Tattooed Illusions (BxB)

T H R E E

🥵 Min Jeong is shown above 🥵
Salty tears blur his dark eyes, his bottom lip between his teeth, as he stares at the suicide note his mom left.

I'm sorry I was a burden. I'm sorry that I didn't try enough. I'm sorry that I wasn't enough.

Always, Meilynn

The words scribbled in her messy handwriting burned in his mind, haunting him everytime he opened his eyes. Her words reminded him that he gave her an escape route and led to the downfall of his father.

After his mom took her life, his father wasn't the same. He worked late into the night every day of the week, drowning his sadness in bottles of alcohol, hoping to forget the burdens weighing him down.

In time, Jeong realized, that his father tried to forget about her. The way her face brightened when a smile crossed her face. The way her jeans hugged her curves. The way her almond eyes creased during a stressful time. The way her laugh bounced off the walls.
He especially remembered how she'd take an hour in the bath, to bask in the warmth offered by silence.

Jeong was sixteen when his mom died. Now, at the age of eighteen, he seeks refuge in the fear of other's, taking pride in the suffering, as his former classmates did to him. Before he was sent to Meadowsville High, he sat in the back of class, forced to ignore the judgmental stares of his friends, as he cried quietly into his sleeve. Finally, after a year of facing his bullies, he started to stand up for himself. He started to fight anyone who caused him pain.

As a result of his behavior, his dad sent him to Meadowsville, a school where discipline is taught but not enforced, unbeknownst to the parents, and bending rules is the normalcy.

Hearing the sound of footsteps padding against the carpet, he hastily tucked the piece of paper back into his bedside table. In the place of his tearful gaze was a stone cold glare, directed at his roommate. "Journey," he says, his voice void of emotion.

Journey smiles warmly at his stotic roommate, hoping to unearth a softer side to him. "Jeong." Disappointment flickers in his eyes when Journey finds he came up empty handed.

Jeong was a cold, winter night, and although he tries, Journey can't seem to coax him to a fireplace, where his heart of ice has a place to thaw. Jeong climbs onto the top bunk of their bed, refusing Journey conversation. Jeong falls asleep soon after, leaving Journey alone with his wandering thoughts.

His mind can't comprehend how someone ignores emotions as if it were the plague. Journey has tried to befriend him, but he's dismissed him without hesitation.

"What the hell, Heidi?" Apollo seethed, glaring at his best friend. In Heidi's grasp was a bottle of whiskey and cocaine, that he snatched from Trace Carhart. "That shit'll land you behind bars."

Heidi only rolled his orbs of milk chocolate. "Stop overreacting. I won't let them catch me."

"Heidi," he warned again, threading a tattooed hand through his black hair. A smirk tugged at the corners of Heidi's lips, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Dammit. Cocaine will kill you."

He laughed humorously. "Lighten up, Apollo. I'm not an idiot. I know that it'll kill me."

"But-" he tried, but he was cut off.

"Fuck off."

Apollo's lips fell into a thin line. He knew he couldn't change Heidi's mind now. Although it was stupid, Apollo's hands were tied, his wrists trying to break free, to no avail. He was held by his friend's stubbornness.

Apollo bit down on his bottom lip, drawing blood, to prevent himself from snatching the white powder from Heidi's grasp. He didn't want to see his eyes turn bloodshot. But he wasn't willing to walk away, either. He'd be dammed if he left him here by himself, with enough cocaine to kill him.

"Heidi," Apollo whispered after a while. "Please promise me that you'll never take that shit alone. Promise me that someone else will stay with you."

"But-"

"Promise me," he repeated, his voice stern and his gaze unwavering.

"Fuck, Apollo, I promise."

He let out a sigh of relief. At least he wouldn't try to overdose. At least he wouldn't have to see his best friend in that horrific state. Against the wall the two boys sat, one with bloodshot eyes and the other with pistachio green. Few words were exchanged, for the pair preferred to embrace the silence.

Outside, the sun dipped into the horizon, letting a final breath of beauty pass between its lips before the death of day. The clouds were swirls of cotton candy, cheeks heating at the fiery touch of the glowing sun.

At the bottom of the hill, the sun was descending into the water, hiding behind a sky painted in magenta. Moments later, the color darkened, and a split second later, the sun had disappeared, leaving silvery stars in its wake. Reese turned off the lamp near his bed, closing his eyes as the melodic sound of sleep called his name. Beneath him, his roommate, Apollo laid awake, with his thoughts focused on his best friend, praying repeatedly that his promise is kept.

On the other side of the school, Heidi laughs maniacally as he sends another stupid text. Even though Apollo rolls his eyes in annoyance, he responds to every message that flashes across the screen.

Hey! Do you love these characters as much as I do? Who's your favorite? At the moment, mine is either Nika or Jeong. Which couples are you rooting for?

Anyway, see you later!