke curls lazily in the air.
Disgust builds with each puff. I stand there, waiting for him to move, wanting to just snatch the cigarette from his hand. Finally, I do.
I bring the cigarette up, ready to crush it on the pavement when he grabs my wrist with a force that freezes me.
He snatches the cigarette back without a glance, and continues to inhale. As he blows out the smoke, I reach for it again, hoping to take it before he can.
This time, he grips both my wrists, his eyes locking onto mine. A darkness I’ve never seen before flickers within them.
“Leave my damn cigarette alone.”
“If you move away from the door, then I will.”
“I wasn’t even…”
Suddenly, my skin feels like it’s burning. I let out a screech as the heat from the cigarette scorches my hand.
He quickly releases my wrists. The burn came from the cigarette, of course. I twist my hand to see a small area already blistering. I rub at it, ignoring the sting.
I suck in air between my teeth, trying to ease the pain.
Unexpectedly, he takes my hand, examining the burn.
I hope he feels sorry.
But instead, he licks his thumb, just like Grandma did moments ago, and presses it against my wound.
“Ah!”
I shove his thumb away.
“Why did you do that? That hurt!”
“It’s good to wash a wound?”
“Saliva isn’t sanitary! Wow.”
I push him away by his shoulder.
“What’s your problem?”
“What’s *my* problem? You just burnt my hand with a cigarette!”
I turn back to the doors and tug, but they won’t budge.
He starts laughing, a mocking sound.
“What? What is sooo funny to you right now?”
“This is the back door. It’s never unlocked.”
“Ugh…of course.”
I head around the building, smacking my forehead for not knowing which side held the entrance. If I’d known better, I wouldn’t have spent so much time with that jerk.
I find my locker and check my notepad for the passcode. After gathering everything I need, I rush to my first class, bursting in a little too loudly.
Great. All eyes are on me.
I force an awkward laugh and head to a desk in the back.
•••
Instead of eating lunch, I decide to get ahead on my homework to make Grandma proud.
I’m applying for a job tonight, so I need to get as much done now as possible.
As I’m reading through my geometry textbook, a tray lands on my table.
I look up to see a boy smiling brightly.
“Hi! My name is Jung Hoseok! Nice to meet you!”
He immediately holds out his hand, and I take it. He gives me a firm handshake.
“Hello, my name’s Leera.”
“Wow, you must be a very good student since you’re doing more work instead of eating!”
“I’m trying to be. I have a busy night, so I gotta get as much work as possible done now.”
“Hey, how about you take a break for a moment and meet my friends and me at our table?”
“I don’t want to intrude…”
I shake my head and look back down at my homework.
“I’ll tell them you’re my friend and then they’ll be thrilled to meet you! We are friends now, okay?”
“I guess…?”
I try to gather my belongings as he links his arm with mine, dragging me along before I can protest.
“Oh I have to warn you, some of my friends’ choices are bad. I don’t approve of them! But they never listen…”
“Oh that’s sad…”
As we arrive at the table, I realize the smoker is one of his friends.
“Oh you’re here…”
He responds with a smirk as he continues to eat a chicken nugget.
I twist my lips as I sit down with Hoseok. He suddenly gets annoyed.
“Why is she sitting with us?”
“She’s my friend, everyone! Meet Leera!”
I give them all a small wave.
“Hi…”
Someone snickers from a table behind us, so I turn around, but Hoseok makes me turn back.
“That’s just Namjoon. He used to be our friend, but he couldn’t handle some of their addictions and left.”
“Their addictions? Like smoking?”
The smoker rolls his eyes while dipping another nugget in ketchup.
“You know Jungkook smokes? Wow, I didn’t know you met already!”
“Yeah, it’s hard to forget about an idiot like that.”
Jungkook clenches his jaw at my comment before tossing his food onto his tray.
Hoseok quickly puts his hand over Jungkook’s, trying to calm him down.
“Please, don’t lash out on her…”
He ignores Hoseok’s words and stares into my soul.
“You don’t know who I am or what I’ve been through. Don’t pick a fight with me.”
“I don’t live in a perfect world either. That’s no excuse to be a jerk to me.”
“Oh really?”
He lunges forward and pulls on the collar of my shirt, bringing us face to face.
“Hey! Hey! Hey!”
Most of the boys around the table hurry to push him away from me.
“Did you forget you’re the one who started this? You take my cigarette away and then say I’m the bad guy.”
“Excuse me for trying to save a person’s life from lung cancer.”
He lets out a sigh before standing up from the table.
“She’s pissing me off.”
Everyone just watches as he stomps out of the cafeteria.
Hoseok clears his throat.
“So Leera, I’ll introduce you to everyone now!”
He wraps his arms tightly around a bored-looking guy next to him.
“This is Yoongi. He may seem intimidating at first, but he’s a softie.”
Yoongi pushes him away while letting out a few laughs.
He then gestures over to a guy who’s stuffing his face with food at the corner of the table.
“That’s Jin. He’s the oldest, but acts the most childish.”
Jin throws a fry at him in response.
He then points to a boy who’s been minding his own business this whole time.
“That’s Taehyung. He has a way of getting along with people. For example, he’s the only one who can even persuade Jungkook’s thoughts.”
Taehyung gives him a thumbs up.
He then gestures to a boy who’s already smirking at the thought of Hoseok describing him.
“This is Jimin. He likes to…have fun?”
Yoongi laughs a bit after hearing that.
“What he means is, Jimin’s a chick magnet. He can literally hook up with any girl in the entire school.”
Jimin slaps his shoulder, but giggles at the same time.
“What? It’s true.”
“Yeah, but you don’t have to tell her!”
Hoseok shakes his head at the boys while trying to hide a smile.
“Sorry about that, Leera…so could you tell us a little about yourself now?”
“Uhmmm okay…”
I look around the table to see that everyone has their attention on me.
“I like to dance, but I’m not that good…”
Hoseok gasps dramatically.
“Really?! I love dancing too! After school, I could teach you some steps I’ve been working on if you want!”
“Oh I’m sorry. I can’t today. I’m busy later.”
His bright smile fades a bit, but he manages to hang onto it.
“Oh that’s okay. How about tomorrow then?”
“I think that’ll work.”
“Yay! I can’t wait then!”
He gives me a giggle before turning back to his food.
“I think I’ll be going now. I have to study. It was nice meeting you all.”
They each give me a wave or smile as I gather my things and head out of the cafeteria to study.