You Saved Me

Eight

"You're going to ruin that pretty face!" I glared at Changbin as he laid in the grass, sunglasses over his eyes and hands beneath his head as he waited for me to do homework. It was a nice day out, so we were in the yard next to the school, but I was also avoiding my room. Ever since my blow up at lunch, things with me and my friends have been awkward at best.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked and looked back down at my books.

"Frowning like that. Wouldn't want to mess up that pretty face." He said and I scoffed, turning to glare at him.

"Oh, and you care what I do with my face?" I asked and he chuckled, turning onto his right side and propping his head on his hand as he pushed his sunglasses up to look at me.

"I care because I have to protect that pretty face!" He smirked and I rolled my eyes.

"God, go back to your cat nap! You were less annoying!" I said and he snickered.

"What homework are you working on now?" He asked and I sighed.

"Musical knowledge." I said and he sat up, groaning a little as he did.

"Let me see." He said and I handed him my notebook.

"What're your grades?" He asked and I frowned.

"They're decent-"

"They're about to plummet if you turn this in. It's mostly wrong." He said and I frowned.

"See, here, you've got bridge and refrain mixed up." He said and I looked at the paper, leaning over a little to look at him. As he explained the difference to me, I looked at him and saw a certain... light in his eyes.

"You love music." I deadpanned and he looked at me then that scowl returned.

"Do not." He said and handed me the notebook.

"Changbin, that's okay!" I smiled and he gave me a side eyed look.

"You want to know something? I love cutesy chickens! Not a lot of people know it, aside from my family, but I love like the cartoon cute little chicken characters!" I grinned and he frowned.

"And, I found out, Hyunjin is super into art and hides it! Oh, and-"

"Stop! Why are you telling me this?!" He asked and I smiled, tilting my head some.

"Because it's okay to be yourself!" I said and he looked... confused.

"I'm sure Seonghwa, Hongjoong, and Yunho would agree, no?" I asked and something crossed his face then that angry expression returned, and I realized something.

"You aren't friends anymore." I said and he looked at me then scoffed.

"Them? Friends with a class C? Yeah, as if!" He whispered, but I suddenly felt really pissed at that trio. And, with that in mind, sent them an angry ass text later that night.

####

I walked to dorm I-117 then I knocked on the door, waiting until it opened to see Seonghwa.

"Come in." He said and I walked in then saw Mingi, another class A student that had been here since before Changbin was class C.

"You three pissed me off." I told Yunho, Hongjoong, and Seonghwa then Yunho sighed.

"Can we explain then? Our side?" He asked and I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Fine!" I said and Hongjoong huffed.

"For context, Seonghwa and Changbin met in a summer program and became fast friends. I've known Seonghwa and Changbin since I got sent here originally as a red tie. Yunho was my roommate then, he was also a red tie at the time, and we got assigned to a bunch of classes with Seonghwa and Changbin, so we became best friends." Hongjoong said and I nodded.

"And now you two are blue ties?" I asked and Yunho nodded. Blue ties and silver ties, what few silver there were, could room together no problem. They were the least dangerous students, so it was okay.

"What happened that day?" I asked and Seonghwa sighed as he sat on Hongjoong's bed, giving me a sad look.

"The red tie student who found the body and Changbin was San, Wooyoung's now boyfriend. San wasn't trying to be malicious, he was just freaked out and he went to the headmaster for help. It blew up big time, the school shut down for a month, and all the students here went on lockdown until Changbin returned from trial." He said and I nodded, sitting in the desk chair since I knew this was going to be a long story.

"When Changbin came back, we tried to talk to him!" Hongjoong said but sighed.

"But he- We didn't go to his trial, which really upset him. We wanted to-"

"So why didn't you?" I asked and Yunho snorted.

"Three Strickland Academy students going up to support a guy who admitted that he beat someone to death? Yeah, that would look good-"

"Yunho, stop!" Seonghwa said and looked at me.

"It's selfish, Felix, but we didn't go because Yunho's mom is a political figure, Hongjoong's parents are world renown artists, and my father is a senator. High profile people, high profile children, showing up to a high profile murder case and supporting the accused? It would ruin more than our reputations. We know it's fucked up, we do-"

"Yet, you still did it!" I said and he sighed.

"We deserve that." Hongjoong said and I licked my lips.

"What happened when he came back?" I asked and Hongjoong sighed.

"We tried to explain to him, tried to tell him our reasons, but he didn't listen, understandably. He was just... he was angry and we could tell. No one in the school would give him the time of day either, so he stopped trying and he just clammed up. He's been that way, silent and basically invisible, since. You're the first person he's made an effort for in the last six months!" He said and I looked at the ground.

"It's getting late, you should head back to your dorm." Mingi said and I looked at him, having forgot he was even here.

"Go, Felix, before security finds you." Seonghwa said and I nodded, standing and going to the door. I stopped with my hand on the door handle then I turned, glaring at them.

"For the record, real friends wouldn't have given a fuck about reputation and shown up to his trial regardless!" I said and opened the door, leaving their dorm.