A COLD DAY IN JULY SERIES

lacuna (13)

  *******

   The next day, Ruhan goes to school by taking a bus. As soon as she steps into the bus, she gets so uncomfortable when she realizes that Daewon and Minjin are on the same bus as her.

She nervously takes a seat next to the window and revises the first lesson as a way to avoid listening to some of her schoolmates who are talking about her.

She shakes her head when she loses her focus and the voice gets louder. She could feel that some peoples look at her and glaring at her while talking about the thing that happen in the library yesterday.

"Is she scary? Is she an attention seeker?"

"Why did she do that in the library? Is it because she knows that there are a lot of people in the place? She just wants attention."

"She is so fucking clever. She takes a seat next to Jihoon and acts so goofy just to grab his attention. That's why he brings her to the treatment room yesterday. She wants him to touch her."

"What if Minjin is true? I think she has sent a lot of nudes to Jihoon. She wants everyone to talk about their relationship just to attract the guy and become famous."

Ruhan bite her lips when she could feel tears escape from her eyes.

"Is it true, Ha Ruhan? Tell us about everything that happened yesterday."

Daewon takes the book away from the girl making Ruhan stand up and takes the book back. Minjin approaches her with a plain face,

"You're so shameless. You shouldn't go to school after what you did to everyone."

Ruhan sighs,

"What did I do, Minjin? Why did everything I make be wrong to all of you?"

"What else should I do to make you leave me alone? What did I do to everyone? I don't understand."

She speaks up.

Minjin pushes the girl to the seat,

"Why did you look at me that way? You should stand lower than me."

"I don't understand, Minjin. Why don't people understand me? I was having a difficult time in school but no one was there for me. All you did is tell me that I'm wrong and try to take me down."

"I don't understand the reason I got this kind of treatment."

"I don't treat you harshly. I always help you whenever you need help. I will always listen to you when you ask me to do something."

"But why did I still get treated this way?"

Minjin rolls her eyes,

"Then, all of your kindness is for attention. You drag about it like you don't do it sincerely."

"If you do something good, you don't need to brag about it in front of everyone. It's so obvious that you just did that to get attention."

Ruhan cries,

"Can you at least take the positive side of me?"