"So, you're really going to go meet her?" Maddie asks, twisting her body in ways I can't comprehend as she follows a yoga routine playing on her phone.

"Yeah, what kind of weirdo invites a stranger to their birthday party?" Lila adds, barely glancing up from her screen. She's been glued to that thing lately.

"Guys, please don't ruin this for me. This project is worth half my grade, and joining Stella's group is my only option at this point."

"Fine," Maddie sighs. "But leave your location on, and just type SOS if you need us to come rescue you."

Rolling my eyes, I pack everything I'll need into my backpack. Before leaving, I run to the mirror for one last look at myself.

I've styled my hair into loose waves, just enough to look effortlessly put together. I'm wearing a fitted black turtleneck tucked into high-waisted jeans that hug my figure perfectly. My boots—sleek, heeled ankle boots—give me a bit of height, and I've layered on a dainty gold necklace to complete the look.

I tell myself it's nothing special, but deep down, I know I put in the extra effort to my outfit today.

"You look especially good for someone who's just going to study," Maddie teases, hydrating during the thirty-second break announced by the instructor on her screen. Her shirt clings to her body, damp with sweat.

"What are you talking about?" I choke, my heart skipping a beat. Can she tell I put extra effort into my outfit? Will he able to tell too?

As embarrassing as it sounds, yes—I did dress up today because of Reid. I already know he's a regular at Jean's Café thanks to his Instagram. And lately, it feels like he always manages to show up wherever I go.

"Wait... is this because of Reid?" Lila gasps, finally looking up from her phone.

"Okay, love you guys—goodbye!" I blurt out, grabbing my bag and rushing out before they can make me feel even more ridiculous for thinking Reid cares about what I wear.

As I step into the hallway, my phone chimes. I shimmy it out of my bag and see a message from Oliver.

Oliver: I'm at your dorm. Are you ready?
Me: On my way down.
Oliver: I'll be waiting.
Me: 👍
Oliver: 👍
Oliver: Actually, why did I send that?
Oliver: Ignore it.
Oliver: Actually, why am I still texting when I'll see you soon anyway?
Oliver: Just ignore me, okay?
Oliver: You must think me an idiot now.
Me: 😂😂
Oliver: Are you laughing because you actually think I'm an idiot? 😵‍💫
Me: What? No.
Oliver: Really? Why not?

I laugh at this.

Oliver and I have been texting nonstop since I promised not to ignore him anymore. He found out I was going to Jean's and insisted on driving me there. I couldn't say no—he's literally the cutest, even though he refuses to admit it when I tell him.

The moment I step outside, I spot him immediately. He grins the second he sees me, waving enthusiastically before quickly looking down at his phone. A second later, my phone chimes again.

Oliver: Just saw you.
Oliver: Wait, you already know that—you saw me waving.
Oliver: You look so beautiful, by the way.
Me: Thank you. Now can you look at me? I'm standing next to you.

His eyes lift from his phone, and the moment he sees me, it's like his entire body short-circuits. His smile widens, reaching his bright eyes, and a faint blush dusts his freckled cheeks.

"Uh, uhm..." he stutters, rubbing the back of his neck as he rocks on his heels—something I've noticed he does when he's nervous. "I—I'll get the door for you."

Before I can react, he rushes to the passenger side and pulls the door open.

"Thank you," I say, climbing in.

He quickly jogs around to the driver's side, hopping in before pressing play on his music. Taylor Swift's Shake It Off starts blasting through the speakers.

"You listen to Taylor Swift?" I ask, surprised.

"I'd like to lie and say yes, but I don't," he admits. "I, um... I may have stalked your Instagram, saw you liked her, and downloaded a bunch of her songs so I'd have something to play during the drive." He cringes. "Now that I hear it out loud, it sounds super creepy."

I burst into laughter.

"Is that a good laugh or a bad one?" he asks, looking mildly horrified.

I laugh even harder, my eyes watering. "It's a good laugh. Thank you—I love this song."

"It's my pleasure," he says, smiling in relief.

I start singing along, using my phone as a makeshift microphone. Occasionally, I pass it to Oliver, and he stumbles through the lyrics, making me laugh even more.

The car ride is fun—effortless, even. There's something about Oliver that's just easy. He's calming in a way I didn't expect.

When we pull up in front of Jean's, I unbuckle my seatbelt. "Thanks for the ride," I say, reaching for the door handle.

"I'll come pick you up. Just text me when you're done," he says casually.

"Oh, I can't ask you to do that—"

"It's a good thing you're not asking and I'm offering," he teases. "Unless you don't want me to, of course."

"It's not that I don't want you to—"

"Brilliant, then it's settled," he interrupts, flashing a grin. "Text me, okay?"

I hesitate before nodding. "Okay."

As I step out, I watch his car disappear into the distance. My phone chimes again.

Oliver: Have fun studying.

I smile, tucking my phone into my pocket before heading inside.

I spot Stella sitting at a large table near the back of the café, her long, polished nails tapping against the surface of her tablet. Seated with her are three others—two guys and a girl—each with a laptop or notebook in front of them. They all glance up as I approach, and Stella gestures toward an empty seat beside her.

