Obsession

Encounter Numero Two

I'm distracted for most of the day. I try my best in dance practice but I keep getting flashbacks. I have to keep kicking myself. Aimi, you're such an idiot! Now, Mark will never think you are a cool chic with a smooth exterior. He's always going to think you're that weirdo trainee with a clumsy habit. Sigh...oh well, there's always Jackson to impress.

Back in the dorm, I stare at myself in the mirror. A red mark has appeared on the side of my face where the water bottle hit me. I massage it despondently. Honestly, who even lets someone like him debut? What an idiot.

I flop on my bed exhausted. I'm starving but too tired to actually stand up and go eat.
Noisy footsteps reach my ears and the door slams open. In bounds Daisy. I groan.

Daisy is a bundle of energy that I'm too tired to deal with.

"Aimi!!" She cries in glee, "Wake up, let's go get food!" She shakes my shoulders and tugs on my arm. I moan pitifully. "Come ooon!" She whines. The tugging becomes unbearable and I let out a frustrated sigh of defeat.

"Okay, okay!" I hiss and rub my eyes. Go away, sleepiness.

I walk with her to the canteen, trying to tune out her voice as she belts out Seventeen's 'Mansae'. There are quite a few trainees already in the canteen. The room is filled with a buzz of voices. Daisy and I take a place in the queue. She's still singing but stops suddenly. I breathe an internal sigh of relief. Something's not quite right though.
Hang on, everyone else has gone quiet too...I glance around curiously. Then, I see it. The source is walking through the doorway. Rap Monster of BTS, Jackson and Mark have entered. It's only a few seconds but the quiet seems to stretch for an eternity. But then everyone seems to become conscious of the unnatural silence and the volume picks up again, with a few cursory glances in their direction. It's not unusual for non-trainees to eat in the canteen, but everyone still always seems to get starstruck, including me.
Daisy is very conspicuously hopping from side to side.

"Calm down will you?" I say watching them approach out of the corner of my eye.

"They're coming over here!" She squeals.

"Well, yeah, it's the end of the queue," I say trying to hint at her to stop fangirling - like, right now. Although, truth be told, I'm not one to talk as I am internally freaking out. I really hope Mark doesn't recognise me. Then again, part of me argues, maybe I do want to be remembered.
I try to look like I'm not paying attention as they join the queue. Daisy is very obviously staring. I let out a sigh inside. Why does she have to be so obvious?
They're laughing about something. I watch them in my peripheral vision.
All of a sudden, I feel flushed. I'm sure Mark is looking at me. I casually glance over. Holy sith, he is! I hurriedly look away.
"Hey."
Oh no...
I turn.
A smile is tugging at his lips. Wait - is he smirking??? I frown slightly.
"You're the water girl."
It's not even a question. That's it, I'm done for. It's official. My idol thinks I'm a bumbling idiot. Mansae!

"Yeah," I reply trying to sound cold but really just sounding like the humiliated fool that I am. Why, God, whyyy?

"Is everything alright? You looked a bit panicked earlier" He asks. I'm slightly taken aback. Jackson and Rap Mon are looking at me curiously. I take a beat to study his face, searching to find any mockery. However, it seemed he was only asking to be nice. I'm aware that I may have taken several beats too long to stare at his face and quickly force my eyes away.

"Um, yeah, no I wasn't panicked," Why are my hands trembling? "Everything is fine." I can barely get the words out. I try to smile, but I'm pretty sure it looks like a grimace. Ugh, I do hate myself sometimes.

"Good," he nods and if I didn't know better, it looks like he is holding back laughter.