Some girls do

Chapter 15: Chaewon

I don't mean to overhear.

I wouldn't even be walking by right now, under these ominous clouds threatening to rain on me any second, if I didn't have detention for coming in late. At least it was for a good reason—Mom's car wouldn't start after her overnight shift and I had to go get her. I couldn't just leave her sitting there all day. God knows Junhyung would never spend the gas.

By the time I remembered I needed an excuse, I was already late and halfway to school. Going back would have made me even later, and I would have had to wake Mom up to write it. I couldn't bear that. I know she really needs the sleep.

So I was late. Again. Automatic detention. Nothing like sitting in a little room and writing an essay about the impact of tardiness on the student body as a whole to get the blood pumping.

Then I had to meet Mrs. Bae right after to talk about my grades. I'm not failing, thank god, but I'm not too far off. It's just that Government puts me to sleep. So does English and, okay, most classes, to be honest, except for, like, shop. I'm pretty good at lunch and gym too, to be fair. I just need to be moving, doing things with my hands. I can't concentrate when I'm sitting still.

But that doesn't matter anymore. I have to take things seriously. I have to nail every assignment. I have to graduate on time, not opt for summer school instead. Because I'm holding on to Jimin's question like a life raft now: What about your dreams? And if I manage to place high enough in the pageant to win that scholarship, I don't want to lose out because of some little technicality like not actually graduating high school.

In another life, I would already be at Hyojong's shop troubleshooting the problem with Mom's car, or hanging out with Jimin and Jaewook, or doing anything other than walking up on Kazuha Nakamura and a couple of assholes from the lacrosse team, Chad and Clayton Miller. I wouldn't have heard them call her names, or seen her and that new haircut that makes her cheekbones look like cut glass in the very best way.

But I'm not that lucky. So I stop and wait to see what happens next, ducking near the field entrance just barely out of their line of sight.

I hope she walks away, because then I can too. I can just head straight for my car like nothing ever happened. But that's not her style. That's not Kazuha Nakamura at all. I didn't even need Google to tell me that.

"What did you just say to me?" she asks, her hands already balled into fists.

"Isn't that what you are?" Chad asks, puffing out his chest.

"Maybe," Clayton says. "Or maybe she just needs a little dick in her life."

I roll my eyes. The twins both suck, but I've always hated Clayton a little extra. At least now I don't have to feel bad about it.

She takes a step forward, and no, no, Kazuha, go. These are not people you talk back to. These are people you don't leave your friends alone with at parties.

"Well, you definitely are a dick," Kazuha says, trying to move past them, "but I'm not interested."

"Fuck you." Clayton shoves her.

"Don't touch me!" She shoves him right back. He barely moves, a small runner no match for the oversized midfielder.

"Clayton!" I shout, jogging up to them before it can get any worse. "What the hell are you doing?"

"What do you care, Chaewon? She got you on the rainbow ride now too?"

I grit my teeth and, for a half second, panic that he's actually figured out what I'm trying so hard to ignore. The thing I've worked really fucking hard to hide.