–AVALINE–
THUSDAY
Some mornings just feel… off.
The sun was shining. My hair mostly behaved. And Bella and I were walking into school like we always did — arm in arm, iced coffees in hand, pretending we didn't have three different assignments due by the end of the week.
And still… something felt missing.
Probably sleep. Or maybe a certain rich boy who still hadn't shown up.
"So I told him," Bella said dramatically, flipping her hair over her shoulder, "if he was gonna text me at 1 a.m., he better be bleeding or proposing. And guess what? He was doing neither."
I snorted into my cup. "You didn't."
"Oh, I did. And then I muted him. Girlboss behavior only."
We stopped near the hall split, where our classes branched off in opposite directions. Bella looked down at her phone, squinting.
"What's the bet Mr. Hughes gives us a pop quiz again today?"
"Ugh, don't jinx it."
"I'm manifesting it. Just for chaos."
I rolled my eyes with a smile. "You're the chaos."
"I contain multitudes," she replied, giving me a little wave. "Later, nerd."
"Bye, menace."
And just like that, she was gone, disappearing into the crowd like glitter in the wind. Bella always made the day feel lighter — but as I walked toward class, I couldn't stop glancing around.
Still no sign of Alex.
Maybe it wasn't my business. Maybe I was just overthinking it. Again. But we were supposed to start working together — soon — and I didn't like the idea of rushing through the project last-minute. He didn't seem like the rushing type either, which made it weirder.
I even peeked into the hall near the science wing, thinking maybe he'd just arrived late or something.
Nothing.
By the end of the day, I'd managed to quiet the buzzing worry. Sort of. He was probably fine. Just… being Alexander Worthington — or maybe sick.
I was shutting my locker when a familiar voice came up beside me.
"You didn't forget about Friday, did you?"
I turned and found Josh leaning casually against the locker next to mine, grinning like he already knew I had. I blinked. "Friday…?"
"Our talk," he said. "Party prep? Ring any bells?"
"Oh!" I laughed, the memory clicking into place. "Right. Right, the top-secret discussion during break."
Josh nodded seriously. "Only the most classified of plans."
I rolled my eyes, still smiling. "What even is the plan?"
"You'll find out tomorrow," he said smugly.
"Great," I said. "I can't wait to not prepare for it."
Josh opened his mouth to respond, but I cut in first. "Hey — random — have you seen Alex around today?"
He tilted his head. "Not really. Probably ill. But I saw his sister earlier."
I nodded slowly, chewing on my bottom lip. "Hmm."
"You worried?" he asked, sounding curious.
"No. Just… you know. Partners project stuff."
Before he could reply, I heard heels clicking too fast to be casual — and there she was.
"Excuse me," Bella said, appearing out of nowhere with a flip of her curls. "Are we gossiping without me?"
Josh raised both hands. "Guilty."
"Rude," she said, planting herself between us like she owned the hallway. "Ava, are you letting him get away with this?"
I bit back a laugh. "I'm staying neutral."
"Typical," Bella huffed. "She's Switzerland."
Josh rolled his eyes. "You're just mad I got here first."
"Oh please," Bella said, already pulling her lip gloss out of her bag. "You can't compete with this." She gestured at herself like she was on a runway.
I laughed — really laughed — because honestly, they were ridiculous. Ridiculous and loud and impossible in the best way. I loved them both.
For a second, I just stood there, watching them go back and forth like kids at recess, and I felt it — that warm, easy feeling of being exactly where you were supposed to be.
Life was good..
---
–ALEXANDER –
– Thursday
Being grounded was exactly as fun as it sounded.
No phone. No car. No freedom. Just the hollow silence of a penthouse that's too damn big for one person and a father with a stick so far up his—
Never mind.
I laid there on the long white sectional in the living room, legs stretched out, watching some garbage sitcom with canned laughter and zero plot. I wasn't even watching it. Just letting the noise fill the room like static.
I'd stared at the ceiling for an hour earlier. Counted every vent. Looked through my bookshelf twice. My laptop? Confiscated. My phone? Buried somewhere in my dad's office like a kidnapped hostage.
It was pathetic, honestly.
I was half asleep, head tilted back, when I heard it — a car engine cutting off.
I didn't move at first. Thought maybe it was Sophia. Or Helena. Probably back from a coffee run or yoga or whatever ritual rich girls do when they're stressed.
