“Mom, why do we have to leave?!” Ji Yeon said, while packing up her stuff. “Because we don’t have the money to stay in Detroit. Let me guess, you haven’t told the boys yet?” her mom replied. She shook her head. “Aniya I haven’t. They will be so depressed... Especially Chen. He’ll hate it. It’ll be the first time I have ever seen Chanyeol and Xiumin NOT smiling.” She continued stuffing everything in boxes. “Go tell them. Then you can finish packing.” She pulled her out of her room, and pushed her out the door. “Don’t come back until you tell them.” She nodded and walk down the street towards their apartment.

Every moment she thought about what she was going to say to them. Telling them that she was leaving was the last thing she wanted to do. She didn’t want to see the looks on their faces when she told them she had to leave. Ji Yeon walked slowly down the street, hoping that she would never come to that green wooden door. The door that is so splintered that even paint can’t cover it anymore. The door that she had stared at multiple times, while waiting for that chest to appear in front of her face, and then look up into that face. The door where she had kissed Chen goodbye many times, where she had hugged twelve warm bodies.

Suddenly she was in front of that door. The door she dreaded seeing that day. Ji Yeon sighed loudly, and raised her fist to the chipped green paint, and knocked. There were a couple thumps inside the apartment. Then a loud crash. She bit her lip and waited. Ji Yeon heard the lock turn and the door opened. She saw that chest once again, for the last time, and then she looked up at the face that matched the chest. He smiled at her. The last smile she would see on that face. “Well it looks like our entertainment has arrived!” Kris said, and let out a laugh she laughed too because of his stupid line. “Come on in” he moved out of the doorway, and let her in. “Gather everyone together; I have some news that I need to share.” He nodded and disappeared from the room.

Soon after everyone filed into the room. Xiumin was holding a couple buns, with a cheesy smile on his face. Suho smiled slightly at her, and looked away. Kris made a point of sitting next to her. Tao, still in his panda pajamas, carrying a panda plushy, he sat on Kris’ lap, and curled up against him. Sehun followed, and stared at her, trying to figure out what was going on. Yixing came out of his bedroom, and nodded at her. Kai followed after, with no shirt on. Kyungsoo stomped after him angrily with a towel, and another shirt. Luhan and Baekhyun came out. They had started putting makeup on their faces but stopped in the middle to come see her. Chen came out, a towel around his neck, and his hair soaked. Chanyeol walked out of the kitchen with a bowl of cereal in his hand. They all sat around her.

She looked at the floor and there was total silence except for Chanyeol’s munching on his food. “So… What’s the news??” Yixing asked. All eyes snapped towards him. He gasped, and covered his mouth, then looked away. “Well… What is the news?” Chen said, every one’s attention turned back to her. “I… I’m moving tomorrow. My family and I are leaving to Florida…” that’s when she broke down, and started crying. Tao suddenly awake, hopped off Kris’ lap, and was sitting next to her hugging her tight only an instant later. Sehun soon followed, pushing Kris out of the way, and hugging her tight. They both wiped her tears.  

Then it processed to everyone else. Chanyeol dropped his bowl, his mouth wide open. Kris was staring at Ji Yeon, unhappily. Chen was nearly in tears, he clutched his chest. Xiumin set his buns on the table and played with his fingers. Yixing cried hard. Luhan and Baekhyun hugged each other tightly. Suho had a solemn expression. Kyungsoo, and Kai stopped fighting over the shirt and looked at her. “Ji… I’m sorry…” Tao whispered, as he pet her hair. Tao and Sehun pulled her up off the couch, and everyone else followed suit. They all closed around her and gave you a big group hug. They backed off, and Chen walked forward.

“Guys.. Could you let us talk? We need a couple of things to be settled.” They all nodded and walked out of the room silent.

Dead silent.

Chen walked to Ji Yeon, and wrapped her in his embrace, she hugged him back, and cried on his chest. Her tears staining his shirt. He sat on the couch, and pulled her into his lap. He wiped her tears, and caressed her face with both of his hands. He placed a small, sweet, kiss on her lips. “Where does this leave us?” he asked quietly after her calmed down.

“I don’t know… I love you Chen and all the others… I do, and I don’t want to leave. I don’t want us to be over, but we’ll never see each other. Never. I don’t know what to do….” She whispered to him. He nodded in response. “Well… Let’s stay in contact. Email me, call me, text me, anything. I want to know what’s going on with you every day.” She nodded. “We have to go back home soon, don’t get too attached to anything or anyone. Even the woman I call mom is someone that we can’t get attached to. Since I had to find a family to live with for the time being, had to establish memories of myself that were never real. I don’t understand the customs here, and I want to leave but I still have to wait for them to finish my test… I want this over with..”

*end flashback*

*start another flashback*

 

It’s the first day of school, and I’m nervous. I miss my boys, I miss Chen. I only hope I can make friends here. I’m really scared. I’ve only ever had to rely on my friends. I’ve kept contact with them, and I was told that they went to Korea. They got accepted to SM entertainment, and Exo will become a group. I will definitely never see my boyfriends ever again. Kids started lining up at the bus stop and I got nervous.

8:30

The bus rolled around a corner. I gulped, and bit my lip. It rolled to a stop, lights flashing, the stop sign, and bar slid into place, signaling the cars to stop. Kids started getting on the bus. I stood there and stared. The bus driver honked. “Hey kid! Are ye getting on the bus or not?!” I jumped a little. “Y-yes…” I stepped on the bus, and bowed a little and the bus driver. “jesonghabnida!” he looked at me weird. “Get in yer seat. I don’t have time for yer gibberish.” I nodded, and blushed.

