Summer slammed the door behind her as she walked into the living room, her voice loud enough for Scott to hear from the kitchen. Her shirt—white and once pristine—was now splashed and stained.
Scott looked up from the cereal he was pouring, brow raised. "What happened to you?"
She pulled off her denim jacket and held the stained shirt out dramatically. "Some clumsy girl at the cinema spilled her drink on me."
"Seriously?" he asked, walking toward her. "What girl?"
"I don't know her name," Summer said with an irritated sigh. "But she was weird. I mean, not in a bad way… just strange. Beautiful, too. Like, freakishly flawless."
Scott blinked, his stomach tightening in a way he didn't understand. "Weird how?"
Summer tilted her head as she tried to recall. "She had this tattoo—on the side of her neck. It looked like stars. Tiny ones. Orbiting something. I couldn't make out what, exactly, but it felt… ancient. Magical even."
Scott's cereal bowl clinked against the table as he set it down harder than necessary. "She had emerald-green eyes?"
Summer froze, narrowing her eyes. "Yes… How did you know that?"
Scott turned his back and busied himself with wiping a perfectly clean counter. "Lucky guess."
"No, seriously. That's not a guess. You just described her. Have you been stalking me?"
"What?" He turned around, pretending to look confused. "Why would I stalk you?"
"No, not me. Her."
"I haven't stalked anyone. I just… know her."
Summer squinted. "Wait… who is she?"
He hesitated, then sighed. "Her name's Sevira. She's… a classmate."
Summer's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Sevira. Huh. Pretty name. Pretty girl. And from the way you just described her, I'd say you think so too."
Scott laughed uncomfortably. "Relax. She's just someone I know."
Summer smirked, crossing her arms. "You like her."
"I don't."
"You do."
"I don't like her like that."
"Sure," she said sarcastically. "And I'm a unicorn."
Scott rolled his eyes and walked past her. "Whatever."
But as he climbed the stairs to his room, her name stayed with him.
Sevira.
She hadn't even seen him that night. And yet the universe seemed to keep tying invisible threads between them.
Sunday afternoon sun was blistering, glinting off the surface of the pool like a thousand diamonds. Scott was waist-deep in the shimmering water, the blue of the pool complementing his bronzed skin and messy dark hair. A half-empty glass of orange juice rested on a nearby side table, condensation dripping down its sides. His name—Scott—was engraved on a towel slung carelessly over the chair, a gift from his last birthday.
He looked like he had nothing on his mind—until she arrived.
Lizzie.
Dressed in a cute sun dress, hair tied in a high ponytail, she walked in barefoot with a soft smile tugging at her lips.
"Mind if I join you?" she asked casually.
Scott glanced at her, then back at the pool ladder he was about to climb. "I'm actually done," he said, pulling himself out of the water. "Got somewhere to be."
Her smile dropped slightly. "You always have somewhere to be, Scott."
He reached for a towel, ignoring the sting in her voice. "We don't really have anything to talk about, Lizzie."
She folded her arms. "You've been avoiding me. Why?"
He didn't meet her eyes. "I haven't been avoiding you. We just… don't have business to discuss."
Lizzie stepped closer, frustration soft in her voice. "It's not about business. I came to swim with you, to spend time with you—and now you're just walking away."
Scott grabbed his juice and took a long sip, trying to stay calm. "Did you come to see Summer? Because she's in her room."
"I came to see you," she said quickly. "Summer's always been my excuse—but it's you, Scott. You've always been the reason I show up here."
There was silence.
Then, another sip. Cool. Detached.
"I have to go. Meeting some people."
Lizzie's expression cracked, her pride thinning with the sharpness of rejection.
As Scott turned toward the house, Summer emerged from her room in a long T-shirt and fluffy slippers. "Lizzie!" she said with a bright smile, opening her arms for a hug.
Lizzie hugged her back, but her face gave everything away.
"You okay?" Summer asked.
"I came to see Scott," Lizzie muttered. "But apparently, some new girls just transferred and he can't wait to hang out with them."
Summer's eyes narrowed. "New girls?"
"Yeah," Lizzie said bitterly. "Sevira."