"Everyone, this is Isla," she says, her voice smooth and authoritative. "Isla, meet our group. That's Leo"—she motions to a guy with shaggy brown hair and a silver chain around his neck—"and that's Nate." Nate, with his slicked-back hair and an air of practiced ease, gives me a nod. "And this is Hailey."

"Hi," Hailey greets me with a bright smile, though the moment I sit down, she leans slightly forward. "Was that Oliver's car that dropped you off?"

I take a deep breath and answer. "Yeah, it was."

Hailey gasps dramatically. "So the rumors are true. You're really chasing both of them."

"Ow!" Hailey yelps, rubbing her foot. I don't have to look under the table to know Stella must have stepped on her.

I exhale slowly. I should have expected this. Even though the article was taken down and people didn't bring it up to my face, I knew they still talked about it behind my back—how I had somehow ruined Reid and devalued him, while Oliver supporters called me every name in the book.

"It's okay, it doesn't really bother me," I say, keeping my voice even. Then, turning to Hailey, I add, "And to answer your question, no, I'm not 'chasing them both.' Oliver is just a friend."

"Just a friend?" Nate chimes in with an amused smirk. "And Reid?"

I keep my expression neutral. "We should just focus on our project."

No one pushes the topic further, though I can feel their curiosity simmering beneath the surface. I pull out my notebook and pen, ready to steer this conversation back to something actually relevant.

"Alright," Stella says, shifting gears. "We need to decide on a topic for our presentation. Since this is a sociology class, it needs to be related to societal structures, interactions, or issues."

Leo flips through his textbook. "What about the effects of social media on personal identity?"

Nate shakes his head. "Too overdone."

"We could focus on cancel culture," Hailey suggests. "How it's evolved and whether it actually holds people accountable or just encourages public shaming."

"That could be interesting," I say, considering it. "It ties into public perception, reputation, and the way people's lives are shaped by narratives outside of their control."

Stella tilts her head. "You sound like you're speaking from experience."

I meet her gaze evenly but don't respond.

"I like it," Nate says. "Cancel culture has a lot of angles we could explore—historical comparisons, its role in justice versus mob mentality, the psychological effects on those targeted."

We all nod in agreement, and just like that, our topic is set.

"Alright, we'll need to divide the work," Stella says, opening her notes app. "Leo, you can cover historical examples of public shaming versus modern cancel culture. Nate, you handle statistics and case studies. Hailey, research the psychological and sociological impact. I'll take the counterarguments—cases where it's actually led to accountability and change."

"And me?" I ask, feeling hopeful that I'll get something behind-the-scenes.

"You're presenting."

The words hit me like a brick.

I freeze. "Wait, what?"

"You're a great speaker, Isla," Stella says. "You're well-spoken, and you have an air of confidence that'll make people actually listen."

"That, and she's hot," Leo says and Stella facepalms.

Was this some kind of joke? Considering the rumors, I don't think standing in front of a bunch of people was the best idea.

The last thing I wanted was to stand in front of a room full of people and invite more scrutiny into my life. It was ironic, really—I had spent years in the public eye, yet the idea of willingly putting myself on display like that made my stomach twist.

"Maybe someone else would be better suited—"

"It's already decided," Stella says, giving me a look that tells me there's no arguing with her. I look to the rest of them and they all look away,

I sigh. Great.

After the Meeting

Once the others leave, it's just me and Stella. She turns to me, crossing her arms. "Hey, about Hailey's question earlier... I'm sorry. She can be blunt sometimes."

"It's fine," I reply with a shrug. "I'm used to it."

Stella studies me for a moment before pulling out her phone. "I actually made some summary notes on the topic last week. I can send them to you if you want."

"Yes, please," I say a little too enthusiastically, and she laughs.

"You're really behind, huh?"

"You have no idea."

As she sends the notes, I glance around the café one more time. No sign of Reid. The one time I had actually anticipated seeing him, and he was nowhere to be found. Just my luck.

"Do I really have to be the one to present? Don't get me wrong, I want to pull my weight in the team it's just..."

"It's going to be fine Isla, I know what you're worried about but trust me, it's going to be fine and you're going to do great." She says smiling animatedly.

"Right," I say realizing there was no point fighting it anymore.

"I could drop you off," Stella offers, slipping her phone back into her bag.

"Thanks, but Oliver's on his way to pick me up."

At that, Stella's eyes widen. She suddenly grabs my hand tightly, bringing it close to her chest.

"Do you think I can go with you guys?"

"What? Didn't you drive here?" I blink in surprise.

"Yeah, but I have a big crush on him," she confesses.

"Please," she begs still pulling my hand.

I wasn't sure how this will turn out. I couldn't just ask Oliver to drop a stranger off or give her a ride. How do I politely decline?

She may read it the wrong way.

With clammy hands, I bring my phone out and start texting Oliver.

And just like that, I'm thrown into an entirely different mess.

Authors note:
What do we think of Stella