~Best Friends~ Exo

~Stand Tall~

Iko's P.O.V

       I bite my lip, running my shaking hands through my hair and shaking my head violently. I feel tears glaze over my eyes as I think about what could possibly happen. As I repeat the situation over and over again in my head it seems to me as a cliche problem. The father doesn't like the boy-- or in my case, boys. The boy stands up to the father and the worst part... the boy gets beaten up for defending himself and the girl. Sehun goes over to me, embracing me. Giving me as much comfort as he can possibly give me in this situation. Sehun stays by my side, holding my shaky hand, as silence grows in the house. All we can hear outside is Chanyeol's and Baekhyun's reasoning... but that soon grew to arguing. It's so loud and pounding I can make most of it out, and by the look on Sehun's face.. he can as well.

     "I've heard her cry because of you...!" I hear Baekhyun shout. The muffled sounds, but I know it's not my dad.

     "Oh really?! Is that because you eavesdropped?!" My dad yells back. Baekhyun says nothing. The front door swings open and a gust of cold winds blows through. Chanyeol steps in and I catch a glimpse of my dad. Serious narrowed eyes and a straight line of a mouth. Soon enough, the tears fall and Chan slams the door so that my dad can't get it to take me. But before the door slams shut, Baekhyun gives me a sad smile. I sniff and continue to bite my lip harder. Raise the pain so I can block out the fear of being dragged away from my friends.

     "Ow...!" I yelp. I raise my cold fingers to my lips, when i touch them, I feel a warm thick liquid. I look down on my fingers and see blood running down the tips of my fingers. Sehun and Chanyeol look down at me.

     "Iko!!" They shout. I look up at them, my eyes wide. I put my pointer finger to my lips.

     "Shhh... don't wake Lay and--" I try to say, but blood drops down my chin and a door swings open from upstairs. In fact THREE doors swing open. Tao's bedroom door, Lay's bedroom door and the front door.

     "You get the hell away from her!!" My father demands at Sehun and Chanyeol. My dad pushes them aside and goes to me, but before he can lay one finger on me. I hear my sweet Lay call after me.

     "Iko! No! You get the hell away from MY Iko!!" Lay's voice sounds so different from in his songs. Different from the way he regularly speaks. He rushes down the stairs. "If anyone were to drag her away it would be ME. Dragging her. Away.. from you!" I flinch, i've never heard that tone from gently Lay. Sweat beads dotted both of their foreheads. Sehun lowered his height to my ear.

     "Go get Baekhyun from outside, I'm gonna get Tao down here..." He whispers so my dad wouldn't hear and get any ideas. I nod, trusting him. I slip away from the group of intense stares and tones. I slip outside and Baekhyun sitting on the top stair. I sit next to him and face him, he won't look at me. I gently put place my hand on his bruised cheek, then carefully turn his head towards me.

     "What happened to you...? Did he hit you?" Baekhyun asks, his voice hoarse from shouting to loud and too much. I shake my head. I smile at the stupid way i got this cut.

     "I bit my lip too hard..." I giggle sadly, trying to get Baekhyun to at least laugh. But he doesn't...

     "Be careful next time." He breathes, sniffing. I nod and my smile goes away.

     "Lay's awake." I notify him, meeting his gaze. He reaches over to me and wipes the blood from my lip. All he could do was smile, because he knows that Lay protects me. Lay isn't the only one. I have the whole EXO household to back me up, but I know I can't always rely on them for help when my dad. Comes to take me away. Baekhyun lays his arm across my shoulders. "You're going inside with me, come on." I say, pulling him up, he puts weight on me but not a enough to make me collapse under him. When we get into the house Lay is still.... all of them are arguing. Including childish Tao. As soon as we close the door, the talking stops and all the heads turn to us.

     "We'll be going now! Iko!" My dad breaks away from the group. And grabs my arm. But I don't budge. "Iko. Collect all of your things and let's go. I'm not leaving until you're in out the door and in my car."
    
     "No." I say flatly. I can hear Baekhyun's sniffs. My father turns to me.

     "What did you just say?" He asks. I know he wants me to say "okay". But I'm done giving him what he wants.
     "I said no!" I repeat, more confident. I snatch my hand away. "Don't drag me away. You'll never drag me away. I am DONE giving you what you want! I'm done letting you pin the blame on me when it's clearly YOUR fault! And I'm done being small and weak to you!" I yell. My father's expression changes to shock and for once it seems as though he'll actually hear me out... but I was wrong.

     "You will ALWAYS BE WEAK AND SMALL LIKE A WHINY CHILD!! You will NEVER be strong as long as you rely on reckless 20 year old boys!" He counters me, giving me glares and spitting on me like I'm a watch bound to be burned.

     "If anything YOU ARE THE ONE WHO'S RECKLESS! I will NOT live in your shadow anymore! I am 19 years old and i don't give a damn if I rely on them! They are my friends! If you keep talking crap about them, SO HELP ME I WILL KICK YOU OUT OF MY LIFE FOR GOOD! They take care of me a hell lot better than you ever will! I am not relying on them right now! Am i? No because I'm standing up to you! On my own. So you can take a hint and leave. I am NOT going with you." I breathe heavily. "I can't believe that i just wasted my breath on yelling at you." I finish turning around, looking down at the floor. "You can leave, dad..." I whisper, still out of breath. I look at the guys some of them have weak smiles the others look like they can use a quick nap. I bite my lip, a bit softer this time, and head to my room. Glad to still be here and not being dragged away by overpowering rules.