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💫💋🌟This is my first book on a K-pop group. Be nice🌟💋💫

💖 Written by: Sapphire-Skye 💖

......

For the first time in my life, I actually felt... confident.

At least... until my first day.

Because apparently, confidence is great-until you're standing at the very unusually large gates of Starlite Academy, with a suitcase, and the sudden realization that everyone around you looks like they belong in a premium magazine.

Tall. Stunning. Perfect hair. Perfect posture. Perfect everything.

Meanwhile I was sweating through my shirt before I even stepped foot inside.

"This is fine," I whispered to myself as I stared at the grand silver archway that read 'Starlite Academy - Where Stars Are Made'. "Totally fine. No reason to panic. Zero reasons."

My stomach disagreed. Violently.

A few girls walked past me, chatting effortlessly in that way confident people do. One had neon green highlights that blended perfectly with her long black hair, one sashayed in heels taller than my ambitions, and one was casually carrying a guitar case as if it weighed the same as a sheet of paper.

I tightened my grip on my suitcase handle.
Right. I belonged here. They said so in writing. On official letterhead.

Still... my knees wobbled.

"First day?" a voice chirped beside me.

I turned to see a girl about my height with long black hair combed to perfection, heels sharp enough to kill, and a smile so bright it could power the academy itself. She casually held a tall stack of sheets like they were nothing.

"Uh-yeah," I said. "Is it that obvious?"

"Oh, completely. You have the 'I'm either going to throw up or become a superstar' face. Classic first-day look." She shifted the sheet music to one arm and held out her free hand. "I'm Serria. Vocal track."

"Ivy," I said, shaking her hand. "Dance track."

"Ooh, ok girl", she said in genuine awe. "That means you're flexible. I'm jealous."

I snorted. "I mean.... I'm ok, I guess. Don't ask me to do a back handspring unless you want to watch a medical emergency, tho."

She giggled, and somehow the knot in my gut loosened.

We began walking through the academy gates together. The courtyard was alive with sound-girls rehearsing runs, warm-up scales floating through open windows, the rhythmic slap of sneakers on practice mats. Everything sparkled in very sense possible.

"This place is unreal," I breathed.

"It really is," Serria said, flipping bits of her hair off her shoulder. "I've been waiting for this since I was a kid. I used to watch Starlite showcases on my ipad under my blanket at night. My mom thought I was asleep."

"My sister and I used to do full mock auditions in the living room," I said. "She sang. I danced. We thought we were unstoppable."

"And now you're actually here," Serria said, bumping her shoulder lightly against mine. "That's the crazy part."

Yeah.
That was the crazy part.

We reached the dorm entrance-Modern Dormitory B, according to the sign. The building was sleek and bright, like someone took a luxury hotel and fed it till it became intimidating.

A clipboard-wielding student ambassador sat behind a check-in table. "Name?"

"Ivy Lavotra," I said.

She scanned the list, then nodded. "Room 297. You have 3 other roommates. Two have already arrived."

My pulse fluttered again. Roommates. Strangers. People who would witness my awkward attempts at stretching at 6 a.m. and possibly my nervous pacing at night.

"Okay," I said, accepting the fancy keycard.

Serria gave me a thumbs-up. "If your roommate ends up being a serial heels thief or something, come find me. I'm in 303."

I laughed. "Thanks. And if you hear loud thuds from down the hall, that's probably me trying to unpack."

We split at the elevator- her going upwards to her section- me walking further ahead to mine.

Each step made my heart beat a little faster.

Room 295.
296.
297.

I paused outside the door, keycard trembling in my hand. A single breath, warm and shaky, slipped out of me.

This was it.
Day one.
My new life.
A life where I was supposed to grow, shine, and somehow not trip in front of the world.

I swiped the card.
The light blinked green.
The large opaque glass door clicked open, like in a fancy sci-fi movie.

I stepped inside.

And immediately froze when a girl with striking berry-blonde hair and sharp amber eyes looked up from her bed.

She was stunning in a way that took my breath away.

"Oh," she said, expression unreadable. "You must be Ivy."

Her voice was cool. Smooth. Confident.

Exactly the kind of girl who didn't forget her own name at auditions.

"Yep," I said with a smile that felt two sizes too big. "That's me."

She studied me for half a second, then gave the faintest nod. "I'm Lia. Vocal and performance track."

Performance track.
One of the hardest.

Great. My roommate was a prodigy.

Just then, another girl strolled out of the washroom like she owned the place, her short, curly blonde hair bounced at her every steps- her sharp, piercing green eyes, landed on me judgingly.

"Nice to meet you," I said, trying not to sound too terrified.

"....Nice" She sighed, clearly annoyed, "Another one? I'm Slyvie. That's yours" She gestured toward an empty bed at the top bunk. "You take that. Orientation starts at four. Don't be late. They judge that."

"O-okay," I said.

As I set my bags down, my nerves surged again, buzzing under my skin like static.

But then-quietly, stubbornly-something in me fought back.

That tiny spark of confidence I'd felt last night.

I straightened my shoulders.
Unzipped my suitcase.
And told myself, firmly:

I'm here.
I deserved this.
And no matter how intimidating this place is...
I'm going to try.
I'm going to be brave.
...,.,....

💫💋🌟What will happen next?! Find out in the next chapter 🌟💋💫

💘💘💘🌟~TOODLES🌟💘💘💘