Ren's POV
I woke up the next morning with a vision.
The butterfly clip? Gone. The trauma? Buried. The memory of singing a high note like a dying opera ghost? Repressed.
Today, I would reclaim what Sky stole from me: my dignity.
I stepped out of the dorm with my chest puffed like I was about to bench press the entire Roman Colosseum.
"Alpha energy only," I muttered to myself, fixing the collar of my hoodie like it was a tuxedo.
Rain gave me a dead-eyed glance as we walked across campus. "What are you doing?"
"Walking," I said, deepening my voice. "Like a man."
"You look constipated," he replied.
I ignored him. The wind was in my hair. My shoulders were squared. I nodded at a passing professor like I was her boss.
Then I saw her—Sky. In a pink sundress. Braided hair. And the same evil sparkle in her eyes that she wore right before ruining my entire existence 24 hours ago.
"Hey boys!" she chirped.
I stood taller. "Sup."
Rain gave her a nod. I gave her a nod. But mine had edge.
Sky blinked at me. "Why are you walking like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like you watched one mafia movie and decided you're dangerous."
Rain snorted. Loudly.
"I'm just walking like a man who knows what he wants," I said. "Power. Glory. Respect."
"You had a feather boa on yesterday," she reminded me.
I flinched.
Rain coughed. "Bunny ears."
"AND," she continued, "you bought glitter socks. With unicorns."
My soul left my body for a minute.
"Character growth," I said confidently.
Then she said the final blow:
"And you still have the sticker on your back." She reached forward and peeled it off. It was one of the photo booth pictures—with me sneezing and Rain looking like he was choking on air.
Rain burst out laughing.
I glared at the sticker. "This is sabotage."
"No," Sky said sweetly, "this is love."
She handed it back to me. "Keep it as a memory."
Rain was still laughing ten minutes later as we walked into the cafeteria.
"You good?" I asked.
"She said you walk like a knockoff gangster," he wheezed.
"I am a gangster."
"You wore a lemon cardigan."
"That was forced upon me."
"You posed with a stuffed frog."
"That frog and I had a connection."
Rain chuckled, then paused. "You still have the bracelet?"
I glanced at my wrist.
Tiny skulls. Glitter. Neon pink thread.
"…Shut up."