New to the Apple Hair world? Start here for the introduction and table of contents. Apple Hair is a fictional, Asian American boy band from Hawaii, and this novel marks the beginning of their story.
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Bro. The polyglot instructor could kill with his razor-sharp looks.
With dreadlocks tied up into a ponytail, and a fancy blue dress shirt and black slacks, he first introduces himself as Cory Matthews and comments about being AWE’s first black language instructor. He speaks with pride, like he really owns his position. That’s fire.
David sits next to me as we read our vocabulary for the day. Our language classes are going to rotate once we get a handle on things, but the first language we’re focusing on is Korean. Probably because our company was founded because of K-pop. And we’re planning to visit for training in the future.
David’s Korean and the only one who could probably read the text in front of him. I scoot my chair closer to him and lower my voice. “Dude. How do you read this again?”
He gives me a little smile, tilting his head from left to right. I’ve always found him cute, and he gives me butterflies. Just saying.
He still has that tie in his hair that Armani gave him. Is it crazy that I want to reach out and flick it? Probably.
After David helps me with the first few sentences on my worksheet, Cory shows off his mad skills by reading a Korean poem. His pronunciation sounds like water, completely smooth. So cool.
“I’ve been thinking,” Cory says in English. “Each group has their own concept. I know this isn’t exactly related to language, but why don't you guys begin to think about your story?”
The room quiets as everyone begins to think. Corrin raises his hand. “I love that idea! In fact, why don’t we start now?”
“Now?” I look toward my worksheet, filled with indecipherable marks. God. Maybe I do need a distraction.
“How about we come up with the first line?” Cory Matthews says. “The first line sets the tone for the whole story.”
David lets out a sweet laugh. “Why don’t we write it on the whiteboard?”
Because David’s mad cute, I raise my hand and agree. Cory passes me the Expo marker and asks me to stand. I head over with a weird buzz in my hands and feet, like I’m about to do something big.
I place the marker, dark blue, on the board. Even though writing’s not my thing, I know what to write. I want my group to be one thing—interesting. The guys and I all decided we want to create our own universe. Cory’s right. Why not start now?
The marker lets out a squeak on the board. Bruh. I shiver from the sound, and Cory Matthews says, “Go on.”
I write. It was the dead of night.
As soon as I poke the board to make the period, the lights in the room completely go out. A cold wind rushes into the classroom. Damn. I think Corrin squeals, and someone else—either Van or Kaden, bangs their desk with their knee.
“What’s going on?” I say, half expecting Cory to answer and make everything right and cool again.
“Um.” Cory doesn’t sound surprised. “I’ll go check the electricity. Wait here.”
If you dare.
The voice is creepy as hell, and it’s my second time hearing it. I tug at my stud earring and flip my hair back as our teacher heads outside.
“This day is not normal,” Kaden says. “Could it really be because of sleep deprivation?”
“Hm.” David taps his fingers on the desk—at least, I think. “I don’t think so. I think this is happening because we’re about to choose our name. Weird things always happen when people are about to do something big.”
“Mhm.” But Van doesn’t say anything else.
I set the marker on something solid. I think it’s the desk. Suddenly, the chill feels crazy.
“I think we should go outside,” I say. “What if there’s a fire or something?”
“The alarm would’ve gone off,” Kaden says. “But I think you’re right. Let’s head outside and try to find some help.”
I squint. I can barely see anything. The single window lets in some moonlight and streetlight, but otherwise I see zip. I stumble over a chair and recover just as a rumbling sounds in the hallway. Damn. Must be the other trainees.
“Anyone want to lead the way?” Corrin says, his voice small.
Van speaks up. “I’ll lead the way. You guys just follow close. We should put our hands on our shoulders.”
“Good idea,” I say. I take the rear and put my hands on David’s shoulders. He stiffens just for a second, and I mutter an apology that sounds all hamajang to me—or all messed up.
“Let’s try not to panic,” Kaden says. “There’s no way a building as modern as this one doesn’t have a generator. Or a way to restart the power in some way.”
“Big brain things,” I say.
But no one finds me funny. Except David, who laughs with a hint of nerves.
As we walk in a miniature train-like-thing, I keep thinking about what it would feel like for another pair of arms to grab me by the shoulders. I’d scream. Seriously. I may be the oldest along with Van, but I’ll turn into a child if I come across zombie hands.
I love watching movies, even horror ones. I like the feeling of losing myself in a dope, new world. For some reason, I imagine someone filming us. Not in a creepy way, but just because our adventure as a boy group just began.
The guys walk like snails. It seems it takes forever before we trudge out into the hallway. The darkness thickens here. I hear other trainees. They seem far away and close at the same time. They seem to whisper the same things. But each time they speak, I forget what they said.
“Let’s head to the staircase?” I say, when Van pauses in the middle. Or at least, I think we’re in the middle.
“Good thinking,” Kaden says. “We maybe need to exit the building. Finding the staircase is a good first step.”
“This is scary,” David says.
I can tell he’s trying to say it nonchalantly, but fear emanates out from him. I squeeze his shoulders. “Don’t worry, bro,” I say. “We’ll make it out of here. I guarantee it.”
“I trust you,” David says, softly.
When we finally make it to the staircase, the light above the door flickers in green and white. I squint to make out Van pushing the door open. We saw other trainees on the way here, but they ran off in the opposite direction. Some may have gotten to the staircase already.
We head through the door and find total darkness this time. Kaden takes out his phone flashlight, illuminating the concrete steps. Why didn’t I think of that?
We head down several floors. I half expect to see a zombie in Kaden’s light, but thankfully we’re alone.
“Door to the lobby’s locked,” Van says, twisting the knob in vain.
“Weird,” I say. “Let’s try the second? I think the control panel’s on that floor anyway.”
As soon as Van opens the door to the second floor, I squint from the brightness. At least twenty trainees stand around, pointing their flashlights all over. Like a crap ton of stars.
“What’s happening?” one says.
“I don’t know.”
“This is like, the perfect setting for a crime.”
“Let’s just wait, I’m sure the janitor or something will fix it.”
I push through with the four guys in front of me. Each time we pass someone, they seem to sneer at us. A boy with a gray sweater. A girl with a tattoo on her neck. This rad looking guy in a tracksuit rolls his eyes as we pass.
Soon, we come face to face with a human wall. Ten or more trainees gathered by the control room.
“What’s going on?” I say.
No one answers, but Van turns around and shrugs.
“Let’s try to push through or something,” I say. I nudge David a bit, and from there we enter into the fray.
Dangit. The trainees squeeze all around us, breathing hot air into my ears. I can’t help but think they want to trap us here. Like hamsters in a cage or something.
“You’re going to regret this,” one trainee says. He sounds like he speaks from above me.
“No turning back after this,” a girls says, pressing her thin red lips together.
We make it to the control room. When Van touches the door, the lights flicker back on. All of a sudden. The trainees sigh and clap as they realize the blackout was just a fluke. They scatter, heading off into their choke—a lot of—practice rooms and studios.
And the door has a plaque that says “CEO Kim’s office” on it. Isn’t his office on the penthouse floor?
What the hell just happened?