“What’s wrong with Dara? She’s been crying a lot lately…”

“Yeah I know, I heard her mom got beat up again…poor girl.”

“I feel so bad for her, everybody knows about her drunken deadbeat dad and her weak mom; she couldn’t leave because of her mom…if I were her I would’ve left that ty house a long time ago”

“I know…I still can’t believe she turned down a scholarship to Harvard! That was her ticket to a better life, maybe she like living with her deadbeat dad!”

Bom kicked the bathroom door open and pointed her fingers at the girls standing in front of the bathroom mirror.

“Stop wasting time gossiping and go study!” The girls immediately ran out the moment Bom stepped inside the room.

“Dara…I know you’re in here. Are you going to hide forever?” Bom walked to each stall and looked underneath. She stopped at the last stall and leaned against the door. She knew her friend was inside.

“Dara! The whole school is talking about you! Open the door right now and tell me what the problem is!” Bom demanded her eye brows furrowed with worry lines. The girl did not answer; the only sound coming from the inside was low agonizing sobs. Bom realized screaming at her best friend was the wrong approach. She pressed her hands on the bathroom door and whispered gently,

“I’m sorry Dara, I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now…just the thought of it…I’m sorry okay? Please open the door and let me see you…” Bom pleaded. Still now answer. Bom glanced at her watch, school was almost over.

“Dara…please talk to me.” Bom knocked on the door and waited. Slowly the crying ceased and Bom back away from the door waiting for her friend to come out.

“Taeyang…gave me a ring…today…he wanted me to be his girlfriend” Dara whispered her voice so dry from crying Bom had to press her ear to the door to hear.

“After waiting for this moment for so long, dreaming and hoping that he would feel the same about me…it’s too late now.” Bom sighed, what bad timing.

“Open the door please.”

The door finally opened and Bom peered down at her friend shaking her head at the pitiful sight before her. Dara sat on top of the toilet seat her arms wrapped around her knees, eyes red and puffy from crying.

Bom pulled her friend up and hugged her. She felt her eyes sting and knew she was in danger of crying. Dara had waited for Taeyang for so long… since the day he gave her a dummy boyfriend. All the girls laughed when Taeyang gave Dara a dummy doll and told her it was her boyfriend. But Dara loved the doll…she secretly called him Taeyang.

“So that blockhead finally realizes how muc