chapter one:
❛ this is sunny ❜

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Sunny was lost in her own world as she sat in the bustling cafeteria. Her chin rested in the palm of her hand, her gaze distant and dreamy as she imagined herself dancing with Eli in a celestial realm of her own making. The vast expanse of space stretched out before her, filled with twinkling stars and swirling galaxies. She was in her element, enveloped in the beauty of the universe she so adored. Ever since childhood, astronomy, dance, and science had been her passions, and her daydreams often revolved around these interests.

Her twin sister, Moon, had always been a constant in her life, and their nicknames—Sunny and Moon—felt like a perfect balance. Summer was her real name, but Moon had started calling her "Sunny" when they were just five years old, and it had stuck. It felt like a natural extension of their bond, like they were meant to be Sunny and Moon, lighting up each other's worlds.

Sunny's reverie was abruptly interrupted by Martiza's voice cutting through her thoughts. "Sunny! Summer!" Martiza's tone was louder and more urgent than usual.

Sunny blinked rapidly, her daydream dissolving as she turned her attention to Martiza, who was waving a hand in front of her face. "What?" she asked softly, still trying to shake off the remnants of her imaginative escape.

"New kid," Martiza said, her eyes darting toward the cafeteria entrance. Sunny followed her gaze and saw Miguel Diaz, the new student, making his way toward their table. She had shared a Spanish class with him, and he had been particularly helpful when she was struggling with a tricky grammar question. He had offered his assistance in a way that was kind and unassuming.

Miguel approached with a hopeful look on his face. "Hi, Summer. Is it cool if I sit here?" he asked, his voice polite but tinged with the nervousness of a newcomer.

Sunny was about to respond with a warm smile, but before she could say anything, Demetri, ever the class clown, interjected. "Ooh. Sorry, table's really blowing up right now," he said with exaggerated seriousness. "I can put you on the waitlist, but it's probably next semester at the earliest."

Miguel's face fell immediately, disappointment evident as he began to turn away. Sunny's eyes widened in alarm, her mouth opening to correct Demetri's joke, but Martiza was quicker on the draw.

"No, new kid! He's just messing with you," Martiza called out, rolling her eyes at Demetri's antics. Miguel stopped, his expression softening into a relieved smile as he turned back and sat down next to Eli.

Martiza shot Demetri a reproachful glance and nudged him with her elbow. The tension between Martiza and Demetri was palpable—everyone could see they were constantly at each other's throats. It was clear they had a complicated dynamic, one that Eli and Sunny enjoyed teasing them about. But whenever they did, it only seemed to escalate their bickering.

Miguel, eager to make a good impression, introduced himself again. "Miguel," he said, looking around the table with a friendly, albeit slightly anxious, smile.

Martiza began to introduce the others. "I'm Martiza and—"

But Demetri cut her off with a grin. "Demetri. This is Eli and Sunny," he said, pointing to each of them in turn.

Martiza gave Demetri a scathing look, clearly annoyed by his interruption. "They can speak for themselves, Demetrius," she said, deliberately using his full name, which Demetri rolled his eyes at.

Miguel turned his attention to Sunny, still unsure about the group's dynamics. "You go by Sunny?" he asked, his voice friendly and curious.

Sunny nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yes," she said softly.

Demetri, always one to stir the pot, muttered under his breath, "Eli and Sunny are a couple of few words."

Miguel's eyes widened in surprise as he looked between Eli and Sunny, misunderstanding the comment. "You guys are a couple?" he asked with a smile, clearly touched by the idea.

Sunny and Eli's faces turned crimson almost instantly. Sunny stammered, her voice faltering, "N-No, we're not dating."

Martiza, never one to pass up an opportunity to tease, chimed in with a smirk. "They're practically dating. They're always holding hands, and Sunny's always kissing him on the cheek."

Sunny's face flushed a deeper shade of red as she tried to hide her embarrassment. She glanced at Eli, who was equally flushed, and then quickly looked away. It was true that they were affectionate—holding hands and sharing kisses on the cheek were common between them—but the assumption that they were a couple made Sunny uncomfortable. It felt like a lot of pressure and attention she wasn't ready to handle.

Miguel's reaction was a mix of surprise and delight, while Demetri and Martiza's usual banter seemed to only add to the awkwardness of the moment. Sunny wished she could sink into her chair and disappear, but instead, she forced a nervous smile and tried to focus on the conversation, hoping the awkwardness would pass.

