Readers POV

A knock could be heard as the girls pulled apart. Bethany still had tears on drooping from her eye sockets as Mia kissed them away.

"Bethany? Mia? The awarding starts soon." Marco waited.

He heard some rustling before the door jiggled open. Mia was in her performance suit with her mask on. Marco squeaks at the sight.

"It's just me." Mia opened a bit of her mask so he could see. He smirked, glancing at Bethany.

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing. Let's head back?"

"Let's go!" Mia gleamed and handed her hand out for Bethany to hold on to. She gladly held her junior's hand as they went skipping down the stairs.

Marco awed at the sight, fanboying over the girls. He released a content sigh, following the girls.

-----------------------------------------

"Well, what's this? You all had managed to guess every contestant but one!" The MC yelled as everyone began theory-lyzing. Mia and Bethany's performance was displayed on screen as.

"Isn't that Amber's type of thing to do?"

"Yeah but she's a Joven..."

"Well, there's also Teresa. She loves playing that so maybe it's her."

"But she's been with me, yesterday. I have proof. We've been posting selfies on Instagram."

"If contestant number 5 is the president, then number 4 should be someone close to her"

"The president is close with all of us"

"Yes but not as close with her classmates and the council"

"Geez. This one's hard to cra-"

"That's me!" Someone yelled from the crowd as the couple looked at her in disbelief.

"I'm contestant number 4." Amber proudly stood on stage.

"But you're a Joven. You were with us yesterday!" Her classmate added as Amber refused to get off stage.

"I'm sorry but this competition was only participated by Botans" the MC reassured the crowd as Amber's classmates forcefully got her off stage.

"No one is claiming that they're contestant number 4! So it is me!"

"Maybe they just want to remain anonymous, Amber. Stop spurring drama or else I'll tell dad about this." Leo dragged his younger sister away from the crowd, calming her a bit.

"No! Don't tell dad. Please..."

"Uh so.. Now that's out of the way, will contestant 4 be willing to show themselves or remain anonymous?" The MC spoke again as Bethany turned to her junior.

"I'm remaining anonymous for now" Mia hid behind a stand.

Her girlfriend nodded and began talking to someone. That person nodded and began telling the MC the exact same thing she said.

"Well, it looks like contestant 4 remains anonymous. Tough break. Who ever you are, I hope you come up here at stage 'cause judge Kobe wants a duet!" The crowd gasps and cheers.

Just as I thought, Kobe was always like this.

Mia snickered at thought as she saw her cousin went up the stage.

Might as well.

The girl rose from her hiding spot near the stage. Kathy and the others huddled together.

"You all should know that they can be 'over the top' when it comes to this." Kathy reminds them as the others gleamed in anticipation.

The crowd goes wild as Mia was face to face with Kobe. Purple and red auras could be seen as they faced each other.

"Wow. It's contestant 4 themselves! Say, why don't you reveal yourself to the fans? Hmm?" The MC cheekily said.

"Nah~" her mask altered her voice a bit.

Some chuckled while some pouted. Kobe instantly grabbed the microphone.

"So you must feel extremely lucky to be in a duet with me, The one and only Kobe. Isn't that right, little one~"

"Meh"

"Ohohohoh. You're a tough nut. So you brought the launchpads?"

"Sure did"

(Kobe=left. Mia=right)

The song ended as the crowd cheers and claps.

"Do another song!"

"Yeah!"

"I wanna be contestant number 4 so bad"

"Tsk. He should have picked me. I performed just awhile ago. Who even the heck is that guy?" Amber came back with a smoothie in hand, silently judging the performer on stage.

An idea came to her head. She gave the smoothie to someone, confusing the heck of the guy and started going on stage. Kobe and Mia was too much in the moment to notice the girl's presence.

"Who even are you?! He should have picked me!" She yanks the mask off of Mia's face, scaring her face in the process. She hissed in sudden pain as she held her right cheek. Bethany and the others rushed to the scene, including Veronica.

The crowd gasps at the scene as Amber backed off with the mask on hand. She glances between the mask and the group just realizing what she had done.

"Mia?!"

"Are you okay?!"

"Mia, does it hurt?"

"Get the nur-"

"Guys, I'm fine." The junior wiped the blood of her cheek and began walking to Amber with blood dripping on the floor.

"I'm sorry that I was picked. I shouldn't have participated. I didn't know so... I'm terribly sorry for stealing your chance."  Everyone was surprised at the sudden apology. Mia left the stage with her friends trailing behind her.

"No.. I-" Amber looks at the crowd as they started booing her.

"What?! This isn't Mia's fault!"

