————————————

THIRD PERSON

Joy
you think you could collect the work from my english class today?
i really don't feel like showing my face :(

Jungkook
Are you sure? I thought Miss Brat was stronger than a few college dropouts?

Joy
i'm still going to class with whatever dignity i have left but i'll have to skip Professor Min

Jungkook
Skipping class is a no-no. Wear a hoodie and sunglasses

Joy
he's going to make fun of me

Jungkook
No, he won't. Meet me in the library at lunch?

Joy
fine :( you're buying

JOY

One of the more important lessons Daddy raised me with was that no matter what people say about you, you walk with pride and portray a mighty spirit. That way they'll think you're not bothered by what they say, even if, on the inside, you are.

And so that's what I did. But with sunglasses and a hoodie... designer sunglasses and hoodie, of course.

I stepped into the class and immediately people began to whisper. I passed by people who chuckled softly at my presence until I reached my seat beside Taegan.

Was everyone in this classroom at the party last night or something? Well at least my name is growing popularity somehow.

"Joy, I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you last night," Taegan said, turning my way. "I saw the video and—"

"Video?" I shouted, immediately covering my mouth afterwards. Then I whispered, "There's a video?"

So that's how everyone knew what happened.

"Bae," Taegan said in a monotone with a look that spoke for itself. It said "you seriously didn't know?"

"Show me. Show me right now."

"Are you sure? You look terrible in it."

"You really do treat me like I'm your sister."

Taegan smiled. "I'd never lie and tell you you look good if you don't." Then she handed me her phone and I watched the video that had blown up in not even twenty-four hours.

The sound behind the camera was a male laugh as I continued to vomit onto the floor. He was in the front row of the overwhelming crowd that had surrounded me the night before.

I grimaced at the video of myself.

"Fifteen hundred views?" I pulled my hoodie over my head, slouching in my chair. "Wake me up when the world is ending."

Taegan pat my had as the door to the classroom opened and Professor Min walked in.

Without even glancing my way he said, "Miss Valentine, I need to see your face to mark you down as present in my class." He placed his books on his desk with a thump and faced forward.

I took my hoodie off my head and my sunglasses off my face to look my Professor straight in the eye.

He sent a sarcastic smile my way before his face turned to stone once again. "Right. Thank you. You may protect yourself from humanity once again."

I threw my hoodie back over my face and crossed my arms. He spoke like a true English Professor: in poetic sentences.

The end of the class period came sooner than I expected it to. I hadn't taken notes the whole period and realized I actually remember everything he said better than I did when I actually took notes. Though Taegan didn't know that and left a sheet of extra notes for me in front of my desk.

I waited for everyone to leave before I did.

But before I took even one step out of the classroom—

"Miss Valentine? A word," Professor Min said in his flat tone.

I grit my teeth. "Yes?" I turned around and walked over to his desk. "If you're going to speak about the situation last night I—"

"Cause of your family, I'm going to assume you're prone to drama and the paparazzi and people saying your name left and right so I won't be asking how you are," Professor Min said without looking up. "I wanted to give you this."

He handed me a brochure with the picture of an orchestra. A column of words filled up the cover, taking up my attention.

FINE ARTS COMPETITION
Submissions open until November!
Win a scholarship to the
Paradise School of Fine Arts!

My heart stopped for a moment.

"A little birdie told me you're an excellent musician."

"That birdie's name Taegan?" I looked down at Professor Min before opening up the brochure and scanning the paragraphs of information.

Since Taegan and I met, a writer is all I've ever wanted to be. We agreed on working hard together and becoming world famous authors, but music was something I grew up with and something I've always been passionate about. And this particular school of arts was always somewhere in the back of my mind.

"Miss Valentine?"

I closed the brochure. "Yes?"

Professor Min took off his glasses and looked me straight in the eye. "I said to think hard about what you really want to do. Don't get caught in someone's else's dream thinking that it's yours." Professor Min looked back down at the papers before him and ignored me for the rest of the time I stood there thinking.

"Thank you, Professor," I said, turning around and walking out of the classroom.

I took another look at the brochure in my hands.

Maybe I wasn't a writer. Maybe I was following this dream because I was afraid I'd lose my best friend if I didn't.

Was writing Taegan's dream?

Or was it mine?

__________________

NAMJOON

"I can't do it." I said to myself, sluggishly leaning against the wall beside me.

I had dragged myself up four flights of stairs, even though there's an elevator, to apologize to Joy. I thought using the stairs would be a good punishment. And I was tired from practice, which made it even harder.

I had thought about her all day. I saw her twice, but never acknowledged her. Instead I hid behind a corner or inside a vacant classroom to avoid walking past her.

In other words, I've been an asshole for about eighteen hours.

I pushed myself off the wall and stood in front of Joy's door. My heart beat rapidly as I knocked on it. The few seconds between me knocking and the door opening felt like pure torture.

The door swung open but it wasn't Joy.

Blonde curls messed up and lipstick stains around her mouth. It was that blonde girl who was always with Ezra. What was her name again?

"Penelope? Who is it?"

Joy's friend Taegan appeared behind the blonde girl with hair messed up, too, her pajama shirt slightly unbuttoned.

Anyone could see the obvious cause for that.

"Oh my gosh!" Taegan covered her chest. "Namjoon?" Taegan pushed Penelope behind her and slightly closed the door so that only her head peeked out. 

I smirked. "Does Joy know about this?"

Taegan rolled her eyes.

"So I guess not." I nodded.

"What do you want?" Taegan asked.

"I'm just looking for Joy, but I'm assuming she's not here?"

Taegan shook her head. "She went out with your pal a few hours ago."

A look of confusion crossed my face. "Who?"

"Jungkook? I think that's his name. Can never remember anything these days."

"What the hell? Where are they?"

Taegan shrugged. "Library."

I ran towards the elevator and pressed the button a couple hundred times before it opened. Then I stepped in and quickly pressed the button for the first floor. Once it opened, I ran out and continued towards the school building that held the library.

My brain began to think up visions in my head of unspeakable things, things I know my mind was just overthinking. Joy would never do anything like that. Right?

God, I haven't felt this heavy feeling for awhile. I remember how it feels now. To be afraid of betrayal. Rejection.

I turned the corner of the building and paused. My heart stopped as I saw the two of them a few feet in front of me.

Joy reached up for him, looping her arms around his neck and hugging him tight. Jungkook stood still for a moment, but then tightened his hands around her waist.

She laughed and said something to him before turning and locking eyes with me. She stopped in her tracks before calling out my name.

But I had already turned the corner.

_________________