Suzie had no idea how many times she'd rolled her eyes at this point. Arms crossed, foot tapping, she sat at the edge of the table like someone waiting to be rescued.
She was with Marie and Tiffany—two girls she should've been comfortable with. But today? She wanted to bolt.
Marie looked effortlessly chill, as always. Blonde bob, clean blazer, cool smile. The kind of girl who never got too high or too low. They were in the same major, same cheer team, same class.
Tiffany, on the other hand, was a blast from the past. Junior high friend. Soft brown hair in a cute butterfly cut, always dressed like she was on her way to a tea party. Sweet, girly, polite.
They'd never been close back then, but now? Same club. Same room. Same awkward vibe.
"So," Marie said, breaking the silence. "How was everyone's Valentine's?"
Tiffany's cheeks flushed pink. "Um… I gave someone chocolates. Homemade."
Suzie nearly rolled her eyes again. Of course she did.
'God, some girls really live in a fairytale,' she thought.
"Wait, you mean the guy you told me about last time?" Marie asked.
Tiffany nodded, all bashful and glowy. "I don't even know if he liked them… I'm scared they tasted bad."
"Girl, don't undersell yourself," Marie said gently. "You made the effort. That already means something."
"Yeah… I hope so."
Marie smiled at her, proud. Then her eyes slid to the one person who hadn't said much.
"Suzie?"
"Huh? Oh—what?"
"Did you do anything with Walter? Fancy dinner? Roses?"
Suzie stared at her. Was that a joke?
She let out a scoff and gave Marie a flat look. "Seriously?"
Yup. That told Marie everything.
"Sorry," she mumbled. "I thought you two patched things up."
She wasn't wrong. Suzie had been dating Walter for a while now. The business major. Polished, smart, a little too into himself. They'd fought more than once. Okay—a lot. But they always made up eventually.
Only… this time didn't feel like one of those times.
Suzie sat back, biting the inside of her cheek. February 14th had come and gone, and she still felt like crap. It was supposed to be sweet. Romantic. Memorable.
Instead?
It was radio silence.
No flowers. No chocolate. No "I miss you." Just her phone screen staring back at her silently like the guy who was supposed to love her.
Meanwhile, Instagram was basically mocking her. Everyone had something. A candlelit dinner, a bouquet, some cringey poem on their story. Even the boring guys in her major had managed to do something cute. A secret gift, a casual wine night with friends, a silly surprise.
And her?
She sat in her room, in her pajamas, watching the typing bubble that never turned into a message.
She clenched her jaw. 'Seriously, Walter? Not even a damn emoji?'
Weren't they just on a break? Did "space" mean total ghosting?
And the worst part?
What if he actually liked not talking to her?
"I hope you guys work it out soon," Tiffany said, all gentle and sugary.
Suzie wanted to scream. She'd heard that line one too many times. It didn't help.
Tiffany, probably sensing the tension, pivoted fast. "Anyway—what about you, Marie?"
"I hung out with my old junior high friends," Marie said. "Just a little reunion."
"Cute," Tiffany said. "Any mysterious ex-crushes show up?"
Marie laughed. "No. Just old friends."
"Come on," Tiffany teased. "It's giving childhood sweetheart, reunited years later."
Marie shook her head, still smiling.
Suzie watched them laugh, feeling more and more like the third wheel.
Weird, right? She was the link between them—Tiffany from junior high, Marie from now. Same club. Same circle. She should be the glue.
So why did it feel like they had more chemistry with each other than with her?
Then a thought hit her.
Junior high.
Something about it clicked in her brain—like an old file opening by accident.
There was something she was supposed to remember. Something important. But with Walter constantly messing with her head, she'd pushed it aside.
"Hey, Tiff," she said, suddenly.
Tiffany was still smiling, but turned to her. "Yeah?"
Suzie hesitated. "Do you remember anyone named Dave?"
Tiffany blinked. "Dave?"
That name had been scratching at her brain since she asked Nelson about it. She couldn't place it in high school, which meant it had to be earlier.
"From our school. Junior high," Suzie said.
Tiffany frowned, then suddenly lit up. "Oh! You mean that 'rich kid'?"
"…What?"
"Yeah, the guy people used to call 'little lord' or something. Mama's boy. Super proper. Always had his shirt tucked in."
Suzie blinked. 'What the hell…?'
Tiffany tilted her head. "Wait. You really don't remember him? You were kind of the reason everyone knew who he was."
Suzie narrowed her eyes. "Why?"
"You don't remember the bet you made with the class president?" Tiffany said innocently.
"What bet?"
"Oh my god, Suzie," Tiffany laughed. "You really erased him."
