“What’s wrong with Taeyeon? 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!” 

Irene 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 Irene stepped inside the room. 

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

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

“I’m sorry Taeyeon, 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…” Irene pleaded. Still now answer. Irene glanced at her watch, school was almost over. 

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

“Jiyong…gave me a ring…today…he wanted me to be his girl” Taeyeon whispered her voice so dry from crying Irene 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.” Irene sighed, what bad timing. 

“Open the door please.”

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

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

“So that blockhead finally realizes how much you mean to him? What took him so long?” Irene wanted to hit Jiyong on the head for being so slow. 

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