What Can I Do

Chapter 13 ~Did you just save me. No I did not.

During the lunch hour, most students would be eating in the cafeteria area. Haru and Jae, however, always preferred to eat at the tables outside.

There were always less people there, almost no one but a few stragglers along with Haru and Jae that day. They had been discussing the party happening on Friday when suddenly they noticed a group of girls walking up to them.

The whole group had been eavesdropping on their conversation and came to tease them about their party. The girls in that group had always hated Haru and were particularly harsh to her. They were only jealous because she was pretty and everyone in the school loved her because she was kind.

Their "leader" was a tall girl named Jiwoo who believed everyone should do as she said because her family was rich. Her friends stuck to her because she had money and because they were too much cowards to stand up to Haru by themselves.

Jiwoo was always jealous of Haru because she had always had a not so secret crush on Jae since freshman year, but Jae had never really looked at any other girl besides Haru. They had been bothering Haru since the second year Haru had been at the school and Haru barely acknowledged them anymore.

"Oh look girls, Haru is having a party on Friday? Are we not invited?" She pouted, exaggeratedly, before she and her whole group burst out into high pitched giggles.

"Too bad no one's going to show up. She can't even make any friends either, do you even hang out with anybody else besides Jae?"

Haru ignored them, knowing that they loved to bother and get a reaction out of her. Jae didn't like what they were saying but only glared at them, knowing Haru wouldn't want him to cause a scene.

"We all know the real reason why Haru doesn't have any girl friends. She only likes to hang out with guys because she goes through a few of them per week." She continued to sneer.

"Wonder how many times she's tricked you Jae." Jiwoo said, acting sympathetic. "You think you're her only friend right? But actually she hangs out with ten other guys at the same time. You're only boy toy number 11."

Jae immediately jumped up to defend her but spotted one of the teachers walking a few feet away. Far enough not to hear what the girls were saying, but close enough to see what was happening and hear if anyone started yelling.

The things they were claiming were so widely ridiculous and far from the truth because Haru had only one best friend, which was Jae, and had never had a boyfriend in her entire life. The fact that these girls were trying to provoke her and targeting Jae at the same time made Haru irritated, not being able to sit and listen to the other girls lies.

She stood up and faced Jiwoo, staring at her in the eye. Jiwoo looked momentarily surprised but stood her ground and glared back at Haru. She also saw Jae getting angry but she didn't want to hide behind him. She silently motioned for him to back down.

"I never did any of those things, Jiwoo. At least I don't have to pay anyone to be my friends." Haru shot back.

Jiwoo's face turned a slight red before she scoffed, "Yeah, as if you even have any friends! Don't kid yourself Haru, Jae is only friends with you because you forced him to, aren't you Jae?"

Haru scoffed this time, "Just because you have a delusional crush on my best friend doesn't mean you can attack me. He will never even like you back."

"Why you little..." Jiwoo gritted before reaching her hand back to slap Haru in the face.

Haru slightly flinched but stood her ground, momentarily bracing for the impact.

Instead of feeling the sting of a slap, she only felt someone move themselves in front of her and block her body with theirs. She opened her eyes and found Brian catching Jiwoo's arm with his hand and holding it in place.