Aria's POV
Break time arrived too quickly.
The bell rang, chairs scraped back, and the classroom emptied into the hallway in a rush of noise. I followed Mia to the cafeteria, trying to focus on the small things the way she talked about the food, the way students clustered into groups anything that would keep my mind from spiraling.
We found a table near the side, not too close to the center. Mia said it was safer there.
I barely touched my food.
Every bite felt heavy, like it didn't want to go down. The cafeteria buzzed with laughter and conversations, but I felt oddly disconnected, like I was watching everything through glass.
Then Mia went still.
Completely still.
Her fingers tightened around her fork.
"Aria," she said quietly, not looking at me, "please don't panic."
My heart dropped. "Why?"
She slowly lifted her gaze past my shoulder. "Because two girls are walking toward us right now."
I turned my head just slightly.
I saw them.
They walked like they owned the place shoulders back, heads high, surrounded by the invisible confidence of people who had never been told no at Kingsford Academy. Other students subtly shifted out of their path, conversations dying as they passed.
Mia leaned closer. "Those are the meanest girls in this school. I'm serious. They ruin people for fun."
My chest tightened. "Who are they?"
"One of them used to be close to Noah," she whispered. "Very close."
Before I could process that, they stopped right in front of our table.
A shadow fell over my tray.
"So," one of them said slowly, her voice dripping with mock curiosity, "this is the girl."
I looked up.
She was beautiful in a sharp way perfect makeup, glossy lips, eyes cold and calculating. The girl beside her smiled softly, but it didn't reach her eyes.
"I'm sorry," I said carefully. "Do I know you?"
The first girl laughed. "Oh, you know me. You just don't know it yet."
She tilted her head, studying me like I was something misplaced. "Tell me how does it feel?"
I frowned. "Feel… what?"
She leaned closer, lowering her voice just enough to sound intimate. "After pulling a scandal like that on your first day."
My stomach twisted. "I didn't pull anything."
"Oh please," she scoffed, straightening. "You really expect us to believe that?"
Mia pushed her chair back slightly. "Believe what exactly?"
The girl ignored her, eyes locked on me. "Sitting with my boyfriend in front of everyone. Getting recorded. Trending online."
"I don't even know him," I said, my voice firm despite the way my hands trembled under the table.
She laughed again, louder this time. "Wow. The audacity."
Mia snapped, "You mean your ex-boyfriend."
The cafeteria seemed to pause.
The girl's smile vanished instantly as she turned on Mia. "Watch your mouth."
Mia didn't flinch. "Truth hurts."
The second girl finally spoke, stepping forward. "Let's be honest. Girls like her don't just accidentally end up in situations like that."
My jaw tightened. "Girls like me?"
She shrugged. "New. Pretty. Desperate to be noticed."
Something snapped inside me.
"I didn't ask for attention," I said quietly. "And I didn't steal anything from you."
The first girl scoffed. "You think sitting there acting innocent makes you look better?"
"I think attacking someone over rumors makes you look insecure," I shot back.
Gasps spread across nearby tables.
The girl stepped closer, her voice sharp. "Say that again."
Before I could respond..
"That's enough."
The voice was calm.
But it carried.
Every sound in the cafeteria seemed to drop at once.
I turned.
Noah stood there.
Hands in his pockets. Expression unreadable. Eyes dark and focused.
The two girls immediately changed.
"Noah," the first one said, her tone softening instantly. "We were just talking."
The second girl nodded quickly. "Yeah, it's nothing serious."
Noah's gaze didn't leave them. "Doesn't look like nothing."
She laughed nervously. "You know how people exaggerate."
He tilted his head slightly. "I don't like exaggeration."
She stepped closer, touching his arm. "You don't really believe she's innocent, do you?"
Noah looked down at her hand.
Then back at her face.
"Move," he said flatly.
Her smile froze.
"I don't like scenes," he continued calmly. "And I don't like my name being used to justify bullying."
The cafeteria was dead silent.
He glanced at Mia, then at me. "You two okay?"
Mia nodded immediately.
I hesitated but nodded too.
Noah turned back to the girls. "Walk away."
They stared at him for a second, then turned and left, heels clicking sharply against the floor.
Only when they disappeared did the noise slowly return.
My legs felt weak as I sat down.