I looked around. Cold eyes stared back at me. I bit my lip and plopped into the nearest empty seat. I put in my headphones and stared out the window. A left turn. Then a right. A red light, another left turn, a right, then a right curve, another left turn, and then it stopped. The doors open, but I sat on the bus, waiting for everyone to clear out.

And they did, without so much of a single word.

I happily got off the bus after everyone. I looked around at the school as I walked. It was big. Bigger than my old school. I’m so scared, I have no one to talk to. I don’t want to make new friends, I want my old ones back.

I want my boys back.

I sat down on the ground and hugged myself. Suddenly a girl sat next  to me. She was dark skinned, and kind of scary. “Hi my name is Aaliyah. Aaliyah Williams. What’s your name?” I looked at her bewildered. “I’m Ji Yeon…” I looked away again. “Ji… Yawn? Nah I’ll just call you Jenny.” I raised my eye brow at her. “That’s NOT my name. My name, is Ji Yeon. Not Jenny.” She still smiled, it never faltered. “Well Ji Yawn, it’s nice to meet you. How long have you been here?” I stared at her. I didn’t like to talk.

“I just moved here earlier this month.” I responded. “Really?! I just moved here too! From New York. I live with my dad, and step mom now.” She squealed. “Where’s your mom?” I asked quietly. “In New York. She didn’t have much money so she sent me down here for a while.” Still her smile never left her face.

The first class of the day, US History. Aaliyah and I had it together, but I didn’t enter with her. I went by myself. I really wanted to be alone. I didn’t want to make any friends, I wanted to be with my boys. I looked at the screen. It had numbers, with names next to it. “Look for your name and when you see the number find it on a table.” The teacher said. I nodded, and looked. 21. My number.

I found my seat moments later. It was right next to the door. I sat down, and looked around. Students started filing in. Andrew, Pinera, Danny, Tony, Aaliyah, and more. I kept quiet.  Students started talking, and I just wouldn’t talk to anyone.

The teacher started class. He spoke of rules and procedures. Stuff that we needed to bring in for the school year. I put my head in my hand, and let my mind wander in every direction. I wouldn’t need to listen because I already had all the stuff. I happened to be staring at the kid across the room from me. Daniel. Danny. He looked at me multiple times while I was staring, mindlessly thinking of my boys.

I won’t bore you with my second and third classes. I’m sure I don’t want to listen to myself talk about Science and Engineering. But my fourth class was gym.

I hate exercise. It’s a demon in the world. Especially in Florida’s hot weather. Today’s game? Kickball. Aaliyah was in the class. Gabe Estrada too. I remember seeing him on my bus. Never knew his name for a while.

Our team was up to kick. Gabe to my right, and one student right before me to kick. My stomach was lurching. “Do you want me to go first?” I heard a voice to my right. I nearly jumped out of my shoes. I looked at him, and he was looking at me sincerely. I nodded, and let him step in front of me. He went up to kick and I could no longer avoid it. I waited. I kicked, and ran. I got out but whatever.

 

After I couple months I had started talking to Aaliyah, she became my best friend. Which was a mistake. I came to ignoring her, and staring off. And guess who at? Danny and Gabe. First period, was Danny, fourth was Gabe. Doesn’t my life ? They started to think I was stalking them. I talked to Aaliyah, and after a while I told her about my twelve boys. I told her I was dating a guy named Chen.

Of course she didn’t believe me. Who would believe that I was going out with a star from another country? When my bus finally changed, she told Gabe and Danny who were on the bus I was on before, about Exo, told them I had this huge crush on Gabe, Danny, and two other guys in the school.

They started calling me Jihoe. It was terrible. Everywhere I went it’s all I heard. They wouldn’t believe that I had a boyfriend. Just because my boyfriend was a big Korean/Chinese star. I told Chen all about it one time, and he told the rest of Exo. They all got pissed.

But that’s life you know?  Full of bullies, and mean jerks. Oh every day I wanted to punch Gabe in the balls. He didn’t know me. He didn’t know what my life was like. Then one day something bad happened.

I talked to him straight up.

*end flashback, start of a new day seven months into the school year present day*

 

I got off the bus. I was angry, pissed off. I talked to no one. I stormed over to the table I knew Gabe would be sitting at. He would be sitting alone, since his bus was there really early.

“Gabe what the is wrong with you?! I’ve got a ing boyfriend, but you think I’m stalking you? I don’t like you! I never have!” I slammed my hand onto the table, and he looked at me. “Really? You’ve been staring at me a lot, and I know you like four people here. I’m damn sure you don’t have a boyfriend. Where is he? I’ve never seen him. No one here has ever seen him. Your UGLY. I don’t like you. This isn’t “Detroit” this is Florida. Change your style, your attitude, and your look. Then I might consider you but I doubt it.” I growled angrily.

“You know you got a lot of ing balls. I don’t ing like you. You’re a disgusting disgrace. I have to change? You can go to hell. You should know what it’s like. You come from Boston right? You should know what it’s like to be UNIQUE in a place like this. I will not change for you, or for anyone. I am beautiful in my own damn way. At least Chen knows that.” I stomped away, and sat in my usual place, I crossed my arms, and took in a deep breath. I’m not going to let him get me riled anymore.

I hate him so much.

I sat through all my classes as usual. My pencil, tap, tap, tapping, away at the desk. I wanted to go home. I didn’t want to hear any more of that stupid teasing, and bullying people do. Then I was in gym. Usually if we are inside like this, twelve of the guys get up in front of all four of the gym classes in there, and introduce themselves as Exo. The guy who introduces himself as “Chen” who is usually the last one, he always says “Come here baby, I missed you.” The first time that happened I cried so hard.

They made fun of my best friends. My boyfriend. But in gym today I really wasn’t expecting what was going to come next.