Marie finally looked up. "Wait, what are you guys talking about?"
"Just some kid from back then," Tiffany said, scrolling through her phone. A second later, she held it out. "Here. He goes to our college now. You seriously didn't know?"
Suzie froze.
No way.
That was Robin.
Lyra's boyfriend. The one who'd been hanging around her best friend like a lost puppy.
The photo was from a student fest post.
"You're kidding. That's Dave?"
Tiffany nodded like it was nothing. "Yup. Full name? David Robinson. Dave."
Suzie's stomach dropped.
"You don't have old pics of him, do you?"
Tiffany snorted. "Why would I keep photos of some awkward junior? Are you into him now? I think he's dating someone."
Suzie didn't answer.
She knew exactly who he was dating.
She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to pull up any image of the boy she'd apparently once humiliated. It came in pieces.
A skinny kid. Nervous. Fidgety. Shoulders slouched. Always perfectly dressed. Quiet. Weird.
Was that really Robin?
"Let's stop digging up old ghosts," Tiffany said with a shrug. "If you're looking for a new guy, there's like, a thousand."
Suzie didn't respond. She was too busy drowning in her own brain.
The blurry image in her head was slowly gaining focus.
'No way.'
Marie, oblivious, jumped into the next topic. "Let's talk about the spring collection. It's coming out early March, right?"
"Yeah, I saw the teaser on Instagram," Tiffany said.
But Suzie? She was gone.
Mentally, at least.
She pulled up her photo gallery, scrolling, desperate to find a clue from the past. Nothing.
"Suzie?" Marie called. "You in?"
Suzie blinked. "Uh… no. I think I'll sit this one out."
"What? You love this kind of stuff," Tiffany said.
She raised her phone. "Walter texted."
Marie gasped. "Wait—so you guys are good now?"
"Yeah. Something like that."
It felt like swallowing glass. But they didn't question her.
"Wow, love really makes people disappear," Marie teased.
"Glad to hear it, though," Tiffany added.
Suzie forced a smile. "Yeah. Anyway—I'll see you guys later."
She stood up, fast. Walked out. Didn't look back.
'I need to find out the truth.'
--------
Sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow across the Student Council office. Papers cluttered the desks, a few members sat scattered in chairs, lost in their own tasks—but in one corner of the room, the mood was much more relaxed.
Robin lounged on a small couch, legs stretched out, arms draped lazily. Lyra stood beside him, fingers combing through his slightly messy hair.
"You've gotten clingier, you know that?" she muttered, half-teasing, while straightening his jacket.
Robin grinned, eyes lighting up as he looked at her. "Can you blame me? I've got the cutest girlfriend in school."
He tugged her by the waist, pulling her closer like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Lyra sighed, but her lips twitched. She was used to this by now—Robin and his nonstop sweetness.
"You're such a handful," she mumbled, though her soft smile betrayed her.
Robin chuckled, reaching up to gently tap her cheek—
BAM.
The office door slammed open.
Heads turned. A few people paused what they were doing.
Nelson stood in the doorway, eyebrows raised at the scene in front of him. His sharp gaze locked onto Robin—who still had an arm lazily wrapped around Lyra—while the girl looked mildly embarrassed by the sudden audience.
"Oh wow," Nelson said, crossing his arms. His voice dripped with fake surprise. "Romantic drama before noon. Didn't see that coming."
Robin didn't even flinch. "If you're here just to be annoying, door's still open."
But Nelson just smirked wider and strolled in. He gave Lyra a teasing look. "You sure this guy's still Robin? I swear the version I knew wasn't this clingy."
Lyra giggled, brushing it off. "Maybe you just never saw this side of him."
"Hey, I'm just exercising my boyfriend privileges," Robin said proudly, chin tilted up like he deserved an award.
Nelson rolled his eyes, still grinning. But then—his expression shifted, just slightly.
"Unfortunately, I'm not here to crash your lovefest."
Robin raised an eyebrow. "You're not even part of the Council. What are you doing here?"
Nelson shoved one hand into his pocket, tone dropping a little. "I need to talk to you. It's… kind of important."
"Then talk," Robin said flatly, clearly uninterested.
Nelson exhaled. Of course Robin wouldn't make it easy. He glanced at Lyra and offered her a small smile, then turned back.
"It's about the meeting earlier. With Professor Bells. There's something we should go over, just you and me."
Robin squinted. "Meeting? What meeting? I don't remember anything on the schedule today."
"Digital Media & Communication," Nelson said quickly. "The prof talked about final projects. There were some key updates. I figured we should get ahead of it—just in case."
