areum | jjk ✓

④

IN the forthcoming month, the two neighbouring families set up a dinner date to catch up on life, work and their children.

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'areum, honey, don't be late tonight! we've got that dinner party!'

'oh shoot!', i called out as i accidentally ripped my black stockings.

'um, yeah, okay, mum!'

i was late, really late.

i don't have time to change them now.

i kissed my mother on the cheek before heading out, trying my very best to pull my short skirt down to cover the rip near my bottom.

'honey, breakfast!', my mother called after me.

'no, mom, i have to fit into my prom dress remember?', i said, skipping out my door.

'oh, dear, i just don't want you to fall sick.', mrs. keum said to no one in particular as she wiped down a dish at the sink.

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i walked into the halls of my high school, stacey joining my side bickering about a c minus on her math quiz.

'i tried everything to convince him of my scholastic aptitude, but i was brutally rebuffed!'

'stace, stace,', i put both my arms on her shoulders, 'i'm late for class, but try giving your math teacher a muffin basket, that always works!'

'okay,', stacey pouted, 'i'll see you at the gym later on!'

'bye, sweetie!', i waved at her as i walked away.

i speed walked towards my locker, pulling out my english textbooks when a boy dressed in dark plaid slammed himself against my locker.

'hey, areum.', he grinned.

'ugh,', i rolled my eyes.

'come on, baby, don't be like that...,', he pulled my waist, 'i just wanted to know if you'd come with me to prom.'

i smiled.

'if you want to keep this arm for prom, you'd better get it off my body right now, tucker.'

'woah', he put his hands in the air, 'so you're only going to put out for josh, huh?'

'what?'

'everyone knows, areum.', he snickered, walking away from me.

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after the school day, the prom committee gathered in the gymnasium to decorate.

a wave of whispers followed areum everywhere she went, even as she and stacey hung up streamers along the walls and bleachers.

'so he's telling everyone you already had sex?'

'yeah, before prom! and people believed him!', i exclaimed, almost falling off my ladder.

'bastard.', stacey cursed.

'i didn't know dumping him would take such a hit to his ego, he had to go run his mouth.'

'who's mouth?'

the whole gymnasium went noiseless. i stepped down from my ladder as i looked at the person behin the voice.

josh.

he crossed his arms, puffing his chest out as he looked down at me.

'last i heard,', he raised his voice for the whole gym to hear, 'you loved my mouth.'