The early September sun painted Daleside High's hallways in honey-gold streaks as three friends claimed their usual spot by the senior lockers. Layla Martinez, eternally poised in her designer outfit, spread her arms wide with the confidence of someone who'd ruled these halls since freshman year.

"Breathe it in, girls, the sweet pure air of senior year," she declared. "Respect, glory, first place in the lunch rota- it's all ours for the taking."

Hayley fidgeted with her glasses, already getting emotional. "Aw, but aren't you sad that it's our last year together, LayLay? I'm gonna miss you guys so much."

"How about you Emma?" Layla turned to their quieter friend, who was meticulously organizing her locker. "I bet you can't wait to leave this dump."

"Apart from you two, there's not much I'm going to miss about this place!" Emma managed a small smile.

Hayley's expression suddenly shifted to alarm. "Speaking of things that suck at this place... Crystal alert!"

The clicking of expensive heels announced Crystal's arrival before she appeared, Maddy trailing behind like a well-trained puppy. "Hey, how was your summer?"

"It was--" Emma began.

"Anyway," Crystal cut her off, examining her manicured nails, "I need your help. Mr. Rogers said my history report was 'juvenile' so can you like fix it for me? By tomorrow."

"Sure, just email it to me." Emma's voice remained carefully neutral.

"K, thanks babe! Bye now. Come on, Maddy." Crystal sashayed away, leaving a cloud of designer perfume in her wake.

"So much for respect and glory," Hayley muttered. "Why do you let her push you around like that?"

Emma's shoulders slumped. "Three words, Hales: 'Dale & Partners'. Believe me, if my mom didn't work for Crystal's family law firm, I'd tell Crystal where she could stick her history assignment."

"I apologize on behalf of all rich people for her behavior - she's an embarrassment," Layla said, adjusting her own designer bag self-consciously.

"You don't need to; you're nothing like her."

By lunchtime, the three friends had claimed their usual table in the cafeteria. Emma prodded the wobbly dessert on her tray with suspicion. "Mmm, jello. Again. Seriously, does anyone actually enjoy this stuff?"

"Is that even jello?" Hayley leaned closer, squinting through her glasses. "I think it might be a chunk of genuine primordial ooze."

"Hey, shut up you two." Layla's voice dropped suddenly, her eyes fixed on something across the room. "Do you see that guy over there? He looks sort of like... oh my God, it's Mason!"

Emma's spoon clattered against her tray. "Mason? But... what's he doing here?"

"Um, who's Mason?" Hayley glanced between her friends.

"Oh, I keep forgetting you didn't go to middle school with us," Layla explained, lowering her voice. "Mason was in our chem class. He and Emma had a kind of a... um..."

"Shut up, Layla." Emma's words could have frozen fire.

"Well now I'm even MORE curious."

"I'm sorry Hayley. I just really rather not talk about it."

"Ok, ok. If you ever want to share, though..."

"Give it a rest, Hayley!" Layla hissed. "Oh shoot, here he comes!"

"Hide her, hide her!" Hayley attempted to shield Emma with her body, nearly knocking over her milk carton.

"You're making it worse, Hales!"

"I'm just saying, he's cute," Hayley whispered, watching Mason's retreating form. "Why'd you dump him? Or did he dump you?"

"Keep digging, Hayley," Layla warned.

The afternoon found Emma in the library, surrounded by textbooks when Hayley bounded in. "There you are! I thought we were getting coffee-what gives?"

"I can't, sorry guys. I have to finish this essay for Crystal. You should go without me- I'll probably be here a while."

"Not a chance." Layla appeared behind Hayley. "You can't work on an empty stomach- Hales and I will go on a snack run for you. Be back in 5!"

In the sudden quiet after their departure, a shadow fell across Emma's textbook. She looked up to find Mason standing there, his hands stuffed in his pockets, looking simultaneously familiar and like a stranger.

"What are you doing here?" His voice was deeper than she remembered.

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here? This is my school."

"It's my school too, now. I just transferred here." He shifted his weight. "Just so you know, I've also moved back into the area. Don't worry, I'll stay out of your way. If I'd known you went here too..."

"You'd never have transferred, right?"

"Oh, so now you have guts. I'm shocked." With a hollow laugh, he walked away.

Layla and Hayley returned to find Emma staring into space. "Are you okay?" Layla rushed forward. "Was that Mason with you? What did that jerk say to you?"

"He was his usual charming self," Emma replied with biting sarcasm.

"You should keep away from him Emma. I'm sure he hasn't changed."

"Changed? What was wrong with him before?" Hayley bounced on her toes. "C'mooon, this girl wants details."

"Mind your own beeswax, Hayley."

"Not gonna lie, I'm feeling a bit out of the loop here, guys."

"Trust me, Hales," Layla's voice was firm, "Mason is not worth a minute more of anyone's time."

"Welp, if you're not going to tell me anything, I'm going home. Smell you later." Hayley's footsteps echoed through the library as she left.

Layla settled into the chair beside Emma. "She'll get bored of asking soon."

"I doubt it." Emma began gathering her books. "That girl is like a bloodhound for gossip."

"Then tell her about it! It's not like it matters anyway." Layla paused, studying her friend's face. "You're not having second thoughts about him, are you?"

