The thing is, last year? I was…cute. Don't get me wrong. I could've been on a couple of Instagram feeds, my edges were fine-ish, hoop earrings in rotation. But let's be real...I was safe. Soft. Low-key. Walking around in jeans that were fine, hoodies that were fine, coffee that was fine. I blended. I laughed at jokes I didn't really get. I almost waved at the cute boys. Almost.
But then the year changed. The world changed. I changed.
I remember the exact moment I decided: no more blending. It was during a lunch shift in the cafeteria, and I watched some girl walk past in a skirt so short it defied gravity and a confidence so loud it could've been classified as a public disturbance. And I thought, that could be me. That should be me. That IS me...just lying dormant.
So I vowed.
No more hiding. No more "cute but quiet." No more taking the safe seat in life. I was going to eat, breathe, and walk in it-girl energy like it was oxygen. Every outfit became armor. Every step a headline. Every glance a TikTok clip waiting to happen. I started noticing everything: the way sunlight hit my skin, the way my braids bounced when I walked, the perfect ratio of hoop to earring to glare. I began practicing micro smirks in the mirror cute little pouts too, perfecting iced coffee grip positions for optimal casual elegance.
And oh, the attention? Instant. Even the teachers noticed. I walked into class and they paused mid-sentence, like, "Is that…? Wait…?" Friends started whispering, "You're different this year." I smirked. "Thank you. I know."
I didn't just dress better... I became better. Eyes sharper. Wits quicker. Tongue sharper. Attitude? Impeccable. Humor? Deadly. I was no longer just Ayana Dupree. I was Ayana Katherine Dupree..Campus Phenomenon, Meme Factory, Edge Lord Extraordinaire.
And then came Damian Cole. Oh yes, the cherry on top. The universe apparently decided that after a year of preparation, I needed a test. A hot boy. A walking disaster with a smile that could crash servers. And me? The fully activated, iced coffee-swigging, hoop-swinging icon I had spent the year building.
Because last year, I might have waved. This year? Oh no, sweetie. This year, I reject. And make the world watch for the fun of it.
I arrived on campus the next day like a headline: Ayana Katherine Dupree, dripping edges, hoop earrings catching the sun, skin moisturized like the universe itself approved. I had iced coffee in hand because, let's be real, caffeine is the only thing that can match my energy. And sunglasses? Big enough to block haters, small enough to keep my mystery aura alive.
First glance at the quad...chaos. Students whispering, phones out, the usual mid morning frenzy. But today felt different. Today, I had a reputation. Not just a student. Not just cute. Not just viral meme legend. Today, I was dangerous, and everyone knew it even the ones too scared to say it aloud.
I strutted past the fountain, edges sharp enough to injure, iced coffee sloshing dangerously in my cup. A freshman tripped over their own backpack in awe, while some guy tried to record me but ended up recording the concrete. Classic.
And then…my first threat of the day emerged.
Isabel and her clique. The campus elite. The kind of girls who smell like expensive perfume and Instagram aesthetic accounts. Their leader...Isabel, obviously....had the audacity to look me up and down like I had personally wronged her ancestors.
"Uh…you're Yana?" Isabel's voice dripped judgment.
I tilted my sunglasses. "Depends on who's asking "
Her clique gasped. One girl literally hid behind her tote bag, peeking like it was a horror movie. The other whispered, "She's…Scary."
Damn right I am...Be scared
I thought masking my amusement completely.
I smirked Intimidation was my cardio.
"Yeah, I'm Ayana Dupree" I said. "And you are…?"
"Now why would..." She started to say
"A bad investment of my time?"
They stared. Whispered. Someone looked like she was going to faint. Mission accomplished.
Meanwhile,Damian Cole existed. You know the type.. illegal-hot, smirking, a walking TikTok thirst trap. I spotted him across the quad, looking suspiciously calm, smug, like he hadn't just been publicly rejected yesterday in front of the entire school. Classic Damian.
And then the talking stage drama decided to appear out of nowhere.
Enter Malik. Calm. Sarcastic. Dangerous in the way he just gets you, without you knowing he's getting you. Walking past, iced coffee in hand, probably judging everyone equally. He gave me a little nod. You know, that casual hello,the one that makes you feel the tickle of guilt in your heart..the kind that tells you I'm involved in this chaos too... The one that makes the entire quad wonder if there's a romantic subplot brewing.
I raised an eyebrow. "Well, look who decided to grace us with his brooding aura."
Malik smirked. "Brooding? Please. I'm just here to watch the memes."
"Oh, you mean last night's rejection video? Viral sensation?" I said, swinging my hoop earrings like a weapon.
He laughed, leaning back against a bench. "That was…impressive. I'd clap, but my hands are busy holding iced coffee and judging your haters."
I rolled my eyes. "Good. Make yourself useful."
"Why does she get to just exist?" one girl whispered.
"Seriously," another hissed. "She doesn't even TRY. Hoodie, slides, iced coffee, and she still looks…like a headline."
I overheard. Perfect. Bonus points. It's always fun when your enemies basically narrate your power for you.
I told myself I didn't need to make them feel anymore insecure than they already were but I just couldn't help it.
"Isabel, love the look. Very…trying hard. Bold choice with the neon nails."
She stiffened. One eyebrow went up. "Excuse me?"
"I mean it. Bold. But slightly tragic. Very…Instagram vs reality," I said, sipping my iced coffee like I was judging their souls.
The gasp. Oh, the gasp. Someone literally clutched pearls like we were filming a period drama. My squad..Jordan and Yvette..had my back, of course.
Jordan whispered, "This premium reality tv . She's literally dismantling them with iced coffee and sarcasm."
"Exactly," Yvette whispered back, smirking. "It's elegant chaos."
Damian, still across the quad, watched. And yes, I noticed. He smirked like he was plotting some kind of revenge or charm offensive. But today? Not my problem. Today was about walking, talking, sipping coffee, and making enemies look like amateur extras.
Speaking of coffee, let's pause. Iced coffee, my loyal companion. Yesterday, it witnessed history. Today? It witnesses diplomacy. And drama. And, probably, a minor brawl about who gets to post the next meme.
******************************************
Lunchtime. Oh, campus lunch. It was a minefield of phones, whispers, and Isabel's clique trying desperately to strategize. I sat with Jordan and Yvette, naturally.
"Someone tweeted Damian crying into a croissant," Jordan whispered.
"Hold on," Yvette said, scrolling. "Someone just made a GIF of you holding iced coffee like a sword. Caption: Slaying the campus, one rejection at a time."
I laughed. "Accurate. I approve."
Meanwhile, across the quad, Damian and Malik existed like a love triangle or bad teen drama subplot in progress. Damian glared, Malik smirked, and I sipped coffee, watching the scene like a general surveying her battlefield.
Afternoon classes were…chaotic. Professors tried to lecture, but phones were out. Cameras on me. Someone tripped mid-sentence. A girl sounded like she needed oxygen while narrating what happened yesterday. The chemistry professor muttered, "Who…is she?" and honestly, I thought that was the most accurate question anyone could ask. Cause I am SHEEE!
I perched at the back of the lecture hall like a queen on her throne, iced coffee in hand, noting
Students whispering, filming, reacting.
Isabel's clique plotting.
Jordan Looking for appropriate ship names that were majorly disgusting like Dayana...uugh
Yvette slaying the online trolls
Damian plotting.
Malik casually judging Damian plotting.
I, unbothered, iced coffee supreme, edges immaculate.
Perfect Chaos.Perfect Bliss.