My Bully

Panda Express

"Mom?" I repeat. "What are you doing here?"

Yoongi crosses his arms and glares at her. "Yeah. Shouldn't you be off with your new boyfriend?"

Our mother sighs. "Things didn't work out the way I had hoped." She smiles again. "But now I can finally be with my children again!"

"Until you find someone new," I mutter. "Then you'll be gone again." She frowns. "But that's alright," I continue through clenched teeth. "We're used to being left alone so our lovesick mother can go chase after another stupid idiot she loves that will end up leaving her because he doesn't love her back!"

I hadn't realised I had been shouting until the very end. Yoongi and my mother are staring at me in horror.

"What the hell, Anna!" Yoongi says. "Why would you say that!?"

"Because it's true!" I shout. "It seems like everytime Mom comes back, she's gone the next week!"

"That's not true," my mother starts. Then her eyes narrow. "What's that on your cheek?"

I turn away from her, keeping my sliced cheek out of her view.

"Oh, so NOW you care about me," I snap. "Well, in that case, it's none of your business."

She sighs. "It's him again, isn't it."

"Why do you care if it is or not!?" I yell. "You never cared in the past!" As I walk past them, I say, "You're just like her, Yoongi."

I storm out of the hall and into the living room. I grab my backpack and leave the house. 

"Annabelle, wa-" 

I cut Yoongi off by slamming the door.

I pull out my phone, walking into the driveway, and dial Taehyung's number.

"Annabelle!" Taehyung says cheerfully. "What's going on?"

"Can I catch a ride?" I ask.

"Sure. Just give me your address and I'll be there soon."

I tell him the address and hang up. Now all that's left to do is wait.

A few minutes later, a rusty old Chevy truck pulls into the driveway. The window rolls down and Taehyung smiles at me.

"Come on, Annabelle!" he says.

I grin and walk to the other side of the truck. As I get in, Taehyung puts on some music. I listen in a trance. It's beautiful. I look at the song name. Singularity. 

"Who is this song by?" I ask Taehyung as we drive.

He looks at me out of the corner of his eye. "Check. I don't remember."

I frown but pick up his phone. I read the song name again, then I look at who the singer is.

Kim Taehyung.

"What!?" I say in shock. "You wrote this!? That's you singing!?"

He grins and nods. "Nae. Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful!" I smile. "Can anyone listen to it?"

"Are you kidding? I would be the laughing stock at school. Not that I already am, or anything," he adds with a sigh.

"I never understood why they make so much fun of you. You haven't even done anything."

"It was a stupid thing that I did in my Sophomore year," he says.

"What was it?" He hesitates. "Look," I say. "You already know my faults. Now it's your turn."

He sighs. "Okay. But first I need to know where we're going."

"Anywhere is fine. Like Panda Express, for example. I honestly don't care."

"I love Panda Express! Can we go there?"

I laugh. "Sure."

He grins and changes direction so that we're heading towards town.

After a few moments of silence, I say, "Are you going to tell me now?" 

"Tell you what?" Taehyung asks. His gaze drifts to the side. "Ooo, look at that pretty bird..."

"Eyes on the road, Tae!" I shout as we start to drift over to the left lane.

He jerks the car back. "Ah! Mianhae, No-" He stops and blushes. "I mean, Annabelle."

"It's alright, Taehyung," I say with a small smile. "You can call me Noona if you want."

"O-okay Noona." He smiles.

"So can you tell me what happened now?" I ask.

"Can I tell you after we get our food? I can't concentrate on an empty stomach."

I laugh. "Tae, I don't understand how one person can be so cute." He gives me a boxy grin, cheeks a light shade of pink. "I can't say no to you," I say, shaking my head.

"Ah~ Noona thinks I'm cute!"

taehyung pulls into the Panda Express parking lot.

"Do you want to go inside or drive-thru?" he asks.

"Inside," I reply. "I need to move my legs."

He nods and parks the car. I leave my backpack inside and follow Taehyung into Panda Express.

The place is more crowded than usual, packed with a bunch of students from school. As soon as Taehyung and I walk inside, it quiets down. I ignore the stares like usual and walk over to the aisle.

"N-Annabelle," Taehyung mutters nervously, glancing around. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" I say smoothly. "I'm ordering my food. Come on Tae."

I turn to the lady at the counter. "What would you like today?" she asks.

"A plate with Chow Mein," I tell her. "Teriyaki and Sweet Fire, please."

She nods and starts to get my order ready. A man walks over to take Taehyung's order.

"Um, plate with rice," he murmurs, looking at his hands. "Beijing Beef and Teriyaki, please." He looks up and smiles, then say in adorable English, "Thank yew."

I laugh. "Tae, you're adorable."

He blushes. "Noona~ you're so kind."

"OMG, cute!"

I cringe at the sickly sweet voice. I turn. A girl about my age is standing next to us. She has auburn hair and green eyes. Her lips are turned up into a smile, rosy red cheeks pulled in, showing her high cheekbones.

"Go away, Jin Sung," I say. "Don't you have a boyfriend to annoy?"

"I do," She says, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "But I thought that saying hi to you and your little "friend" would be better."

I step over to the cashier, ignoring Jin Sung. I start to pull out my wallet, but Taehyung stops me.

"Let me pay," he says. "I don't want you to spend your money."

"But-" I protest.

"Shut up and let him pay, Annie," Jin Sung snaps, rolling her gorgeous eyes.

I glare at her. "Fine," I tell Taehyung. "You can pay. But just this once. Next time, I pay."

Taehyung nods and pay, trying to hide his grin.

"What?" I ask playfully. "What's so funny?"

He shakes his head. "Nothing. I just didn't expect there to be a 'next time.'"

"Just hurry up and bay, Taehyung. I want to get out of here."

He takes his credit card back from the cashier and grabs the bags. As we leave, I hear someone giggle. I glance back. Jin Sung is smirking at me with a few of her friends. I frown. What's so funny to them? Oh, well. It's probably just some cute guy. 

I start to turn back around. Then I look back.

And finally see the camera in one of the girl's hands.