I thought the worst was over.
Tinker Bell posters?
Fine.
School-wide humiliation?
Whatever.
I survived middle school with braces and bangs.
I could survive this.
I could.
But Leo?
That smug hellspawn was just getting warmed up.
I should've known when I walked into history class and found my seat already pulled out for me.
With a single red candy placed neatly on the chair.
Just... sitting there.
Waiting.
Suspicious? Obviously. But curiosity won. I sat. I swear it was staring at me, calling me to eat it.
So I ate the candy. Mistake number one.
Suddenly, my phone vibrated.
Message from: CRUELLA
It was my sweet endearing nickname for Leo.
I accepted it before I thought better.
Another mistake.
A photo opened: a screenshot of me, mid-scream in the hallway from this morning. Mouth wide. Eyes bugged. My pink hair which has been discolored to grey still clinging to my forehead like I was a cursed barbie.
But the caption? That's what did it.
"Even nuggets have meltdowns. You're cute when you're furious."
I blinked.
Wait.
Hold up.
Was that an insult?
A compliment?
Both?
I turned in my seat, scanning the room, heart hammering like a monkey with drums.
And there he was.
Back row.
Arms crossed.
Watching me.
Smirking.
And then he winked?
He literally winked.
Oh no.
Oh no no no no.
This wasn't a prank anymore. This was warfare. And not just the glitter-and-locker kind. This was the I'm-in-your-head-and-I-know-you-like-it kind.
That smug bastard was playing mind games.
And by his looks he knew it too.
I have to stop this or else things will go so wrong.
LUNCH BREAK
I slammed my tray down next to Amber, nearly knocking her drink into orbit.
"That dipshit winked at me."
Amber blinked. "Okay? Was it like a flirty wink or a 'you're dead to me' wink?"
"It was both. It was a death flirt or flirty death or whatever ."
She paused. "...Was it hot?"
"No—well—maybe—Shut up."
"You did not like it right?" She asked.
At that time Austin strutted towards us saving me from more embarrassing questions.
He plopped down across from us, grinning like the gremlin he is. "Heard you got winked attack from dearest prince darkness. Nice."
I buried my face in my hands. "He winked, and then called me cute when I'm furious. He's turning the prank war into... into emotional terrorism."
Amber leaned in. "So what's your move?"
I lifted my head slowly.
Smiling.
Darkly.
"If he wants psychological warfare, I'll give him hell."
SCHOOL COURTYARD
The day was almost over. No glitter bombs. No posters. No candy. No winks.
I should've been relieved.
But the silence?
It felt like the moment before a horror movie jump scare. And only thing that scares me in the horror movie is jump scare with the sound.
And right on cue—he stepped out from behind the courtyard wall like some smug villain in a teen drama reboot. Please attach dramatic music behind.
"Jesus—can you not materialize out of shadows like that?" I snapped, instinctively clutching my bag like it could protect me from six feet of smirking doom.
Leo just looked at me.
Still.
Quiet.
That unreadable expression that usually meant I was about to regret something.
But this time... he didn't say anything.
He didn't smile either.
He just stared.
"Okay. Weird vibe." I said slowly, backing up half a step. "If you're here to prank me, at least give me a chance to scream before I die of embarrassment."
Nothing.
Still staring. Are we having a staring competition?
"Leo?"
He finally spoke.
"Why do you do it?"
I blinked. "Do what?"
"This." He gestured between us. "The pranks. The names. The glitter. Do you hate me that much?"
I opened my mouth. Closed it.
Oh.
Wait.
Was he… serious?
"No," I said too fast. "I mean—yes. Obviously. I loathe you. You're insufferable. You—"
"Don't lie," he said quietly.
I froze.
There was something behind his eyes. Not anger. Not even mischief.
Just… exhaustion?
No. That wasn't right. Hurt, maybe?
Nope. Not going there.
I rolled my eyes, trying to backpedal into safe territory. "Look, I call you Tinker Bell one time—"
"Three times," he cut in.
"—and you act like I burned your house down."
He stepped forward once.
I didn't move. I try to act strong.
Big mistake.
He was close now. Too close. His voice dropped.
"You do all of this just to piss me off, but you don't even see what you're doing, do you?"
I swallowed. "I'm guessing this is the part where you make a dramatic speech?"
His jaw clenched. "You crawl under my skin and just... stay there. I can't even be mad about it."
I forgot how to blink.
"Walking away never really crossed my mind. I should hate you," he said. "But I don't. I never did."
I opened my mouth to say something—anything.
But nothing came out.
Because I saw it then.
Just for a second.
The tiniest flicker of something in his eyes.
Vulnerability.
Real, raw, and gone just as fast as it came.
He shook his head like he regretted everything, then turned and walked away.
No punchline.
No smirk.
Just silence.
And for the first time since this stupid war started…
…I didn't feel like I'd won anything.