I stood next to Ari the next day, ignoring the fact that the soccer team were surrounding my own locker as they conversed with Yixing, Jongin, Sehun and Baekhyun with Chanyeol looming over the whole ordeal. Ari was leaning against her locker, watching them with half hanging open.

She shook her head and snapped out of it as she gave me an apologetic smile “So they figured out that you like someone?”

“Yup,” I clutched my books closer to my chest “And they wouldn’t leave me alone about it.”

“Do you think that they know?” She tilted her head to the side.

I snorted loudly “He wouldn’t be alive if that was the case Ari.”

“So what are you going to do about it?”

I frowned and turned to face her “Do about what?”

“Oh my god you’re… you’re so dense it hurts me,” She slapped me on the arm and I yelped “Are you going to pursue it?”

“Are you kidding me?” I scoffed as I rolled my eyes at her “It’s him. It’s impossible and not plausible what so ever considering who he is.”

“What do you mean it’s impossible?” She frowned deeply “Is this because of Jongdae?”

“Obviously,” I murmured as I tore my eyes away from them and looked down at my shoes “That and he’s my neighbour as well as being a part of my life for the last twelve years. Ari, it’d cause more harm than good.”

“How do you know if you don’t try?”

“If I try then there’s that possibility isn’t there?” I shook my head and pushed myself from the lockers “At the end of the day I didn’t want things to start changing. I like how everything is and was. If that changed then I’d be blaming myself for a very long time.”

“Things are bound to change eventually Mira,” She followed me down the hall “They’ll go off to university, whether it’s here or further. They’ll get girlfriends, wives and move on. You should take a firm grasp at what you want.”

“I don’t want things to change. That’s what I want.”

“You’re in denial,” She sighed. We came to a stop outside of my classroom and she shrugged “Whatever you decide. I’ll be here for you one hundred per cent.”

“Thanks Ari,” I smi