traded my life [TWD]

『2』

I strap my backpack on like it was armor.

Stomping onto the school grounds, I look around like a sniper.

Lori was hugging Carl and sending him off.

Target acquired.

A grin breaks out on my face and I skip merrily over to the Grimes family.

"Mrs. Grimes!" I happily greet.

Lori startles, clutching the expensive necklace she was wearing. "Oh.. Hyejin."

"Hey-Hey Jin!" Carl greets.

"Did Officer Grimes pass my message the other day?" 

Lori sighs. "He mentioned that you were in the station. Yes."

That's different. I smile even wider. They loved me. They couldn't hide it.

"Well, I just had to tell my favorite American Housewife 'hello'!" I dig in my pocket. "I totally forgot to give this to him, by the way."

The look in Lori's eyes read that she was certain I had drugs on me. I hand the item over to Carl.

"Whoa! A Hasbro dog!" Carl cheers, ripping into the box.

"You said your favorite color was blue, so when I saw it, I thought of you, kiddo!" 

"Hyejin.." Lori whispers.

I grin cheekily. She knew where it really came from. How I got it. But, in front of her picture-perfect kid, she couldn't say a word. I win.

"Do me a favor and tell Ranger Rick that I made it to school? I know he worries."

Lori's thin lips pull into a tight line. "Of course."

"Enjoy the toy, kiddo," I ruffle Carl's hair.

Then, I hop onto my board and skate into the school building. 

--

My back slams against the bathroom stall door, the back of my head whipping backward. 

"You fucking bitch," Carrie hisses.

"Ah," I sigh with a smile. "Really.. You gotta stop playing into shitty stereotypes before you-"

Her knee hikes up into my stomach. I double over in pain, shoving it away just as quickly as it happened. Her talons wrap in my hair, pulling me to face her.

"You think this is funny?" she questions.

"I think your face is funny," I say with a grin.

She scoffs, shoving me back against the stall.

"I can't tell.." I begin.

"Tell what?"

"You never lived in Korea. Did you watch a bunch of K-Dramas like a Korea-Boo or are you just another white bitch?"

She hits my stomach again.

I keep calm, refusing to let my smile fall until Carrie shoves me to the floor between the toilet and the wall. She spits her gum on me and walks out.

"White trailer trash wannabe bitch," I grunt to myself, pulling up to my feet.

--

"Gyu, Gyu," I call.

Q looks up just as I fling myself over the railing. He scoffs and leans back against the rail.

"Gyu!"

"Yah," he calls. "Shut the fuck up before others see, huh?"

I make a face. "Rude."

I slump against the wall and look up at him.

"Here," he hands me the baggie. "Sell it before the end of the week."

"Or..?" I question.

He looks down at me, disinterested. "Or, I'll cut your finger off."

"Well.." I curl my lip.

"Ah, by the way-"

I perk up at once. 

"A few of us are going to a meet-up in a town a little ways out."

"Sure, I'll come," I agree at once.

"I wasn't asking you to go. I was saying to keep yourself under the light so shit doesn't  stir up while I'm out of town."

I rock on my feet. "But, I could come with you."

"Or, you could keep your happy ass here. Those pricks in the police force know too much about you. All cause you wanna take some useless shit and get on their nerves."

"Then, maybe, they should get a break from me and I can get a much-needed break from them?"

"You even know what goes on in the meet-ups?"

"No," I admit. "But, I want to be by your side for a long time. So, I should see what it's about, right?"

"And who said I want you by my side?"

I go to speak, but he cuts me off.

"You're fifteen, Hyejin. I'm twenty-two. You're a child."

"And you're really cute," I offer, shrugging with a smile.

Q scoffs and kicks himself off the wall and walks away.

"Friday. Meet me here," he calls over his shoulder. "Eleven at night. If you're late, I'll cut you off."

My heart swoons.

I hold the baggie up. Sell one measly little bag before the end of the week? Was Q losing faith in my ability?

No. No, he just agreed to let me come with him. He cares about me. He just.. 

I try to figure it out. He gave me a small sale. He said I could go with him.

"Ah.." I snap my fingers. "He doesn't want to stress me out to make bigger sales."

I hug the baggie to my chest and look at his fading figure. Man of my goddamn dreams.