Yasmine, Sam, and Moon strolled past their table, and Miguel couldn't help but stare. His gaze followed them as they walked by, making Sunny chuckle softly while Martiza rolled her eyes in frustration. "Ugh, I hate them," Martiza groaned, her annoyance clear. Sunny shot her a look of disapproval, since Moon was her sister. Martiza noticed and amended, "Except for your sister. She's cool, but she follows Yasmine around too much."

Sunny sighed and focused on her food, pushing it around her plate absentmindedly. "A- Are you gonna eat?" Eli asked, gently nudging Sunny's tray closer to her. She shook her head, her appetite lost in the turmoil of her thoughts. "Not hungry," she muttered, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her napkin.

Eli reached over and took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Sunny could feel her heartbeat quicken under the gentle pressure of his touch.

Demetri, noticing Miguel's intense gaze at the trio, decided to lighten the mood. "Dude, don't torture yourself. Those are the rich girls," he said with a smirk. Miguel's eyes widened, and he turned to Sunny in disbelief. "You're rich?" he asked, clearly taken aback.

Sunny nodded softly, avoiding eye contact. "Yeah," she said quietly.

Martiza, ever the defender of her friends, snapped, "Don't get any ideas, Mitch." Miguel looked at her, clearly startled by the sudden harshness.

"N-No. That's not what I meant—" Miguel stammered, but Martiza's glare cut him off. He turned to Demetri for clarity. "Do you guys ever talk to them or..."

"Oh yeah! All the time. We hang out after school, make out, give each other hand jobs. Eli and Sunny here are homecoming king and queen! Both get laid more than anyone. Isn't that right?" Demetri joked, his tone playful but exaggerating the reality.

Miguel rolled his eyes, laughing at Demetri's over-the-top commentary. Eli and Sunny shared a soft chuckle and squeezed each other's hands, their laughter a small comfort amid the teasing.

"Talk to them? Sunny talks to them, not us. You realize what table you're sitting at, right?" Martiza clarified, her tone serious. Demetri nodded in agreement, a knowing look in his eyes.

"Yeah, you've pretty much signed away all hopes of losing your virginity before college," Demetri added, his voice full of mock seriousness.

Sunny sighed, her expression thoughtful as she reflected on the truth of their words. "Sam's nice, so is Moon. Moon's my sister... but Yasmine, she's..." she trailed off, struggling to find the right words.

Martiza leaned forward with a teasing grin. "Oh my God, is Sunny Reynolds about to say a curse word?" she teased, clearly enjoying the rare moment of Sunny being candid.

Sunny rolled her eyes at Martiza's antics. "Yasmine... she's a bully," she finally admitted, her voice tinged with frustration.

Martiza sighed, slumping back in her chair. "Dang it," she muttered, clearly disappointed by the revelation. The table fell into a contemplative silence as they each processed the dynamics of their social circles.

"Oh shit, Yasmine's looking at us. Probably just making fun of me," Eli muttered, his voice tinged with unease. He shifted in his seat, glancing over his shoulder with a mix of apprehension and curiosity. Martiza and Sunny followed his gaze and saw Yasmine glancing their way. To Sunny's relief, Moon was among the group and waved at her with a bright grin. Sunny's face softened into a shy smile as she returned the wave. Martiza, however, didn't share the same sentiment. She narrowed her eyes at Yasmine before turning back to the table, her irritation evident.

"I don't think she's making fun of you," Miguel said, trying to offer some reassurance. He carefully inserted a straw into his carton of milk. "I mean, just because they're hot doesn't mean they're mean."

Demetri and Martiza exchanged incredulous looks, their expressions a mix of disbelief and frustration. "Did you miss the part where Sunny said Yasmine's a bully?" Martiza shot back, her tone sharp. "What school did you come from?"

Eli's eyes darted nervously between the other table and his own group. He instinctively covered the scar on his lip with his hand, a gesture of self-consciousness. Sunny noticed and reached out, gently pushing his hand away. "Embrace it," she said softly, her voice full of warmth and encouragement. Eli gave her a shy smile, his gaze dropping as he looked away, the flush of his cheeks visible even from his angled profile.

