Can't You See Me?

eighteen

Haerin and I are officially together. She is my girlfriend, my actual real girlfriend this time. It almost feels like a dream. I mean it's really only been a few days since Haerin came to my house soaking wet confessing to me, but it also feels like an eternity ago. She went home Sunday morning because her dad wouldn't stop blowing up her phone telling her to come home immediately. I hate that she had to go home to that man, that she has to live with him for at least two and a half more years.

"Why the frown?" I turned and saw Haerin leaning against the locker next to mine. Has she been there this whole time?

"Just thinking about you having to live with your father." I shut my locker and lean against it facing Haerin. The younger one laughs a little before grabbing one of the sleeves of my jacket playing with it.

"Well I wouldn't say it's out of the ordinary for a child to live with their family?" I scoff, leaning up and begin walking Haerin to her first period.

"You know what I mean." I frown, causing Haerin to bump me with her shoulder.

"He's not that bad." Haerin smiles leaning into me a little bit.

We decided before she left that we would keep pda down to a minimum and keep our relationship to ourselves. Well besides Hanni and Danielle. If it were up to me I would shout it from the rooftops, but for Haerin's well being it's better to keep it on the down low. Her father is extremely homophobic and well most people are here. I remember when Kim Chaewon and her girlfriend came out and they were basically ostracized. She was literally captain of the cheer team too, then suddenly she was nothing. Luckily they came out towards the end of their senior year so they didn't have to endure it for long. I don't care what people would do or say to me, but I do care about them treating Haerin well. She deserves it.

"Haerin, he's an asshole. You literally called me crying as soon as you got home because he was a drunk mess yelling at you." We finally arrived at her first period and stood next to the door. The shorter girl's smile turned down slightly and she backed away from me a little bit.

"You don't know him." huh? Why is she defending her dad?

"I don't have to know him to know he treats you like shit. Anyone that doesn't treat you right is an asshole in my books." I frown trying to get closer to her, but she just puts up a hand stopping me.

"Can we just not talk about my father?" Haerin mumbles. She pulls up her sleeve a little scratching her arm when I see it. A bruise on her wrist.

"What the hell is that?" I gently grab her hand pulling her sleeve up more so I can see it completely. Haerin immediately retracts her arm from my grip.

"Nothing, I just woke up with it this morning." She's lying, I know she is. No one wakes up with fingers bruised on their wrist.

"Haerin you'd tell me if anyone was hurting you right?" I furrow my eyebrows trying to look into Haerin's wandering eyes. She refuses to make eye contact with me, which isn't normal for her. She has a bit of a staring problem.

"No one is hurting me." She whispers just enough for me to hear. "I have to go to class." Before I could say anything else she turns around and enters the classroom. If I ever find out someone did that to her I'll kill them.

-

"Seniors during break please come by the office and pick up your college admission letters." A lady over the intercom said as Hanni, Danielle, and I were walking to lunch. Holy shit they are already in?

"If I don't get into an Ivy league my mother is going to have a fit." Hanni sighs loudly. Out of the corner of my eye I see Danielle squeeze the Vietnamese girl's hand for a moment before pulling her hand back.