The wind brushes her face as she stands near the edge of the roof. She looks down and brushes away unruly strands of hair that stick to her lips painted with strawberry lip gloss. Hannah has been restless for a few days and needs a moment to relax, so being in a quiet place where she has access to fresh air can cleanse her soul of all her sorrows. She can calm down and, at least for a while, forget her worries and other incomprehensible thoughts that make her heart restless.
She requires this.
The girl lifts her eyelids and looks over her shoulder when she hears footsteps. A boy enters the roof, but does not approach her. He stays at the door and beckons her in with a hand gesture. She doesn't ask what's going on, but obediently joins him.
She lifts her face and looks at Jin, noticing that he is paler than usual.
— I have a fear of heights — he explains, seeing her questioning look. — I feel safer here.
— Sorry, I didn't know.
— It's a nice place, so we can talk — he claims, sending her a slight smile.
For a long moment, they both remain silent. Hannah is devising how she should start the conversation so as not to come off as stupid, while Jin simply watches her face, wondering what secret the girl is hiding.
The past three months have been a nightmare. He couldn't get over the fact that Danielle had left him. She left town, completely cutting off contact with him. And now she appears out of nowhere and stands in front of him, with no memory of what happened before.
— Do you promise to confess the whole truth to me? — Jin looks surprised by her question. — The first day, you embraced me in the hallway and addressed me by name. You looked like you really knew me. Is there a possibility that we have met before? — she asks uncertainly, expecting his answer to help her at least a little in understanding the dreams she has at night. — I don't know what's going on, and I think I'm starting to be crazy, so please help me.
He sees the helplessness in her eyes. He is lost in his thoughts.
— Before I give you an answer, I would like to ask you if there is a possibility that there is a period of time that you don't remember?
He surprises her.
The teenager opens her mouth and puts her hand to her forehead, wondering if it's possible. She's sure she's perfectly healthy, but for a brief moment, she thinks about an illness that takes away a person's memories. Could something similar have happened to her?
— You know me, don't you? Is that where the question came from? — Her eyes glaze over. — These dreams must be real, since they come back to me at night. I don't understand any of this. How is it possible? How could I not remember a certain period when I am convinced that I know my past perfectly?
— Hannah, I don't know what's going on, but I must make you aware that exactly three months ago I saw you for the last time — he announces calmly, carefully mirroring her with his eyes. The girl lowers her head and puts her hands to her face, beginning to get lost in his words. A strong gust of wind sways her hair, and the boy's attention is drawn to the skin under her ear.
Jin takes a deep breath and takes three steps back, clearly shocked by the sight.
— June... June. I know it was the worst month of my life...
The 18-year-old sticks his back to the door, and only then does Hannah lift her face and focus her gaze on him.
She notices that he looks concerned.
— Are you all right? — Only when she asks a second time does the boy come back to his senses and forces a friendly smile. — You scared me with your attitude.
— I'm sorry — he stammers, putting his hand on the doorknob. — I want to show you something. Will you come with me?
She nods and obediently follows Jin to his room. She feels uncertain when he opens the door and invites her in. Her gaze is caught by the bed, and then she swallows her saliva harder out of nerves, remembering the emotional dreams.
He pushes back a chair for her, then removes a photo from the cabinet. He hands it to Hannah, waiting for her reaction.
The teenager looks at the photograph and momentarily her mouth goes dry. A girl looking exactly like her poses for the lens at Jin's side, resting her head on his shoulder. They both look happy.
— When was this picture taken?
— In May — he answers, not taking his eyes off her. — It was taken by a friend.
That was the period. Everything is correct.
— What was our relationship like? — There is a confusion in her head. It's all so surprising and strange that she can't explain it. This photo, these dreams, as well as the feeling that begins to appear when she sees Jin... it's all mysterious, as well as incomprehensible.
The boy searches for the right word to explain what they had in common, but he is rescued from his predicament by a phone call. Someone calls him. He excuses her for a moment and goes outside to answer the call.
