"Sorry Jules, but can you pull up?" Carmela said quickly, turning to her friend eagerly in her seat.
"What? Why??" Jules said, frowning with confusion.
"Well... I saw Tae. I need to talk to him."
"Didn't you guys just talk?"
"Yes, but I need to talk to him! Can you please just stop the car?"
"Fine, fine. You need to chill, girl."
"Sorry man, this fucking guy is literally turning me insane." Carmela sighed, thinking she'd never have imagined herself stopping her car just to talk to someone. It wasn't... her.
"Oooooh, you got a thing for him or what?"
"UHM, NO. Whywouldyousaythat?!" Carmela spat, huffing and facing the front again as Jules laughed and stopped the car.
"Aight. Go get him."
"Jules! I just need to talk to him for a sec!" She whined but Jules winked at her.
Carmela groaned, adjusted her yellow tube top and stepped out of the car. She rubbed her sweaty hands on her waist-high jeans and moved the opposite way they were driving, towards Tae. She could see his curly hair and long body bent over on the bench, but she was still far. Ugh. She broke into a quick jog and thought over what she was going to say. Wait... what WAS she going to say?
She slowed to a gradual stop, just a few feet away from the boy who was leaning back on the bench, with his head tilted forward and his dark eyes lost in thought. Carmela could see faint tear streaks that glinted in the sun as she shifted in her spot, unsure what to do.
Why did she come here? She would probably start some sort of fight and he would just yell at her again and she wouldn't be able to keep her patience and then they would both get charged for ruthless murder but they couldn't even be arrested because they'd both be dead. Yep, let's go back now--
Tae turned his head and their eyes met. Carmela felt a shock through her as her eyes fluttered in embarrassment. Fuck, why did I come here. I must be insane. She scratched her arm awkwardly, as he sat up slowly in his seat.
"What do you want?" He said. He dropped his eyes from hers, ruining the electric moment and Carmela felt a hint of dissapointme-- NO, NO I DIDN'T. SHUT UP MIND.
"Um, well I just saw you here and I... I realized I lost my phone and I was gonna ask you..." She loudly cleared her throat as his eyes turned to her again. "Uhm, have you seen it?"
He gave her a weird look and scoffed, looking back at his hands. Wait, did he look dissapointed-- NO, NO HE DIDN'T. SHUT UP MIND.
Carmela stood there awkwardly, regretting her stupid decision. Shit, why'd she say that? Her phone was literally--
"Have you tried your back pocket? Its usually there." He said with his deep, smooth voice. It seemed jagged somehow, like it was slightly scratched.
"HEY you're right!! Hehehe, I'm really stupid sometimes, sorry! I--"
"Is that all you're here for? Your phone?"
"Yes! I mean... well, yeah."
"Okay. Well you found it. Now go."
He leaned back on the bench and lay his hands on his abdomen, closing his eyes. He looked so... peaceful. And why was he-- why the fuck was he so good-looking? Why do the all the hot guys have to be so annoying...
Carmela fumbled with her fingers and shivered from the afternoon breeze hitting her bare skin. Then she remembered that Jules was in the car. Fuck. She thought their conversation would go quickly and he would explain what the hell he was on about, but it didn't go exactly how Carmela had imagined it.
She turned on her heel and waved her hands in the air for Jules to see. Then she gestured for Jules to go. Carmela would just ride the bus home. It wasn't fair for Jules to wait for no reason. The white truck sped down the road and Carmela thought of running after it for a second.
But Carmela turned back to the napping boy layed back on the bench. His long legs were bended at the knee and splayed out carelessly and his head was tilted slightly on his shoulder. Hell. What should she do? She really wanted to find out what he was saying about his parents. And she was sure he was... crying. It sort of... worried her. What the fuck?
Carmela groaned and made up her mind to stay. What harm could it do anyways. Fuck it.
She walked over to the bench in front of Tae, turned and sat beside him. She peered at him impatiently waiting for him to get up at her seated movement.
But he just lay there looking so godamn peaceful. All his usual angry wrinkles from his lips, eyes and forehead were gone. A yawn aproached Carmela's breath but she shoved it back. It came anyways and she suddenly felt tired.
She turned away from the curly haired boy, and leaned back on the wooden bench herself. Listening to the sound of rumbling cars and occasional chattering passerbys, Carmela closed her eyes and breathed deeply.
The tension in her eyes she didn't even notice, dissapeared and the beat of her heart slowed. She dropped her hands between her legs and slightly opened her mouth, tasting the fresh summer air of Chicago. The cool breeze brushed her hair into her eyes and over her neck and shoulder but she left it there, frozen in relaxation.
