secrets between us

Ashley

I was in the middle of the most incredible dream, a dream that felt so real I could almost believe I was living it. As a massive BTS fan, it was everything I'd ever wanted and more. There I was, standing in this beautifully lit room filled with music, laughter, and that familiar energy only BTS brings. I could see each of them—Jin, Suga, RM, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook—standing around me, each one with that signature warm smile I'd watched a thousand times on screen. My heart was pounding with excitement, and my hands were shaking as I tried to steady myself.

And then I saw him—Jimin, my absolute bias. He was right in front of me, looking just as perfect as I'd imagined, if not more. His smile was kind, his eyes sparkled, and he seemed so welcoming like he was genuinely happy to meet me. My heart raced even faster, and it felt like a dream I never wanted to wake up from. I could hardly believe I was this close to him. As I took a step forward, he opened his arms as if to hug me. I felt my arms reaching out too, ready to pull him into the biggest, warmest hug of my life. But just as my hands were about to touch him, the moment shattered.

"ASHLEY! WAKE UP!" The loud, sudden yell jolted me back into the real world. I blinked, confused and disoriented, trying to grasp onto my dream before it slipped away completely. My brother, Ashton, was standing in my room, his voice ringing through my ears like an alarm clock on full blast. "You're going to make me and Aaron late!" he continued, sounding thoroughly annoyed.

The wave of disappointment that hit me was almost too much. Just moments ago, I was about to hug Jimin. And now I was back in my bedroom, with my annoying brother yelling at me. My heart felt heavy as I let out a deep, frustrated sigh, clinging to those last fragments of the dream. I glared at Ashton, too annoyed to care if he thought I was being dramatic. "Idiot! Couldn't you have let me sleep for five more minutes? I was just about to hug Jimin!" I practically yelled, throwing my pillow in his direction.

Ashton didn't look the least bit sorry. He just gave me a dismissive look, gesturing at my BTS posters plastered all over my walls. "You mean those boys you're obsessed with? The ones covering every inch of your room? Does it look like I care?" he replied, rolling his eyes. Before I could come up with a response, Aaron poked his head around the door with a grin. "When will you ever stop dreaming about those Korean boys?" he teased, obviously enjoying the fact that he'd interrupted my moment.

My irritation was at an all-time high, and I threw my pillow straight at Aaron, who dodged it, laughing. "Hey! Thanks to you and your daydreaming, we're about to be late for the first day of high school! Not ours, but yours," Aaron reminded me, his teasing tone barely masking his amusement. Ashton just nodded in agreement, arms folded as he watched my reaction.

Then, as if reality was punching me in the face, it hit me. Today was my first day of high school! "Oh no! Today's the first day!" I practically screamed, bolting out of bed and diving into my closet to find something to wear. Clothes flew everywhere as I scrambled to pull on my uniform, fix my hair, and grab everything I needed for the day. All the while, Aaron and Ashton were standing in the hallway, laughing at my panicked state.

The first day of high school was a huge deal for me, and it wasn't just about new teachers or new classes. This was a completely new campus, filled with people I didn't know yet, in an environment I wasn't familiar with. Back in middle school, I had a best friend named Bianca. She was more like a sister than just a friend, and we'd done everything together. But when her parents divorced, she moved all the way to Singapore, and we lost touch. It was hard not having someone who knew me so well. Now, most of the girls in my neighborhood just wanted to be friends with me because of Ashton. He's one of the most popular, coolest guys in school, and they think being close to me will somehow bring them closer to him.

I'd been hoping that high school would be different, that I'd finally get a chance to make real friends who liked me for who I am. But today, I was just trying to survive the morning chaos. I grabbed a cold waffle from the counter and mumbled a quick apology as I rushed out the door with Ashton and Aaron close behind. We decided to walk since the school was nearby, but I was so nervous that I couldn't say a word the entire way. My mind kept racing with questions: What if nobody likes me? What if I end up sitting alone?