"Furthest thing from my mind." The words came too quickly.

"I'm glad to hear it." Layla squeezed her shoulder. "You did the right thing in middle school, Emma."

The library grew quieter as the afternoon light faded, leaving Emma alone with her thoughts and Crystal's unfinished history report.

------------
The library had barely cleared out when Madison Dale appeared at Emma's table, her phone clutched in her perfectly manicured hands like a journalist's notepad. Her eyes gleamed with the intensity of someone who'd just caught the scent of a story.

"Hey, Emma!" Madison's voice dripped with false sweetness.

Emma didn't look up from her books. "Hi, Madison. What can I do for you?"

"Fill me in!" Madison leaned forward conspiratorially. "I overheard you in the cafeteria earlier... Who's that hot new guy? What's he doing here?"

"His name's Mason, and we went to middle school together, that's all." Emma's tone made it clear the conversation was over, but Madison wasn't taking the hint.

"Is that all, though?" Madison's perfectly shaped eyebrows rose. "Not the impression I got in the cafeteria. Weren't you trying to hide under a table?"

"I'm not helping you fill up your gossip blog, Maddy."

Madison straightened, offended. "The gossip blog is a public service! How else would everyone find out what's going on around here?"

Emma just stared at her, refusing to dignify that with a response. "I have nothing to say to you, Madison."

"Ugh. Whatever. I'll get the juicy details from someone else." Madison flounced away, her designer boots clicking against the library floor.

"Yeah... good luck with that," Emma muttered, returning to her work.

Later that evening, the Honey Bee Cafe provided a welcome escape. The cozy coffee shop buzzed with the quiet chatter of other students, and the scent of freshly ground coffee beans filled the air. Emma spotted her friends at their usual corner table and brightened.

"Hi, Haylay!" she called out cheerfully.

Hayley looked up from her caramel latte with mock offense. "Um, it's pronounced hay-lee? Though I can see why you'd get confused- I mean, we've only known each other for four years!"

"I wasn't talking to you, dumbo!" Emma laughed, sliding into her seat. "Well, not just to you, anyway. Hay-Lay: Hayley, plus Layla- it's your couple name!"

Hayley's cheeks flushed as she glanced at Layla. "But we're not a couple..."

"Duh, we're just good friends," Layla responded, though something flickered across her face.

"But besties can have couple names too, right?" Emma pressed, her eyes twinkling.

"Yeah... I- I guess they can. I like it!" Hayley's face lit up. "Do you like it, LayLay?"

A small smile tugged at Layla's lips. "I suppose I like it too."

"Right!" Hayley's attention snapped back to the matter at hand. "Back to the gossip! Layla said that Madison was bugging you after school? What was that all about?"

Emma sighed, stirring her tea. "Oh, she wanted the same thing you did- the inside scoop on the new student. Don't worry! I told her what I told you--"

"I don't want to talk about it!" Hayley and Layla chorused together.

"After Madison's inquisition, I'm sure Emma's sick of the whole subject," Layla added protectively. "That girl has no shame."

Hayley shook her head, her glasses sliding down her nose. "Seriously, I'm surprised the school hasn't suspended her for cyber bullying."

"I'm not! There'd be riots- everyone reads her blog." Layla shot Hayley a knowing look. "Come on, Hales. Even you read it. Don't try to deny it. Besides, what are they going to do about it? Her father's Travis Dale. THE Travis Dale. His family practically built this school."

"So Madison gets to keep feeding the rumor mill unchallenged," Emma concluded bitterly.

"And I get to keep up with all the gossip!" Hayley's grin faltered at her friends' expressions. "I mean, I've got to get my news from somewhere, and it's not like you two have been exactly talkative lately."

Emma rolled her eyes. "You never give up, do you?"

"Not true! I know when I'm beaten! I'll stop bugging you- cross my heart!"

Glancing at her watch, Emma gathered her things. "I should go soon, anyway. We're starting that new chemistry project tomorrow. I need to read up on thermal decomposition."

"Oh shoot, I totally forgot about that! Me too!" Layla exclaimed. "Wanna be lab partners, Emma?"

"Aren't we always?"

"And that's my cue!" Hayley stood, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. "I'm heading home. Good luck with the work, bookworms!"

"See you tomorrow guys!" Emma called after her.

The walk home gave Emma time to process the day's events, each step feeling heavier than the last. By the time she reached her front door, exhaustion had settled deep in her bones. "What a day," she muttered to herself. "I've never been so exhausted."

Her phone buzzed with a text from her mother: "Hi sweetie! I've been held up at work again. Would you mind cooking dinner? Sorry I won't be around. Love, Mom. Xxx"

"No problem, Mom! Hope work is ok. I love you xxx," Emma typed back quickly.

"It's pretty grim to be honest," came the response.

Emma stared at the message, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on her shoulders. First Crystal's homework, then Mason's return, Madison's interrogation, and now this. "This is all I need!" she thought, but there was nothing to do except face it head-on. "Ah well. Better get to work."

The kitchen light flickered on, casting shadows across the empty room as Emma began pulling out ingredients for dinner, wondering what tomorrow would bring.