𝔹𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕐𝕠𝕦//_[𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧]

38: ʜᴏɴᴇꜱᴛʟʏ, ɪ'ᴍ ꜱᴄᴀʀᴇᴅ

Please vote and comment. Updates will be slow as hell(college) has begun.
Slang:
Mudda sick: Bahamian phrase used to express various emotions.

August had passed. Changbin's birthday was celebrated with a small feast followed by his members crowding Althea's phone as he video called his parents. 

Althea and Chan ended up not venting about their thoughts, but they knew something was troubling the other. The times they spent alone continued to be great, but a lingering tension started to loom over their heads. Not the type where you desire the person sexually, but like a small barrier forming. 

Althea was still honest with how she felt considering Leon's calls increased drastically, but the real thing that was on her mind was never spoken aloud. 

The same could be said for Chan who was also candid about missing his fans and idol life, but also not completely upfront about his lingering thoughts. They're both trying to be respectful of the other's desire not to speak, but it's slowly becoming a point of concern since they've caught each other staring blankly on multiple occasions. But they don't want to say or do anything to ruin the mood. 

Chan especially since it took a while for them to get to this point. 

Althea still went out with her friends though they were starting to become aware that something had happened between her and Leon. Althea would sit as far as possible from the male and avoided him religiously whenever he tried to get close. Lorraine was no longer subtle about protecting her and openly tugged Althea away whenever Leon approached. 

Initially it was a trainwreck.

Althea almost didn't go out altogether, but she started missing Aaron and Renee. Plus Lorraine promised she'd protect Althea should anything happen, and her friend has yet to go back on her word when it comes to her safety. 

Aaron greeted her first and she was elated to see him, but Leon in the background nearly made her drive home. Lorraine gave him the dirtiest look she could muster and blocked Althea from his sight. There was a close call when he tried to grab her, but Lorraine yanked her away in time.

She tried not to make it obvious but over time Aaron and Renee caught on enough to ask if something happened between them. All Althea could say was that they were having a rough patch and that she'd tell them eventually. 

She avoided Leon's eyes whenever possible. She still felt that all-paralyzing fear that he'd do something, but it wasn't as bad with others in the room. She kept having to remind herself that so long as there were witnesses, she was safe. But the way he stared her down every time, she could feel his anger. And that always reminded her of the blows she took. 

But at the same time, she's happy with herself because not once during that time did she cave. She was intimidated and her programming was itching for her to just beg and plead Leon to forgive her. But she didn't bend to it. She stayed away and she didn't look back once. And as painful as it was at the start, she's starting to get immune to it. 

Immune to him. 

When she told this to the others, Chris swooped her in a tight hug while peppering her face in kisses. 

"Good job jagi!" He cheers. "I'm proud of you."

"Yeah yeah you like each other. Move over will you?! I'm the trauma witness!" Althea snorts when Hyunjin successfully pushes Chan away and hugs her tightly. "Good for you."

Felix glues himself to her back. "Yay for healing!"

"Can we block him now?" Lorraine whines. 

"I second that," Lucas muses.