Summer stiffened.
"You know her?" Lizzie asked, catching the subtle shift in her friend's expression.
Summer hesitated. "Kind of. It's complicated."
Back inside, Scott was already upstairs, drying his hair and scrolling through his phone. A few missed calls from Kyle and Sky, followed by a text:
"We're at the restaurant. Where are you?"
He grabbed his keys and headed out, leaving Lizzie and Summer behind.
⸻
At the restaurant…
Laughter spilled out through the glass doors of the cozy, modern café. Skye and Kyle were seated in a corner booth, joined by Sevira, Alex, and a couple of drinks already on the table. The air buzzed with relaxed energy, but Sevira's gaze flicked often to the entrance.
Then, he walked in.
Scott.
Dressed in a black shirt that clung to his chest. hair slightly damp, smile cool and confident.
Sevira noticed him instantly—and something tightened in her chest.
His presence was magnetic. The way he walked. The way people instinctively looked up. The way his eyes scanned the room before settling on hers for a breath longer than necessary.
She quickly looked away, returning to her mocktail. With the others, she was warm, engaged, laughing even. But when it came to Scott, her tone cooled, her posture stiffened.
Scott noticed. He always noticed.
He sat beside Kyle but angled himself toward her ever so slightly. He smiled at everyone. Greeted Alex with a casual handshake, threw a joke at Sky, but his eyes… they kept drifting back to Sevira.
Their eyes met again—and she looked away.
She was fighting something.
And so was he.
Then the door opened, and a new voice called out, loud and familiar.
"Emma!" someone said.
Heads turned.
The group welcomed her in with light hugs and greetings, but for Sevira and Scott, everything else began to blur.
Because something else had started between them.
And it was growing stronger with every stolen glance.
The table buzzed with conversation, plates half-filled, drinks topped off, and a waiter subtly waiting for orders no one seemed to place. Scott was leaned back, relaxed but calculating—his fingers casually stirring the ice in his juice with the straw. His eyes drifted between faces, but every now and then… they lingered on Sevira.
"Lizzie was at my place yesterday," Scott said offhandedly, voice low but clear.
That got their attention.
Sevira stiffened slightly. A subtle shift, the kind only someone who knew her—or was studying her—would notice. Her lips curled into a polite expression, but her chest felt oddly tight, a sensation she hated and couldn't explain.
Lizzie? Why was she reacting? Why did that annoy her? Lizzie had been at Scott's house just earlier—so why did it suddenly matter that someone else had?
Her thoughts tangled.
You're not his girl. Why do you care?
But somehow, she did.
"Lizzie?" Alex scoffed. "What the hell was she doing at your house?"
Scott gave a small smirk. " family friends. There's some business deal our dads are into."
Emma raised a brow. "You and Lizzie? Since when are you close?"
"We're not," Scott replied smoothly. "It's more of a—legacy arrangement. Our families have been tied through corporate stuff since forever."
There was a pause.
Sevira finally looked up, her tone careful. "So… what is Lizzie to you?"
The question came out sharper than she intended.
Scott tilted his head slightly, like he was watching her more than hearing the words. "What do you mean?"
She immediately looked away, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Nothing really just wanted to know."
Before the silence stretched "Did you know Lizzie's brother Red is dating Summer? Scott elder sister."
Emma nearly choked on her drink. "Wait, what?"
"Yeah," Kyle said with a small smile.
"Wow," Alex laughed. "That's a plot twist."
"Yeah that's why she comes around a lot," Scott muttered calmly. "Like I said, business connections. Family stuff."
Sevira glanced at him again. This time, their eyes held.
There was something there. Something that neither of them wanted to name.
But it was loud, thick in the air between their words. Not quite anger. Not quite jealousy.
But definitely something.
And the rest of the table? Laughing, talking, joking—clueless of what's quietly building between two people pretending they didn't feel anything.
The bell had barely finished ringing before whispers started flying down the hallway.
It was Emma who heard it first—Lizzie and her minions huddled near the lockers, whispering about "misplacing" Sevira's assignment folder. The music test was crucial—anyone who missed it would get a zero, no make-ups allowed.
