Emergence

VIII

          It's no surprise we didn't end up in a largely populated place. They led me out to the track where they pushed me behind the bleachers and surrounded me. How much do you want to bet they're going to say some typical bully intimidation line? I'm willing to bet Minseok's left pinkie toe. Surely he'd be glad to get rid of it since all it seems capable of is seeking out objects to be stubbed on, thus allowing a long stream of profanities flow effortlessly from his mouth.

          "So, fatty–"

          "_Y/N_..." they all looked at me surprised. In all honesty I think I was just as surprised as them. They glanced around to one another, their caked up faces looking like they could crack at any moment as their faces twisted in disgust.

          "Yeah, whatever, fatty." Oh good, we're keeping this nickname. Thankfully it's nothing I've not heard before, "So you like Vasco, huh?"

          My lips drew in, my mouth becoming a thin line as I diverted my gaze to the ground. I honestly don't have to answer that. She read it in my diary, the one that's tucked in my bag dangling over my shoulder behind me. Damn, I really should have just gone in for lunch.

          "Don't worry, we won't tell..." I don't like how this girl drags on, "On one condition."

          I knew it. Bullies, in the end they're all the same. Reluctantly, I pull my eyes up to glance at her. Smug. Each and every one of them had sadistic little smirks on their faces. Just be smart about this, _Y/N_.

          "It's nothing hard, all you have to do is be our servant." They all giggled. It was a chorus of darkness that didn't sit well with me. But what would be worse? Playing servant to a bunch of stuck up bullying bi-.. I mean snobs, or the entire school hearing the not false rumor of my liking Vasco? Drawing in a sharp breath I give a weak smile with my answer practically rolling off the tip of my tongue.

          "O-okay. W-what exactly would y-you want m-me to do?" Good job, _Y/N_; you only stuttered four times! Oh gosh, I hope that doesn't make me sound confident. Usually I trip over my words worse than a newborn giraffe trips over themselves. I watched as the ring leader held out her hand, her perfectly manicured, and probably fake, nails waving impatiently as she demanded my phone. Passing it off quickly, she starts punching in what I assume is her phone number.

          "From here on, you'll refer to me only as My Queen, got it? The rest you'll be referring to as... My Princess." She paused as she said the last two words. Listening to phones chiming with new texts around me, it clicked. Shewas putting in all of their numbers.

          "H-how..." she suddenly looked up, her face completely unamused. Definitely should have just gone to lunch, "How w-will I kno-ow which i-is wh-which?"

          That must have been something she didn't think about, given away by the momentary widening of her eyes before she played it off, rolling them harshly. If she'd rolled them any harder I'd have seen nothing but the whites of her eyes and would have rightfully been able to assume she was searching for her brain. Maybe I will get such a chance some other time in my life. Drawn from my thoughts, she toss my phone back at me before pointing to each of the girls and listing them off.

          "When Eunji texts you, her contact will have an E at the end. Hyorin will have an H, and Nari will have an N." She glared daggers at me, "Got it, fatty?"

          I nodded, slightly raising my right index finger as I smiled nervously, "Y-yeah, b-but.. W-what's your n-name?"

          Her eyes twinkled with what was by far something more than a hint of anger. In fact, I'd be willing to bet I outright offended her my not knowing who she is. Sure, I've seen her and her posse around but I never cared to learn their names. I was a good girl, I kept out of the limelight as much as possible. It's not like they were on a need-to-know basis and this is the first time they've ever targeted me. I wonder what happened to.. What was his name? Well now I feel bad.

          I was pulled from my thoughts as the girl got in my face, anger scrunching her face, causing her makeup to finally crack. She aggressively poked at my shoulder with her squared up nail– oh look, she has a rhinestone on it– , "My name is Kim Sun-Mi, don't forget it."

          I nodded, feeling myself shrink back as much as possible. She pushed me away, back toward the main building of the school. I glanced at the quartet who remained under the bleachers, pulling cigarettes from their purses, sharing a single lighter. Were they just letting me go? Turning to head back inside, I heard Sunmi yell at me.

          "Be expecting texts from us, fatty! You slip up and your secret gets spread more than Eunji's legs!" Giving one last nervous smile I shuffle away, trying to quickly disappear out of their sight. Out of sight I chuckled to myself over the last bit, catching a glimpse of a fight starting to break out between the two girls. I don't know if that was truthfully implying one of their own was a slut, or if it was just something to try to intimidate me into doing what they wanted. Either way, the intimidation is working.

          I was yet again pulled from my thoughts as I ran into something solid upon turning the corner. Maybe I didn't turn the corner and instead turned into a wall? I could believe that story, it felt like a wall. But there's one thing... walls don't ask questions.

          "Are you okay?" Looking up, I could feel my heart leap into my throat. Today is just not my day.