"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Kukui asked slowly, blinking at the student with a slightly dumbfounded expression. Megan's face remained unchanged.

"I said I forfeit." She repeated.

"You do realise that if you withdraw from the assessment then--"

"You'll fail me, I know." The girl averted her eyes "But, I'd rather give up my chances of passing than just let my friend fail without giving him a chance..."

"M-Megan, you don't have to--"

But Hau's cry of protest was cut short with a shake of the girl's head "It's fine, Hau. Besides, this kinda works for me."

"How?" Lillie asked in a sort of desperate tone.

*Bzzt*

"That's why." Megan replied as she bent down and took her phone out of the bag, mentally thanking the caller for choosing such a convenient time. "This is important, excuse me--"

She paused as a hand wrapped around her wrist, causing her to turn her head slightly. She was met with concerned emerald eyes that just stared at her, the owner not saying a word as if he was waiting for something. His grip was pretty weak at the time, so Megan only sighed and slipped out of it without much effort before making her way to the door, answering the call in the process.

"Hello? Yes she's speaking..."

And then she disappeared behind the door.

Everyone was silent. They all just stared at the door, not knowing what to say or do. It was completely out of character for Megan to do that. Sure, she never really liked working with others, but she loved performing. And to tell everyone she would forfeit... she knew this would lessen her chance of advancing... it just didn't make sense.

Finally, Kukui spoke up.

"Can someone who's already had their turn speak to her? I really don't want her giving up this opportunity so easily." He asked, glancing around the area. Lillie looked like she wanted to, but it seemed like she also wanted to stay with Hau, who looked absolutely distraught. It was obvious he was blaming himself, even if it wasn't his fault. Gladion however instantly raised his hand. Not only because he didn't want Megan to give up, but also because he wanted answers from her more than anybody.

"I'll go." he offered.

"Thank you, Gladion."

The boy nodded, sending his sister a glance as if to say 'I got this' before leaving the room after Megan. Now it just came to finding her.

"I see. So, 11:40 then?"

Well, that was easy...

Megan's voice was heard from around the corner. It seemed to have taken a formal tone, but Gladion could still tell it was her. Gladion began walking and peeked around the corner, noticing that the girl was leaning against the wall with a serious expression, her phone pressed to her ear as she spoke to whoever was on the other line.

"Okay, yes I'll be there. Uh-huh. Yes you too. Bye."

She dropped her arm and let out a sigh, as if she had been holding her breath and leaned her head back against the wall. She seemed relieved, but her face still showed a hint of distress. Gladion decided now was as good as time as any to reveal himself to her.

"That sounded important."

Megan was so surprised she nearly dropped her phone. She whipped her head round to face Gladion, who just stepped out of hiding and was frowning at her. She gulped nervously.

"S-Shouldn't you still be in class?" She asked, still slightly shocked about him being there. Gladion scoffed slightly.

"Says the girl who left her assessment to answer a call."

"I said it was important."

"What was it for?"

She hesitated for a moment "A job I applied for last night... I got an interview."

"Okay I admit that's pretty good going..." he half praised "But I don't get why you'd choose a call for a job over your assessment."

"That wasn't the--"

"I know that wasn't the only reason, but still. We may have only met a little over a month ago, but I know you well enough to know you don't give up on something so easily. Especially if that something's dancing. So tell me, why did you apply for this job?"

None of your business...

"Because I wanted to." Megan replied in a surprisingly harsh tone, and she began to walk forwards "Now if you excuse me, I'm heading to Starbucks. I doubt they'll let me back into the studio."

She attempted to walk past Gladion, but he wasn't done. Oh no, he wasn't gonna let her go so easily. He extended his arm and caught her just before she stepped behind him, causing her to gasp at the sudden contact. However her face soon formed into a frown.

"Let me go, Gladion."

He shook his head "No."

"I said," She tried tugging against his arm, but his strength overpowered hers "Let me go."

"And I said I won't." He pushed her back and in front of him, where he took ahold of her upper arms and stared down at her sternly "Not until you give me a real answer."

"Why do you want to know so badly?"

"Because you're my friend and this is quite obviously stressing you out. I'm worried about you."

"Well there's no need to be," she turned her head away "I'm fine."