But then I heard the slam of a door. A deeper engine. Heavier steps.
I turned my head.
Theo.
I didn't smile — I don't do that. But something shifted inside me. Relief? Boredom dying a slow death? I don't know. I just knew the guy had the decency to show up.
The front door opened with that dramatic echo it always had, and there he was — Theo, grinning like he owned the place, arms wide.
"My man," he said, crossing the marble like a linebacker. "Come here, you emotionally repressed bastard."
He hugged me before I could stop him — full-force, cologne-smelling, suffocating hug.
"Get off," I muttered.
"You smell like sadness and expired ambition," he said, flopping down beside me on the sofa.
I exhaled. "What do you want?"
"What do I want? Bro, what have you been doing? I tried calling you like a normal human being, and your line was dead. Thought you got kidnapped by your butler."
I rested my head against the couch arm. "I'm not fucking okay."
Theo blinked. "Oh damn. We're jumping straight to the breakdown part?"
"My pop grounded me."
Theo made a sound like a dying animal. "Your dad grounded you? Since when does Richard 'Builds Empires Not Relationships' Worthington even look at his kid long enough to do that?"
I smirked faintly. "Guess skipping the Worthington Foundation Gala really touched his delicate little heart."
"Dude. You skipped the event of the year?"
"I didn't feel like pretending to give a shit about old men in tuxedos sipping whiskey and talking about stocks."
Theo threw his head back laughing. "Bro. You've got the balls of a man with nothing left to lose."
"Thanks."
"He really took your phone though?"
"Laptop too. I'm in digital prison."
"Damn," he said, shaking his head. "Your father's is comedy.."
"That's Richard for you."
Theo snatched a cushion and shoved it under his head like he was about to nap. "Well, while you were being a house cat, school happened. Not that you missed much. Someone nearly set the chemistry lab on fire."
I raised a brow. "Seriously?"
"Swear on my left balls. Jake Simmons tried to mix god-knows-what for a 'harmless' experiment. Mr. Daniels almost had an aneurysm."
I snorted softly.
"Oh, and Bella told Mr. Hughes he was 'giving off rejected Hogwarts professor energy' and walked out mid-class."
I actually laughed — short and low. "That tracks."
Theo stretched. "God, I missed your cold, dead energy. So. Party. Saturday night. Still happening?"
I hesitated. "Depends. My dad's flying to Melvaria Friday."
Theo blinked. "That's not a real place."
"It is. He's meeting some ambassador or cult leader or oil tycoon. I don't know. If he leaves on time, the party's back on."
Theo clutched his chest dramatically. "Thank God. I was about to rent a bounce house and cry in it."
"You still can."
"I gave number 20 the address."
I side-eyed him. "Oh okay,you sick piece of shit."
"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet." Theo leaned in. "Bro, I've got plans for Saturday."
"Spare me."
"No, no — listen." He sat up. "I've already got three girls in mind. I'm talking full strategy. Flirt with Chloe at the bar, pretend I read poetry to impress Ashley, then maybe — maybe — find my way upstairs with that hot junior who keeps wearing crop tops like it's her life mission."
"Disgusting," I muttered.
"Envy is loud," he said, faking a tear wipe. "I'm a man of culture. I appreciate the human form. And thighs. Lots of thighs."
"You're a menace."
"I'm a visionary. Also — if I don't hook up this weekend, I'm blaming you personally."
"Good. I'll send flowers to your ego's funeral."
We were still throwing insults at each other when the front door creaked open again. Laughter echoed through the hallway — familiar, high-pitched.
Sophia and Helena.
Theo lit up. "Oh, look. Your royal sisters have returned."
They strutted in, holding shopping bags and lattes like twin hurricanes.
Sophia spotted Theo first. "You again?"
"Ladies," he said, standing up and bowing. "You look… exhausted."
"Because school sucks," Helena groaned. "And we deserve a massage and ten years of sleep."
"Ask Alex," Sophia said, flopping onto a chair. "He's just been lying around all day."
"Leave me the fuck alone," I said without looking at them.
"Charming," Helena said.
They disappeared upstairs, still giggling about something I didn't care about.
Theo turned back to me with a smirk. "So. Be honest."
I narrowed my eyes. "What?"
"You didn't… you know…" He wiggled his brows. "Accidentally fucked yourself during this sad little phone-less week?"
