Kassia Domingos was... perfect.
Taemin Lee was... a loner.
Yet, they both were flowers growing from the same soil.
...
In which UCLA's perfect angel has a secret admirer who gives her flowers.
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"What is this Kassia? Logo sweatshirts and... Nike socks. And you're taking these bags outside- what if someone steals them? I told you so many times about wearing clearly branded things- Kassia I don't understand - are you going through puberty in college?"
"Mom, I just wanted to try-"
"Baby, wide leg jeans? No Kassia, this is sloppy!"
Kassia stood in a corner of her bedroom watching her mom rummage her closet and drawers.
She was starting to feel anxious.
She liked her new style.
Just her mom being in her space for ten minutes felt suffocating. She just wanted her to go away and let everything go back to normal.
"And you're gaining weight- honey, do we need you to go on a no sugar, no fat diet again? You know I just worry about your health, a lot."
Kassia bit her lip feeling frustrated.
She thought she was looking better compared to before. She hated feeling like she was starving herself which is mostly what her mother wanted her to do. She was eating out a lot more but that's because she had people she liked eating with.
India could literally eat for days.
Plus, she got complimented all the time by random people.
Just the other day a girl asked her for her gym routine when she didn't have one. She caught Taemin looking at her as well.
This is the most confident she had ever felt.
"Mom... you're making me feel really anxious..."
When Kassia was in therapy, her therapist told her that she should try voicing her feelings more. Especially towards her mother.
She felt scared to do it but, having a panic attack in front of her mother was way worse.
She knew Rosa didn't understand.
Rosa didn't understand why her daughter wasn't perfect.
"Oh darling, please don't start being dramatic again. We agreed to leave that behind in high school remember? I'm just giving constructive criticism, right? It's nothing to panic over."
"I know but I just feel like you don't-"
"It's not about me," Rosa interrupted her holding her cheek. "It's about you being great. Every great person has an even greater support system - I would have given everything when I was younger for someone to believe in me like I believe in you. You're my little star, right Kassia?"
"Yes mom, I'm sorry, I'll do better."
"That's right baby, you don't need any distractions," she cooed fixing a strand of Kassia's hair. She hated the curls on her but nothing a straightener couldn't fix. "So, whatever and whoever they are, you don't need them. You only need me and I'm going to make sure you are the best."
A veiled warning for Kassia to get back to acting the way she liked.
Kassia simply nodded with a forced smile.
"There's my sweet girl," Rosa smiled her award winning smile. "I love it when you listen to me. Now, let me straighten your hair, you're three seconds away from a bird nest." ...
For the next three weeks, Kassia's life was deeply connected with the private library rooms, classes and the student council meetings.
She wasn't eating anything besides energy bars and lemon water whenever she had time.
She just felt pressure.
She had to get the best grades.
She had to be slimmer.
She had to push her anxiety back down.
She had to be perfect.
Her mother would see India and Taemin as distractions so, she had to stop giving them attention. Her attention had to be on textbooks and her thesis for the year and-
Kassia leaned her head forward feeling lightheaded.
She could barely look at the book but, she had to push through. She tried swallowing the migraine splitting her head in half but, no matter how much medication she took, nothing was helping.
Her clothes felt stuffy- she was overheating under the thick sweater and dress shirt.
But, she had to look presentable.
Her mother didn't like what she had been wearing lately so she had to go back to wearing her other clothes.
Kassia continued taking notes ignoring everything that warned her of her body shutting down. ...
Kassia walked slowly through the campus with her book bag. She wondered if it had always felt that heavy.
Kassia crouched feeling lightheaded and dizzy. She touched her nose feeling... blood.
She hated that for herself.
"Hey, are you okay," a deep gentle voice asked crouching next to her. "Do you want me to call so- Kassia?"
"T-Taemin," she meekly called out holding on to him for a bit of stability.
"Hold on, lean forward- oh shit, you okay?"
Taemin was panicking slightly because she did not seem like she was okay.
"Hey, Kassia speak to me- just tell me what you need- Kassia!"
Taemin wasn't sure Kassia heard him before fainting. ...
When Kassia woke up, she heard the faint beeping of a machine. She wanted to fall asleep to it again until she realised what it was.
A heart rate machine.
She jumped up from the hospital bed panicking.
"No Kassia, don't get up fast, okay? I'll call a doctor-"
"What time is it?! I can't miss morning class!"
"Hey, don't think about that, you've just fainted," Taemin worried watching her forcibly pull out the IVs from her arms. "You should rest more, it's only 10-"
"I've missed morning class?! Damn it," she cursed bitting her lip really hard. "I'm not supposed to miss-"
"Kassia, they said you were exhausted and overworked. I don't know what's going on but maybe you need a break."
Kassia froze momentarily before she got up from the bed. She tied her hair up before grabbing her bag.
She was exhausted but, at least she didn't feel as faint. The IV would hold her over until the next time she needed to e-
"Kassia, where are you going? You can talk to me if something is going on-"
"I don't know what you're talking about... I'm perfectly fine, there is nothing to talk about. Thank you for your help but, you shouldn't have brought me here."
Taemin had never seen Kassia shut down before but, it was clear she was pushing him away.
She was hopping and praying no one had called her parents. Her mother would have had a fit and her dad would worry again. Her father would have her talking to a therapist again.
"How was I meant to leave you there with a nose bleed and-"
"I said I'm fine," Kassia exploded wiping her eyes. "I'm so freaking tired of being told what to do- just stop. I can handle it as long as you just leave me alone."
"Kassia-"
"I have a class to get to so, I'll be leaving now."
