Do you do standup?
Or is this impromptu?” Hyung Jun Oh laughed.
The professor came in at that moment, “Settle down kids, we have math to learn and then forgot after your exam, so let’s get to this so we can all go home.” The professor was laid back and honest about all of our reality, and I respected him not beating around the bush.
We all needed this class, most of us weren’t here to study math.
I could feel the eyes burning against the back of my head.
I could hear the mutterings of my classmates, no doubt gossiping about me.
When class was over, the posey of snobby women appeared before my seat, their animosity pouring off them.
Mean girls.
Guess I should have worn pink, instead of green.
“I don’t see what they’re talking about, she’s nowhere near level of our beauty queen.” One of the girls scoffed.
“You’re one to talk with your below average beauty, you flock around pretty people so you can use the pretty girl effect.
Ride off your friends’ good looks.
Make sure your eyebrows match before you try and insult someone, baby, or you just look ugly as well as inept.” Hyung Jun Oh jumped up defending me.
I smiled welcoming the hero who came to my rescue.
“Shut it queer boy and go suck some cock in the boy’s restroom.” The girl shot back, anger fuming so bad, smoke came off the top of her head.
And that was all I needed to step up and show them what it looks like to be from New York City.
I stood up faster than they expected and reached across the table and socked the girl straight in her mouth.
“Say some nasty shit like that again and it won’t be just your mouth I fuck up, but your whole face, bitch.” And then I spit on her.
I can’t stand homophobia and bigotry.
There’s not much someone can do that can push me to violence.
They looked surprised I not only understood and spoke fluent Korean but that I would react like that so publicly.
Blood dripped from her lip, and she cried out, covering her mouth.
A part of me smiled seeing her hurting.
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” The girl Hyung Jun Oh told me is apparently my competition raised her hand to slap me, but I smacked it out away from me.
“Fuck around and find out, I’ll do you better than I did your friend.
Where I’m from people get jumped for less.” I looked them sharply in the eyes glaring daggers in their direction.
“Remember this humiliation the next time you think to open your mouth.” I grabbed Hyung Jun Oh and stormed out of the room.
Waves of rage rolled off me like violent waves crashing against a rocky shore.
The minute we were down the hall he screamed like a girl at the top of his lungs.
“Oh my god!
Girl!
That was one hell of a punch, I’d hate to get on your bad side.” I looked at him, and what I said next must have nearly broke his brain with the way he looked at me.
“I hate violence, actually.
I think it’s for people to stupid to talk things out.
But I just can’t stand bigotry.
They’re illiterate, so they can’t talk things out anyways.
It grinds my gears, exposing a side of me I prefer to keep at a distance.
Violence isn’t the answer, communication is.” “Girl, what?
I just witnessed you almost break a girl’s tooth with your bare hand!
You don’t like violence, my ass, there’s a devil in you screaming to be freed.” He was right.
I did have a devil that lived beneath my skin.
One that raddled the cage every time I’m upset.
The urge to lash out and let myself lose control becomes unbearable to stop sometimes.
I had secrets.
Secrets that ran so deep, if anyone found out, it might unravel me completely.
“Being capable of violence, doesn’t mean enjoying it.” I didn’t feel like that was entirely true.
Sometimes I did enjoy it.
Sometimes it set a fire inside me only violence could calm.
“Fair.
Even still that was still an incredible punch.
Thank you for standing up for me.” He bowed his low.
“Anytime.” I smiled.
“Where are you headed?” And I thought about it.
I could meet him, or… “Back to my dorm.
Want to walk me?” I tilted my head and gave him a cute smile.
“If you smile like that, I’m going to melt into a puddle of gay.
Girl quit it.
Let’s go.
I want to see your dorm room anyways.” He shrugged.
“You speak crazy clear English?
Is it your first language?” I asked as we walked.
“I learned simultaneously as Korean.
My Abeoji is Korean, and my mother is Korean Canadian, so it was spoken equally in my home.” He told me.
“Same, except my mother was Puerto Rican.
So, she spoke Spanish and English, mostly Spanglish.
And my Abeoji he speaks both Korean and English, but Korean was his first language.” “Wait, do you speak three languages?” He stopped dead in his tracks.
I looked back confused, “Yes, and some French, but my accent is really bad, so I rarely practice what I do know.” “Do you have a boyfriend?
I think you turned me straight.
God damn.” He teased.
“I’ve never heard such an amazing compliment.” My face heated up I was feeling embarrassed as well as flattered.
“So, you don’t have a boyfriend?” His interest clearly peeked.
“No, I don’t date.” I said casually.
“Oh, so you mean, like hook-ups then?” “No, I don’t do relationships.
Especially with men.” I felt my tone dip with my mood.
“Oh, so you’re a lesbian?” He almost shouted.
“No!” I laughed, saving me in an instant from myself.
“I just have no interest in it.
I want to focus on school and graduate and get a good job here, doing what I love, game design.
A boyfriend is an unnecessary distraction; I’d rather just have friends.” I gave him the same lie I always give everyone.
In truth.
Men just sucked and they couldn’t be trusted.
I would know.
I couldn’t even trust my own father.
“If you say so girl.” “I do.” I tried to hide my displeasure of the conversation.
But it wasn’t done perfectly.
We walked in silence the rest of the way.
Not an awkward one, but not the most comfortable one either.
Arriving at my room door I opened it and said cheerfully, “Welcome to my little slice of heaven.”
Thank you readers!