Emma's eyes narrowed. She immediately turned to Alex. "She's trying to sabotage Sevira. Again."
Alex blinked, scoffing. "This girl has no chill."
"She's hoping the script won't be submitted. If that happens, Sevira fails."
Alex leaned against the lockers, thinking fast. "Then we need to make sure that paper ends up on Mr. Jackson's desk. No matter what."
A beat passed. Then Emma grinned devilishly.
"What if we distract her?"
Alex raised a brow. "How?"
Emma's smirk grew. "We spread a rumor. A good one. One that'll make Lizzie too busy fuming to guard anything."
"Like what?"
Emma grinned wider. "Let's tell everyone Scott and Sevira are dating."
Alex burst into laughter. "That's evil genius."
Emma was already pulling out her phone. "Let's cause a little chaos."
By the time the second lunch bell rang, the school halls were on fire with whispers.
"Did you hear?"
"Scott and Sevira?! No way!"
"I thought he liked Lizzie—"
"Nah, apparently, he's into quiet, mysterious types."
Inside the cafeteria, the rumors swirled like wildfire. Sky and Kyle were already at their usual table, halfway through their fries when Emma and Alex slid into the seats beside them, looking smug.
"Where have you two been?" Sky asked, popping a fry into her mouth.
Alex grinned. "Just saved the day."
Emma giggled behind her soda.
Before Sky could probe further, she glanced down at her phone and blinked. "Wait… what?!"
She stared at them. "Is it true?"
Emma leaned forward, eyes wide with innocence. "Is what true?"
"That Scott and Sevira are dating?!" Sky practically shouted.
At that exact moment, Scott walked into the cafeteria with a tray in one hand and a hamburger in the other, casually taking a bite as he headed toward their table. Behind him, Sevira entered with a bottled drink and a book tucked under her arm.
They both froze at the table's energy.
The moment they sat, Sky rounded on them. "You guys are dating and didn't tell us?!"
Scott choked on his burger.
Sevira, mid-sip, nearly spat her drink, coughing and dabbing at her mouth with a napkin.
They looked at each other in panic, then at Sky.
Scott blinked. "W-what?"
Sevira tried to recover. "That's not true—"
"Come on!" Sky accused. "How long has this been going on?! Are you hiding it?"
Kyle looked up from his snacks, totally lost but loving the drama.
Scott raised both hands, still coughing. "No—seriously—it's not true!"
Sevira shot him a sharp glance, but then Alex and Emma burst out laughing.
"It was us!" Emma admitted, nearly in tears. "We started the rumor."
"What?!" Scott shouted.
Sevira glared. "Why?!"
Emma straightened up, serious now. "Because Lizzie tried to get your assignment disqualified, Sev. She literally took your music script and hid it. We had to create a scene to distract her long enough to slip it back in the submission pile."
Alex nodded proudly. "We made sure it was on Mr. Jackson's desk ourselves."
"You're welcome," Emma added with a wink.
Sevira blinked, stunned. "Wait… my book? You guys—?"
"You're safe," Alex said. "We got it submitted."
"But did you have to start a rumor that I'm dating Scott?!" Sevira snapped.
Emma shrugged. "It's the only language that psycho understands. You should've seen her storm out of the hallway like a wild hyena."
Sky shook her head. "Honestly? It was kind of iconic."
Sevira covered her face in embarrassment. "Unbelievable."
But then her eyes slid toward Scott.
And his were already on her.
The chaos melted into silence between them for a second. The cafeteria noise faded. Her breath caught. Something unspoken passed between them. A pulse. A flicker of something hot and confusing.
Scott quickly looked away, clearing his throat. "So… music class, huh?"
Sevira couldn't help the tiny smile that curved on her lips.
Later That Day…
She realized her plan failed.
Sevira's book was there. Her music was submitted. Her plan had failed.
She screamed—a sound muffled behind her locker door—and kicked it shut in frustration.
Her friends glanced at her awkwardly. "Uh… maybe let it go?"
But Lizzie's eyes burned. "I'm not done with her. Or him."