TANGLED

CHAPTER ONE

DO YOU SEE THAT UNSHOWERED heap on the couch? the girl in the dirty gray t-shirt and ripped sweatpants?

that's me, seulgi kang.

i'm usually not like this. i mean, that really isn't me.

in real life, i'm well-groomed and my black hair is slicked back at the sides in a way i've been told makes me look dangerous but professional. my suits are handmade. i wear shoes that cost more than your rent.

my apartment? yeah, the one i'm in right now. the shades are drawn, and the furniture glows with a bluish hue from the television. the tables and floor are littered with with beer bottles, pizza boxes, and empty ice cream tubs.

that's not my real apartment. the one i usually live in is spotless; i have a girl come by twice a week. and it has every modern convenience, every adult toy you can think of: surround sound, satellite speakers, and a big-screen plasma that would make anyone fall on their knees and beg for more. the decor is modern—lots of black and stainless steel.

so, like i said—what you're seeing right now isn't the real me. i have the flu.

influenza.

influenza. has a right ring to it, if you say it enough.

at least i'm pretty sure that's what i have. that's why i've ben holed up in my apartment the last seven days. that's why i turned my phone off, why i've gotten off the couch only to use the bathroom or to bring in the food from the delivery guy.

how long does the flu last anyway? ten days? a month? mine started a week ago. my alarm went off at five a.m, like always. but instead of rising from the bed to go to the office where i'm a star, i threw the clock across the room, smashing it to kingdom come.

it was annoying anyway. stupid clock. stupid beep-beep-beeping.

i rolled over and went back to sleep, when i did eventually drag my ass out of bed, i felt weak and nauseous. my chest ached; my head hurt. see— the flu, right? i couldn't sleep any more, so i planted myself here, on my trusty couch. it was so comfortable i decided to stay right here. al week. watching will ferrel's greatest hits on the plasma.

anchorman: the legend of ron burgundy's on right now. i've watched it three times today, but i haven't laughed yet. not once. maybe the fourth time's the charm. huh?

now there's a pounding at my door.

frigging doorman. what the hell is he here for? he's going to be sorry when he gets my christmas tip this year, you can beat your ass.

i ignore the pounding, though it comes again.

and again.

"seulgi! seulgi, i know you're in there! open up the goddamn door!"

oh no.

it's the bitch. otherwise known as my sister, jennie.

when i say the word bitch i mean it in the most affectionate way possible, i swear, but it's what she is. demanding, opinionated, relentless. i'm going to kill my doorman.

"if you don't open this door, seulgi, i'm calling the police to break it down, i swear to god!"

see what i mean?

i grasp the pillow that's been resting on my lap since the flu started. i push my face into it and inhale deeply. it smells like vanilla and lavender. crisp and clean and addictive.