Emily didn't just walk into the school the next day — she arrived.
Like a bold, beautiful whirlwind with messy curls, black boots, and an oversized denim jacket that looked like it had traveled the world with her.
Emma trailed behind her with an embarrassed smile. "You do remember this is school, right? Not a runway?"
"I dress for my future documentary," Emily said, tossing a wink at a passing teacher who immediately choked on his coffee. "Besides, I'm here for the vibe."
The moment they stepped into Class B, heads turned.
It was like someone dropped an Instagram filter on the room. Eyes widened. Jaws slowly dropped. The guys—especially—reacted in dramatic, hilarious ways.
Josh, the wannabe ladies' man of the class, nearly fell out of his chair.
"Wait... wait... hold up," he whispered to Jason, the drummer who sat beside him. "Is that... Emma 2.0?!"
Jason squinted. "Nah. That's Emma unlocked. Like the DLC version."
"I think I'm in love," muttered another guy from the back.
Emily smirked at all the chaos and leaned into Emma's ear. "Your classmates are thirstier than my DMs."
Emma rolled her eyes. "Please don't break anyone."
"No promises."
At the back of the class sat Noah, scrolling through his phone with one earbud in—completely uninterested. Until he looked up.
Time slowed. Literally, in his head, it felt like someone hit the slo-mo button.
Emily caught his eye.
And for a moment, Noah froze. The world went oddly quiet. It was Emma, but not Emma. The eyes were similar, but the energy? Different. This one looked like she'd steal your hoodie and your ego.
He blinked hard.
Emily grinned.
Emma noticed. "Don't."
"I didn't say anything," Noah said, flustered.
Jason leaned in. "Bro... you okay?"
Noah shook his head. "No. I think I just saw the future... and she might ruin me."
Jason snorted. "Welcome to the club."
During lunch, Emily became the unofficial queen of the school courtyard. Students gathered around like she was auditioning for a Netflix series. Even the teachers whispered.
Meanwhile, tension in the band room thickened like molasses.
Jason, ever the peacekeeper, tried to lighten the mood. "Okay, okay. New rule: whoever gets mad has to wear the banana hat."
Liam looked up. "What banana hat?"
Jason pulled a ridiculous yellow hat from his bag. "Bought it during a school trip. Never used it. Until today."
Emma cracked a smile. "You carry that around?"
"Always prepared," he said, placing it dramatically on his head and doing a little dance.
Even Noah smirked.
For a second, the tension dipped.
They started rehearsing, working on a new track Liam had written but this time, with Noah doing the hook. It was risky—like mixing fire and oil—but it worked.
And it sounded... good. Too good.
Jason paused mid-drumbeat. "Okay, we might have just stumbled on a hit."
Emma clapped. "Told you both—you're better together."
Noah glanced at Liam. "We'll see."
But that night, as Emily helped Emma pack their gym bags, she asked a quiet question:
"So... this Liam guy. Are we feeling things?"
Emma froze. "Emily..."
"Because if not, I totally get it. He looks like the lead singer of a heartbreak song."
Emma smiled. "He's... complicated."
"So, you are feeling things."
Emma didn't answer.
Emily tilted her head. "Okay. Well, I call dibs on the angry one. He's got soulmate issues. I can feel it."
Emma raised an eyebrow. "You mean Noah?"
Emily tossed her hair. "Exactly. Brooding. Rebellious. Probably writes poetry no one sees. My type."
Emma snorted. "You've known him for like five hours."
Emily grinned. "It's not about time. It's about chaos."
Meanwhile, Noah sat in his room, playing chords on his keyboard. The melody came easily. But the lyrics?
They refused to settle.
He kept thinking of her. That girl with the Emma-eyes and the devil-may-care energy. She unnerved him.
Which somehow felt... right