Kayeon

Chapter 4

Donnie.

He stared at the empty space opposite him in the school's cafeteria.

Kayeon should have been there with him. Laughing over silly things or just staring at themselves until Kayeon would burst into a giggling fit.

He missed that part of her. Honestly.

The part of her that his younger sister, Jas loved. Anytime Kayeon came over, she would design lovely braids on Jas' hair and he absolutely loved seeing his sister and girlfriend bonding.

Or speak about when he and Kayeon both went laser tagging the other time. He adored hearing her laugh without a care.

But now, all that seemed to have faded into some distant part of his mind. He couldn't reconcile the Kayeon now with the Kayeon he knew and fell in love with.

Although Donnie read somewhere about teenagers, young adults being unpredictable at times, he couldn't be sure that this was just a behavior that would suddenly pop out of nowhere.

Kayeon never showed signs of being that kind of girl.

Kayeon

Kayeon.

Kayeon.

What on earth could be the problem with her?

He had an idea on who to ask.

Anita.

As if on cue, the girl appeared from nowhere with a tray of food.

"Hey, Don. You look all mopey." Ani observed him closely before pulling out a chair and sitting in it.

"Yeah. You know why." He murmured, poking at his pasta. Nothing appealed to his taste anymore, well, except for his coffee.

Ani sighed. "I've tried reaching her, Donnie. She just keeps shutting me out."

"And worse thing is her grades falling drastically, Ani. She's failing in a lot of subjects, she got detention only a few days ago."

Anita's eyes widened. Detention?

"What?"

"Miss Lorraine gave her detention for drifting off in class. I'm freaking worried." Donnie groaned, ruffling his hair.

Ani prodded at the burger on her plate. "Do you think that we should tell her mum?"

"An-"

"The school would call her anyway. It's best she hears it from us first." Anita reasoned because she knew Donnie would back out of any idea that involves harming Kayeon's reputation in any way.

Donnie exhaled, eyes staring around the canteen, hoping to see that familiar mop of black hair.

"Fine. But let's give her a week. I'll ask her on a proper date. Let's hope we get to figure out her before then."

That seemed fair.

When the bell went up, both of them split up.

* * *

Kayeon got up from the book she was writing and strolled lazily, barefooted to the kitchen.

She grabbed a bottle of apple juice and some cookies, and was walking to the living room to relax when her left foot touched a metal. She picked up the silver bracelet which had a name engraved on it- Antsy

She looked at it confused.

'What the hell does that even mean?' she thought, inspecting the metal and after a while, tossed it onto the center table. It was for Ella. She had seen it on her wrist a very few times.

She sat to her bowl of cookies with the juice in her hand. She had not sat for fifteen minutes when she heard the doorbell ring.

'Who could it be?' she thought. She was expecting no one. She stood up to attend to whoever was at the door.

She unlatched the door and right there was Ani and Chris. She was taken aback for just a second and motioned for them to come in.

"You guys didn't tell me you were coming". She pointed out as she shut the door and walked back to take her seat.

“Tried calling, but, I can bet your phone's in the plane mode.

"Oops..." Kayeon exclaimed, hitting her forehead with her palm. "I'm sorry. I forgot I did".

"Now to the main question. Why weren't you in school today?" Ani questioned.

"Huh..." Kayeon started scratching her head while looking at her with just an eye closed, trying to be funny. "I just wanted to stay back at home to rest".

"Is everything alright with you though?" Chris asked. "You've been acting kinda strange these past few days".

"Really?" Kayeon asked, pretending not to know.

"Yes. Really, and you know it. Stop acting like you do not know what we are talking about.” Chris snapped.

"Hey! You guys should take a chill pill. Just calm down". Kayeon spoke up. "I've just been feeling the need to have me some more space to myself these days. Nothing more. Okay? I really just need to have my head clear and straight. That's all.” She paused. “And I need y'all to understand that, alright?"

"Look into my eyes and repeat that you're fine, and you're okay, and that something is not eating you up". Chris demanded.

"What?" Kayeon asked unbelievably.

'Was it that obvious?' She thought.

"You heard me right. Go on and look into my eyes and tell me you're fine. What do you even take us for? Fools?" She asked, her eyes flickering with anger for a moment, her red, slightly curly hair bouncing around her shoulders, as she spoke and gestured.

They knew she couldn't do that. It was difficult for her to look into someone's eyes and lie, and they knew it. It was the reason Chris insisted she look into her eyes and repeat she was fine.

"I'm sorry, I can't". Kayeon replied, barely audibly.

"Really?" Ani asked, shaking her head in disbelief. "You really are going to keep it from us?"

"Keep what from you?" Kayeon shot back reflexively, frustrated.

"Whatever it is you're hiding from us". Ani retorted. "Like, we really do not understand you anymore. You're changed!" Anita exclaimed.

"Maybe". Kayeon replied, suddenly not giving a hoot, what was going to happen.

"Really, Kayeon? Maybe?" Anita questioned.

"Yeah, maybe". Kayeon replied. "I'm fed up with all of this. All your rants and all. Can't I just wanna be alone sometimes, and not have you complain or make a fuss about it?"

Oh...I think I get it now." Anita continued. "Chris, I think it's high time we left, seems we're not wanted here". Ani said to Chris, who also had on a shocked expression she didn't even try to veil. Kayeon didn't budge, she didn't even try to stop them either when Ani stood up and pulled up Chris, who was still obviously shocked at her behavior, and stomped off, slamming the door angrily after they got out the door.

She sighed heavily and slumped back into her seat on the sofa after they had left

She was tired of herself too, of her new found self, and being unable to control the way she was withdrawing from people. People she loved. She looked at her reflection in the Plasma TV adjacent to her, and didn't know when she started to cry.