"Final project? That's still ages away. And if it's important, why not just post it in the group?"
"Could've. But the prof hinted that a few teams might get surprise presentations. I figured it was better to talk now than scramble later."
Robin didn't look convinced. But before he could argue, Lyra stepped in.
"If it's academic, maybe you should go. Better to handle it now than regret it later."
Robin narrowed his eyes at Nelson. "This feels more like a trap than homework."
"Oh my god," Nelson groaned dramatically. "I'm not kidnapping you, relax. You think you're that important?"
Robin groaned and finally stood, brushing off invisible dust from his pants. "Fine. But if this turns out to be some dumb excuse, I'm kicking your ass."
Nelson just laughed. Robin turned to Lyra and gave her a small smile. "Be right back. Won't take long."
"Take your time," she said. "If it's for class, I don't mind."
Nelson raised an eyebrow at their exchange but kept quiet. As Robin walked up, Nelson turned and headed for the door, making sure his friend followed.
Once they stepped into the hallway, Nelson's casual look faded.
"Let's find somewhere quieter," he said under his breath.
Robin glanced at him, suspicion creeping in. "What is this really about?"
Nelson didn't answer right away. But the look in his eyes said everything.
Robin fell silent—and followed.
--------
Suzie took the stairs two at a time, breath ragged, heart pounding harder than her steps.
She wasn't thinking—just moving.
When she reached her room, she threw the door open with a loud bang, not even flinching as the sound echoed through the house.
Straight to the closet.
Her hands moved fast, yanking open a dusty drawer she hadn't touched in ages. The handle stuck for a second, then gave way with a rough tug.
Inside—buried under some old sweaters and forgotten junk—was a box.
A small, worn-out box that hadn't seen daylight in years.
Her fingers trembled as she pulled it out. "No way... no freaking way..." she whispered, like a mantra, like if she said it enough times, this wouldn't be happening.
She tore the lid open.
Old notebooks. Folded letters with yellowing edges. And then—
"Got you," she breathed.
A photo album. Thin. Faded navy blue. The corners frayed and soft with age.
Junior high.
She flipped it open, hands damp with sweat. Her heart beat louder than the pages turning.
And then—there it was.
A photo near the back.
A boy. Looking straight at the camera. Awkward posture, stiff smile.
Her chest tightened.
She remembered.
He used to sit by himself. Always slouching, like he was trying to disappear. A little chubby. Shirt always buttoned all the way up. Hair neat, bangs hiding his forehead.
Quiet. Barely spoke unless someone forced him to. Never fought back, even when people laughed at him. Never caused trouble.
Just… existed. Invisibly.
Suzie squinted at the photo.
That boy? That shy, forgettable kid?
That… was not the Robin she knew now.
But the longer she stared, the more something inside her twisted.
The eyes. The mouth. The way he stood. It was faint, but it was there.
She looked down.
David Robinson Hadley. The name stared back at her from the Polaroid.
Air left her lungs like a punch to the chest.
No.
No, no, no—
Her hands shook. The room blurred.
Voices came crashing back.
A soft voice calling her name. Always nervous. Always hopeful.
Laughter. Hers. Her friends'.
The way he smiled—awkwardly, stupidly—every time she gave him the smallest ounce of attention.
And then—
The worst memory of all.
The way she played with him. Toyed with his feelings like it was a game. How she ditched him the second people started whispering.
Because she was embarrassed.
Because he wasn't cool enough.
Because he didn't matter.
And she never even looked back.
Suzie clenched the yearbook tight, chest rising and falling too fast.
"This can't be real," she whispered. "No way…"
Robin.
Robin had been hers... and she threw him away.
Now he'd changed—completely. Confident. Charming. Happy.
Happy… with Lyra.
Her best friend.
"No," she muttered, shaking her head like she could undo it.
This wasn't how it was supposed to be.
He wasn't supposed to be this different. This bold. This loved.
He used to be the one behind her. Watching her from a distance. Hoping for scraps.
Not this. Not above her.
She felt something boil in her chest. Hot. Ugly.
He was winning. Without her.
And the worse? He didn't even care.
Her vision blurred, but not from sadness.
It was rage. Pure, burning rage. Because somehow, Robin was doing better.
And she? She was stuck. Alone. Angry. Forgotten.
He had to know who she was. He had to remember. He was playing her. Pretending. Laughing behind her back.
That's why he got close to Lyra. That's why he stuck around.
It had to be revenge.
Because the alternative? That he'd moved on? That he didn't even think about her anymore?
That hurt way more.
Suzie wiped her face, furious at the sting in her eyes.
She wasn't crying. She was pissed.
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*** TO BE CONTINUE ***