The cafeteria was a war zone of whispers.
Plastic trays clinked, sneakers squeaked, and gossip flew like grenades. Imani could feel it all landing on her reputation, on her pride, on her very soul.
Tasha was in the far corner, smug as ever in her crimson bodycon dress, twirling a piece of hair like she hadn't just detonated Imani's entire social life. Malik wasn't even trying to look ashamed. Of course he wasn't.
"So you're just gonna let her win?" Kayla hissed beside Imani, stabbing a fork into her salad like it had personally wronged her.
"No," Imani said, her voice low, burning. "I'm gonna remind people exactly who the hell I am."
Kayla looked up from her assault on the lettuce. "Please tell me this isn't one of your revenge schemes."
"It's not." Imani sipped from her water bottle. "It's a rebranding."
"Imani"
"I'm serious," she cut in, eyes tracking Noah where he sat near the windows, sketchpad in hand, earbuds in. He looked like he didn't have a care in the world. Alone. Untouchable. Exactly what she needed. "What if I started dating someone who actually raised my value?"
Kayla blinked. "Don't tell me you're thinking"
"I'm thinking Noah lin."
Kayla dropped her fork. "You don't even know him."
"I don't need to know him," Imani replied. "I just need the story. Think about it. Malik ditches me, thinking he can humiliate me. Then boom I show up on Noah's arm, mysterious boy, untouchable vibes. It'll shut everyone up."
"And what makes you think Noah will agree to any of this?"
Imani smirked. "He's quiet, not blind. I'm still Imani Okafor."
She cornered him after last period near the lockers, where the late afternoon sun painted golden bars across the hallway floor. He was scribbling something in his sketchbook again, earbuds still in, the very picture of disinterest.
"Noah," she said, stepping into his line of sight.
He paused, eyeing her with calm detachment. Then, slowly, he removed one earbud. "Yeah?"
"Can I talk to you for a sec?" She tried not to fidget. She never fidgeted. But something about those unreadable eyes made her spine twitch.
He raised a brow but nodded. "Okay."
"Not here. Somewhere… quieter."
His eyes flicked to the stairwell. Without a word, he started walking.
The stairwell was cool and mostly empty. Imani leaned against the wall while Noah took a seat on the bottom step, stretching out his long legs. He looked at her expectantly.
"Alright," he said. "Spill."
Imani inhaled deeply. "I want to propose something. A deal."
His expression didn't change, but she saw his grip on the sketchbook tighten slightly. "Go on."
"I need to kill some rumors. And I need people to know I'm not broken because of what happened." She paused. "I want to fake-date you."
Noah blinked. Then let out a dry chuckle. "You're joking."
"I'm not."
"I don't even know you," he said flatly.
"You don't need to. That's the beauty of it. We pretend. At school. You don't have to text me. You don't have to buy me anything. We just… act like we're together. For show."
Noah stared at her. "You're asking me to lie."
"You're quiet. Mysterious. You don't talk to anyone. You're perfect for this. No drama, no entanglements."
"And what do I get out of this?"
Imani hesitated. "You get to be left alone. Think about it if you're 'dating' me, people stop trying to talk to you or figure you out. You can disappear even more."
He cocked his head. "You think being with you makes me invisible?"
"I think being with me makes you untouchable," she said, voice sharp. "People won't mess with you. And if you help me, I'll owe you one."
He was silent for a moment. Then asked, "How long?"
"Until it dies down. A few weeks, maybe."
Noah sighed. "This is… insane."
Imani smiled. "So is high school."
He rubbed a hand over his face. "Fine. I'll do it. But on my terms."
"Name them."
"No kissing."
"Duh."
"No weird clinging in public."
"Okay."
"No talking about my family. Ever."
Imani tilted her head. "Got it."
"And this ends when I say it ends."
She hesitated. Then nodded. "Deal."
He stuck out his hand, almost like a joke. Imani grasped it.
The deal was done.
By the next morning, the school was buzzing.
They walked in together. Not touching, but side by side. It was subtle, but not subtle enough for Tasha to miss. Her glossed lips parted in disbelief as Imani flicked her a pointed glance across the hall.
Malik stared openly.
Kayla watched from the lockers, mouth agape.
It worked.
Whispers followed them down the hall, people parting like the Red Sea. Noah remained stoic, hands in pockets, earbuds in. Imani walked with her head high, each click of her heels a statement:
You don't get to break me. I'm the storm.
By lunch, it had exploded.
"Are they really dating?" "She moved on fast." "Damn, Malik fumbled." "Isn't that the art kid?"
Imani and Noah sat together. Just enough space between them to look real but reserved. He doodled while she scrolled through her phone, cool as ever.
Tasha approached, of course. She stood behind Imani's chair like a cloud of cheap perfume.
"So… this is new," she said, voice syrupy.
Imani looked up slowly. "Jealous?"
Tasha blinked. "Of him?" She laughed. "Sweetheart, I was just wondering what you paid him."
Noah's pencil paused.
"Funny," Imani said. "I was wondering what Malik paid you."
Tasha's smile cracked.
"You know," Imani continued, voice low, "for someone who talks so much, you have surprisingly little to show for it."
Tasha scoffed and walked away, heat rising in her cheeks.
Noah leaned over, whispered, "You're ruthless."
Imani grinned. "You love it."
Later, outside after last period, Imani leaned on the railing near the school garden while Noah stood beside her, sketchbook clutched under one arm.
"Thanks," she said quietly.
"For what?"
"For agreeing to this. Even though you don't owe me anything."
Noah didn't respond for a moment. Then, softly, "I don't like liars."
"Neither do I."
"And Tasha?" he added. "She talks too much."
Imani laughed. "Now you're catching on."
He offered her a tiny smirk. It was the first one she'd seen. It made her stomach flutter more than she'd care to admit.
"We're going to make them all regret it," she said.
Noah nodded once. "Just remember the rules."
"Always."
That night, in her room, Imani stared at herself in the mirror. The makeup, the edges, the lashes flawless. Untouchable.
But she could still hear the sound of her mother's laughter from downstairs. The way her stepdad called her princess in that voice that made her skin crawl.
She shivered.
Imani Okafor might be the queen of the school, but at home, her crown slipped more and more each day.
Still, for now, she had control again.
She had Noah.
And that would have to be enough.