FRAT LINE-KNJ✔️

+50+

THIRD

Pain.

Again.

Malia sits on the bleachers in her dance uniform. She stares at the floor, pulling at the laces of her shoes as the music blares through the gymnasium.

This is it. Their final competition. Their final destination. Tonight, they'll either take the title of regionals home or leave with nothing. Malia could care less about any of it. Whether they win or lose, she just wants to go home.

Two straight weeks of dullness. Just traveling, dancing and sleeping. She's been stuffing her face with cookie dough ice cream. She doesn't want to touch a pint of cookies and cream.

She's been watching kid's cartoons. She doesn't want to watch Titanic.

She's been avoiding the entire Hulu app. It isn't her account. She doesn't want to see his name.

Malia hasn't shed a single tear. But the sadness is rolling off of her in large waves. She doesn't know if she's even sad anymore or if it's just blatant disappointment. She feels like an idiot. How could she not?

Why did she think that her having sex with him would change anything? That isn't the reason for her giving him her virginity. But after that and spending so much time together, she thought that everything meant more to him than that. That she meant more to him than that.

She guesses she was wrong. Maybe her judgement will always be wrong.

She wouldn't be so broken up about it if not for the level of vulnerability she was under in the moment. She was so happy to show him the figurine. So eager to watch his eyes light up when she gave it to him.

Malia could not wait for him to slip up and speak Korean in his moment of excitement. She was even prepared for him to call her cheesy but accept the gift anyway, knowing that he'd secretly love it.

Nothing could have prepared her for turning that corner to see Chloe leaning against him so relaxed. Nothing could have stopped her heart clenching at the sight of him being so close up on her.

She hates the affect that it's been having on her. She feels so out of it, so... distant from herself. She doesn't know what to think anymore.

Namjoon has called and texted her more times than he ever has since he's had her number. She hasn't read a single one. She's declined all of his calls. The urge to block his number is strong but she won't.

Then he'll have won. And she can't have that.

As she absentmindedly walks to center floor for Georgia Tech's performance, she makes up her mind. She zones out for the entirety of their routine. Everything is muscle memory and auto pilot, facial expressions included.

When everyone starts screaming around her, she's bumped around. She stands there as the girls jump around her. As she's handed the trophy, she forces a smile. The camera shutters, she blinks and then they're back on the bus.

Malia leans her head against the window as they drive back to the hotel. After the girls shower and change, they talk amongst themselves. They've all noticed her sullen state. It's hard not to, it's vastly different from the way that she usually is.

They decide to gather in her room for the night. Their coaches order food for them in celebration. As the night drones on, Malia's emotions crumble around her. As she bites into the pizza, she starts crying.

"Oh~, Lia." Taija comforts her as she balls up on the bed. They all lay with her on the bed as she bawls.

"I feel so stupid."