Mia leaned close. "You handled that really well."
I exhaled shakily. "I didn't feel strong."
Across the table, Noah lingered for a moment, eyes unreadable.
"Kingsford tests people," he said quietly. "Don't let it break you."
Then he walked away.
And somehow, I knew
This was only the beginning.
---
By the time the closing bell rang, relief washed over me so strongly my knees almost gave out.
The sound echoed through the halls, loud and final, and suddenly everyone was moving laughing, stretching, talking about plans. I stayed seated for a few seconds longer, gathering myself, pretending to double-check my bag while I waited for the stares to fade.
They didn't.
I felt them as I stood. Eyes followed me as I walked out of the classroom, whispers curling behind my back like shadows that refused to leave. I kept my head up anyway, my grip tight around my books.
Just get home, I told myself. Just get through today.
The walk home felt endless. Every step replayed moments from school the cafeteria confrontation, the mean girls' expressions, Noah's voice cutting through the noise. By the time I reached the house, my chest felt heavy with everything I hadn't said.
I dropped my bag by the door and went straight to my room.
Homework was the only thing that stopped my thoughts from spiraling. I worked slowly, carefully, forcing my focus onto equations and sentences. When I finally finished, exhaustion claimed me completely.
I lay down just to rest my eyes.
The next thing I knew, sunlight had shifted, and the room felt quieter.
---
I woke up feeling slightly lighter, but still restless.
The walls felt too close, so I decided to go for a walk nothing long, just enough to breathe. The neighborhood was calm, evening air cool against my skin, birds settling in trees as the sky softened.
"Hey."
I turned, startled.
A boy stood a short distance away, holding a book under his arm. He didn't look intimidating or flashy just calm, observant.
"I'm Enzo," he said. "We go to Kingsford Academy."
"Oh," I replied. "Hi."
"I saw what happened today," he continued carefully. "You handled it well."
I blinked. "You saw?"
He nodded. "Most people were too busy watching for drama. I was watching reactions."
We walked side by side.
He told me he was one of the top students academically, how people called him a nerd because he didn't care about popularity. He explained the mean girls in detail how they hated losing control, how rumors were their weapon of choice.
"They'll get bored if you don't react," Enzo said. "That's how you win."
I nodded slowly, grateful for the honesty.
Then my phone rang.
Mom.
"I should head back," I said.
"See you around, Aria," Enzo replied with a small smile.
---
When I got home, the energy felt different.
Music played softly. The living room was unusually tidy. My mom stood near the mirror, adjusting her earrings.
"What's going on?" I asked.
She smiled. "Company event. Annual celebration."
My heart skipped. "Tonight?"
"Yes. And you're coming with me."
I hesitated. After today, the idea of socializing felt overwhelming.
"Just for a few hours," she added gently.
I exhaled. "Okay."
---
In my room, I stood staring at the dress my mom had given me on my birthday.
The sparkly blue one.
I'd never worn it.
I slipped it on slowly. The fabric clung softly to my body, fitting perfectly, reflecting light with every movement. It felt unfamiliar.but empowering.
I kept my makeup light, straightened my hair, clipped it back neatly. When I looked in the mirror, I barely recognized myself.
Before leaving, I texted Mia:
Going to a company party with my mom.
---
The event center took my breath away.
A gigantic building, glass glowing under soft lights, the company's name displayed in large elegant letters at the entrance. This wasn't even the headquarters just their event center.
Inside, everything shimmered. Dresses. Suits. Soft laughter. Dim music floating through the air.
I followed my mom to the employees' section, smiling politely as she introduced me.
Then it hit me.
Urgent. Unavoidable.
I needed the restroom.
Of all times…
I excused myself quickly, scanning the hallway until I spotted a door that looked promising. I pushed it open
and froze.
Noah stood there.
Suit jacket loosened, sleeves rolled slightly, his expression shifting instantly from relaxed to surprised.
For a second, neither of us moved.
This wasn't school.
This wasn't Kingsford.
And somehow, seeing him here felt entirely different.
My heart skipped, confusion mixing with shock.
"I-sorry," I said quickly, stepping back.
He stared at me like he couldn't believe it either.
"Aria?" he said.
Of all places.
Of all people.
And suddenly, I knew this night wasn't going to be simple.