The next morning, campus life buzzed as usual. Students streamed in and out of classrooms, chatter and laughter filling the air. To everyone else, it was just another ordinary day at the university. But for Lila, the weight of the last few days pressed on her chest like an anchor.
She spotted them immediately — Maya, Ethan, and Noah walking together down the hall. Normally she would've slipped right in beside them, tossing out some dramatic line to steal their attention. But this time, when she raised her hand and waved, none of them looked up.
Her smile faltered, but she kept it plastered on.
LILA: (loudly, with forced cheer) "Well, well, look at you three — walking like some tragic boy band. Where's my spot as the lead singer, huh?"
Silence. Ethan adjusted his backpack without glancing at her. Maya gave a stiff smile, then quickly looked at Noah, pretending to focus on something else. Noah just shoved his hands in his pockets and kept walking.
For a second, Lila's throat tightened. But she pushed it down, raising her voice with exaggerated flair.
LILA: "Seriously? What is this? A vow of silence? Did I miss the memo?"
Still nothing. Just the shuffle of shoes and the echo of their conversation carrying on without her.
Something sharp pricked her chest. She laughed — too loudly — drawing a few curious looks from other students. If jokes didn't work, maybe sarcasm would.
LILA: (mock gasp) "Oh, I get it. Lila doesn't exist. I'm just a ghost now. Fine. Boo."
This time, Maya flinched, but Ethan shot her a look that said don't engage. Lila's smile wavered again, her energy flickering like a candle in the wind.
By the time they reached the library doors, her patience had snapped.
She grabbed Maya's wrist, her voice sharper than usual.
The library hummed with low chatter and the rustle of turning pages. Students huddled in study groups, heads bent over laptops and books. To anyone else, it was just another normal day.
But for Lila Reyes, the silence between her and her crew was deafening.
She trailed behind them down the aisle, her boots clicking against the polished floor. Every step felt heavier. Normally she'd be the center of their orbit, tossing jokes, sparking mischief, pulling laughter out of them like it was magic. But now?
They didn't even glance her way.
LILA: (forcing a smile, whispering) "Hey. If I suddenly faint dramatically in the middle of the library, will you at least look at me then?"
No reaction. Not from Ethan, who kept flipping through a notebook. Not from Maya, who fiddled with her pen nervously. Not even from Noah, whose usual smirk was replaced by a cold, unreadable mask.
A sting crawled through her chest. She tried again.
LILA: (leaning over Ethan's shoulder) "You know, for a guy who acts allergic to fun, you'd make a great statue. Zero emotion, perfect posture—"
ETHAN: (flat, without looking up) "Not now, Lila."
The words cut sharper than she expected. She blinked, stepping back like she'd been shoved. Maya avoided her eyes. Noah turned another page.
The lump in her throat burned.
Fine. If jokes didn't work, chaos would. She snagged Ethan's pen right out of his hand and tossed it onto another desk.
LILA: (mock gasp) "Oops. Guess detention didn't fix me after all."
But instead of laughter or an eye roll, the silence deepened. Ethan retrieved his pen without a word. Maya sighed softly, disappointment written all over her face. Noah… Noah didn't even look at her.
Something in her cracked.
LILA: (louder, sharper) "Okay, what is this? You three are acting like I don't even exist. If you've got something to say, just—say it!"
Her voice echoed too loudly in the quiet library. A few students turned to stare. Ethan's jaw tightened. Noah closed his book, finally meeting her gaze with eyes that looked like steel.
NOAH: (cool, low) "Fine. You want it? People are saying you treat us like props. That you think you're above everyone else. And honestly…" (pauses) "It's starting to feel true."
The words hit her like a punch.
LILA: (stunned) "What?"
ETHAN: (quiet, but firm) "We've heard enough, Lila. That you only stick with us because we make you look good. That you… don't actually care."
MAYA: (softly, torn) "I didn't want to believe it. But when you joke about everything, it's hard to know when you're being real."
For once, Lila had no comeback. No witty line. No smirk. Just silence pressing on her lungs until she couldn't breathe.
Her laugh came out shaky, broken.
LILA: (voice cracking) "So… that's what you think of me? That I don't care? That all of this—" (gestures between them) "—was some stupid game?"
No one answered. The lump in her throat finally burst.
LILA: (shouting, voice breaking) "Do you even hear yourselves? You three are the only people in this entire school who make me feel like I belong! You think I'd risk detention, risk everything—just to use you?!"
Her chest heaved, anger and desperation colliding until her voice rose higher.
LILA: (tearing up) "I make jokes because I don't know how else to say it! Because if I actually said how much you matter, I'd—" (her voice cracked fully) "I'd fall apart."
A tear slid down her cheek before she could stop it. Then another. Her hands shook as she swiped at her face furiously, like the tears were betraying her.
LILA: (sobbing, shouting) "And now look at me! Crying like an idiot in front of the only friends I've ever trusted. Congratulations! You broke me!"
The room went silent. Ethan froze, his deadpan walls crumbling. Maya's eyes widened, her own hand rising to her mouth. Noah… for the first time, his expression faltered, guilt flickering through his composure.
Lila stood there, chest heaving, tears streaming, glaring at all of them like daring them to laugh. But none of them did. They just stared at the side of her she had never shown — the girl beneath the armor.
And for the first time since the rumors began, the silence between them wasn't cold. It was heavy with realization.