~Andrea~

Senior year is full of expectations and anxieties that hurry the days away.  I looked up one day and found myself in the middle of my final year in high school, waist-deep in books and lecture notes and college information. 

I found myself waitressing at night and studying and attending class during the day.  There was no time, but this time I didn’t allow myself to drift away from Micky.  He kept me sane. 

Micky was fun and open and comfortable but, somehow, he was also grounding, reliable.  He was at school every day.  I could count on him finding me before class or during lunch or at my locker. 

And I think he counted on me too.  He respected my input and my advice, even if he didn’t need it.  He told me things.  He looked for my reassurance and my opinion. 

…

~Micky~

“Well…you need to do it.”  Andrea said simply, sipping on her soda.

“You think?”

“Yeah.  What’s the worst that can happen?”

“People will boo me off the stage.”  Andrea made a face at me. 

“That won’t happen.  Your music is great.” 

“My voice isn’t.”  She shrugged.

“Your voice is fine.  It’s the composition that they’ll be judging.  Just go for it.”

And so Andrea was the reason I found myself pursuing my music.  I entered the SM composition competition because she pushed me to. 

Unlike my college-bound friend, I wasn’t sure about my future.  I didn’t want to study…but I wasn’t sure if I could live as a janitor or mechanic for the rest of my life either.

When my cousin told me about the fliers for the SM Entertainment Competitions in the States, I started to wonder if maybe I had a shot at turning my hobby into a career.  I had been mulling the idea over and over in my head for days.  Andrea’s encouragement was the push I needed. 

So I chose a composition.  I entered.  To my surprise, out of hundreds of applicants…I won.

…

She grinned and threw her arms around my neck in a hug. 

“Congratulations!” 

I laughed and hugged her back.  We weren’t in a touchy feely friendship so I was both surprised and elated by her reaction. 

She pulled back and jumped up and down slightly in continued excitement. 

“Aren’t you excited?”  She asked.  I nodded slowly.  Her brows furrowed in confusion.  “Why aren’t you excited?”

“No.  I am…it’s just…I’m not sure if this is what I want.”  She kicked at the grass with the toe of her boot as she waited patiently for me to continue.   I sighed.  “They didn’t offer me a position as a composer, Andrea.”  She looked up.

“What?  I thought-”  I shook my head.

“I did too.  But they want to put me in a group of guys that has been training for years to debut…”  I laughed.  “It’s a boy band.  Like the 90’s craze.  You know?  That’s not composing.  It’s pretty boy ballads and dancing in the rain...not composing serious music.”  She looked thoughtful for a moment.

“Do you not want to do it?”

“I don’t know.”

“...I think it’s an opportunity to make a living doing what you love.”  She said finally.

“I know.”  She smiled and nudged me slightly.

“Think of the fangirls!”  I raised my eyebrows and nodded.

“You know, I should take you with me. SM could use a recruiter like you.”  She smiled and we were quiet for a while as we walked down the street. 

“When do you have to leave?”  She asked finally.  My heart fell slightly.

“I would leave in May.” 

“May?  Before graduation?”  I nodded slowly. 

“Oh…” 

“But…we still have to make our trip to the beach.  Even if the water is freezing cold.  I promise we’ll do it before I leave.”

…

~Andrea~

It was some point in my senior year that I began to realize that I might have feelings for Micky Park. 

We would be walking together and I would have this inexplicable yearning for him to hold my hand.  We would be out somewhere together and I wouldn’t want the night to end. 

It was disconcerting. 

I denied it for so long.  I thought that maybe if I ignored that nagging feeling in my stomach that whispered that I maybe wanted more from Micky than friendship my heart would get the picture. 

Then maybe I wouldn’t get hurt. 

But there had been times when I wondered if he felt that way with me too.  Over our years of friendship there where snippets of time - a touch, a look, a word – that made me question how he saw me. 

But even if he did see me as more…he was leaving in a few months.  What difference did it make?

…

Author’s Note:  I finally updated!  Hehe.  Thank you for your patience and I am sorry it is such a short chapter.  I am kind of sad that this story is nearing its end…but recently EXO has been living in my head creating little oneshots so my writing won’t be stopping here! Thank you for reading!