Curtain Call (j.jk)

Chapter Sixteen

Polly was acutely aware of three things.

1. The clock at the back of the theatre ticking, reminding her that even though it felt like everything had frozen solid in her life, time still went on.

2. Ana's eyes trained on her, ready to catch her when she inevitably fell into pieces.

And finally number 3. Her heart shattering in her chest as she watched a person she trusted, a person she loved betray her like never before.

45 minutes ago.

Ana stood, arms crossed over her chest as she assessed the boy in front of her. She could faintly hear the trickling of the water from the shower, where her best friend currently was.

"What the fuck were you thinking, huh?" She growled at him as he stared at the floor, refusing to meet her piercing gaze, "I left, we all left because you told us you wanted to let her down easily. You told us that you would make it easier for her. But instead you ended up in bed with her." Ana's eyes welled with tears. "How could you? How could you do that to Polly?"

She waited but he said nothing, his eyes still fixed to the floor.

"She loves you, Jungkook. She actually loves you. And now you're going to shatter her heart into a thousand pieces. And for what? So you could fuck her before you run back to that Slut?"

His head snapped up and he glowered at the girl in front of her.

"Don't you fucking dare, Ana." He seethed, teeth bared, "You don't think I don't know any of those things? You don't think it's going to crush me to hurt her?" He grabbed at his hair, "I HAVE TO!" He screamed, eyes wild as Ana shushed him, Polly would easily hear, even from the shower. "Sana" he gritted his teeth just from saying her name, "she is going to destroy Polly's career if I don't do this. And I...I love Polly. I love her more than I ever thought I could love someone." He sniffed as his vision blurred.

"Then why the hell would you sleep with her, Kookie?" Ana asked, bewildered, "you know she's going to think the only reason you dated her is so you could get her into bed, right?"

Jungkook scrunched his eyes shut. "I just...I knew what I was doing was wrong but I wanted...no needed to have one night." He took a shuddering breath, "one night to remember how it felt to be completely happy with the girl I'm in love with. Before she never speaks to me again." A tear fell from his eye and Ana felt a stabbing pain in her chest as she rushed to comfort him.

"Oh, Kookie." She murmured and hugged him even tighter when she heard him sob into her shoulder. "You have to be strong. Remember why we're doing this. To save Polly's career."

She felt him nod against her shoulder as the trickling of the water stopped and Polly got out of the shower. Then Ana's phone buzzed, a text from Jimin, telling her they were waiting outside in the car.

"Showtime." She announced before moving to the kitchen door and grabbing her bag. "Polly!" She yelled, "Hurry the hell up, the boys are here!"

She heard a muffled reply and 30 seconds later, a make-up free and still damp hair Polly emerged, grinning as she threw her backpack over her shoulder and with such ease and comfortability, slotted her hand into Jungkook's. He looked down to their intertwined hands and had to physically choke back the dry sob that was threatening to escape his throat. Taking a shuddering breath, he looked up at Polly's face and smiled bravely.

"You look beautiful." He said calmly and she laughed, shrugging.

"I've heard that some girls get this glow about them after they have amazing sex."

"Ugh, please stop, you'll make me sick." Ana scoffed, turning towards the front door.

"No need to be jealous, Ana, your time with Chim-chim will come."

Ana stuck her tongue out and opened the door. "Whatever. Come on, we don't want to be late."

oOo

The ride to college had been weird, in Polly's opinion anyway. Everyone was silent and when she tried to start a conversation, all she got was blunt, tense two-worded replies. Yoongi was worst, his hands on the stirring wheel tighter than ever, his eyes constantly flickering from the road to the rear view mirror, his blue orbs fixed on Polly. She was a little unnerved to say the least as they pulled up to the college but decided to let it go and glancing at the massive pile on reporters out the front on the college, threw a hand through her locks with conviction. The moment she stepped out however, Jimin, who had just exited the other car, quickly wrapped an arm around her waist and a hand over her mouth to stop her from squealing.

"Sorry, Polly but Christine has the back door of the theatre open for us, so we can sneak past the reporters."

She breathed a sigh of relief and swatted his hand away as he giggled. The seven boys and the two girls proceeded to run behind the parking lot and all the way round the back of the building before seeing the door of the theatre propped up by Christine who was looking frantically left and right.

"Hurry, hurry!" She called as they successfully scurried into the large room, breathing out a sigh of relief as Christine closed the door.

Polly beamed as she looked up and saw everyone getting ready, throwing a warm smile to Jonas who was warming up. He smiled uneasily back at her and shifted his gaze to Ana, eyes now hard and piercing. Ana, in turn, was looking back at him hopelessly.

"Everything okay?" Polly asked and Ana's face melted into an uncomfortable grin, smile not reaching her eyes.

"Yeah it's fine, don't worry about it."

Polly snorted. "Ana, I know you're lying but everyone keeps telling me to not worry about it so I'm going to do just that."

She turned to her boyfriend and grinning went to put her hand into his. However before she could, he jerked away from her as if she'd burned him and her mouth popped open in shock. A frown appeared on Christine's face but she said nothing.

"Um, Jungkook, what-"

Without warning, he rounded on her, eyes narrowed and glare fierce.  "Give it a rest, will you? Do you have to shove our relationship in everyone's face?"

Polly froze, her eyes widening, and her bottom lip began to tremble. Never, not once since they had met, had Jungkook ever looked or spoke to her like that. What was happening? What had she done wrong?

"I-I"

She was speechless, every time she tried to open her mouth to speak, his steely glare in her direction completely cut her off. And even though her eyes were fixed on him, had she turned to look at the others, she would have seen the sad but determined, grim looks on their faces. After a few agonising moments of silence, Christine cleared her throat, loudly.

"Uh, Polly, I know you're not my assistant anymore but the new girl has no clue about my coffee order. You don't mind getting me it, do you?"

The sound of her tutor questioning her brought Polly back to the present and her tutor sighed as she watched the dancer reluctantly look to her and try to smile. Her lips just began to tremble even more.

"S-sure, Christine. No problem." She glanced at Ana for a moment who refused to meet her gaze, eyes fixed on the floor and forced herself to look away and move forward, barely realising she was running out of the theatre nor aware that the whole group heard her unsuccessfully try to choke back a sob as she fled the scene.

"Fuck." Jungkook gasped, his hands on his knees, his voice hoarse as tears pricked at his eyes. "Fuck. I don't know if I can do this. Did you see her face? I-I can't-"

"Jungkook," Ana stern voice made him look at her, "we have to do this. If you can't even insult her without questioning your reasoning there is no way you're going to be able to break her heart and actually make her believe you never loved her." The Portuguese girl grabbed his shoulder and give it a tight squeeze. "We have to do this. We have no other choice."

Jungkook heaved a large sigh and nodded. I have to do this to save Polly's career.

He glanced up, eyes heavy with resignation and grimaced at the head tutor. "Where's Sana? Let's get this over and done with."