True Beauty

Chapter 9

Ari was currently at home packing for their school trip to one of the nearby campsites. As she was packing some of her things she comes across a shirt that was associated with one of her worst memories of going to her old high school.

FLASHBACK (TW: Sexual Harassment)

It was one of the last days of school that year in and Ari made a promise to herself that she would be telling Seojun her feelings.

She had already made plans to hang out with Se Mi that day but didn't know her boyfriend was tagging along. Ari never told Se Mi of what happened the last time the three of them hung out because she was afraid of her friend wasn't going to take her side.

Ari tried to keep her facial expressions down to a minimum ensure that Se Mi doesn't suspect anything weird is going on. "So Ari do you want to come to a party later with us?"

She thought of the idea of needing a ride from Dan Tae and immediately hated it. "Uh, actually I already have plans tonight."

"Really with who?" Se Mi getting a little interested. Shaking her head "it's with no one of your concern" Ari knew that if she said that she and Han Seojun were hanging out Se Mi would do everything in her power to talk to him.

She may have a boyfriend but Han Seojun was her first choice but he turned her down so many times even to this day. Se Mi kept on poking at her to see who she was hanging out with but Ari wasn't budging and so she just gave up. "Whatever, I'll be right back I'm gonna order something"

Ari was now alone with Dan Tae again but this time she was glad that it was out in the open. "So who are you really going to see"

"Like I said it's none of your concern" Ari had been wanting to avoid Dan Tae at all cost since then but he always was around no matter what cause of Se Mi.

"Oh come on you can tell me" he was getting closer to her and attempted to put his hand on her leg. Ari stood up and just had enough "tell Se Mi I had an emergency" quickly gathering up her things.

Ari got out of there so quickly she didn't even realize it was close to her meet-up time with Seojun.

All these memories of that day with Dan Tae made her think to herself. What if Seojun finds out and thinks that she's just worthless. That she's just a girl with baggage and nothing else. Tears soon were swelling up in her eyes; taking a deep breath Ari closed her eyes.

Pulling out her phone she calls Seojun telling him that she wasn't feeling well and had to cancel. "I'm sorry" holding back her tears. Seojun not thinking much about it "it's okay don't worry I'll see you tomorrow"

"Okay thank you" and hung up the phone and she dropped to the floor hugging herself. Who knows how long she's been sitting there, but it was long enough to grab someone's attention.

The following day at school she was getting looks and started from everyone murmuring about her. Being completely out of the loop Ari continued on to her locker. As she was pulling some things out of her locker the door of it was suddenly shut-in which her hand got caught. "Ow!!" she yelled "What the hell was that for Se Mi?"

"You think you can hook up with my boyfriend and get away with it?"

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Dan Tae told me what you two did in the restroom the other day at the cafe. Are you that desperate? You had you harass him in order to fill your needs?"

Not knowing where this was all coming from. Ari knew that Dan Tae had switched the narrative making her look like the bad guy. "Se Mi I swear it's not what you think" in which Ari received a slap on her face.