The Bouquet

Chapter 8

⚠Warning: This chapter contains heavy content⚠

"You're starting to sound like my parents." You responded, your voice stiff and tinged with tears. You were trying to stop yourself from devolving into angry tears, frustrated that you were an angry crier. It felt like the only person who you thought understood you was betraying you. Just like your parents, he was demeaning you and treating you like a child that didn't know what was good for them.

"I'm just trying to do what's best for you." He said, that stern tone still present. And there he went again, avoiding statements that he didn't want to respond to. God, you hated it when he did that.

"Then maybe you should go because that would honestly be the best thing for me." You snapped, ripping your hand from his hold as you took a step back. Anger was already coursing hot through your veins. You had been told all of your life what was best for you and you would be damned if you let Hoseok start doing it too.

He took a deep breath, his eyes fluttering closed as he exhaled. It looked like he was trying his hardest not to snap. "You don't mean that, baby." He was becoming unhinged.

"I said what I meant, get the fuck out, now!" You snapped, your voice growing louder than it had before. You were in danger of waking your parents. And Hoseok knew that too, he knew exactly what you were trying to do. But you knew what he was doing as well, and as much as it hurt you to make him go you refused to become a prisoner to someone else, not when you could prevent it this time.

His jaw was clenched as tightly as his fists were. He was undoubtedly pissed off. "I'll give you some time to cool off, I'll be back tomorrow night." He said, the words just barely escaping his gritted teeth.

"Don't bother." You shot at him as he turned his back to you and left your room, his bright red hair disappearing into the shadows of the hallway. Even in his anger, he still left the house without a noise.

And what you told him had been true, he shouldn't bother coming back tomorrow night because you would already be long gone.

~~~~~~~

It had been three months since you had last seen him, and part of you began to think that maybe you had just imagined his existence. But you did know better than that, and you were sure what had happened had been real. You were still undeniably pissed at him, but you also missed him. He had been your first and only friend and the first person that had ever shown any interest in you. But the thing was, they were all the same. No matter who you met they all talked to you because of one thing, your diagnosis. And at the end of the day, that's what you felt like you were, a diagnosis.

Moving in with your sister had made things better than they were before. She was more understanding than your parents were and far more lenient. Even though she was older than you, she let you make more decisions than you had ever been allowed to. And the regulations your parents had laid out for you were mostly ignored by her. She gave you the freedom to do whatever you wanted, you were in your twenties and she wanted you to experience life the way she had. The only thing she asked was that you let her know where you were going and when you thought you would be back. That was all. You hadn't gotten a job yet, the past three months had been a period of readjustment and settling in for you. In fact, that was where you were headed now: a job interview.

You and your sister had spent the past few days practicing for your interview, and lucky for you all you could feel was excitement. No anxiety and no fear, just happiness. Your new phone felt right in your hand, it was your baby now being the first one you had ever received. You slipped your earbuds into your ears and continued on with your walk down the street. Even now, it felt weird to be out during the day by yourself with a bunch of strangers walking by. Your social skills weren't exactly up to par, but you still tried your best when you had to deal with those sorts of interactions.