Prologue+1
"Are you ever going to say anything to him about it or you just gonna ignore your crush forever? We graduate in less than a month, Malia. You've liked him since forever." Janae puts her hands on her hips as she looks at her best friend.
"I am not going to tell that boy I like him. Look at him and then look at me. The only reason he even speaks to me is because our moms go to church together. He's being courteous, not friendly."
"I highly doubt he'd make a point to sit next to you and start conversation just because he's 'being courteous'. We're going to graduate and you're going to regret not telling him. Watch."
"I doubt it." Malia slams her locker shut and walks to class with her friend.
A brown haired boy standing three lockers away smacks his friend's chest as they walk away.
"Hear that, Seok? Pippy's got a crush on Joon." Taehyung sniffles as he wipes his nose.
Hoseok snickers as he watches Malia walk with her friend. "Yeah... I think he might kinda have a thing for her too, though. He's always watching her."
"Doubt it. He's been so bummed about that other chick." Taehyung frowns as he rubs his temples with the bottom of his hands. "God, I hate her."
“Don't tell him that”, Hoseok warns. "Touchy subject."
"Whatever. Come look out for me. Gotta go to the bathroom."
“Taehy-."
"I'm not asking, man. Just come look out."
Hoseok sighs as he follows Taehyung down the hall.
"Fine."
Taehyung laughs to himself as he walks to the bathroom. "Crush on Joon? God, how embarrassing."
His tongue swirls around the lollipop in his hand before he puts it into his cheek. As he walks into the bathroom, he reaches into his pocket.
“Wassup, Malia." Namjoon leans against the locker as she puts her books into her backpack.
She looks over at the sound of his voice. His hands are in his pockets with his back against the metal. He's got a toothpick in his mouth. He's always chewing on one.
"Hi, Namjoon”, she says as she zips her bag up.
Her voice is barely heard over the background noise of lockers slamming and post class chatter. She's always been more on the quiet side. Even if the halls were empty, she wouldn't be heard very clearly.
People know her name simply because she's so quiet, and because she's incredibly smart. Also because her best friend is one of the more social students.
Janae also has the reputation of not taking much shit from anybody.
"What you gonna be up to after school on Friday?" Namjoon asks as he follows Malia to the school's front doors.
His friends watch as they walk by. Malia's eyes are trained to the ground, her hands holding the straps of her backpack tightly. Namjoon being near her makes her nervous for so many reasons. One of them being that he's been her crush for sophomore year. The other being the obvious social group difference.
The people that he's often seen hanging around are the ones that make Malia's life a little harder on school grounds.
"Probably studying. We have finals coming up”, Malia replies.
"You know you don't need to study, girl”, Namjoon says playfully. "You're one of the smartest people in this building. You're graduating with Honors. Cut yourself some slack, Lia."
Lia.
That's the first time that he's ever called that. Only her best friend and her family call her by that name. She's giddy thinking about what it could mean.
"Just because I'm smart doesn't mean I can slack off now. I still have things to do and finish here." Malia responds.
The pair walk out of the doors and he stands in front of her before she walks down the stairs. She halts in her step so she doesn't run into him.
"Okay~. What if I asked you to come out with me?” Namjoon counters.
"What?" Her voice is just above a whisper. "Why?"
She's taken aback by the sudden proposal. He's never shown solid interest in her. He does to her what she does to him. Hi, bye, repeat the next day during the next day. Conversation at church about any and everything on Sunday. Come Monday morning, they're conversational strangers again.
How could he suddenly show interest in her now? Maybe he's like her but bold, she assumes. He likes her but is actually willing to act on it.
Maybe Janae is right. School ends in two months. Maybe she should live a little.
"My boys and I are having a lil kickback at my place on Friday. I'd love it if you came."
"Oh. Like a party?" Malia's eyebrows raise. "I don't know about all that. I don't really do those." She walks around him to get down the stairs.
"Okay, what about if we go out for a date tomorrow night and then I pick you up for the party on Friday?" Namjoon quickly follows her down the stairs. "Would you feel more comfortable about it then?" He looks at her as they walk.
He has his hands in his pockets. She stops walking and looks at him. The sun in his face as he puts his hand up to shield his eyes.
He's squinting a bit so the dimple in his left cheek is making an appearance. His dragon eyes look at her. All Malia can think about is how good he looks and how to calm her racing heart.
Namjoon is asking her out. The guy that she's liked since for so long is finally asking her out.
"Okay." She agrees to his plans and then walks away quickly, not really sure what to do after that.
She's flustered and wants to get away from him as if he can hear the rapid beating in her chest.
"Wait. I don't have your number." He jogs to catch up with her. He takes out his phone and hands it to her.
Janae raises her eyebrows as she watches the scene. There's a little smile on her face watching Malia add her contact into his phone.
"I'll text you to make plans after I get out of practice."
"Okay” ,she says, watching him jog back to his friends.
"You have to text back, though”, Namjoon says, teasing her. "Don't leave me hanging if you get shy."
Malia's face heats up. Namjoon's friends all watching the interaction between them. One of them waves to her with a smile on his face and she quickly turns back around. Drawing the attention of too many people, she quickly walks away with Janae to find their bus.
"Well, look at you." Janae hip bumps her. "Quick work, girly."
"Nae, stop. They're still looking at me."
"And?" She frowns at a girl staring at them as they walk by. "Ain't nobody gonna say anything to you."
Malia links her arm with Janae's.
"He asked me out." She says quietly with a smile.
"I know, girl. Oh my God. What are you gonna wear? This is so exciting." Janae squeals and they laugh together."
That night, Namjoon texts Malia about going to a diner for food the following night. She happily agrees to the plans. They end up texting one another for the better part of the night, laughing about random things and talking about anything under the sun.
