Chapter 11

I have become emotionally attached to nine boys.

I just finished watching the forty-two episodes, yes forty-two, of Seven Wonders. In three days. I start my training for my job at three this afternoon. I've barely slept at all in the last few days.

And I honestly don't even care.

I am now more emotionally invested in their lives than I am about some of my own family members.

Like creepy sexist uncle? I would sacrifice him without hesitation for these boys.

I am feeling very strange emotions.

Like, I legit cried at the episodes when Jae-sang is not picked in Luan's team, right before they do the Arcade stage and they make their ultimatum. I knew what was going to happen. I knew they were going to win in the end, but those three episodes when you think the boys have turned their backs on him... it was fucking heart breaking. If I had seen the show back then, when it was airing every week and I wouldn't have known the outcome, I wouldn't have known that it was all their plan I would have thrown the biggest fit. I would have flipped tables.

Who allowed them to make me feeeeeel things?

And I really don't know how to process all of this.

Before, I could kind of feel detached from the whole kissing a famous person thing. Now... I have no idea how to feel. Like, I love him now. I love all of these nine idiots.

I'm more invested in their lives than I am on my own. How does this even make sense? I kissed the guy a few weeks ago and I didn't care about him like this?

What is wrong with me? What kind of magic did they use while making that show? What kind of spell have I been put under?

I need to get ready to leave for work, but all I want to do is talk to my cousin about this crazy obsession I'm feeling right now. I want to write to Tenth Knot and ramble on and on and tell her I now really understand why she's spending time writing fanfics about them.

If I had any talent at writing, I probably would too.

But instead, I have to get dressed and get out of my room and try to fake being a functioning human being for a few hours. I get ready in a hurry, and I can see that my mother is somewhat concerned. I probably look like a mess. I tried not to stare at myself too much in the mirror, but my skin is awful because I didn't even bother washing my face in the last few days, and I have huge bags under my eyes.

Like, I don't regret my binging, but I also kinda regret it.

Finally, I leave the house in a hurry and stop at a convenience store to buy a Red Bull. I chug it as I walk to the Subway where I shall now be working.

I can feel my heartbeat in my ears. I'm going to make a wonderful first impression.

I'm really the poster adult-child for bad decisions.

I went to the bathroom before leaving, but now I feel like I need to go again, and like maybe I should just turn around and forget all about this weird working thing, and just hide in my room and never ever come out again, and why do I have to do something with myself when I could just go watch Nine Knots on a Couch, the show where the boys watch TV shows from Netflix and comment on them?

I'm standing about twenty meters from the Subway.

I take a deep breath. I need to stop being a slob. I can't spend my days watching Nine Knots videos. That's not healthy.

I walk the few meters separating me from the sandwich shop, and head in.

It's not a big shop. There are just a few tables set up inside, so I assume most people don't stay to eat. I guess that's a good thing.

There's a dude at the cash register so I head to him.

He looks about my age, black hair and piercing blue eyes. He's average height and slim.

He smiles at me.

"Hi, I'm Naree, I'm supposed to start my training today," I say before he can greet me.

He's cute, as cute as you can be in a Subway uniform. It's not exactly the most flattering palette of colours.

"Oh hi, I'm Frank," His name tag says Franklin, so I assume Frank is a nickname. "I'm the assistant manager, I'm the one that'll be training you today."

"Okay great."

"Just a second, I'll give you your uniform, you can go change in the bathroom. I'll introduce you afterwards. You'll also need to wear a hair net," he says and heads in the back and comes back with a green polo, an apron, a hat and a net.

I hate all of it. I was told to come wearing black pants, so at least the pants are mine.

I grab everything and go change in the little bathroom. I make a bun with my hair and suffer as I put the net and the hat on.

I look ridiculous. And the green of the polo does nothing good for me.

But I'm not here to get a date. I'm here to make money so I should suck it up.

I walk out.

There are two other employees making a clients order.

