Acting class dragged on forever.
Scene after scene, random pairs butchered Romeo and Juliet like it was some inside joke I wasn't in on. Mina went up with a tall Chinese guy named Liu Wen and, to be honest, they were actually pretty good. She'd somehow found a fake flower crown from who knows where and dramatically pretended to die in his arms. People clapped like it was Broadway.
Paul Vert never acted. His name never got called. He just sat in the corner like he didn't care, chewing gum and occasionally glaring at the wall.
By the time the bell rang, I was more than ready to bolt.
The cafeteria was packed. Tables already claimed by cliques. Laughter, voices, and the smell of pizza and fries hanging heavy in the air. I grabbed a tray, skipped the greasy stuff, and settled for a turkey sandwich and a bottle of water. I spotted an empty table near the windows and made a beeline for it.
Barely a second later, Mina appeared, plopping down across from me like we'd been best friends for years. Her tray was chaos. A pile of fries, sushi rolls, a strawberry milkshake, and a rainbow sprinkle donut balancing on top of it all.
"Hey, new girl," she grinned, unwrapping her straw like it was an Olympic event.
I gave a small nod, took a bite of my sandwich, hoping she'd get the hint.
She didn't.
„Okay, so I'm not blind," she said casually between fries. "What was that back there?"
I raised an eyebrow. "What was what?"
"With you, and Paul Vert, and the Ice Queen Barbie Brigade."
I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "It's nothing."
Mina made a face. "Uh-huh, sure."
Before I could steer the conversation anywhere else, someone yanked my hoodie down from behind. I spun around, ready to throw hands—but it was just Eli, grinning like an idiot.
"Hey, kiddo," he smirked, messing up my hair as he strolled by with Jason and the rest of his crew in tow. Jason gave me a small smile—the polite, unreadable kind. The others barely glanced my way.
I scowled at Eli's retreating back. Jerk.
When I turned back, Mina was gaping at me like I'd just sprouted wings.
"What?" I asked, wiping my hands on a napkin.
She pointed a fry at me. "First of all, you're like freakishly pretty. Why are you hiding that hair? And secondly, how do you know them?"
I shrugged. "Oh, Eli? He's my brother."
Mina nearly choked on her milkshake. "Wait—you're Eli Wade's sister?"
"Last time I checked," I muttered, taking another bite of my sandwich.
"Dude," she said, wide-eyed. "You're basically royalty. Everyone knows Eli and Jason Vert. He's like senior-year hot boy legend material."
I made a face. "Gross."
Right on cue, Brielle and her plastic army strutted past our table, tossing glances and snickering like they were auditioning for the cast of Mean Girls: Royalty High Edition. Brielle's sharp gaze landed on me, lingering just long enough to make her message clear.
Stay in your lane, new girl.
I rolled my eyes and picked up my sandwich again.
„Ignore them," Mina said, popping a fry into her mouth. "She's just mad you exist."
„Story of my life."
Mina grinned. "Good. I like you already."