Ashton must have sensed my anxiety because, without saying anything, he put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. "Hey, it's okay. You're going to do great," he said softly, and his words made me feel a little bit better. I managed a small smile and took a deep breath, hoping that today would be a fresh start.

When we got to school, the place was buzzing with energy. Students were everywhere, chatting, laughing, and hurrying to find their classes. We walked through the entrance together, but soon, Ashton and Aaron split off to head to their classes. I made my way to my first class, physics, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement.

I took a deep breath as I walked into the classroom, trying to shake off my nervousness. I managed a polite "Good morning, ma'am!" to the teacher, hoping for a friendly response. But instead, she turned to me with a glare that could pierce steel. "Get out of my class!" she practically screamed. I felt the blood drain from my face, and I tried to stammer out an apology, explaining I was only a few minutes late. But she cut me off, saying, "I don't allow late students in my class!"

With no choice, I headed to the detention room, my excitement from earlier now completely deflated. When I entered, the room was almost empty except for one girl sitting in the far corner, her head buried in her arms, with music playing through her headphones. She seemed like someone who didn't care what anyone thought, lost in her own world. I wished Ashton and Aaron had ended up here with me, but I figured they got lucky with more understanding teachers.

I walked over and hesitantly asked, "Hey, may I sit with you?" She looked up, her eyes curious as she took off her headset. "Sure, go ahead," she said with a slight smile. Grateful, I sat down beside her and introduced myself. Her name was Ava, and she was an exchange student from Chicago. We started talking, and before I knew it, I felt completely at ease.

Curious about her taste in music, I asked, "What are you listening to?" Her face lit up, and she replied, "BTS, Life Goes On." My heart skipped a beat. "No way! That's one of my favorite songs! Are you an ARMY too?" I asked, unable to hide my excitement. She laughed and nodded, and we both started gushing about BTS, sharing our favorite songs, biases and why we loved the group. It was like finding a missing puzzle piece—I'd finally met someone who understood my love for BTS as much as I did.

We talked until Ms. Primrose, the physics teacher, came in and told us our detention was over. I was a little sad to leave because I felt like I'd finally found a friend I could really connect with. But Ava and I agreed to meet up again during the break. Feeling more hopeful, I headed back to class.

When I got there, I noticed that no one wanted to sit near me. Rumor had already spread that I'd been sent to detention, and people were giving me curious glances but keeping their distance. I ended up sitting alone at the very back, feeling like an outsider. The class felt endless, but finally, the bell rang for break, and I hurried to find Ava.

I spotted her in the cafeteria and quickly sat down beside her. She noticed the frustrated look on my face and asked what was wrong. I explained how people were ignoring me because I'd been in detention, and Ava just laughed. "It's fine, don't worry. People are always quick to judge. They'll get over it," she said with a reassuring smile.

Just then, Ashton and Aaron came over to join us. Ashton looked at me with concern. "I heard you got into detention on the first day. What happened?" he asked. I explained, and Aaron rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that physics teacher has a reputation for being strict," he said.

Out of nowhere, Ava turned to Aaron and said, "Excuse me, who are you, and who said you could sit with us?" I was shocked, and instinctively, I got defensive. "How dare you talk to my brother like that!" I snapped, my voice louder than I intended. Everyone in the cafeteria turned to stare, and I realized that now everyone knew Ashton was my brother and that Aaron was a close friend.

Ava looked taken aback and stormed off, leaving me feeling embarrassed. The rest of the day, people seemed more interested in me, and I became known as the girl with the popular brother. But it didn't feel right.

After school, as I was walking home, I saw Ava walking alone and hurried to catch up. "I'm sorry about earlier. I get defensive when people mess with Ashton," I explained. She smiled and said, "It's fine. I get it." We both laughed, and I introduced her properly to Ashton and Aaron. We even made plans to hang out at my place that weekend. Ashton and Aaron teased me, saying, "You found your perfect match—a best friend who's as BTS-obsessed as you are."

As we walked home together, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. The day had started with a shattered dream, but by the end, I'd found a new friend who understood me like no one else. And that was better than any dream I could have imagined.