Hannah gets up from her chair and looks around the interior. Her attention is drawn to the photos of the boys who hang on the wall. In each of them, Tom is fooling around. She also visually finds a photo in which Joseph is smiling at the lens. He arms himself around his friends, not looking as dark and scary as he does now. Hannah realizes that they must have been in first grade then because they look much younger in this photo.
At the very bottom hangs a photograph in which the dark prince lifts a laughing girl. She is beautiful and visually matches him perfectly. They look like they were made for each other.
— Joseph, I have a visitor and will be back in a while, so I warn you to be polite.
— After all, I'm not going to eat anyone. I'm not a cannibal. — Her heart goes up in her throat. She hates that voice. At the thought that he is about to enter the room, she prays that Jin has already ended the conversation.
The black-haired man stands in the threshold, and a cynical smile appears on his face. With a kick of his foot, he slams the door behind him, unable to imagine a better surprise awaiting him.
— Hi, little girl. — He leans over and snaps his fingers in front of her face, clearly mocking her. — Are you two already at a higher stage of acquaintance, since he invites you to his room? I'd like to say it's cute, but my stomach stops working, so in line with that I have to say how unappetizing it is. — The smile unexpectedly comes off his face.
The teenager tries to ignore him, so she pretends to look at the wall, but Joseph is the kind of person who doesn't let go easily.
— You know, I liked this "dark prince" of yours so much that I changed the nickname on Instagram. — He is clearly laughing at her.
Hannah does not intend to wait any longer for Jin. She decides to leave the room, as she finds the presence of his roommate tiresome.
Unfortunately, Joseph stands in the aisle. He stops her from running away. She lowers her face, and her body shudders when she meets his cool gaze. Nevertheless, she does not look away. She tries to show him that she is not like other students and is not afraid of him at all.
— Since you liked the nickname, in compensation, give me a break — he announces. She bites her cheeks on the inside, at which Joseph tilts his head, and then she notices his laughing eyes for the first time.
— She also bites them when she is angry with me.
She raises her eyebrows, clearly surprised by his words. She? Did he mean the girl in the photo?
Jin enters the room, and the roommate moves away from Hannah and sits down on his bed.
The boy mirrors him with his eyes.
— Are you okay? — He turns to the girl.
She nods in response and glances at Joseph out of the corner of her eye. The boy leans on the bed with one hand and uses the other to write a message on his phone.
— Do you want us to talk in another place?
— I think we should postpone it.
Joseph puffs out his lips. He glares at them out of the corner of his eye, eavesdropping on their conversation.
— I understand.
Joseph is interested in what is developing between them. He doesn't like the fact that Hannah is trying to get close to his friend at all costs. He can't let their relationship develop because she's a wuss trying to protect herself from him.
She has learned that Jin is ranked first in school and is the only person toward whom Joseph has unquestionable respect, so she tries to take advantage of this.
He has to put an end to it at all costs.
— See you later, girl — he says as the teenager walks to the door. She ignores him and hurriedly leaves the room.
— You won't let go, will you? — Jin turns to his friend as he puts the phone back in the locker. — You oppress the whole school, that should be enough for you. Leave Hannah alone.
The brunet rolls his eyes and lays his head on the pillow.
— You are indifferent to everyone. You don't give a damn when I play with the entire school, so what has this girl done that you defend her so fiercely?
— It's worse with you than with a child. — After these words, Jin leaves the room.
Joseph smiles arrogantly and places his hands under his head. The appearance of Hannah has changed something in the school. It is more interesting, she radiates an aura similar to that of his ex-girlfriend Halsey from the beginning.
*
Mariah tightens her lips in anger when she notices that people in the class are teasing Nick. A boy sitting behind him purposely kicks his chair with his foot, having a sick laugh about it. A girl at the other end of the class throws cards at him out of her mouth, while he sits quietly with his head hidden between his hands. He stares blankly at his notebook, disregarding their stupid behavior. All it takes is one word from Jimmy, and his classmates begin to make his life miserable.
