If looks could kill, she'd for sure be dead. The boy with the buzz cut glowered at her as she slowly ate the food that she had made herself. The food was tasty but couldn't distract her from the burning gaze of her rugged appearing brother.
She wasn't sure why he was sitting at the table, lounging back and glaring the life out of her. He didn't have a drink nor food in front of him. Not even when she sat down to eat did he have anything.
"Go out today," He finally said.
"Why?" She quizzed.
He let out a grunt and leaned forwards, glare deepening. "Go out today," He repeated, "I don't want you getting in the way of my friends."
She pursed her lips at his attitude. He was acting like she did something unforgivable. But since he was her older brother, there was no way she could just refuse. That would be so disrespectful.
She watched as he squished an ant that was on top of the table, his eyes going back to her. Surprisingly, he looked less angry at the ant than he did with her. Maybe school just made him crankier today.
"I will," She uttered.
Chance took his phone out of his pocket and turned it on. With his eyes finally off of her, she quickly ate the last few bits of her food before hastily putting the dishes in the sink. She could wash them later but sure as rain will not with his mean self near her.
When she turned back, Chance was glaring at her once more. He held up his phone, waving it side-to-side slightly. "I'll tell you when to come back," He stated before looking down at the screen again, "I'll even do the dishes for you, just stay the hell away."
"Okay..." She trailed off, making her way back to her room in a dejected state.
Once her door was closed, she collapsed onto her bed. Her head was sideways as her anterior was squished against the mattress. She puffed up her cheek that was facing the air.
Chance was so moody. It was so hard to understand that boy. Did he truly hate her? With everything he's doing, it sure seemed like it.
Being her older brother, it was natural she'd wanted him to love her as a sister. No one wanted an older brother who hated them because they always have the upper hand. And with Chance being a lost cause to their parents, it wasn't like they were going to do anything about him being an asshole.
'Don't worry too much, he just wants to seem tough. He doesn't mean anything by it.' Her parents used to tell her when she went crying to them.
Yeah, right. He hadn't been nice to her since he was in around grade 5. He was always distant, sure, but this was more than just distance.
Letting out an inane huff, she sat up. All she had to do was be outside and away from him today. She could do that.
She got dressed and ready to leave. Her phone was in her bag, her face was in light makeup, and her hair was combed and in a simple style. Maybe she could just linger around the house.
As she stepped out of her room, Chance was slumped on the couch, taking up most of it. He barely glanced up this time. It was something she appreciated more than being death-stared at.
"I don't want to see you anywhere near here. Go take a bus to the Dongjak district for all I care," He told her.
"But mom and dad wouldn't like that if I don't tell them!" She exclaimed in worry.
"Lotus," He said, a warning in his voice, "Don't even let me hear your voice until I say you can come back."
She instantly shut up and went over to the door to put her shoes on. There weren't many ways to ruin her life, but she knew he wouldn't be afraid to try all of the ways he could at the same time. He was just that vicious when he wanted to be.
The sun was just getting ready to set as it warmed the land below. Few clouds littered the blue sky. They were beautiful but Lotus couldn't wait to see them turn into pinks and purples. Right now they stayed the fluffy whiteness of the daytime.
All she had to do was find a place with little people that she can stay at and watch the sky until she could go back home. She didn't bring money with her so she couldn't stop to buy any snacks to held aid her time. All that was edible in that bag of hers was gum and a few pieces of candy.
The lack of money meant that she couldn't take the bus anywhere even if she wanted to. A quick text to Chance wouldn't fix that either. He'd probably tell her off from communicating with him when he wanted her to disappear until he said otherwise.
Lotus was languid as she strolled with no place in mind. The walk wasn't as bad as she thought it was going to be, having been forced out and all. Unlike the other times, the weather was nice and there wasn't anything going wrong yet. Although it was certainly arid.
The most interesting thing she faced since coming out was a tiny creature, making its merry little way across the sidewalk. The slowness of it let her kneel down to watch it as it passed her.
