Elie’s and Jenna walked into the cafeteria, the noise of chattering students filling the air. They made their way to the serving line, grabbing trays and choosing their food. Elie’s picked something light—she wasn’t particularly hungry, but she didn’t want Jenna to start asking questions. Once they had their trays, they scanned the room for an empty table. Jenna pointed to one near the window. “Let’s sit over there.” Elie’s nodded, and the two girls walked over, placing their trays on the table and settling into their seats. “So,” Jenna began, taking a bite of her sandwich, “what’s your plan for the rest of the day?” Elie’s shrugged, poking at her salad with her fork. “Nothing much. Just surviving the rest of my classes.” Jenna chuckled. “That’s the spirit.” They ate in relative silence for a few moments, the noise of the cafeteria serving as background. Suddenly, Jenna’s gaze shifted to something—or someone—behind Elie’s, and a grin spread across her face. “Elie’s,” she
Damien sat at his usual table in the cafeteria, surrounded by his friends and a group of girls who seemed overly eager to keep his attention. Their chatter filled the air, but Damien wasn’t listening. His eyes were fixed on the entrance of the cafeteria, waiting. Then he saw them. Elie’s walked in with Jenna by her side. She looked as she always did—calm, a little reserved, but there was something about her that held his attention in a way no one else did. He watched as she and Jenna grabbed trays and moved through the serving line, picking their food. “Damien, did you hear what I just said?” one of the girls at his table asked, leaning closer to him. He didn’t answer. He didn’t even glance in her direction. His focus remained on Elie’s as she and Jenna made their way to a table near the window. He noticed how Jenna picked the seat facing the rest of the room, leaving Elie’s to sit with her back partially turned. He could tell Elie’s didn’t like being the center of attention
Jenna leaned back in her seat, a mischievous grin spreading across her face as she noticed Damien’s eyes locked on their table. “Elie’s, guess who’s watching us?” she said, her tone dripping with mischief. Elie’s, still flustered from Chris’s attention, groaned. “Jenna, stop teasing me already! I can’t take any more embarrassment today.” “I’m not teasing, I’m serious,” Jenna said, nudging Elie’s with her elbow. “Who’s watching us?” Elie’s asked hesitantly, finally lifting her head a little. Jenna smirked and nodded toward Damien’s table. “See for yourself.” Elie’s turned around slowly, her heart pounding. Her gaze followed Jenna’s gesture, and her eyes landed on Damien. Sure enough, he was staring right at her. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes seemed to hold a glint of amusement. Elie’s cheeks burned instantly. “Oh no,” she whispered, quickly turning back to face Jenna. “He saw everything, didn’t he?” Jenna chuckled. “Oh, he definitely saw. Every single second
Elie’s clutched her books tightly as she and Jenna walked briskly down the hallway. Her heart was still racing from the sight of Damien leaning casually against the locker, his intense gaze fixed on her. “Why is he always there at the worst moments?” she muttered under her breath. Jenna chuckled. “You’re overthinking, Elie’s. Maybe he was just… waiting for someone else.” Elie’s shot her a look. “You don’t believe that, and neither do I. Let’s just get to our next class.” But as they rounded the corner, Elie’s heard footsteps behind them. She stiffened, her pulse quickening. “Hey, Elie’s,” a familiar voice called out. Jenna glanced back, smirking. “I think your shadow has caught up with you.” “Jenna, don’t—” Elie’s whispered, but it was too late. Damien strode up beside them, his usual confident smirk playing on his lips. His presence was impossible to ignore, and Elie’s felt her cheeks heat up immediately. “Are you trying to avoid me, Elie’s?” Damien asked, his tone
Elie’s and Jenna sat in their usual spot at the back of the classroom, chatting and giggling as they waited for the teacher to arrive. The atmosphere was light, and Elie’s felt a sense of comfort with her best friend by her side.“I swear,” Jenna said, tossing her hair over her shoulder, “if Jake winks at one more girl in the hallway, I’m going to throw my book at him.”Elie’s laughed. “You know you won’t. You secretly enjoy his flirting.”Jenna scoffed. “I do not! I’m just keeping tabs on him to make sure he doesn’t get too full of himself.”Elie’s smirked. “Sure, Jenna. Whatever helps you sleep at night.” Her word was interrupt with Tiffany entering the class with her gang of friends Mandy and Lucy“Oh no,” Jenna muttered under her breath. “Here comes trouble.”Elie’s sighed. “Let’s just ignore them.”But Tiffany had other plans. She stopped right in front of their desk, her arms crossed, and her two minions flanked her like guards.“Elie’s,” Tiffany began, her voice dripping with
Brittany entered the cafeteria, her heels clicking against the tiled floor as she scanned the room. Her eyes landed on Damien’s table, and as usual, he was surrounded by his friends. Her gaze softened momentarily as she observed him. His charm and effortless confidence were magnetic, but what truly enraged her was how his attention was focused elsewhere. Turning her head slightly, she followed his line of sight and saw Elie’s sitting at a table with Jenna. A scowl formed on Brittany's face, though she quickly masked it with a neutral expression. “Her, again,” she muttered under her breath. With calculated steps, Brittany walked toward Damien’s table, carrying her tray. As she reached the group, one of Damien’s friends noticed her and nudged the others. “Brittany, fancy seeing you here,” one of them said with a smirk, though his tone was more teasing than welcoming. Brittany ignored him, pulling out a chair next to Damien and settling down. She placed her tray on the table and