He takes revenge for Nick hitting him, but the real reason for his outrage is that Mariah has been hiding their acquaintance all along.
— Stop it! — she yells, unable to stand the way they treat her best friend any longer. — You are in your last class, idols. Do you think this is funny?
Joseph, who is sitting in the first bench, looks over his shoulder and aims a pen at her. He hits the object right on her forehead.
— Shut your mouth. This is a classroom, not a tribute meeting.
Nick wordlessly walks away from the bench and grabs his friend's hand. He leads her out of the classroom, ignoring the challenges of her peers.
Mariah in the corridor can't stand it and hugs him, bursting into loud cries. She can't take it all. She wants this school year to pass relatively quickly so that she and Nick can leave here. The girl longs for a complete break from these pushy brats.
— How are we going to get through this? Joseph makes my life miserable all the time, but it's the wave of hatred that has descended on you. Jimmy is taking revenge on you, and this is just the beginning. He will poison your life, you know that, right?
— I don't give a damn. I've always been on the sidelines and I don't talk to anyone, so I'll put up with all the jabs. I don't regret nailing that bastard because I was finally relieved. Likewise, I couldn't listen to the way he addresses you.
She moves away from him and sends him a graceful smile.
— You are my best friend and I wouldn't even trade you for the hottest actor in Hollywood.
— Well, my little sister would never do that to me — he announces in a laughing voice, rubbing her hair. — We'll get through this. We'll show all these assholes that they can get stuffed.
— I like it when you address me like that. That's when I see Louis in you. — Her eyes glaze over. Even though five years have passed, she still can't get over his death. She misses her older brother, with whom she had a good relationship. Fortunately, Nick is at least half able to replace him, and for that, she is grateful.
She wipes tears from her cheeks when she sees the teacher heading their way. The hour-long lunch break has just ended, so they have to go back to class.
— Didn't you hear the bell? — he turns to them as he stands in front of the classroom entrance. He opens the door and, with a nod, invites them inside.
Mariah doesn't feel like participating in the lesson, but she can't run away in front of the teacher. She's in her final year, so she plans to use this time to do her best on her final exams.
*
9 p.m. strikes on the clock. Hannah once again dials her mother's number, but the woman does not answer. At one point, she worries that something bad has happened to her, but when she gets a message from her — in which she informs her that she can't answer and will get back to her tomorrow — she is relieved.
The woman has suffered a lot recently, just as her daughter was going through a difficult time.
Hannah is strong, so she recovered quickly, but her mother needed a rest to gain strength and start all over again.
She puts the phone back on the cabinet and gets out of bed to use the restroom. She drank too much water, so now she has to sneak off to the bathroom.
The hallway is empty. She enters the room and turns on the light, and her attention is caught by the mirror. This time it is clean, and she finds nothing disturbing on it.
When she uses the toilet, the light goes out unexpectedly. With wide-open eyes, she looks around the interior, searching for the person who could play a prank on her. She's already caught a student playing a prank at night once, but every time she's in the bathroom she can't spot anyone.
Her heart goes up to her throat when she hears the same tune. It comes from the shower room, but when she opens the curtain she sees nothing there. The song doesn't quiet down, and she gets the impression that someone is additionally humming it.
As if scalded, she looks back when an older student enters the bathroom.
— Are you all right? You look like you've seen a ghost.
Hannah swallows her saliva harder and draws back the curtain. She heads for the door. She wants to leave, but she hears the tune again. Only that it is coming from the hallway.
— Can you hear it? — he turns to the seventeen-year-old, who wrinkles her forehead in response.
— I don't hear anything — she replies. She walks over to the sink, trying to wash her hands dirty from the black marker.
