There were two girls lying on each side of my bed next to me. Saerin rested her head onto mine while Kyungri zoned out.

“I can’t believe I thought they were our friends” She pauses “I can’t believe they would do such a horrible thing to you.”

Kyungri adds “I feel gross for trusting Tao.”

Saerin asks “How did you exactly find out?”

She sighs “Tao and I were heading over to the lunch area but he dragged me to his locker, he said he wanted to give me something but as we walked closer to his locker. We both heard Sehun exactly say ‘Hayoung is a done bet. I ed her already so—‘” She pauses “That was all I could catch because Sehun noticed me.”

Saerin scoffs “”

“I didn’t want to tell you until after your audition.”

I sigh “I don’t think it would have mattered. I already felt like anyway.”

Saerin pulls away “I say this in the most loving way but why did you do it? You always said you wanted to save it for a special moment and with someone you loved and felt the same way?”

“It felt right” I confess “As it was happening everything I cared about didn’t matter. In my heart I felt ready” I’m such an idiot.

“I just want to punch him, all of them” Saerin complained in an aggrieved way.

I couldn’t even cry, I felt nothing, only empty and broken.

Kyungri’s phone ringing makes us turn our attention over to her. She ignores it and less than a second it was ringing again. She denies the call and her phone began to ring again, she ends up just turning it off.

“Tao?” Saerin asks

She nods “I can’t look at him the same.”

I cross my arms “I don’t think Tao knew. He wouldn’t be trying to sort things out with you.”

“Are you implying I forgive him?” Kyungri gives me the-are-you-serious-look

“I’m just saying maybe he does deserve to explain himself.” I uncross my arms

She shakes her head “I can’t right now. The fact that one of his friends played you like that” She pauses “There’ no way I can talk without blowing up on him.”

“If you want to blow up on someone do it on that spaz of Sehun” Saerin adds

“You know what” I sit up “He can go on Kris’. If I’m not going to let it affect me than it shouldn’t get to you guys either. We were fine without them and we’ll be fine now. Yes?”

Both of them nod. As much as it hurt me I needed to move on from this, right now it feels impossible but I know I will surpass this. I had to at least try. That was the only thing I can do.

Yixing wasn’t dancing today in the morning and although my mind was on the fact that I was nothing but a toy to Sehun, I was hoping Yixing would cheer me up with his dance moves.

He sat on the ground, resting his back on the wall, and his arms dangling from his knees. He was staring down and when my feet reached his, he looked up.

He smiled at me but there was sadness in his eyes. I removed my bag from my shoulders and sat down next to him. Afraid that now he was judging me.

“You see me differently don’t you?”

He shakes his head “It’s not that.” He looks at me “I never believe rumors. Even if it was true it wouldn’t be my place for a misjudgment.”

“Then,” I swallow “What’s wrong?”

“I just feel useless.” He looks away “Not being able to protect you from all of this”

I felt like I was on the verge of letting tears escape my eyes and I was making myself stop, there was no room for crying. I wasn’t going to cry. Except as I thought about it, Yixing was the only person aside from my friends to care for me and let anyone influence his perspective of me and I was thankful for it. Then everything I was bottling up got the best of me. I broke down wrapping my arms around my legs, covering my face.

I felt his arms embrace me and he didn’t say anything. He just let me cry. At this moment it made me wish with all my heart that my mom was here hugging me. I needed her to comfort me the way only a mom knows how to do.

Yixing lifts my head up and wipes away my tears. Both of our eyes lock with one another and instead of saying anything, he just pulls me in towards his chest and continues to comfort me.

My nerves were getting the best of me. I moved my wrist back and forth as I waited for my name to be called to appear on the stage. The guy behind the curtain tells me I can go on and I do as I’m told. When I walk my way in the middle of the stage, all lights were focused on me.

“Miss Cheon Hayoung” A scouter smiles “Welcome back”

I bow “Thank you for taking the time to look through my application.”

I see all two men whisper amongst three women who were in the judging stand. My mentally took a lot to prepare for this day. It was mostly thanks to Yixing.

As I looked out at the empty theater, I knew my dad was somewhere with Euaerin and Yixing was out there sitting as well. I take a deep breath.

“Whenever you’re ready Miss Cheon”

I bend my foot backwards before I settle into my starting position.

I hear my song start as the female’s voice begins to play. Once the beat starts that’s when my feet take the first steps.

My mind wondered, thinking of my mother, of her accident, thinking of Sehun, and then I felt light as I realized how lucky I am that Yixing appeared into my life. I would be a complete mess with everything that has happened. I wouldn’t be able to feel confident on this stage as I do now and it was all thanks to Zhang Yixing.

My feet begin to slow down as well as my last counts. I finish the last step and end it with the final position. It’s silent and I knew it was going to be.

I hear through the speakers around the theater the same woman who greeted me.

“Thank you” I see her smile and I bow walking off stage.

My heart was accelerating and I spot Yixing running up to me. He picks me up and spins me once and places me back down.

“You did it”

I chuckle “Really?”

“It was perfect but in the good natural way” He smiles

I take a deep breath and exhale it out shyly smiling, feeling a bit like myself has comeback.