The next day, the school was buzzing with its usual noise, but something felt off for Elie’s. As she entered the classroom, she noticed Damien’s seat was empty. She frowned slightly but quickly shook the feeling away. “Maybe he’s just late,” she muttered to herself, heading to her seat. Jenna was already there, arranging her books. “Morning, Elie’s!” Jenna chirped. “Morning,” Elie’s replied, though her voice lacked its usual energy. Jenna gave her a curious look but didn’t say anything. As the class began, Elie’s found it harder to concentrate than usual. Her eyes kept darting toward the door, hoping to see Damien walk in with his usual confident stride and teasing smirk. But the door remained closed, and Damien’s seat stayed empty. When the teacher gave them an independent task, Elie’s turned to Jake, who was sitting a few seats away. “Hey, Jake,” she whispered. Jake looked up from his notebook. “What’s up?” “Do you know where Damien is? He’s not here today.” Jake s
The next day, Elie’s walked into the school building, her heart racing as she glanced around. The moment she spotted Damien near his locker, she felt an unexpected wave of relief wash over her. Without thinking, she rushed toward him, her steps quick and determined. Damien was casually leaning against his locker, his usual smirk playing on his lips as he chatted with Jake. The moment he saw Elie’s hurrying toward him, his eyebrows raised in amusement. “Damien!” she called, stopping right in front of him. “Good morning to you too, Elie’s,” he said, grinning. She ignored his greeting, her words tumbling out in a rush. “Why didn’t you come to school yesterday? Are you okay? Were you sick? Did something happen?” Damien chuckled, clearly entertained by her barrage of questions. “Whoa, whoa, slow down, Elie’s,” he said, holding up his hands as if to calm her down. “Take a breath.” Elie’s blinked, suddenly realizing how fast she had been talking. She took a step back, her cheeks
Elie’s was still smiling at Jenna’s words, her cheeks slightly flushed. She didn’t know if it was the attention from Chris or the way Jenna was hyping her up, but she felt different tonight—more confident, more seen.Chris had been sneaking glances at her all night, and every time their eyes met, he would smirk, making her heart race. This was the kind of night she had always dreamed of—a night where she wasn’t invisible.But while Elie’s was basking in this newfound attention, Damien was anything but pleased. His jaw was clenched, and his dark eyes were locked on Chris, who was laughing at something Elie’s had just said.Jenna noticed Damien’s expression and smirked. “Oh boy,” she whispered under her breath. “This is about to get messy.”Elie’s, oblivious to Damien’s growing rage, took a sip of her drink when Chris suddenly leaned in. “You look amazing tonight, Elie’s,” he said smoothly, his deep voice sending a shiver down her spine.Elie’s nearly choked on her drink, her eyes widen
Evening at Elie’s HouseThe sun had begun to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink as a soft breeze flowed through the neighborhood. Inside Elie’s house, things were quiet—too quiet for a night that was supposed to be one of the biggest events of the year.Elie’s was curled up on the couch, lazily flipping through channels, a bowl of popcorn resting in her lap. The house was empty, her parents weren’t home, and honestly, she preferred it that way. No one to force her to go to that ridiculous prom.She sighed as she settled on a romance movie, stuffing a handful of popcorn into her mouth.But just as she was getting comfortable, the doorbell rang.She groaned, already knowing exactly who it was.Dragging herself off the couch, she walked to the door and opened it slightly. Before she could react, Jenna stormed in like a hurricane.“Elie’s, I swear to God—” Jenna’s eyes widened when she took in Elie’s outfit. “You are sitting here, in pajamas, watching a movie, while the re
The entire school was buzzing with excitement. Ever since the announcement of the prom night on Saturday, students couldn’t stop talking about it. The girls, especially, were busy discussing their outfits, hairstyles, and who they would be going with.Elie’s sat at her desk, listening to the chatter around her. Jenna was beside her, flipping through her phone, looking at different dress styles.“Elie’s, have you decided what you’re wearing?” Jenna asked, nudging her.“I don’t even know if I’m going,” Elie’s admitted, playing with the hem of her shirt.Jenna gasped dramatically. “What do you mean you don’t know? It’s the biggest event of the semester! Everyone is going!”“I just don’t feel like dressing up and all that,” Elie’s said, shrugging.Jenna rolled her eyes. “Girl, I swear, you’re impossible. You have to come! Do you know how many guys are dying to ask you out?”Elie’s chuckled. “I doubt that.”“Doubt all you want, but it’s true.” Jenna smirked. “Besides, Damien is going to be