Hannah looks as if she is about to faint from fright. She runs out into the corridor and looks around the building with panic in her eyes, trying to deduce where the melody is coming from. She begins to think that she is actually losing her mind and there is something disturbing going on with her health.
What if she is actually sick in the mind?
She doesn't even realize it when she runs up the stairs and circles the floor inhabited by the guys. With her heart beating loudly, she approaches one of the rooms, noticing that the door is ajar. He tentatively slips his head in and opens his eyes wider, realizing that it's the men's bathroom.
She is too late to escape, as she is caught by Jimmy, who immediately pulls her inside. The music in her head goes quiet, and she gets the impression that she can't breathe.
— Joseph, your mascot seems to have gotten lost — she turns to her best friend. The brunet, who is combing his fingers through his wet hair in the mirror, looks over his shoulder. A sour smile appears on his face.
Tom emerges from the shower completely naked. As the water runs down his body, her gaze automatically stops on the most intimate place. She covers her eyes with embarrassment, which amuses Jimmy, who is standing next to her.
— Just look how innocent she is. So sweet it's nauseating.
The naked boy ties a towel around his hips, not caring that he has just been caught by his younger friend.
— She will become my wife in the future anyway. — He smacks at her and walks over to the mirror, using his hip to push Joseph away from her. — Stop playing with that hair. You're already sexy enough anyway. Let others present themselves.
— She is innocent? — mocks the brunet, ignoring Tom, who is practicing seductive faces to his reflection. — The devil will recognize any demon — he declares to the girl's face, trying to look deeper into her eyes.
— Guys, are you using the bathroom again at this hour?
The 16-year-old girl becomes motionless when she hears the guardian's voice. The man is walking towards them, so Hannah starts to panic. She runs toward the showers, wondering what she should do to avoid being caught. If she hides behind one of the curtains, she will undoubtedly be caught.
The attendant will look into every place to see who is outside the room.
— Oho, someone will be in serious trouble. — Joseph laughs.
A quiet squeal escapes her lips as someone grabs her hand.
She is pulled into one of the cabins.
Water from the shower runs down her face, so only when she pulls away does she see Jin in front of her. The boy puts his finger to his lips, telling her to stay calm.
She keeps her eyes on his face and presses her lips tightly together when she realizes that he is taking a shower. Another student who stands completely naked in front of her, so she makes sure her gaze doesn't go any lower, which is an extremely hard challenge.
She swallows her saliva, feeling her heart beating harder again. Each time in his presence, she is reminded of the dreams that illustrate their strong bond.
She becomes breathless.
— The four of you again? — The man enters the bathroom, and Jin looks out from behind the curtain. At that moment, Hanna's gaze momentarily descends on his ass, and she quickly covers her eyes, not wanting to come off as a pervert.
Tom laughs into the mirror, looking at his friend in the reflection. He is amused that he is hiding a younger student in the cabin.
— Smith, and what's so funny to you?
— I dry my teeth after scrubbing — he replies jokingly.
The man mirrors them with his eyes.
— I understand that you don't like to use the bathroom with other students, but arrange it in such a way that you make it by one o'clock, agreed?
Joseph crosses his arms over his chest and nods. She is not going to comply with his instructions anyway.
— So now go back to your room — he orders, pointing to the door with his hand. The brunet rolls his eyes, then walks out with Jimmy into the hallway. He slams the door, but the man does not react in any way. — How about you? — He looks at Tom and Jin, who are still not prepared for sleep. — Get dressed and get back to yourselves.
He leaves the bathroom, and Hannah thanks her older colleague, then confusedly runs out of the cabin. Water runs down her hair and pajamas, making her feel embarrassed in their presence.
— And how, which one is bigger? — asks Tom directly. With his finger, he points to the lower part of his body, hidden under the blue towel. Hannah nervously breathes out and feels herself turning red in the face.
She leaves their bathroom as quickly as possible.
She has had enough impressions for one evening. By this time, she has even forgotten about the mysterious melody.
One thing she is sure of: they are shameless!