24. things you said when we were alone (h^2)
things you said when we were alone
haneul watches heather watch herself, staring into the mirror like it’s told her something she can’t quite believe and she needs it repeated. the tap is still running. cold water to shock the system. there are droplets of it on heather’s perfectly made up face, dripping off of the sharp edge of her jaw as she pants, chest heaving. her hand is clasped around the handle, and it shakes. the ring she wears clinks off the metal, she’s trembling so bad.
haneul, she... she doesn’t really... get it. she can guess, based on what heather has said before, what she snapped at blair before storming off to the bathroom, but... that’s nothing concrete. haneul likes concrete. she likes facts, and evidence, and research. she doesn’t... like this.
she doesn’t know how to do this.
she doesn’t, but... it’s heather.
so, she steps forwards, her footsteps quiet, her voice soft. “hey, heather?” she asks. heather jerks, as though she hadn’t noticed the door swing shut a second time, as though she’d been too busy looking at herself to notice. her mouth opens uncertainly.
haneul reaches a hand out towards the tap handle, and heather releases it immediately. the sound of rushing water stops, and the two just look at each other for a moment. haneul considers apologising, but stops herself - she won’t apologising for working hard, and doing her best, and getting the top mark of the class. that’s not something she will apologise for. haneul picks her words carefully, always. is quiet, but considers what she wants to get across before it comes out. arguments are avoided like that, she thinks. with patience and articulance.
“he’s going to kill me,” heather says, her voice wobbly, her eyes dropping to the ground now. her mouth twists into a scowl that doesn’t suit her face, but is seen there often. especially times like right now.
haneul’s heart sinks. although not on the receiving end of abuse, she knows what it’s like to have a dad with unrealistic expectations and little room for forgiveness. she steps forward hesitantly, eyes trained on heather’s face. finally, she picks her words. “heather, can i hug you?”
heather looks up, slowly, eyebrows furrowed. “but i... yelled at you, i-”
haneul interrupts, “heather.” her arms open a little. she doesn’t know how to do this, but... “it’s okay. i understand. i know... i know how much pressure you have on you, and i- i just... it’s going to be okay. we’ll figure it out, heather. so just...”
heather steps into haneul’s arms, buries her face into haneul’s neck. and if it’s clammy with warm tears afterwards, who’s to know?