Fene’s POV


    The host suddenly announced the start of the special session. The music red, and everyone cheered loudly.


    “Everyone can buy voting tickets at the ticket booth! Vote as much as you can to support your friends!”


    Finally, the special session arrived. This was the moment I had been waiting for. Despite being thest in line, I felt that it was best to start as soon as possible. If necessary, I wanted to overtake Amy’s session so that Laird wouldn’t have to bother answering her anymore.


    “Hey, Laird, I have a surprise for you.” I said this to Laird as we rested at the edge of the dance floor.


    “What surprise?” Laird asked curiously.


    “I can’t say it now, but will you wait for me?” I asked Laird with pleading eyes.


    “Are you going to leave me alone here?” Laird raised an eyebrow.


    “Just for a moment. I promise.” I assured Laird.


    “Whatever. I don’t guarantee I’ll still be at this event if you leave me.” Laird grumbled irritably.


    “Hey, Laird. Trust me. I promise, I won’t leave you. Just wait for a moment.”


    I firmly held both of Laird’s hands. I looked at him with a pleading gaze. “Just a moment.”


    He looked at me just as intently. His gaze seemed to be searching for lies, but in the end, he sighed heavily.


    “Go ahead.” He nodded his chin.


    “Wait for me, okay? Don’t go anywhere. I’lle back soon with my surprise.” I waved to Laird with a wide smile.


    Quickly, I crossed the crowded room towards the backstage area. I looked for Leo and finally found him chatting with the first participant. Right after the first participant went on stage, I approached Leo.


    “Hey, Leo. Am I still on for thest session?” I asked him.


    “Yes.” Leo appeared to be busy scribbling on the papers on his clipboard.


    “What time is my turn? Can I overtake someone to perform earlier?” I pressed Leo.


    “Oh,e on, Fene. You’ve caused me enough trouble with your session. Your turn will start in 40 minutes.” Leo sighed irritably at me.


    “Hey,e on. Won’t it be more chaotic if someone who was supposed toe didn’t show up on time ording to your schedule?” I tried again.


    “Fine. Wait here, and you’ll go first if the participant doesn’t show up five minutes past their schedule.” Leo finally gave in and rolled his eyes.


    “Sure!” I eximed happily and stood there, waiting.


    People like Leo really didn’t like it if something didn’t go ording to their nned schedule. The changes made them nervous. Therefore, they were always happy to have backup ns to ensure everything went smoothly.


    “Hey, Fene.” Someone tapped my shoulder, and I turned.


    “rk? Hey.” I greeted him with a little confusion. “I didn’t know you wereing tonight.”C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    I looked at rk, who looked like he was attending the dance party two years ago at the end of 10th grade. I could swear even his ck tuxedo and red bowtie were simr. But what did I care, right?


    Now I no longer owed anything to rk, and we had established a healthy friendship. A real friendship, even though only in the library.


    “Oh, yeah. I came. I’m taking part in the third session tonight.” rk said it nervously.


    “Oh, yeah? What do you want to confess about?” I tried to make small talk.


    Oh, God. Why did I have a bad feeling?


    “I…” rk hesitated and fell silent for a moment. His eyes looked scared as they stared at me. He swallowed and then spoke.


    “I want to confess my love to you.”


    My eyes widened in horror, and my mouth fell open. “What? Say that again.”


    “I want to confess my love to-” I immediately cut off rk’s words, covering his mouth with both of my hands.


    “Don’t! Follow me now.” I pushed rk, spun him around, and pulled his arm away from the backstage area.


    “Fene? Aren’t you waiting?” Leo called out to me with a furrowed brow.


    “I’ll be right back!” I panicked, then reassured him.


    “Hey! That’s my contestant!” Leo protested and cursed, but I still pushed rk away from the backstage area.


    I dragged him out, even though rk seemed confused and reluctant to leave. We exited through the nearest side door to a dimly lit corridor between buildings. There were some couples there, shamelessly making out.


    “rk, are you serious about that?” I asked again to make sure.


    “Yes, Fene. I am serious. I like you.” rk reaffirmed his determination.


    I pulled and exhaled multiple times. I felt like I was having a panic attack and needed to take deep breaths to calm down. Seriously, it seemed like I was really having a panic attack.


    “Okay, rk.” I held on to my temple to think for a moment.


    Calm down, Fene Baxter. Think, you silly brain!


    “Does that mean you like me too?” rk asked, a smile slowly spreading across his face.


    “Let’s say you truly have feelings for me. But how could you even think about saying it in this special session? Why didn’t you say it directly to me?” I asked, still disbelieving of this new fact.


    “Because you went to prom with Laird! I missed my chance to ask you out. I didn’t know the right time to say it other than in that special session.” rk looked annoyed, and I swore I saw tears welling up in his eyes.


    “Also, Amy said that if I said it on stage, you wouldn’t have the heart to reject me.” rk bit his lower lip, and his face turned red.


    “What? Amy?”


    My whole world seemed to spin quickly. Suddenly, I wanted to explode with anger towards that girl. How dare she use me as a joke! She even dared to do it to this good rk.


    Egging rk on to go on stage so she could embarrass me and rk in front of everyone? How could there be someone so wicked?!


    “Amy said you’d ept my confession. I-” rk became more restless, and his voice sounded panicked. Tears streamed down rk’s cheeks. I could even see beads of sweat on almost every part of his face.


    “rk, I’m sorry.” I cut off rk’s words.


    “I don’t want to hurt you, but everything Amy said is not true. Amy just wants to y you.” I said it slowly. My anger was clearly audible in my voice.


    “But I do like you. I’ve liked you since you greeted me in chemistry ss. I did everything I could to make you happy. I let you and Amy copy my assignments.” He choked for a moment.


    “We studied together, didn’t we? We went to parties together, didn’t we? Don’t you like me too, after all I’ve done?”


    Damn, I didn’t have the heart to crush his heart like this! For fuck’s sake!


    “I really like you.” rk sobbed between his words.


    Oh, Lucius. What have you done to rk? What has Amy done to him?


    “I’m sorry, rk.” I hugged rk tightly.


    Maybe what Amy said to rk was true. I wouldn’t have the heart to see rk like this on stage. I knew I could have epted rk, if only he had said it in a situation like this.


    “I’m sorry.”