Life had been mostly uneventful two weeks after hanging out with the guys. School had started and both Angela and Josy rarely got to see each other for long. Josy was sitting at her desk texting Sehun when Angela came in the room in a huff. She threw her backpack down and flopped onto her bed, immediately going under the covers.

“Um, rough day?” Josy asked.

“I’m just tired,” Angela replied, her voice muffled.

“How are you classes? Any cute dudes?”

Angela didn’t say anything for a few seconds. Her head popped up from under the blanket and she said, “Maybe. There’s one.”

“What’s his name?”

“Lee Dongmin.We’ve already been on a date.”

    Josy’s eyes widened at Angela’s confession. More than anything she was shocked that Angela had already started dating again. It was so sudden, and it wasn’t like Angela at all to rush into things. “Uh, whoa, were you gonna tell me?”

    “I just did. Anyways, I didn’t realize that I needed your permission to date someone.”

    “Well you don’t, but we tell each other everything.” Angela was different. That was for sure, and Josy wasn’t sure how to act around this new Angela. She was saying and doing things that she normally wouldn’t. The thing was that Josy knew it had to do with what happened with Xiumin.
    “I’m going on another date with him this week,” Angela stated flatly.

    “Do you, girl.” Josy didn’t want to seem unsupportive, but she knew that Angela was only doing this to get over Xiumin. Dongmin was definitely a rebound, even if Angela wouldn’t admit it. Why else would she keep going on dates with another guy? Angela wasn’t the type to just get over someone so quickly and move on.

*    *    *

    Angela stared into her drink, not really listening to what Dongmin was saying to her. They had been on a few dates, and when he asked to go on another Angela just said yes. They had gone to various places, and she even kissed him, but it all felt so mechanical.

    Lately everything felt so mechanical.

    Everything that Angela did was on a schedule. She went to class, did homework, and went on the occasional date with Dongmin. And she was tired lately. Exhausted it felt like.

    It wasn’t that Dongmin wasn’t nice. He was. He was so sweet with her. And yes he was cute, but being cute and nice just wasn’t everything that Angela wanted. He was so smiley though, and sometimes when she was with him she could forget that she was ever feeling bad in the first place. But she knew it was wrong. It was wrong to just lead Dongmin on when she didn’t even really like him, and it was wrong to use him to get over how she was feeling. Dongmin was a rebound, and it just wasn’t feeling right anymore to be with him.

    Later after their date was over, Dongmin leaned in for a kiss and Angela turned her head away. She gave him a wry smile and took a step back. “I don’t think this is a good idea anymore,” Angela admitted.

    “Why?” Dongmin asked in surprise. “Why so suddenly? I thought things were going well.”

    “They were but . . . I’m just not ready for a relationship or anything.” Angela bit her lip. She couldn’t help thinking about Xiumin. She thought about him all of the time, and it felt like no matter where she went, EXO was always in the spotlight. It was true. She wasn’t ready for a relationship. After how things ended with Xiumin, she didn’t think she wanted to date anyone for a long time. Angela was tired of pretending that she was over Xiumin when she wasn’t. She was tired of acting all brave and cool in front of Josy and everyone else. And she didn’t want to fool herself into thinking that she liked Dongmin more than she actually did.

    “Okay then.” Dongmin turned and walked away and Angela couldn’t help but feel relief.

*    *    *

    Josy was cuddled in Sehun’s arms, watching a movie when Xiumin knocked on the door to Sehun’s shared room. He popped his head in and handed Sehun his MP3. “Thanks for letting me borrow this,” he muttered, not even looking at Josy. He quickly left, and Sehun couldn’t help but frown.

    Xiumin had been acting down for a while now, but lately it seemed to get even worse. Sehun couldn’t even remember the last time that he saw Xiumin truly smile. He was worried about the older male. Sehun could see how Xiumin’s mood was affecting Suho’s stress levels, and everyone in the house was tiptoeing around the oldest member. Sehun sighed. From what he heard, Xiumin had seen Angela and that that somehow made Xiumin even more depressed.

    “So how’s Angela?” Sehun blurted out, surprising Josy.

    “Uh, she’s okay I think. I haven’t really been talking to her much, but she seems to be okay now that . . . now that she started dating someone,” Josy replied. She had barely seen Angela lately, and she could only assume that Angela was out with that one guy.

    “You’re kidding, right? Already?”

    “Well yeah. She is. I was shocked too, but come on, even you must know that she’s only doing this to get over Xiumin.”

    “I don’t know anything,” Sehun huffed. “I mean, you rarely get to see her, and I see her even less. Do you know how sad Xiumin would be if he found out that Angela’s already dating?”

    Josy pulled away and gave Sehun a look. “Well . . . Xiumin’s the one that broke up with her in the first place.”

    Sehun sighed, knowing that this conversation would just go nowhere. Josy would obviously be on Angela’s side, and Sehun was on Xiumin’s side. “Let’s not talk about this now,” Sehun suggested, pulling Josy back into his arms. He needed to change the subject. “Anyways, there’s going to be an SMTOWN party, and I was wondering if you would like to go.”

    “Uh, it that a good idea?” Josy raised her eyebrows at Sehun.

    “Don’t worry, the paparazzi is only going to be there for the first half, and then for the second half of the party they’ll leave and we can be together.” Sehun emphasized his point by nuzzling his head into Josy’s neck. “So how about it?”

    “Fine,” Josy sighed. “But that means I gotta look hot as hell because Shinee’s going to be there.”

    Sehun narrowed his eyes at Josy. “Well I always look hot as hell, and my pretend girlfriend is going to be there too.”

    “Well I guess somebody’s not getting laid tonight. Bye.” Josy turned her face away so that Sehun couldn't see her smiling. She pretended to get up to leave, but Sehun pulled her back to the bed.

    “Ah, I’m sorry,” he whispered in her ear.

    “I guess I’ll forgive you.” Josy smiled rolling her eyes and shoving at Sehun playfully.

*    *    *

    Sehun stood around with his arm around Irene’s waist. He had a smile plastered to his as the paparazzi around