The air in the hallway was thick with tension as Tiffany stormed into the empty classroom where Bianca and her gang, Mandy and Lucy, were already seated. Her face was red with anger, her fists clenched tightly by her sides. Mandy and Lucy, still trying to process the humiliation they had faced in the cafeteria, muttered under their breath."How dare she!" Tiffany yelled, slamming her palm on the desk, startling the others. "That little nobody thinks she can humiliate me in front of everyone?"Mandy nodded, her face equally flushed. "She’s too bold for her own good. Elie's and that annoying Jenna—ugh, I can’t stand them!"Lucy added, "Tiffany, we need to do something. We can’t let them get away with this."Bianca, however, sat quietly in her seat, an odd smirk on her face. She was the only one who seemed unfazed by the situation. Her calm demeanor was unnerving, and it caught Tiffany’s attention."What’s so funny, Bianca?" Tiffany snapped, glaring at her. "Don’t tell me you’re not furi
The cafeteria was alive with chatter and clinking trays as students bustled around. Elie’s and Janna sat at their usual table near the window, eating and laughing at one of Janna’s terrible jokes. “I’m telling you,” Janna said through a mouthful of fries, “if this school had a competition for the weirdest cafeteria food combinations, I’d win hands down.” Elie’s shook her head, chuckling. “You’d also lose for originality. Who puts fries in their milkshake?” “It’s a delicacy!” Janna declared, pointing a fry at her. The lighthearted mood was interrupted when Tiffany walked into the cafeteria, flanked by Mandy and Lucy. They looked as though they owned the place, heads high and sneers on their faces. What caught Elie’s attention, though, was Bianca trailing behind them. Janna leaned closer to Elie’s and whispered, “Is it just me, or does it look like the Mean Girls have recruited Bianca?” Elie’s frowned. “What’s she doing with them?” Before they could speculate further, the
The day had ended, but Damien found himself wandering through the empty hallways of the school, his hands stuffed into his pockets and his usual smirk replaced by a pensive frown. He leaned against one of the lockers, the events of the previous day replaying in his mind like a movie he couldn’t turn off. The memory was sharp, vivid, and painfully fresh. --- It had been early morning, and the house was unusually quiet. Damien had been seated at the breakfast table, his plate untouched. His father entered the room, his face set with the same serious expression he always wore. “Damien, we need to talk,” his father had said, his voice calm but firm. “About what?” Damien replied, though he already had a sinking feeling about where this was headed. His father took a seat across from him, clasping his hands together. “I’ve been meaning to discuss this with you for a while now. I’ve decided to remarry.” The words hit Damien like a punch to the gut. He stared at his father, his h
The next day, Elie’s walked into the school building, her heart racing as she glanced around. The moment she spotted Damien near his locker, she felt an unexpected wave of relief wash over her. Without thinking, she rushed toward him, her steps quick and determined. Damien was casually leaning against his locker, his usual smirk playing on his lips as he chatted with Jake. The moment he saw Elie’s hurrying toward him, his eyebrows raised in amusement. “Damien!” she called, stopping right in front of him. “Good morning to you too, Elie’s,” he said, grinning. She ignored his greeting, her words tumbling out in a rush. “Why didn’t you come to school yesterday? Are you okay? Were you sick? Did something happen?” Damien chuckled, clearly entertained by her barrage of questions. “Whoa, whoa, slow down, Elie’s,” he said, holding up his hands as if to calm her down. “Take a breath.” Elie’s blinked, suddenly realizing how fast she had been talking. She took a step back, her cheeks
The next day, the school was buzzing with its usual noise, but something felt off for Elie’s. As she entered the classroom, she noticed Damien’s seat was empty. She frowned slightly but quickly shook the feeling away. “Maybe he’s just late,” she muttered to herself, heading to her seat. Jenna was already there, arranging her books. “Morning, Elie’s!” Jenna chirped. “Morning,” Elie’s replied, though her voice lacked its usual energy. Jenna gave her a curious look but didn’t say anything. As the class began, Elie’s found it harder to concentrate than usual. Her eyes kept darting toward the door, hoping to see Damien walk in with his usual confident stride and teasing smirk. But the door remained closed, and Damien’s seat stayed empty. When the teacher gave them an independent task, Elie’s turned to Jake, who was sitting a few seats away. “Hey, Jake,” she whispered. Jake looked up from his notebook. “What’s up?” “Do you know where Damien is? He’s not here today.” Jake s
Brittany entered the cafeteria, her heels clicking against the tiled floor as she scanned the room. Her eyes landed on Damien’s table, and as usual, he was surrounded by his friends. Her gaze softened momentarily as she observed him. His charm and effortless confidence were magnetic, but what truly enraged her was how his attention was focused elsewhere. Turning her head slightly, she followed his line of sight and saw Elie’s sitting at a table with Jenna. A scowl formed on Brittany's face, though she quickly masked it with a neutral expression. “Her, again,” she muttered under her breath. With calculated steps, Brittany walked toward Damien’s table, carrying her tray. As she reached the group, one of Damien’s friends noticed her and nudged the others. “Brittany, fancy seeing you here,” one of them said with a smirk, though his tone was more teasing than welcoming. Brittany ignored him, pulling out a chair next to Damien and settling down. She placed her tray on the table and