"Ugh, I hate Yasmine. I wish I could just show her how much of a terrible person she is," Martiza said, her frustration clear in her voice as she slumped in her seat.

"Like what? Fight her? Yeah, right," Demetri said dismissively, his tone laced with sarcasm.

Martiza shot him a sharp glare. "I know how to fight, Demetrius. My mom is a Sensei," she snapped, her irritation simmering.

Demetri rolled his eyes but looked intrigued. "Stop calling me that, and your mom is your mom," he said, half-joking, half-serious.

Miguel, who had been quietly listening, leaned in with renewed interest. "Your mom has a dojo?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

Martiza nodded, her face lighting up with pride. "She owns All Star Karate," she explained, a hint of admiration in her voice.

Miguel's eyes widened, impressed. "Cool," he said, a genuine grin spreading across his face.

Martiza felt a sudden, unexpected flutter of butterflies in her stomach at Miguel's reaction. She quickly brushed off the feeling, trying to focus on the conversation and maintain her composure. She could feel her cheeks warming slightly as she mentally scolded herself for the awkward reaction.

"I don't care if Yasmine is the meanest girl at school. I'd kill all four of you just to get her to spit in my face," Demetri declared, his gaze fixed on Yasmine with a mix of disdain and frustration. His tone was resolute, underscoring his deep-seated animosity toward her. Martiza, sitting beside him, clenched her jaw tightly, her anger palpable. Sunny observed her friend's frustration as she tightly gripped her milk carton, her knuckles whitening.

Miguel leaned in toward Eli and Sunny, his curiosity evident. "Why is Martiza so angry? Is she always like this?" he asked, his voice a mix of concern and intrigue.

Sunny chuckled softly, her gaze shifting to her irate friend. "Yes... She's always angry. And she's just angry because Demetri likes Yasmine, and not her," Sunny explained quietly, her tone carrying a hint of sympathy for both parties involved.

Miguel nodded, his expression thoughtful as he glanced at Martiza, who was clearly simmering with frustration. He found Martiza's intensity captivating and couldn't help but feel a pull toward her. "If you don't make a move, you'll never have a shot with her," Miguel advised Demetri, his voice tinged with encouragement.

"True, but I'll also never suffer a humiliating rejection. I'm at peace with my depression. Last thing I need to be is suicidal," Demetri replied, his voice tinged with resignation. His words carried a weight of emotional vulnerability that he rarely shared.

Martiza rolled her eyes at Demetri's comment, clearly exasperated by his defeatist attitude. Meanwhile, Miguel's mind was racing with ideas. He thought about making Martiza jealous to spur some action. Determined, he stood up and started walking toward Yasmine's table.

Sunny's eyes widened in concern. "Miguel, where are you going?" she whispered urgently.

"Yeah, Miguel, where are you going? You're gonna get killed," Martiza added, grabbing his wrist as he walked past the table. Miguel gently pulled his wrist away, and they all watched as he approached Yasmine's table.

Miguel hesitated, his confidence faltering as he noticed Kyler and his friends seated with Yasmine. He stopped in his tracks, his resolve wavering under the intimidating presence of Kyler and his entourage. The situation was proving more daunting than he had anticipated.

"This hurts, Eli," Sunny muttered, burying her head into Eli's shoulder for comfort. Eli chuckled softly, his arm going around her in a reassuring gesture.

Miguel sighed in defeat and turned back, walking slowly back to their table. His shoulders were slumped in disappointment. Martiza, who had been watching the scene unfold, felt a pang of sympathy for him and noted his downcast demeanor.

"So, how'd it go?" Demetri asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Martiza kicked Demetri's foot under the table with a sharp jab. "Shut up, Demetri. You're hurting his feelings more," she snapped, her voice firm with irritation.

Miguel blushed, the embarrassment evident on his face. He sank back into his seat, feeling a mix of humiliation and frustration.

ASH SPEAKS!

AHHHH SUNNY AND ELI OWN MY HEART!! #sunli? is that a good ship name??

also martizas love interests are demetri and miguel! im unsure on the endgame tho :) dem and martizas ship name is #demrtiza and miguel and martizas is #mariguel !!

please go check out my other books if you want!! i just published a peter parker fic today as well:)

PLEASE DONT BE A GHOST READER! COMMENT AND VOTE! IT HELPS US WRITERS STAY MOTIVATED:)