Love To Hate Me

11. Hero in a Pair of Crocs

⚠️ Trigger Warning ⚠️

Graphic depictions of domestic violence.

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It was a very rainy day.

Jony J looked out the window as he sipped his coffee. Kun sat there polishing his baseball bat aimlessly. It was as if a cloud of blues had swept over the whole school. Ella-laoshi moped around in the teacher's lounge. She still can't believe Shaking had rejected Yu Yan. If one party does not consent, then it's a firm no. Ella had no choice but to reluctantly accept the fact that her ship will never happen.

Lisa was equally sad as well. Her very rowdy class was now quiet. Shaking, who was usually happy, seemed so upset, as if she was about to burst into tears any minute. Yu Yan desk was empty. The girl simply did not show up for school. Lisa looked at the other girls from the girl gang-gang. They all shook their heads in sadness. It's no use. Their plan had failed.

Kiki and Xueer, however, sensed that Yu Yan's absence meant much more. Something did not add up. Kiki looked at her girlfriend as if to ask her if she had noticed. Xueer nodded to say that she had. Kiki let out a deep sigh.

Yu Yan is almost never absent from school. Even if she had to take leave, her parents contacted the school to excuse her absence. But this time, nobody heard from her parents. The school couldn't call them at all. The school also tried Yu Yan's cellphone, but turns out it had been turned off.

The rain was still pouring outside. The pitter-patter of raindrops echoed in the empty hallways. Over the distance, dark clouds loomed in the sky.

~

Shaking's brain felt like a melting pot of random emotions and images.

Why is her face ingrained into my brain?

The class clown got up from her bed and took a look outside the window. It was still raining as hard as it was when she came home from school an hour ago. Sighing wistfully, she threw herself back on the bed.

I wonder what she- no, no, no! You aren't going to think of her!!! Get a hold of yourself, Xie Keyin!

Groaning in dismay, Shaking rolled over on the bed, landing near her phone. The small device beckoned her like the mysterious voice beckoned Elsa into the unknown. For a second, Shaking's hand subconsciously went to grab it, but her conscious stopped herself.

You have no reason to use your phone, she mentally scolded herself. You know who she is now. You don't need to look at it.

Shaking rolled away from her phone. It's official. Shaking is hangry, jobless, and frustrated. Mad at everything and everyone in the world, Shaking grabbed the pillow and screamed violently into it, limbs flailing about.

"I sensed anger and I came immediately," Mr. Xie suddenly stuck his head into her room. "What's up, dawg?"

"Oh my god!" Shaking leapt up off of her bed, startled out of her mind. "Pa! Knock!"

"It's my house. I don't have to knock. Unless you want to tell me that you need personal space since you've started mas-"

"No, no, no, no! Stop right there!"

"So, it's true?"

"No! Oh my god!"

Mr. Xie laughed heartily.

"I actually came to tell you that the rain has stopped."

Shaking jumped out of bed and looked out the window. It was true. The rain had stopped and the sun was shining again. Shaking grinned like a shark and turned to her dad.