I was surrounded—enclosed with pain as I clawed at my throat for air, but none came in and none came out.
Until I felt a touch.
-
Water coughed out of my mouth and onto the tiles of the school swimming area. My eyesight slowly gained control and was no longer blurry. "Are you okay?" A voice asked me. I was unable to reply due to the continue of me choking from being underwater too long. I looked at the person who's staring at me as I lay on the ground.
His wet hair was dark brown—a fringe that reached above his eyebrows, water dripping from strands of hair. His brown eyes looked at me curiously as he tilted his head to the side. I did the same, my eyebrows furrowing. The boy's lips pursed in thought before he placed his face close to mine. My eyes blinked as his nose touched mine lightly. I could swear his lips almost brushed mine. I wanted to back away, but I was laid on the ground. "Who are you?" I questioned. The boy stood up, holding his hand. As I held my hand with his, I got up.
"My name's Jeon Jeongguk, but just call me Jungkook," he smiles. "My name's Mi Rae," I smile back. I felt my head, but there was no bandage there. I look into the pool to see if it fell off, but there was nothing except clear, blue water. That's strange.
"Thanks for saving me," the ends of my mouth gently turns up as I bow down to him. He pats my shoulder, looking into me with softened eyes. "If only this moment could last," he murmurs. I furrow my eyebrows, but I don't bother asking him. "I'll go home now," I waved him goodbye, earning one back as I leave the school's swimming pool area and rushed back home.
I sneak back home, going through my bedroom window and laid on my bed. My heart was racing quickly as I closed my eyes.
It's silent for the first night.
-
I woke up to my loud alarm. By instinct, I stopped it. There was no shouting in the house for the first time. I looked at the crib, to see my younger brother quiet and not wailing at the loud yells that there usually was in the morning. I got up and dressed in my normal school uniform. Grabbing my backpack and walking out of my room, I saw that my parents weren't in the living room or the kitchen.
I ran up to their room and it was empty. The glass shards were no longer there and there was no blood stain from my wound. I walked into the bathroom and checked my head for the stitched wound, but it wasn't visible.
Was that just a dream?
Then how did I end up in the pool?
These thoughts continued to ponder my mind as the doorbell rang. I opened the door and there was a boy with pink hair that was side-parted. "I'm the babysitter for your younger brother," he stuck out his hand. I shook it, slightly confused. My parents never brought a babysitter over before. "I think you have the wrong person," I said.
"Your parents told me to babysit your brother since they're out for today," he smiled, reassuring me. He proved it to me with their signatures. I hesitantly allowed him in. I heard him mutter under his breath, "I hope I don't destroy this child with my bare hands. I have to be gentle." I was about to say something, but I just closed the door behind me and headed for the school.
I heard the bell ring just as I arrived at school. I hurried to my homeroom class and sat down in my seat, taking out all my notes for the next class.
A familiar body shape sits down next to me, but I don't pay much attention. "Hey," the voice sounds oddly familiar. I continue to ignore the person, saying a quiet hello back as I quickly write down my schedule. I put on my earbuds, blocking out his voice with music. The person next to me starts to randomly hum before poking me on the side. I jumped up by surprise, almost knocking down my notes.
Taking off my earbuds, I gave him a glare until my eyes softened. It was Jungkook. I bowed over and over again apologetically, avoiding eye contact for the best.
He chuckled before looking up front as the homeroom teacher arrived. I shoved my notes away as well as my earbuds. "The ranks came in. Come up here and look at the paper if you want to see," the teacher placed the paper onto the desk and walked out of the room. Students ran up—slightly nervous, but excited also. I was anxious. I had to be in the top five at least or my parents would kill me.
Literally.
The students tsked as they looked at me. "I bet it's by luck," one of the students said. "Her parents must've taken care of her a lot. I bet they're super proud," another student walked to their seat. It angered me. The words that they used. Words like proud and care never existed in my family. They were never like this.
If I was first, they weren't proud nor did they care the slightest bit. If I was not in the top five, I was dead to them as if I didn't exist.
So whatever happens at all times, I have to be first.
To some parents, it's like a game in school. It's like chess. You're the king and you have to use your subjects to win—to earn that checkmate we've all been waiting for. You lose and I gain. That's the way the game plays, but once in a while, someone might cheat. But there's no cheating in this game. Not in this school, not with me.
Because I have to be first no matter what.
~
YAY. It's the second chapter. 🎉🎉🎉
I'm supposed to be doing ELA hw so yeah, bye.
From your author,
Flora Lee
