DECEPTIONS OF THE DARK

hat’re yo

She just waved her hand. She didn’t want to say anything about her father. Not now, not in fr

test, and I do not think I won. By the way, do you have an aspirin or something? My head is killing me.” She slipped into her work uniform and apron, and walked out int

rning with a packet. Is ev

aved her other hand. “Don’t

you s

’t worry

. She wanted to be a good friend, but that was hard to do sometimes. Jinmi seemed to clam up anytime people asked qu

mi said, keeping her voice calm, not mentioning that her phone wa

closer in eager conspiracy. “

rowned,

g the jerk into a table.” Jinmi was about to ask how she knew about i

ebrow, “I have to

gging here, lit

ember a lot

. Jinmi had meant her comment to be a joke, but clearly Emma didn’t think it was very funny.

o hear about t

o her friend’s face. Emma made

like one of those pretty-boy models you see on billboards. And he’s tall. And huge, like

nothing. I could probably pi

friend’s worried face. “It’s not what you’re thinking, though;

her look almost fragile. Lots of men would be interested in that. Instead of saying anything, she cla

s a cop, so beating up jerk

night in shining armor. Are

on’t really know if he’d want to se

e should flirt with you or not. How’s he

int: she was too drunk yesterday, and too hungover today to really seem appealing. She knew he

their fingers in front of her face. She focused on the fingers

opping basket resting on the top. “What are you, stupid

ers away from her face. Instead, she forced her lips int

t? You’re blind as well as stupid?

, Jinmi saw Emma start to come forward. “I want to talk to some

e you’re not exactly

oming closer, Emma pushed through the crowd, standing next to J

s a customer and we’re employees.” She stepped up to the woman, and started snapping

wasn’t finished. She took another

To say ‘Excuse me, I’d like some help with

hing, just standing there

They stayed, waiting to see how it would finish, but they were disappointed. The mana

didn’t see, but this is the second time in two days, I can’t let that slide.” He took a deep br

e ground. “You know what? I quit.” Jinmi stalked back to the staff area an

after her. “Sit down and take a deep breath.

calling me stupid, and I’m just supposed to roll over and accept it?

n Jinmi raised her phone and took a picture of the customer, before

he got in. With shaking fingers, she sent the picture to Rowoon with the message, “Anything we can do about this woman?’ That woman was going to learn, one way or another, wh

calm her, and by the time she got home she was almost feeling normal again. She didn’t regret getting ma

think anything of it. Her father always had visits from lawye

en, but, still, he was her dad. How many of those people huddled in their house right now even cared about wh

let herself feel since hearing the news. She was surprised at how things came back to her; every word they’d said to each other in a

at locked the doors of her car. She let herself int

looking for you. He said to meet hi

. Y

blushed. “The yo

she padded down the hall, her shoes sinking into the deep, soft carpet. Briefly she considered going straight to her room to change, but decided agains

oo much for him already, while her mother seemed curiously serene. Probably from the drugs or Botox, Jinmi decided quickly, walking up to them. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone move and it s

n’t what caught

other, who stopped what he

had rescued her from the

, her knight i