But then she remembered where she was and who she was with. Oh God. Her eyes flew open and she found the handsome face of the boy next to her, towering above her.
He was staring right at her.
His face was expressionless, as the wind blew over one side of his head. He looked so... fucking flawless... WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING TO YOU CARMELA.
She snapped out of her stare and sat up, swiping her long straight hair out of her face with her hands. She glanced up at Tae who was still sitting up, turned and gazing at her.
"What're you looking at?"
"Huh? Oh--" His face turned the slightest shade of pink and he blinked before turning back and facing forwards. Carmela tapped her toes together. I should say something. What should I say?!
Luckily, he spoke first, "My mom died when I was 15. My sister was only 4."
Carmela looked at the side of his face, her heart thudding with an usual feeling.
"She died just like I told you. My... dad beat her to death. Me and my sister were left all alone. You know Namjoon?" He glanced at Carmela for a moment, "He took us in. Me and Mina have been there ever since."
"But... but what happened? To your dad I mea--" Carmela started, but suddenly she heard loud cracks and felt the bench breaking from under her.
"Whats happeni-- HEY!" Tae said, but was cut off as his side of the bench smashed down and to the floor. Carmela shrieked a little as she slid in her seat and crashed into Tae beside her, but lower on the tilted bench.
"Ow..." He groaned as Carmela regained herself from the sudden fall. She was right on top of half of him, squishing him underneath. Fuck, did his shoulder break?!
"Tae! Are you okay? Wait imma try and get off!" She tried to pull herself up from her slanted position but it was so hard because she was sunken into her seat, and her feet were in a weird spot on the ground. Her voice was strained as she tried to heave herself up but she couldn't. She was stuck. She was stuck next to this curly haired guy who was half squashed under her.
"Why aren't you getting off?!" Tae said.
"Im trying! But I think I'm... I'm fucking stuck!" She yelled.
Why were there no people walking on the sidewalk right now? Hell! They both heaved some more, trying to get out of their tangled mess. Carmela stuck her hands out and yanked her body upwards but fuck, it just left her breathless. Tae stopped squirming beside her.
"Hey, um, I guess I know a way we can get out. But it's... weird..." He said in a small voice.
"What?"
"Like it's-- fuck, I don't wanna do it, nevermind."
"Dude if you can get us out of this weirdass place, you're more than welcome to do whatever you want. We look fucked up..."
"Hm. You sure? Don't scream at me later."
"Wait, what do you-- AH!" She let out a high pitched shout, as Tae slid his arms under her and wrapped her to his body, pulling her closer to him. His face was stuffed in the back of head and she could feel his hot breath through her hair. He tightened his arms gently around her stomach. Carmela closed her legs and put them between his slightly open ones. Then with a grunt, he jerked up and heaved them out.
Carmela fell from his grasp on her knees and onto to the pavement, coughing. What the hell was that... and what was that weird feeling in her stomach. F-fuck.
She stood up and turned around to face the tall boy slowly, her cheeks burning. She glanced up at him and felt relieved seeing the same redness on his face too. But he looked... really awkward. He couldn't even look at her. He kept shifting his feet and scratching his neck. What the fuck was wrong with him? Haha calm your ass down boy.
But then he looked into the distance and weirdly pointed his finger to his chest. What? The fuck was wrong with him? He kept swiveling his finger around his chest, still looking up into the distance. Was he messed in the-- WAIT. FUCK. NO. KILL ME NOW.
Carmela glanced down and let out a loud squeal. Her tube top had slid down and was revealing most of her white strapless bra. FUCK. She yanked it up, pouting her lip in anger and embaressment and huffed. Did he see that? Did he fucking see her-- NO! I HATE YOU, YOU STUPID BENCH.
Tae cleared his throat and cautiously glanced at her, finally relaxing his fidgeting body. He let go of the thin chain around his neck. They were many feet apart but Carmela could still feel him against her. She shuddered and angrily pushed those thoughts out of her mind.
"Uh, sorry about that..." He said.
"It's fine."
"It was the only way..."
"I know. It's fine."
"Yeah but... CARMELA!"
"What? I said its fucking fine, what do you-- AHH!!"
Carmela felt rough arms grab her from behind and pull her into darkness. The door slammed shut just as she saw Tae lunge towards her.
"Carmela!" His muffled voice came through the door as the car began to move. She felt someone smash something against her head and she felt herself drift away into an even deeper darkness.