Melina's POV
Why would that self-obsessed prick want to see me?
Has he… fallen in love? Pfft—No way. People fall in love with flowers, not leaves. And me? I'm a leaf. A crunchy, possibly half-dead one. Heheh.
"Not you. He is looking for you, Zara."
That handsome, tall guy says it to her, eyes glued on Zara like she's the season finale of his favourite drama. What's going on with them? Lord knows what shady, soap-opera-level nonsense happens in this campus. I'm just a fresher and already experiencing more trauma than orientation week promised.
The guy gives me a single glance — the kind that says 'you're not part of this episode' — and walks away toward where the self-proclaimed Seven Kings are holding court. Although only Zara was being called, Dove decided to tag along, dragging me with her. Seems like this is a "usual" for them.
And there he is — Theo. Sitting on a cafeteria table like chairs were invented for peasants. His whole vibe screams, "I own this place and possibly three islands". But deep down? He's still a chipmunk. A very… dominant chipmunk.
Theo spots me with Zara and Dove and looks… mildly taken aback.
"So I see what you've been, Ms. Miranda."
I blink. Once. Twice. Did I hear the right crap?
My name is MELINA, you genius.
Well… who am I kidding? Even if I corrected him, he'd probably call me something worse like "Matilda" or "Macarena."
Theo continues, "You befriended my sister so you can get close to me, huh?"
Is he serious? Or is this him flirting? Either way— HAH!! How highly of himself.
Wait… sister? Whose sister? Where? Who's the mother?
From my left, I hear Zara exhale so loudly it could power a wind farm.
"C'mon Theo. Don't be like this to her. She just entered our campus."
"How about you don't stick your nose in my business?" Theo fires back.
Zara isn't having it. "Go after whoever you want, I don't care. But she is my friend."
And suddenly, I feel like a thousand flowers bloomed in my belly. Okay, maybe that's dramatic. I don't even know what that actually feels like. But still. Emotional moment. Who knew this jackass Theo had a sister so sweet?
Theo, with his stupidly smug grin, turns to me. Oh, that pretty face. I wanna punch it. Just as he's about to say something— she appears.
A girl so pretty she could make Aphrodite pack her bags and leave. Pretty like a flower. Pretty like a painting. Pretty like the Wi-Fi signal finally going full bars. She leans in and kisses his cheek.
Oh no.
This troublemaker has a girlfriend THIS gorgeous? GIRL— COME, I WILL MARRY YOU. HE IS A WALKING RED FLAG FACTORY.
Theo's whole focus shifts to her. "You look so pretty today, Ellie," he says, actually sniffing her scent in. In front of the entire cafeteria. Really? I'm suddenly 90% sure I'm watching a shampoo commercial.
Ellie smiles with her eyes, turns to Zara and chirps, "Heyy, Sissy."
Zara audibly rolls her eyes. "Piss off."
Oops. Someone isn't a fan.
Ellie's face changes like the clouds before a storm. Then she looks at me and says, "C'mon Zara and Dove, you got nobody else to hang out with? She looks bland. Like a leaf."
…Okay.
First of all, wow.
Second—LEAF GOTTA BE MY SOULMATE.
I give her my best awkward smile because, honestly, I'm not here to start World War III.
On the bright side? She's the perfect match for Theo-the-Chipmunk.
Dove leans in and whispers, "She's bad news. She might look kind but she's not."
Well, that explains Theo's obsession.
It's wild how this man has been on my case since I arrived, while having a girlfriend like her. Petty. I would never fall for someone like that.
Then Zara hits him with the obvious question I hadn't even thought about until she asked: "Why did you want to see me?"
Theo says, "You can invite maximum five friends for our Grandma's birthday. So make it quick — tonight evening, Dad and the uncles planned it."
And then—he finally turns his head to Zara, not me. Says his piece, and immediately switches his attention back to Ellie.
Zara sighs so hard I can feel the weight of her life in it. She clearly doesn't want to socialize. Looks like her family makes her do it anyway. A family life worse than mine? News to me.
She drags me and Dove away from the royal Chipmunk Court and casually drops that I'm invited too.
I'm sorry—WHAT? We just met. You can't invite me to a family gathering like this. There are rules. There's etiquette.
But she somehow convinces me with words that felt like a Jedi mind trick. And now I'm going. Oh god. Please, no more interaction with the Mighty Chipmunk Theodore..
-----
Hours later, walking alone from class, I hear noises from a closed classroom.
Not the normal, "someone dropped a water bottle" noises.
Suspicious noises. Movie-level suspicious.
My fresher brain immediately starts producing scenarios:
Ghost doing its thing.
Someone tied to a chair.
Secret fight club.
Or worse… a cult meeting.
My fight-or-flight chooses fight. I knock on the door.
Hard.
Like, cop-in-a-crime-drama hard.
"POLICE IS ON THE WAY! I know someone's in there!" I yell.
There's a pause. Then a low, annoyed groan.
The door creaks open and—boom—Ellie appears. Looking like a fashion magazine cover model who just did a quick wardrobe adjustment. She's fixing her dress, hair slightly messy, and giving me a glare so bitter I swear my tongue curled.
She mutters something under her breath—something like "Oh, I'll show you b*tch"—before brushing past me.
I'm still standing there, clueless, until—
Theo walks out.
Buttoning his shirt.
Hair slightly ruffled. Smug grin activated. He looks like he just walked out of a bad romance drama where he's the problematic male lead.
And suddenly—
My brain does the math.
The dots connect.
OH.
HELL.
NAH.
That sounds were Moans?!! Two adults decides to go f*ck in a abandoned classroom?! Can't they Wait
My face is a perfect poker face, but inside?
Disgust.
Shock.
And mostly, the unshakable horror that this campus has no chill.
Theo leans against the doorway, all casual. "What's the matter, Miranda? Jealous?"
I ignore him for my own sanity. I'm not giving him the satisfaction.
Seriously, how do two adults decide, "You know what? This classroom is romantic." It's not. It smells like chalk dust and anxiety.
---
By the time I get home, I've convinced myself there's no way I'll see him again tonight.
No Theo. No Ellie. No drama. Just peace.
Cut to the party.
I arrive.
Instead Instant regret.
No Dove. No Zara. The hall feels too big and too fancy for my poor leaf self. There's an actual chandelier. And people are sipping champagne like they're auditioning for a rich people commercial.
I'm about to blend into the wallpaper when—BAM—someone bumps me.
It's him. One of the Seven guys. He smiled politely.
Looking like he stepped straight out of a magazine,
…Then I look over his shoulder.
And there she is.
Ellie.
Wrapped around Theo's arm like a designer accessory.
Her eyes lock on me.
Not just looking—plotting. This isn't a casual glance. This is "I'm going to ruin your semester" level staring.
Theo? He's smirking to someone . Again. Like he's in on some private joke I don't understand. I guess bro doesnt know how to smile.
And just when I'm about to turn away, a waiter passes with a tray, nearly hits me, and I stumble—straight into Theo's line of sight.
Great.
Now it looks like I walked over to them on purpose.
"This night," I tell myself, "is going to be a disaster."
To be continued…