"Why is Mia apologizing? Shouldn't it be her?!"

"Mia's such a sweetheart isn't she?"

"I swear, she's too good for this world."

"Yeah, she doesn't deserve this."

"The mask could have hit her eye. What is she thinking?"

"Oh gosh. She could have gone blind!"

A hand was on her shoulder. Leo had unreadable look on his face while he had his phone on his other hand. The girl didn't bother to look at her brother, knowing she'd be in big trouble later...

□■▪︎Meanwhile~□■▪︎

The nurse examined Mia's face. She was lucky that the scar was just below her right eye. Outside of the nurses office stayed some of the council, Mia's cousins and Veronica. The twins looked like they were about to punch someone while the others had concerned looks. Bethany leaned against the walls with her eyes closed, silently cussing.

Damn it. Another scar. I hope she's not enjoying it..

Marco and Brian volunteered to calm down everything else while the girls stayed with twins. Veronica stayed, reminding herself to not leave Melanie again. Sure, she has Bethany but she'd still be there as friends like they used to. No, she hasn't forgiven herself for what she had done to her 2 years ago. She regrets it badly. The fact that her herself, had a crush on a girl made sense to what Melanie was feeling.

The door opened to see Mia with a bandage on her cheek. Bethany quickly squeezed the girl as she yelped in surprise.

"Does it still hurt? Did it hit your eye? Oh God. Please don't tell me you're bl-"

"Babe, I'm fine." The girl instantly shuts up as a blush came to her face. She tries to remain composure but has failed terribly. Mia giggles at her response.

"Ooooh" Mia looks behind her girl, realizing they weren't alone.

"Uhm. Ow! My cheek..?" She gushed trying to change the subject. The twins instantly swarmed her as they inspect the bruise.

"Kathy, hold me back. I'm about to end this bit-"

"No. Stop" Mia stepped forward before her cousin could leave.

"Mel, move out of the way. Don't take everything I said to the heart. I'm just going to talk the girl" he said in gritted teeth, trying to move pass the girl.

"It's not worth it, you know. You'll probably make things worse, Kobe" the boy softened his expression and sighed, bringing the girl into a hug.

"She's right, the council knows that she's Melanie and not to mention someone from Jovens knows..."

"Don't worry about it. I'm not making the same mistake again." Veronica spoke which made Mia smile and relieved.

"It's just that...This is too much for a little girl like you to handle, Melanie. I'm tired of seeing you hurting and there's nothing we could really do about it.."

"That's not true. You guys came here when no one else in the fam would do so! Also, I'm not alone. I've got someone who's willing to be by my side for who knows how long. I've got friends I could trust and I'm reviving an old friendship. Kobe, I'm fine." Mia grinned and gave them a genuine smile.

"Gosh. You've grown, Melanie." He ruffled the girls hair. The president smiled at the scene, seeing her girlfriend being herself. Her circle of trust was expanding and seeing Melanie being well...Melanie was relieving.

"I told you, we didn't have to bring her to Hollywood." He whispered to his sisters ear as they went back.

"You're maybe right..."

---------------------------------

"What's wrong with you?! Not everything has to be about you, Amber! First Melanie, then, some of your classmates and Mia! They did nothing to you." Leo exclaimed as they argued at the back of the school. Leo had enough of his sisters antics.

"Nothing?! They stole you away from me!"

"What are you-"

"You paid more attention to Melanie for years! It was only Melanie who always gets your attention. Even Mia gets to sing with YOUR BAND. What about me?! Am I really invisible to you or am I just a stuck up little sister in your eyes?!" Amber had tears in her eyes as Leo's expression softened at her confession.

"All I wanted was a big brother who would notice me..."  Amber turned her back and started going to the opposite direction.

"Where are you-"

"I'm going home. Have fun with the festival." With that she took off, running. Leo just started running after her but a hand stopped him.

"Hey, we're performing another song next. Let's go!" The drummer said not noticing the situation and dragged him inside.

*sigh*

---------------

Mia's classmates surrounds her as they bombarded her with all the different kinds of questions and sentences.

"Another boo boo? Let me kiss it to make it go away~"

"Eww. Stop it, Brad"

They giggled as the group departed and continued partying again. Veronica also went with her squad in Jovens, leaving the couple to themselves.

Mia slid her hand with the president as they both gushed at the sudden movement.

"Is everything okay?"

"Everything's perfect."

《BEHIND THE SCENES》

"The heck. I forgot how to write fluff"

"Geez. You just made them a couple! And you have the audacity not to think about wholesome moments."

"I'm dealing sht, rn"

"Yeah but you've got your mind on Herm-"

"Shut it"