Malia texts Janae about it and she calls her as soon as she reads the message. They talk for hours while Malia texts Joon.
Janae helps her best friend plan her outfit. They also talk about Namjoon, the party and what Malia should or should not say on their date.
Janae is much more outgoing than Malia is but not by an excessive amount. People know her name and face, they speak to her in the halls, she's attended parties. Malia has always declined.
The next day at school, Namjoon walks Malia to her first class in the morning and insists on driving her home after school. They stop by an ice cream parlor and Malia gasps at the sight of all of the flavors.
She orders a double scoop of cookies and cream, with chocolate sprinkles and a caramel drizzle. Malia takes out her cash, ready to pay for her stuff but Namjoon pays for both of their scoops instead. She offers to pay him back but he declines.
At the end of their mini date, Namjoon reminds her that he'll meet her at the diner at six. He'd pick her up but he has to drop his car off to get maintenance.
Malia calls Janae as soon as she gets out of the shower. They go over the outfit again and all of the things that Janae considers important for a first date.
When it's time, she takes the bus to the diner and waits for Namjoon.
For two hours, she waits for him.
At 8:30, the last waitress of the night comes by and tells her that they'll be closing soon. Feeling disappointed and hurt, Malia gets on the bus home.
Embarrassed about it, she doesn't call Janae to tell her. She just goes home and cries into her pillow for the better part of the night.
She doesn't go to school for the next two days, telling both her parents and her best friend that she doesn't feel well.
On Friday night, Namjoon texts her apologizing for not being able to make it. He tells her that he had an emergency come up with a close friend of his and couldn't make it. He feels bad for not being able to text her but he hopes to make up for it at the party.
Malia accepts his apology understanding that things happen. She accepts his party invitation but calls Janae to go with her. It's his friend's party and she doesn't want to be left alone if he has to go off to do something.
Janae agrees to go with her and picks her up at 10 o'clock. Their parents trust them together much more than they trust the world with them apart.
On the way there, Janae is excited. She hasn't been to a party in a while and she's never been to one with Malia.
Malia, on the other hand, is all nerves. She's never been to a party before so she doesn't know what to expect. If it's anything like the movies, she'd much rather stay home. But Namjoon invited her, so of course she'll go.
When they get there, everyone is hooting and hollering.
Malia texts Namjoon about her arrival and he comes down the stairs shortly after. His friends from school are pushing him around as they laugh and joke. Janae lets Malia know that she's running to the bathroom and asks if she wants to come along.
Malia declines, seeing that Namjoon is downstairs now. She won't be uncomfortable if he's there with her.
A boy that she recognizes from school walks to the main room, dragging a chair with him on the way. He's one of Namjoon's friends, she knows. They're always together. He's set apart from the others because he always has a lollipop in his mouth.
"Calm down, calm down." He says to everyone with a wave of his hand.
Hoseok stands next to him, looking up at him as he tries to hold him steady. He doesn't want him to topple over and fall out of the chair. Nor does he want him to pass out and hit the floor.
"I have some announcements to make”, Taehyung says as the music is turned down and everyone gets quiet. "As most of you know, Joon was accepted on scholarship into a D-1 college. He finally played his way to the top!" The boy shouts and everyone cheers.
"As a final hurrah for his high school days in this shitty town, the boys and I gave him his final play." Taehyung says and the crowd 'oohs'.
He jumps down from the chair and walks through the crowd. "I'm sure you all know who Malia Ward is."
The crowd makes a bunch of noises all consisting of 'no' and 'not really'.
"Well, maybe you haven't heard of her but or don't know her by name. But I call her Pippy." The party erupts into a bunch of 'ohs' and sounds of recognition at the nickname.
"Yeah, see. Recently, I've discovered that our dear Pippy has a crush on Namjoon Kim." Taehyung is standing across from Malia now.
She's not sure exactly where this is going, but she doesn't like it. All of the attention, she is not fond of it.
"So as his last hurrah, Namjoon had to ask her out." Taehyung speaks. "And let's see how that went."
Malia feels her heart drop to her stomach as he points to the wall where music videos were being projected. The crowd turns to the wall as well, interested in what the latest piece of gossip, They're eager to see what transpired between Namjoon and the girl that ducks her head behind almost everybody.
On the wall, plays a slideshow of photos of Malia waiting for Namjoon at the diner. There are ones of her when she first arrived, there are photos of her sitting and waiting for him. There are ones of her calling him and her confused as to why it was going to voicemail. There are even pictures of her wiping her tears as she exited the building after closing to get on the bus home.
Malia stands there looking at the pictures as everyone laughs and looks around, trying to find her in the room.
"Do you want know the best part about all of this is?" Taehyung taunts as he looks at her. "I came here to Namjoon's house afterward and guess whose car I found sitting in the driveway?" He gasps dramtically.
"His girlfriend's." He says flatly.
"Taehyung, that's enough!" Hoseok snatches the drink out of his hand.
Janae storms over and snatches Malia by her arm, pulling her through the crowd as she starts to cry. Janae grabs a cup out of someone's hand and throws the drink on Taehyung on their way out. She pushes him off the chair and he falls onto the ground laughing. Malia runs out of the party with Janae's keys in her hand. She gets into the passenger side window as people record her escape.
"You're such a fucking asshole, Taehyung! She never bothered any of you. Anybody! All you bitches need to be ashamed of yourselves." Janae yells at everybody as she storms out of the house.
She drives Malia home and stays with her that night for emotional support. Malia is glad that they only have finals to show up for in school.
After that night, she would never show her face again. The video of her reaction to the pictures is spread all over the school.
She doesn't even attend her own graduation.