I gave him a long, disgusted look. "You're unbelievable."
"C'mon, bro. I'd go insane without my laptop. You didn't even—"
"Shut up," I snapped, glancing toward the staircase. "If my sisters hear you, I'll glue your mouth shut."
Theo just laughed, loud and unbothered. "You love me."
"I tolerate you."
He grinned wider. "Same difference."
And somehow, the day didn't feel quite as suffocating any more.
---
AVALINE–
THURSDAY EVENING
I didn't expect the smell of vanilla to greet me when I walked in. Or the sound of laughter echoing from the kitchen.
That's how I knew something was off.
I dropped my bag by the door and peeked around the corner — and there she was. My mum, standing by the kitchen island, dusted in flour, her hair wrapped up in a silk scarf, hips swaying slightly to the old-school R&B humming from the speaker.
She looked… radiant.
"Hi, sweetheart," she said, catching me mid-stare. "You're back early."
"I—yeah. Kinda surprised to see you," I said, stepping into the kitchen. "What's the occasion? You made cake?"
She smiled. "Just felt like it. Thought it'd be nice to treat myself — and my favorite girl."
I dropped my voice playfully. "And by favorite, you mean me."
"Obviously," she said with a wink.
She looked like she belonged in a magazine ad — glowing brown skin, long black curls tucked under the scarf, cheekbones that could slice glass, and those kind eyes that always saw more than I wanted them to. Honestly? My mum was stunning. Like, unfairly stunning. The kind of beautiful that didn't ask for attention but always got it.
"You're too pretty," I muttered, grabbing a fork and stealing a crumb from the edge of the cooling tray.
She raised a brow. "Say that louder."
"I said you're too pretty. Honestly, it's offensive."
She laughed — soft, throaty. "Go freshen up, cheeky girl. Then come help me before I eat all this by myself."
"Yes, ma'am," I said, already turning toward my room.
By the time I got upstairs, I'd kicked off my shoes and pulled my hair into a messy bun. I changed into a soft beige top and a pair of faded grey sweatpants — my usual at-home armor. The moment I dropped onto my bed, my phone lit up.
Bella 💅: don't forget to lie 😌😮💨
I sighed. Then typed back:
Me: 😪 mum won't like that but anything for you and Josh.
Bella's reply came seconds later.
Bella 💅: 🥲that's why I love your black ass😚
That made me laugh — an actual laugh, not just the nose-exhale kind. My chest felt a little lighter.
I headed back to the kitchen, where Mum was slicing the cooled cake into neat little squares. She saw me coming and handed me a chunk of a corner — my favorite part.
"Here," she said. "Just crumbs, but still magic."
I popped it in my mouth. Still warm, still soft, still perfect. "Mum, you know you should be a chef."
She rolled her eyes. "Too stressful, my love. All those picky customers? No, thank you. I'll stick to feeding my babies."
I leaned against the counter, chewing slowly. She looked so peaceful in that moment — no work emails, no stern lectures, just my mum in her element, baking and humming and smelling like sugar and cinnamon.
"Mum?" I said after a second.
She looked up. "Hmm?"
I hesitated. My fingers gripped the edge of the counter. Lying wasn't something I was used to. Especially not to her. She always found out in the end anyway, like she had this superpower wired into her soul — a radar for half-truths and guilt.
"I… I have something to ask."
She turned toward me, giving me her full attention now. That made it worse.
"So, um… can I go to Bella's this weekend?" I started. "We have this assignment thing, and it's kinda a big deal. Group work. You know how that is."
Her brows knit together just slightly. "The weekend?"
"Yeah. Like—I'll go after work tomorrow. It's a morning shift, and I'll be at her place by the afternoon. I'll be back Sunday evening. Promise."
Mum narrowed her eyes a little, not in an angry way — just curious. "Since when did you start doing weekends over at Bella's?"
My stomach did a little twist. I shrugged, tried to sound breezy. "This one's just different. We're behind, and we kinda need the whole weekend to get it together. You know it's easier when we're in the same place."
She didn't say anything right away. Just looked at me — like she was searching my face for any cracks.
"And what about work?"
"I already planned it. Morning shift, like I said. I'll go straight to Bella's after."
Mum sighed softly, brushing flour from her hands with a towel. "Well… okay. But you two be careful. I don't like when teenage girls suddenly get full of boys when they're alone. You know how I feel about that."
