"Tell Me You Hate Me"

Part Two

Later that afternoon, I met with my professor about my project.

I intended to enter a writing contest and had asked if he would review my work and give some feedback.

Yn- "Hello professor!" Professor- "Yn, welcome! Please, have a seat."

I sat in the chair he offered across the desk from him in his office.

Professor- "I read through your piece and you’re off to a great start but I think it needs some work."

"First of all, your main character needs some depth. You could also add a bit more to the plot- maybe some more conflict;

"this could be internal conflict and that would also help with your character building. I was also picking up a few half-developed themes.

"I think it would be more effective if you focused on one and made that one prominent and strong."

What he said struck me hard. I thought it was better than that. Am I really a horrible writer? My chest constricted with a burning pain.

Professor- "I’m happy to keep working on this with you. You’ve got a lot of potential and you’re just on the verge of achieving greatness.

"Let’s get you there." He said and handed back the folder. Every page was overrun with red marks. That sight almost pushed me over the edge.

I thanked him, smiling through the pain of failure, and left with the promise to bring it back better.

Once I was out of his classroom, the tears stopped holding back and my eyes stung. Halfway across campus, someone caught up with me.

??- "Yn! Hey, what’s wrong?" His hand gently touched my shoulder as I turned. When I raised my head to see who it was, I lost all resolve.

I hugged him, my arms wrapping tightly around his waist while his hand found the back of my head.

After a few minutes of standing in his embrace and sobbing, I finally got a few words out, but he tightened his hold to increase my comfort.

Yn- "I didn’t think it would hurt so much. I know he’s just trying to help and I know that criticism is a good thing because it can help us.

"I just didn’t expect it. I didn’t expect it would hurt. Maybe I’m just crazy and dwelling on it made it worse, but I just need a minute."

A deep breath later, whether it was his or mine I don’t know, he said Hyunjin- "You can have all of my minutes that you need."

I nodded into his chest, acting on his offer. Several more minutes passed until I could regain control of my breathing and feel better.

I knew I could move on and that things weren’t as bad as they seemed at first. I loosened my grip on him to show that I could carry on.

He got the hint and immediately started teasing. Hyunjin- "Okay, but like, how bad was it?"

I pushed him away while rolling my eyes and started walking but he stayed in step beside me.

Hyunjin- "I’m serious! I need to know for… scientific purposes." Yn- "To make fun of me?"

Hyunjin- "Yes. Yeah, that science. And, you know, general public education." I handed him the folder. He let out a slow whistle.

Hyunjin- "It looks like a massacre." I shot him a glare Yn- "That doesn’t help." He snickered Hyunjin- "That’s pretty bad."

I couldn’t help the smile that tugged at my lips. Hyunjin made laughing at stupid things easier.

Yn- "I know it is. Why do you think I just had that waterworks meltdown over there?"

Hyunjin- "That’s exactly what I mean. That meltdown was pretty bad for what caused it." He laughed again.

Hyunjin- "I mean, if you’re that dramatic, I’m surprised you don’t cry yourself to sleep at night for every time I call you stupid."

That was it. I kicked his shin and when he stopped his mockings to address the pain, I went for the folder but he kept it out of my reach.

Yn- "I’m not stupid. You are. Now give me the folder!" I tried to pull on his arm to better reach it but he blocked all my efforts.

Hyunjin- "No way! I’m keeping this to tell all of our friends and grandchildren about how you cried your eyes out over four tiny marks."

Yn- "There are more than four-" Then I realized what he’d just said and my eyes got wide.

I kicked him in the other shin and ran away because I didn’t know what else to do. Grandchildren?

OUR grandchildren? Man, I really did hate him for playing with me like that. I had to physically shake off such a disgusting thought.