"Clearly you're not." Gladion growled slightly.

"Okay you know what!" Megan attempted to snatch her arm out of his grasp, but failed "Do you know what the problem with you is? It's that you always stick your nose in other people's business, even though they quite obviously don't want to tell you."

"I think you secretly do want to tell me."

"Yeah well I don't!" Bullshit... "Open your eyes, Frenchfry, because I ain't saying shit!"

"Fine then." The boy sighed "I guess I'll just have to guess."

"Gladion no, we both know what happened last time you--"

"It's your mother, isn't it?"

Silence...

Megan stopped struggling against him, allowing the strain in his hands to lessen. She stared up at him with wide eyes.

What the actual...

As if he read her mind Gladion sighed, closing his eyes and nodding his head slightly "Yes, I know..."

"H-How?"

"Your brother. He told me."

"But when did-..." She cut herself off "The day you helped me study... when I went to buy ingredients, that's what you guys talked about?!"

He nodded again.

"Why would he tell you?"

"To be honest I don't know myself... all he said is that I make you happy..." his cheeks tinted pink, and Megan seemed to have a similar reaction.

Well... he wasn't wrong...

Megan glanced away from him, expression between sad and embarrassed as she chewed her bottom lip. Gladion sighed again and let his hands drop from her arms, only to bring one up to rest on top of her head.

"How about we sit down and talk about this for a bit?"

She nodded slowly.

And they did talk. They sat on opposite sides of the hallway and talked, about what Luke told Gladion about Megan's family. They talked about why it was a subject she'd rather keep from her friends. They talked about how she didn't know where her father was- not like she cared. They talked about why her mother left for another country to get a good stable and well paid job. They talked about the letter. And they talked about why Megan was so set on getting this job, which Gladion soon found out was a night shift as a warehouse operative.

And when they finished talking, Gladion couldn't bare to see the despair in her eyes.

"So you see why I chose this job over my assessment now?" She murmured into her knees, which were pulled up to her chest. Gladion nodded slowly.

"Your family needs the money..."

"Yup. And I'm willing to choose my family above my future as a dancer."

"You'd be willing to give up on your dreams..."

Megan tightened her arms against her legs. It hurt just to watch.

"Megan, Lillie and I come from a wealthy family, you know I can give you money if you ask--"

Megan gasped and shot her head up "No! This is a family matter, I can't ask you two to do that! It's not right! Besides... I'd feel guilty and selfish if I asked that of you..."

"You shouldn't." Gladion frowned "Friends should help each other, right?"

Megan shook her head "This isn't one of those times, Gladion... I have to do this on my own."

"But I..." he clenched his jaw "I don't want you to stop doing what you love..."

"That doesn't matter to me anymore--"

"Don't lie to me." His voice was stern, but not angry. Just desperate. He crawled over so he was directly in front of her "This hurts you just as much as it's hurting me."

Her eyebrows pulled downwards "It's hurting you?"

"Of course it is!" His voice raised without his consent "It hurts that you're suffering. It hurts that this is forcing you and Luke to work until your muscles can't anymore. It hurts that you are forced to give up on your dreams. It hurts that you're having to grow up too early. It hurts..." His head bowed, his body shaking slightly as his fists clenched on his lap "It hurts because I can't end your pain..."

Megan watched as he broke down, eyes stinging as she brought down her legs into a kneeling position. She didn't know what to say. Not to blame her, no one had ever said anything like what this boy had to her... the only thing she could get out was one question.

"Why do you care so much?"

He gasped softly, slowly lifting his head to gaze into her glossy aqua blue eyes. He didn't have an answer, not one that could explain why he felt this way. He couldn't verbally explain why it hurt to see her so upset. He couldn't verbally explain why he wanted nothing more than to take all her pain. He couldn't verbally explain why he wanted to protect her from everything.

So he did something else... he didn't care if it was forbidden anymore

His hands came up to cup her cheeks and his thumbs caressed her skin, which caused her to let out a sharp breath. He wasted no time in leaning in and claiming her lips, kissing them softly as he weaved a hand through her hair and tracing her jaw with the other.

No words were needed. She knew what he was trying to say loud and clear.

(O boy >///<)