Head above the water

20

(Honestly me when I procrastinate everything.)

I ran. I ran and I didn't look back. I didn't look back when I heard someone call my name, and I didn't look back when I heard what sounded like a sob from behind me. I was running without purpose. I was running just to run, just to get away. I had no destination in mind.

Maybe that's why I ended up back in the infirmary room.

Just seconds after the door slammed shut behind me it was forced back open, and Jimin came through it.

"What was that about?" He shouted as tears ran down both of our faces. It hurt me that he was hurting, and so I cried more.

"I thought you would be smart enough to figure it out, Jimin," I sobbed.

"Figure what out?" He was desperate for an answer now.

"That I liked you, you idiot! Did that never occur to you? All the times I helped you out and when I literally fell asleep in your arms did it never occur to you that it might be because I like you?" I was still angry, but that anger was quickly morphing into disappointment and sadness.

"You... you like me?" He asked, dumbfounded.

"Why do you think I didn't kill you when you kissed me?" I asked.

"I thought... I thought you were just acting. To get Trent to leave you alone," he replied, confused.

"Why did you run, then?" I demanded to know.

"Because... Because I like you, and I didn't think you liked me back. I thought you would hate me after that. I didn't want you to see me break down," he explained.

"You break down? See you break down? Jimin, you drove away! I chased you! I called your name! I cried for hours in the girls bathroom because of you! Did you not consider me in this at all?" I asked him.

"I'm selfish," Jimin said, "I know I am. I didn't think about how that would make you feel. I didn't know it would make you feel anything at all. I thought you only though of us as friends. That's not an excuse. I could have talked to you. I should have talked to you. I should have at least told you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Will you give me another chance?" He asked me.

"That's the thing, Jimin. I think I would give you as many chances as you asked for, and that's what scares me. I've never done that for someone before. Not anyone," I breathed out.

"I really, really like you," he whispered, coming closer to me.

"I really, really like you, too," I agreed.

"Can I kiss you agin?" He asked.

Instead of answering I reached up and pulled his face to mine.

We stayed in the infirmary for nearly an hour talking through our problems. Jimin told me that after I left the class the teacher had said that we get full marks for our performance. Apparently, she hadn't read the play very well herself. We didn't embody our characters at all. He also told me that Yoongi threw a pencil from across the room and managed to nail him in the back of the head before calling him stupid and sending him after me.

We had both calmed down and were about to exit the room to return to class when Jimin pulled me back slightly.

"Hey, Anastasia, can I ask you something?" He was being shy.

"Go ahead," I agreed.

"Will you be my girlfriend? Like, for real this time?"

I smiled and pulled him into another short kiss.

"Of course I will be," I giggled, and we walked hand in hand back to Literature.

The rest of class was uneventful. Most of the groups had presented by the time we made it back, so we were all just talking quietly amongst ourselves. When the bell rang for lunch, Jimin took my bag and my hand and pulled me to the cafeteria, the place where this fight started.

Marissa's mouth dropped open when she saw us walk in, and she squealed in excitement as we got closer. Ignoring Jin, she ran up to me, circling her arms around my shoulders and jumping for joy.

"I knew you guys would make up!" She giggled, releasing me and joining her boyfriend at the table.

I blushed, and so did Jimin. I couldn't have been more happy right now if someone gave me a million dollars. It was such a contrast to the way that I had felt only an hour before, but I don't want to give this feeling up. I smiled and sat down with Jimin, him slinging his arm around my shoulders.

We were at peace. Our table had found a steady harmony at last. Julianna and Namjoon weren't quite a couple yet, but it wasn't hard to tell that it was only a matter of time. I smile to myself, thinking that I really was an awesome matchmaker. The conversation was smooth, and the topics were easy to talk about. Before lunch ended, though, there was one more thing about Jimin that I needed to find out.

"Hey, Jimin?" I pulled his attention away from a conversation with Jin.

"What's up, beautiful?" He let me know that he was listening to me.

"I've been meaning to ask this for a while now," I began, "but I haven't found the right time to. I guess this is as good a time as any. Why were you in the water that day, when I saved you?"

Jimin was quiet for a while, like he was trying to think up an appropriate response for me.

"I want the truth," I urged him softly.

"The truth is embarrassing," He mumbled, slightly hiding his face from me.

"I'm not going to laugh," I promised him.

"Okay then," he relented, "I was out there because I wanted to see the water. I've never really been interested in the sea until I realized that it connected every part of the world together. I was missing home, and I wanted to feel a bit closer to it. I slipped on one of the rocks near the end of that big jetty, and I could t catch myself. It probably would have been smart to take someone with me, but I didn't. I should have thought of the fact that I've never learned to swim."

"You don't know how to swim?" I asked, a little taken aback.

"You said you wouldn't laugh," he whined like a small child.

"Do you want me to teach you?" I asked him.

He immediately looked up from his tray to meet my eyes.

"You would do that for me?" He asked, incredulous.

"I would do anything for my boyfriend," I laughed, and we went on about our meal.

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What? Another new chapter? Did the world turn upside down? Nope! I just had free time for once. I hope you guys enjoy!

Love Ya Always,
-Haleigh.