By the end of the day, the courtyard was emptying, and I felt slightly victorious. I had survived the hallways, the spoiled queens, and Sebastian's mysterious smirks.
"Tomorrow is a big day," Maya said as we packed up. "Meeting Eden's parents. Are you ready?"
I groaned. "Ready is a strong word. I'm more like… terrified but trying not to cry in public."
She laughed. "Don't worry. you got this . And hey, your editing skills are top-notch. Maybe I'll make you a beautiful dinner dress.
Before I could respond, Sebastian appeared again, holding a notebook. "Hey, Aisha, don't take this the wrong way… but maybe you should keep your eyes open tomorrow. Not everything is what it seems."
I raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
He smirked, already walking away. "Just saying. People aren't always what they look like."
I frowned, feeling the weird tension in my stomach. Maya noticed. "Ignore him. He's just being… mysterious."
Maybe. But something about that smirk made me feel like chaos wasn't done with me yet.
We walked out of the school gates, sunlight glinting off the pavement. I felt a mixture of excitement and dread. Tomorrow, Eden's family. Tomorrow, secrets could surface. Tomorrow, who knew what could happen…
Maya grabbed my hand. "come on, what could literally go wrong, it's just a dinner, Aisha. I'll always be here for you "
And somehow, with her by my side, I believed it.