The Heart Behind the Shout

The door of the dance studio slowly closed behind the manager, his scolding words still echoing faintly in the air. A heavy silence fell over the room. Ameya, now in Jenna's body, stood frozen in place, her head lowered, tears spilling freely down her cheeks.

"Jenna..." Ruby whispered, rushing toward her.

Sofie and Linda followed, surrounding her with gentle concern. They thought she was crying because the manager had been harsh, but none of them knew the truth — that deep inside, Ameya was breaking apart. It wasn't just about the scolding. She missed her family. Her real family. Her old life. The people she might never see again. That thought crushed her more than anything else.

"I-I'm fine," she tried to say, but her voice cracked, revealing the deep ache she was trying to hide.

The girls hugged her, trying to offer comfort, whispering things like "It's okay," and "You'll be better next time." But their words floated above the real wound in her heart.

---

The Next Morning

Practice resumed as usual. Everyone was trying their best, pushing through routines and steps, wiping sweat with bright smiles. Ameya followed along, her movements slowly regaining energy, her emotions buried just enough to let her keep going.

After practice, the girls collapsed onto the floor or leaned against the wall, chatting and laughing. Ameya was catching her breath when the door swung open.

Michael, the main vocalist of FJ4, stepped into the room.

The reaction was instant.

"Michael!" Sofie squealed, jumping up like a spring. "Oh my God, it's really him!"

Ameya blinked, confused at first by the chaos, then watched in amusement. Sofie was nearly vibrating with excitement. Michael smiled gently and waved at everyone.

"Hey girls, how's your practice going?"

"Going great!" one girl replied eagerly.

Another chimed in, "Michael, you're so handsome!"

He chuckled, scratching the back of his neck, clearly shy but used to the attention.

"I actually have a little surprise for you all," he said. "Guess what it is?"

The room quieted with anticipation.

"Any guesses?" Michael asked, eyes twinkling.

Ruby nudged Ameya. "Hey Jenna, you know him better than us, right? Any idea?"

Ameya froze. "Me?"

Ruby laughed. "Oh come on, Michael is your favorite idol, remember? You follow his fanpage all the time. You're totally a die-hard fan!"

Ameya blinked as the memories clicked into place — not hers, but Jenna's. Ah… Jenna must've loved him. That's why they think I'm obsessed too.

She forced a little laugh. "Haha, maybe I did..."

Michael finally revealed the surprise: "I'm giving you all VIP tickets to our upcoming concert. Don't forget to come!"

The room exploded with cheers. The girls squealed and jumped, thanking him over and over. Michael smiled warmly before leaving.

---

Concert Day

The concert auditorium buzzed with excitement. Ameya sat beside her friends in the balcony, heart pounding. Ten more minutes. Only ten more minutes until her first FJ4 concert. Even though she wasn't in her own life anymore, this — this was a dream Jenna had wanted with all her heart.

And… maybe Ameya wanted it now too.

The lights dimmed. The crowd erupted as FJ4 entered the massive stage.

"Rico! Suha! Michael! Nicky!" fans shouted.

The performance began — dazzling lights, booming music, the boys dancing and singing with perfect energy. Ameya's eyes sparkled. Was this real? Could this be real?

She pinched her arm. Ouch. Yes — it was real.

After four or five songs, the energy only grew stronger.

Suddenly, Sofie stood up on her seat and yelled, "SUHA! YOU'RE SO HANDSOME!"

Linda and Ameya tried to pull her down, but Sofie wouldn't budge.

Ruby sighed and covered her face. "I don't know her," she muttered.

"Hey Jenna! Linda!" Sofie grinned, "Join me! This is our moment!"

Sofie continued "SUHA..I.LOVE..YOU...."

Linda rolled her eyes. "Pass."

But something stirred in Ameya — a rush of emotion, excitement, the energy of the crowd — and before she could stop herself, she stood up too.

"RICO! I LOVE YOU!"

Her voice rang out loud — louder than even she expected.

Everyone froze.

Ruby's eyes widened. "Uh… Jenna… look."

She pointed to the giant screen on stage.

Ameya's face was being live-streamed — her shout caught by a cameraman.

Gasps and laughter rippled through the audience. Even FJ4 on stage paused. Michael nudged Rico and pointed. Rico looked at the screen, saw Ameya's excited face, and raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Looks like you've got a bold fan," Suha teased through the mic.

Rico chuckled, eyes scanning the balcony.

Ameya stood frozen, her heart thudding. What did I just do...?

She sat down slowly, face burning, hiding behind her hands.

Ruby giggled and leaned closer. "Well... that was unexpected."

Linda laughed too. "I didn't know Jenna had a voice that loud."

Inside, Ameya's heart was still pounding — but not out of embarrassment.

For the first time since waking up in this strange new world… she felt alive.

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