She would've touched the green caterpillar if she knew if it was harmful or not. Though, she was content with watching it. No one else was walking nearby, so it convinced her, even more, to watch it literally hump the ground to move.
"What butterfly will you turn into?" She whispered to it as it continued to brave across the concrete.
As expected, she didn't receive an answer. Somewhere in her wished it would've answered back and shocked her. It was sad that nature didn't work that way.
She slouched as it didn't stop once she had spoken. Caterpillars were vacuous, yet oddly interesting for an insect. They were rarely seen and if they were seen, it was during certain seasons.
Such small, simple creatures in a big, scary world yet they go on as if they have nothing to worry about. They must have instincts like many animals do, so it was confusing as to why they rarely reacted to anything. Maybe they lacked any senses aside from crawling around and eating.
"I want you to turn into a pretty butterfly and come see me," She still decided to talk to it.
The caterpillar was just about to make it to the other side when feet appeared in her vision, causing her to get distracted. She panicked and looked up, ready to apologize for taking up the walkway. The insect was so attention-grabbing for someone as enervated as she.
The boy who was looking down at her cause her to shut her mouth. Red eyes bore into her own. She didn't know what to do as her mind was full of thoughts and questions. Such as why she had to meet him again.
"We meet again," The boy commented, "And you're still not paying attention."
"I'm sorry," She said, staring up at him with a small pout.
"You'll only get yourself into trouble by being so absentminded." He commented.
"Oh... You're right..." She trailed off, staring at the slow caterpillar once more.
She hated to admit this, but the insect was more inviting. The boy was tall, covered in tattoos and piercings, and was visibly authoritative. She was everything her parents side-eyed and he reminded her of Chance.
The caterpillar, however, was small and so chubby it was cute. It didn't look like it could hurt her with its peach fuzz that gave it a downy green hue. There were no loud markings either, just the faint lime line across its back and dots lining its side.
Not to mention its tubby legs were so adorable. Just watching them move made her feel so giddy. The mindless creature didn't know how cute it really was.
The boy who was before her clicked his tongue and knelt down, eyeing the caterpillar before watching her in amusement. He didn't know how an insect could be so interesting. It was nothing but that— an insect.
Nevertheless, she sat watching it with such intensity and fascination. She seemed so benign as she lost herself in the movement of the caterpillar.
He rested his chin on his fist, "Do you have nothing to do?"
"No, not really," She reluctantly answered, not bothering to look away from her new minuscule friend.
He let out a short chuckle, "Obviously."
'Why even ask?' She internally questioned as her face began to heat up with the creeping shyness.
More importantly, she wondered what he was still doing by her. He had no reason to still be lingering. All she was doing was being a bored dork.
"You look so confused, it's almost adorable," He commented, answering the unsaid question.
Her head tilted down so she could try to hide her face with her hair. She mentally cursed her decision to put her hair up in pigtails because they didn't do anything to hide her.
"Who," She timidly began, "Even are you?"
"Donald Na," The boy answered, "Are you happy now, kitten?"
She jolted and stared at him with widened eyes. "Kitten?! Wha–Uh–Erm...Just call me Lotus," She stammered out.
He expressed cockiness as she looked at him. Her lips pursed at him, as she knew he wasn't taking her seriously. She was just a show, she knew.
"Your first name already? Didn't know you wanted to be so close," He teased her.
"How did you even know it was my first name anyway?" She interrogated him.
She knew it was easy to answer. Her name did not sound like a surname whatsoever. But that didn't mean she shouldn't be the smallest bit of cautious.
"Kingsley told me," He answered.
"Who?" Her head faintly tilted to the side.
Donald let out another chuckle and stood up. Lotus followed him and stood, seeing no reason to be on the ground as the caterpillar had long since disappeared.
"You've talked to him before," He stated.
"The tall boy!" She gasped.
Even if she didn't want to, she was just fueling the fire. She couldn't suppress her coltish nature. Perhaps that's what was just so appealing about her. The shallow caution and how she could be such a sensitive bunch of nerves.306Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipb13r4Z5X
