TEENAGE DIRTBAG, aouad

prologue

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"Hyo-ryeong, wake up, we're at school!"

The younger Seo groaned quietly, stuffing her face back into the plush pillow she kept in the car. The older sighed, yanking the plush away and tossing it into the back, causing Hyo-ryeong to groan and glare at her, "You bitch!"

"Good morning," Chae-won winked at her sister, who shoved her into the car door. Their mother huffed from the passenger seat at the front. 

"You two are impossible."

"Have a great day at school, girls! Learn a lot!" Their dad chimed in as they pulled up in front of the gate. Chae-won got out of the car, waiting for her sister. They waved at their parents as they walked through and towards the school building. There were students already walking towards the school building since they had arrived early, and there would without a doubt be people sprinting to avoid being late.

"I'm not carrying your bag to your classroom." Chae-won caught the look her sister was giving her, and the younger pouted.

"Please?"

"No, I have P.E later, we're doing badminton," Chae-won said as they neared the doors. They walked up the flight of stairs in silence, the chatter of other students ruining it. "Bye, bye."

"I hate you."

"Love you too, pinkie pie or whatever that sweater is," The older girl gave her sister a two-fingered salute, stopping at the first floor as Hyo-ryeong continued to trudge up the stairs to the third floor.

As soon as Chae-won walked past one of the classrooms, someone yelled her name. "Chae-won! Hey! Seo Chae-won!" The girl tensed at the familiar voice as a memory appeared in her mind at the sound of the voice, the faded marks on her neck felt all too real.

"Do you want me to keep going?"

"F-fuck, Chae, yes, keep going, please don't stop."

Chae-won inhaled sharply, turning around with a smile plastered on her face, hands tightening around the strap of her leather book bag. Surely she could make small talk for a couple more steps. Her form class was right behind her, "Hey." It came out far too breathless.

Park Mi-jin, or according to some of the other seniors: the smoking bitch, had a somewhat genuine smile on her face. She was sweating, Chae-won deduced, her bangs clung to her forehead. She sniffed. She could smell the smoke on her, "Hi."

They looked at each other, occasionally glancing in other directions as they waited for the other to say something, anything. It had been weeks since that happened and neither had talked about it since. Well, Mi-jin had wanted to but Chae-won had the stamina of a triathlete and expertly avoided it.

Chae-won tried side-stepping her, but Mi-jin grabbed the girl by the shirt, dragging her to a nearby closet and locking the door behind her. "Mi-jin, I have class--"

"This is the only way I can get you to talk to me," Mi-jin crossed her arms. "Please."

When Mi-jin moved closer, Chae-won took a step back, and this continued until Chae-won's back hit the door. Mi-jin's arms caged her in, "Mi-jin." The girl moved closer. "Hey."

"You're driving me crazy, Chae," Mi-jin whispered. "You keep ignoring my calls, my texts, me in general." She paused. "Why?"

"I can't do this with you, Mi-jin," Chae-won confessed breathlessly. She dared to put her arms on her shoulders, her hands reaching for her face. "My parents-- I can't, okay?"