Frank motions for me to follow him.

"You can put your clothes here," he says, showing me a closet in the backstore with other people's coats and stuff.

I do.

"You like Alexisonfire?" he suddenly asks.

"Yeaaaaah..." I trail. It's my hoodie. It's Alexisonfire merch. I bought it online a couple weeks back. I liked the heart shaped skull.

"Alright, name three songs by them," he replies with a somewhat haughty little smile.

Ew. A gatekeeper. So he's cute but he's a jackass. How unfortunate.

I never really got why some people do this? Why should I prove if I like something or not?

"You first," I say, staring right in his blue eyes.

"What?" He didn't expect that answer.

"You first. I got merch by them, clearly that means I support them, but I can't see you've supported them in any way, so you're probably not a fan. So, name three songs by Alexisonfire."

"Woah, no need to get all defensive." Seriously? Seriously? I'm the bad guy now? Why do people in the wrong need to play the victim all the time?

He's messing with the wrong girl.

"And you had no need to be confronting to begin with and quiz me about the things that I love, but here we are," I reply, deadpan.

He doesn't say anything. He just stares at me. Am I getting fired? That would probably be a record of some kind.

"I'm sorry, that was rude."

"It's okay," I just reply. I'm not apologizing. I did nothing wrong. I just replied to a jackass.

I can already feel this is going to be painful.

Still, I follow around Frank as he explains to me my tasks and how to do everything. He doesn't seem angry or anything about our earlier conversation, so at least there's that, but I'm pretty sure I'll be on his shitlist now.

He introduces me to Janet and Audrey, the two other girls working today.

Everyone seems nice enough, but I can already feel them talking behind my back the second I leave this place.

Seriously, way to give a good first impression Naree.

I'm out of the Subway three hours later with a sandwich I made myself. I have goddamn homework. I need to do online classes on their Subway university portal. Subway university? Seriously? That can't be a thing. Fast food joints can't all have that?

My clothes stink. This surprises me. I always thought Subways kinda smelled nice, and there's no frying or like grease cooking, so I really don't understand why I feel so greasy and smelly. Is it always going to be like this? I wouldn't want to run errands smelling like this. I feel dirty.

I get home. My parents are watching TV in the living room. They ask about my day. I give them a quick rundown not sitting down, eating my chicken bacon and ranch sub. I don't want to sit anywhere and have the Subway stink stick on the couch.

When my parents are satisfied with my answers and I'm done eating, I grab clean clothes from my room and go take a shower.

I throw all my clothes in the washing machine. I'm not wearing these again and I'm not letting them mix with any of my clean clothes.

Finally, I drag my feet to my room and fall on my bed.

I open Netflix on my phone, lying down under my covers and I start Nine Knots on a Couch.

The first show they watch is Stranger Things. Jae-sang and scary shows do not go hand in hand. He's hiding behind whoever sits beside him, squealing all the time. But when the first monster appears on screen, he shrieks "vagina with teeth! Vagina with teeth!" and all the guys starts hitting him with cushions. From that moment on, he just starts making jokes through the rest of the show so he's less of a screaming mess.

I'm laughing alone in my bed.

I stop thinking about the fact that I now work a job where I'll need to take a shower after it every time, that I probably already got on the wrong side of the assistant manager, or that I still have no idea what I'm going to do with my future, or that I'm still alone, and I feel unwanted most of them time.

I don't think about any of that. Instead, I just laugh along nine boys and I feel like I'm not alone for a little while. 

__________________

Hellooooooo. I am very very late. I apologize. I'll be uploading three more chapters in the next 24 hours. 

Last week has been craaaaazy! XD

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Naree is finally a fan! hehehehe And you're meeting Fraaaank. 8D mouhahaha.

Also, I've put a banner with all the boys at the top of the chapter, if you've ever wondered what they looked like! :D

Anyway, I gotta go now. I have more writing to do! XD