Chapter 20

dani found herself sitting with her back pressed against megan’s door, arms wrapped around her knees. “even if you don’t forgive me, megan, i’ll love you forever,” dani repeated the eleven words in her head like a mantra.

that was how manon found her. the four girls had searched endlessly for their two missing members who were ignoring their phones (lara and yoonchae had hoped they were well… too busy to respond.)

“daniela andrea avanzini llorente!” manon barked. “do you know how scared i was? where have you been? we were supposed to film-“

“yeah, come on, dani. we’re all in a rough patch right now, and you choosing not to show up is…” yoonchae glanced at lara, searching for the right word.

“ridiculous?” lara tried. “Stupid?”

“no, lara, i’m not stupid i know those words… what is it… ah! waste of our time. you worked so hard to make it into this group to just give up everything over what sophia did?”

dani sighed. “i’m sorry…”

“sorry doesn’t fix it, dani. sohey and grant were fuming. beck could tell!” manon sighed. “this is katseye’s downfall, and i never thought it’d be over something a member did, as horrible as it is.”

dani saw tears form in yoonchae’s eyes at manon’s word, and she felt awful. Yoonchae had left everything behind- her family, her friends, her education, even her chance to be a part of a k-pop group.

manon shook her head, clearly disappointed in her roommate. “yoonchae, lara, let’s go.”

the front door slammed shut behind them, leaving behind awkward silence.

sophia broke it. “dani…”

“don’t.”

dani sighed, pressing her forehead against megan’s door.

suddenly, the lock clicked.

“megan…” she whispered.

a bleary-eyed megan stepped out, makeup smudged.

“walk with me, dani,” she said simply.

sophia paused, giving megan a slight nod of acknowledgement before returning to her room.