"I know, Mum," I said gently. "I do know. And I promise, it's just school stuff."
She studied me for one more second. Then gave a small nod.
"So I can go?" I asked again, hopeful.
"Yes. I'll talk to your dad. Don't make me regret it."
"Thank you!" I rushed forward and kissed her cheek. "You're the best."
She chuckled, shaking her head. "Go do your assignments before I change my mind."
As I turned to leave, I glanced back at her — still standing there in her soft robe and floury hands, looking beautiful and wise and impossibly kind. A pang of guilt hit me in the chest.
She hadn't caught the lie today.
I'd just have to make sure she never did.
With a deep breath, I headed upstairs to get my laptop.
Time to at least pretend to be productive.
–AVALINE–
FRIDAY, Break Time
The cafeteria smelled like fake cheese and boy sweat — a classic combo. Bella and I sat at our usual spot near the back wall, the kind of corner you could melt into when you didn't feel like existing too loud. My half-eaten apple stared at me while Bella scrolled through her phone, humming to herself.
Then came the clatter of a tray — ketchup packet nearly flying off — and the sound of sneakers dragging across tile.
"Meeting," Josh announced as he dropped into the seat across from us, all dramatic, with a slice of pizza and way too much cheese. "Very important meeting."
We both looked up.
Josh grinned at me. "So, Avi… you still coming?"
He stared directly at me, eyes crinkling a little at the corners. My stomach did that annoying flutter thing again. I blamed the fake cafeteria lighting.
I poked my apple slice with a sigh. "I guess so. You made Bella convince me, you know."
His grin grew wider. "I want you both there. It'd be boring without you guys. You're the only girls I'll actually know at this thing."
Bella made a face. "Wow. You really need more friends."
"Quality over quantity, baby," Josh said, tossing a fry in his mouth.
I shook my head, amused. "It's funny. Alex actually allowed you to bring friends? Like, really?"
Josh snorted. "He didn't exactly say friends. He just said... girls were fine."
Bella gave him a look. "Wow. Classic."
I laughed. "Well, I'm sure he isn't expecting girls like me."
Bella rolled her eyes dramatically. "Avi. Be a bad girl for once in your life. You never go to wild teen parties. You should be making your high school memories now— but just, don't get pregnant."
I gasped and smacked her arm. "Bella!"
She cackled, like she lived to cause chaos.
Even Josh laughed. "She's not wrong. Just don't end up with some senior named Chad."
"You two are the worst," I muttered, trying not to laugh too hard.
Josh leaned forward, wiping ketchup off his hand with a napkin. "So how do we plan this? You're coming to the party with me, right?"
Bella didn't hesitate. "Yep. She's coming to my place after work, she'll get all dressed up, and you'll pick us up."
Josh pointed at her with his fry. "Perfect."
Then he turned to me, suddenly casual. "And maybe while you're there… you could also, I don't know, see Alex for five minutes and actually work on the literature project?"
I gave him a look. "If he even notices me in that crowd, I'll be shocked. The place is probably gonna be crawling with half the school, music so loud it'll shake your bones, and at least three girls dancing like strippers in the living room."
Bella nodded quickly. "Facts. One of his parties last year? Some girl started twerking on the marble coffee table. In heels."
I blinked. "I… don't even know how to respond to that."
Josh just laughed. "Okay, okay, relax. I'll keep both of you safe. I'm your emotional support man."
Bella turned to him sharply, wagging a finger. "Don't get any girl pregnant, Joshua. This might be your first time in close proximity with actual women."
Josh held up his hands. "Hey, hey. Trust me. The only woman I'd get pregnant is you."
Bella's entire face turned red. She smacked him in the back of the head so hard it echoed.
"Ew! I rebuke you, you foul, overconfident piece of garbage."
I laughed so hard I had to cover my mouth. "Bella!"
She pointed at him like she was summoning lightning. "He's a psycho. A menace. A dirty, disgusting—"
Josh winced, rubbing his head dramatically. "You wound me. I was joking."
"You're a joke," she snapped, but she was smiling through it.
I just shook my head and laughed again, the kind that made my chest feel lighter. For a moment, all the guilt and nerves about the lie disappeared. It was just me and my best friends.
And maybe — maybe — this party wouldn't be a total disaster.