Worst Behavior

28. the lake

[ 28. the lake ]
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⚠️ triggering themes +
read carefully (:

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His mind is falling. It slips through his fingers and he watches it fall deeper and deeper until it's a puddle of nothingness in the hollow of his pounding skull.

His eyelids struggle to stay open, though he isn't sure why. Fluttering and fluttering, fighting to stay awake but something keeps shoving him back down no matter how many times he picks himself up.

Every inch of his skin is hot. Every sense of his feels numbed yet electrified at the same time.

And all at once, it suddenly stops.

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J E O N G G U K

"We can ring your mom if you want," Jason crosses his arms, the false innocence he spreads across his lips in the form of a smile twitching.

"I think we're fine," Jeongguk says, speaking up. Grace lifts her head, her eyebrows furrowing, clearly confused. Jeongguk swallows. He's dealt with Jason before— this can't be new.

"Dude, you know how we all used to be best buds in elementary? C'mon, don't you wanna relive that?" Jason asks, his voice oddly calm. Jeongguk forces himself to smile, unable to hold himself back from scoffing.

"You think I miss those times?" Jeongguk asks incredulously, raising an eyebrow at him. Jason's smile slowy falls, the look in his eyes darkening.

"Here me out Jeon—," Jason starts, but Jeongguk cuts him off, an angry laugh escaping past his lips.

"We're fine. Grace and I can get home on our own," He snaps, taking Grace's thin wrist into his grasp.  Just as he's about to pull her away to find the exit, Jeongguk's shoulder bumps against another person.

"Where are you going Mr. Jeon?" All three of them have their attention on the principal, who out of all people, neither one of them expected to see.

"I was just about to take them home with Mrs. Jeon's permission," Jason says before Jeongguk can get a chance to explain. Jeongguk and Grace's head whips to where Jason is now standing behind them, a tight smile plastered over his face once again.

Deep down Jeongguk wishes the Principal wouldn't believe him. He bites down on his lip, chewing anxiously as he studies his Principal's expression. He's on the edge, begging silently in his head for him to deny Jason.

"Alright. Since there's parental permission, have a goodnight," The principal's words make his heart drop. He pats Jeongguk's slumped shoulder before disappearing into the crowd of teenagers.

Jeongguk's eyes slowly find Jason's cold stare, and never in his life has he felt this much hate for someone in so long.

"You heard the principal," Jason drapes his arms over Grace and Jeongguk's shoulders, the fake cheeriness in his voice making Jeongguk's stomach twist. He feels imprisoned in his presence yet he can't bring himself to speak.