Don't tell me bye bye (mystery/ thriller)

Chapter 15

"Wha-what?" He frowns at the note, the words taking a few seconds to sink in. "Y/n, you don't really think I would write something like this?"

"Why not?! I don't know you; I don't know what you're capable of." People are craning their necks to hear what we're arguing about, but I am so beyond caring. "You keep telling me to stay away from Tae, so why wouldn't you write something like this?!"

"No, I...I just mean...I would never hurt you, Y/n. I can't believe you would think that."

I snatch the note from his hand and slam my locker door, fumbling with it with shaking hands as it bounces back open again.

"Here, let me help-" he says, reaching out.

"I don't need your help," I snap. "Just get away from me." "Y/n, I..."

Namjoon's face is a picture of confusion and concern, but the note has made me so angry there isn't a shred left inside of me for anything other than outrage. I manage to close my locker and storm away from Namjoon, blinking back tears as he shouts after me.

I'm lying on my bed ignoring my rumbling stomach, listening to mum and Jin's voices float up the stairs. Even though my door is closed I can still hear exactly what they're saying so they have no idea just how loud they're arguing about me.

Again.

I roll onto my side and trace my finger along the faint grey brushstrokes on the wall, squeezing my eyes shut each time Namjoon's confused face appears in front of me. Why did I react like that? I know he didn't send me that note; he couldn't have, he was just as shocked as I was. But why doesn't he want me talking to his dad, or trying to help Tae? Even Jennie's jealous girlfriend act seems to have a bit more depth than I thought, and I really don't think she's sending the notes. Using a pen might break one of her fingernails.

A soft knock at my door interrupts my hopelessness. I roll over and sit up on the side of the bed. "Yeah?"

"Y/n, it's Jin. Can I come in?" he says, his voice muffled through the door.

"Uh-huh."

The door opens slowly and Jin's head pokes in.

"You sure I'm allowed in?"

I grab a pillow and fold my arms around it. "I said it's fine, Jin," I sigh.

He walks into my room, for once without Teddy trotting after him, and leans against the chest of drawers. "Jules said you were home early."

"Yeah.....early closure."

I glance at him and he raises his eyebrows at me, letting out a long whistle of breath. "Obviously we're not happy that you've skipped out of school early, and I don't appreciate you lying to me, but that's not why I'm up here. Your mum said she saw you running out of the school gates, and you looked upset?"

Mum saw me crying? "Why isn't she up here, then?"

"I said I'd speak to you, but I can go get her if you'd rather she have this conversation with you?" he says, holding out his palms like he's weighing up my options.

I sigh, my lungs as deflated as I am. I can't deal with mum's overbearing concern right now and I should be grateful that Jin knows me well enough to know that. "No."

"Didn't think so. Look." He pulls a chair over to my bed and sits down. "We know this is hard for you, this whole situation, moving here, leaving your friends-" He closes his eyes, wincing as he wishes he could extinguish that last sentence. "Sorry, with what happened and...and..."

"Jin, it's fine."

"No. No, it's not fine. None of it was fine," he says, swallowing down a handful of sour memories. "With everything that happened, we need you to know that we're here for you, Y/n, no matter what. Please know that. If you want to talk, want to cry, whatever it is that you need, it's basically our job to try and give it to you, as your parents."