Tiffany was in the classroom, sitting quietly on her chair. She stared intently at the blank piece of paper in front of her, impatiently tapping her pencil on the desk. Why was it so hard to come up with a poem? This usually came easily to the half-American girl, but for some reason, the topic of love seemed to stump her. She sighed in defeat, resting her chin on her left hand.

“That’s a mighty big sigh, Fany-ah,” Tiffany heard someone say. “What happened? Did the little danshin reject you?”

Tiffany looked up to find her two best friends standing in front of her. She glared at the tallest one. “I’ll have you know, I am more attractive than you give me credit for.” Sooyoung made a gagging sound, but Tiffany ignored her. “The little danshin will fall for me soon enough. I’ll make sure of it. Besides,” she began, tossing her hair. “How could she resist me?”

Sooyoung rolled her eyes. “You are so conceited!”

Tiffany smiled. “I’m confident, Soo. There’s a difference.”

“Right,” she replied sarcastically.

“Yah~, what’s going on over there?” Jessica asked, staring at the crowd gathered at the other end of the classroom.

“I don’t know,” Tiffany replied. “Let’s check it out.” She rose from her seat and the three of them made their way towards the circle. Tiffany pushed past the sea of students and she spotted Taeyeon standing with another student at the center.

“You think you’re so special just because your daddy is rich. But guess what, Princess? You’re not,” the girl hissed.

“That’s not true,” Taeyeon replied quietly. “I don’t think that at all.”

“Really?” the girl asked. “You’ve got some nerve saying that to me. You walk around this school like you own the place. You have boys falling for you left and right, but you ignore every single one of them. You’re so fortunate, but you act like you’re the most miserable person in the world. It’s despicable!”

“That’s not true,” Taeyeon said a little louder.

“I hate girls like you,” she continued. “You pretend to be innocent when in reality you’re just a good for nothing who—,” Without thinking, Tiffany approached the two girls and slapped the girl bullying the danshin. “Yah! What the hell?” she shouted in protest.

“You have some nerve talking to her like that,” Tiffany said, impassively. “You’re just jealous because she has everything you wish you had,” she spat. Tiffany grabbed the front of the girl’s shirt and brought her face closer to her own. “If anyone in this room is despicable, that would be you, sweetie. Now leave Taeyeon alone and take your insecurities somewhere else before I kick that sorry !” Tiffany roughly pushed the girl, causing her to fall backwards and lose her balance. “Get out!” Tiffany shouted, pointing towards the door.

The girl stood up and glared at Tiffany.

“What?” Tiffany challenged. “You have something to say to me?” The girl pushed past Tiffany and left the room. Tiffany felt many pairs of eyes staring at her in awe and felt irritation bubbling inside of her. “What the hell are you staring at? Show’s over! Get on with your lives!”

The crowd reluctantly dispersed, leaving Tiffany and Taeyeon standing face to face.

“Thank you, Fany-ah,” Taeyeon said quietly.

Tiffany smiled and patted her head. “Don’t mention it, Tae Tae.” She scrunched her eyebrows and balled her hand into a fist. “That girl just made me so angry! She had no right saying all of those things about you.”

Taeyeon giggled and wrapped the girl in a warm embrace. “Thank you,” she repeated.

Tiffany was initially surprised, but a smile soon followed. “No problem, Tae,” she said, returning the gesture and gently caressing the small of Taeyeon’s back.

Soon it was lunchtime. Tiffany and her friends were seated at one of the round tables, engaging in a light conversation about school.

“So,” Jessica began, changing the topic due to boredom. “From what I saw in the classroom, it seems like you’re making very good progress with our little wager, Fany-ah. I’m impressed.”

Tiffany looked at her friend and chuckled. “Was there ever a doubt in your mind, Sica? Besides, I’ve never lost to you before, so what makes you think I’ll start now?”

Jessica smirked. “Oh, you know. It’s just this gut feeling I have.”

Tiffany rolled her eyes. “You know, if I wasn’t your best friend, I would be convinced that you’re one of those freaky psychics.”

“Isn’t it scary though?” Sooyoung asked. “I know she’s not, but sometimes I have my doubts.”

“Yah!” Jessica shouted angrily. “You two make me out to be some kind of freak show. I’m just observant, all right?”

“But you’re always right!” Soyoung whined. “Don’t you think that, in itself, is creepy?”

Jessica shrugged. “No. I’m just a good judge of character, that’s all. Nothing to it.”

“Aish!” Sooyoung said, massging her temple. “A stubborn genius. Never in my life did I think I would ever meet one.”

“Yah! I am not stubborn!” She tackled the tall girl and wrapped her in a headlock.

Sooyoung raised her hands in surrender. “All right, all right! I give!”

Tiffany giggled at her two friends’ childishness. She then felt two pairs of eyes staring at her. “What?” Tiffany asked defensively.

Sooyoung smiled. “Nothing. You’re actually laughing. It’s just—you know. The last time we saw you like this was—,”

“Soo,” Jessica said sharply.

Sooyoung gasped. “S—sorry, Fany-ah!”

Tiffany’s expression darkened. She hated thinking about the past because it brought back memories she wasn’t fond of. She hated those memories—those lonely, miserable days spent in her room alone, listening to her parents bicker—but most of all, she hated her family for putting her through that hell. She hated her mother for being w