Chapter 1- Screw you, Get Out!!!
LILA =+=
I was curled up in my bed, buried under a mountain of blankets, with a full box of potato chips balanced on my stomach like it was the most precious thing in the world.
The salty crumbs were everywhere—on my sheets, on my shirt, probably in my hair too—but who cared?
I was deep into my latest obsession, this drama series that had more plot twists than a rollercoaster.
One minute the main character was falling in love, the next she was uncovering some dark family secret.
Life felt simple right then.
No drama, no interruptions, just me, my chips, and the glow of my laptop screen.
Or at least, that's how it was until everything went to hell.
My bedroom door slammed open so hard it rattled the posters on my wall.
And then came the screaming.
My sister's voice blasted through the air like she was auditioning for a horror movie.
"LILA! LILA! LILA! LILA!"
I jumped like I'd been electrocuted, my heart pounding in my chest.
Chips flew everywhere—okay, not everywhere, because I grabbed the box just in time.
No way was I losing my snacks to a jump scare.
I'm a foodie through and through; I'd throw myself off a cliff before wasting a single chip.
I clutched my chest, trying to catch my breath as Alexa burst into the room, her eyes wide and her face all flushed like she'd run a marathon.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" I snapped, pausing my show with a dramatic jab at the spacebar.
"You scared the crap out of me! I thought you were being chased by a serial killer or something. How many times do I have to tell you to talk like a normal person instead of yelling like you've got a demon inside you?"
Alexa just shrugged, not even a little bit sorry.
"Suit yourself," she said, crossing her arms.
I narrowed my eyes at her, feeling my annoyance bubble up.
"What do you even want? The door's right there—go find whoever you meant to yell at, because it sure as heck wasn't me."
She rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck.
"Of course it was you, dummy. Why would I scream your name if I wasn't talking to you?"
I turned back to my laptop, pretending she wasn't there.
"As you can see, I'm super busy right now. After my epic win of finishing ten seasons in six days, I'm trying to smash that record by wrapping this one up in five. So, please, for the love of all things holy, leave me alone and stop distracting me."
"I'm not here to distract you," she said, her voice suddenly all cheery and fake-innocent.
It made me suspicious right away.
"I came to share some good news!"
I didn't even look at her.
I just kept staring at the paused screen, where the male lead was frozen mid-smolder.
He was perfect—tall, brooding, with that messy hair and unresolved trauma that made him so dreamy.
Real guys?
Nah, they couldn't compare.
But Alexa wasn't giving up.
She waved her hand in front of my face.
"Hello? Earth to Lila! I said I have good news!"
I groaned and hit pause again—wait, no, it was already paused.
Darn it.
"What is it now, Alexa? We both know your 'good news' always turns out to be a total letdown. It's boring, it gives me a headache, and honestly, you've never once brought me actual good news in your entire life. I'm begging you—let me watch my show in peace. This episode is just getting to the juicy part."
She leaned in closer, her eyes sparkling with that annoying excitement she gets.
"I'm not letting you enjoy anything until you listen to me! I swear, Lila, this time you're gonna love it. Just hear me out, and after I say it, I promise I'll shut up and leave you to your binge-watching coma."
I stayed silent, hoping she'd take the hint.
But nope, Alexa being Alexa, she ignored it completely and barged further into my space.
The second she stepped closer to my bed, she slapped her hand over her nose and mouth, gagging like she'd walked into a sewer.
"OH MY GOD!" she yelped, her voice muffled.
"What is that smell?!"
I blinked at her, confused.
"What are you doing? Are you okay? Did you eat something weird?"
"Obviously not!" she shot back, fanning the air in front of her face.
"Your room smells like something crawled in here and died! How are you even alive in this funk? It's like a mix of old socks, expired pizza, and… I don't know, regret?"
I rolled my eyes, feeling my cheeks heat up a little.
Okay, maybe I hadn't cleaned in a while.
"If you came here just to insult me, the door's right there. Kindly get the heck out before I throw something heavier than a pillow at you."
"But I'm telling the truth!" she protested, still pinching her nose.
"This place reeks! No guy is gonna survive five minutes in here. Imagine you finally give someone a chance, and they walk into this death zone. They'll ghost you so fast.'"
"Thanks for the awesome pep talk," I muttered, sinking deeper into my pillows.
"Really boosting my confidence here."
"I'm serious, Lila! Are you sure you haven't hidden a body under your bed or something? Because it smells straight-up criminal in here. Like, CSI-level bad."
I ignored her, grabbing another handful of chips and crunching loudly just to annoy her back.
"This is exactly why I never let you in. You always find a way to ruin my vibe. I'm still trying to figure out how you even got through the door—I swear I locked it to keep out pests like you."
"You call it pest control, I call it sisterly love," she said with a sniff, finally dropping her hand from her nose but still wrinkling it.
"Anyway, you really need to clean this room. No wonder you have no love life. Guys probably take one whiff and run for the hills."
I shot her a deadpan look.
"Why bother with a love life when I can binge-watch shows and fall head over heels for fictional guys? You know, the ones who wear sharp suits, have killer jawlines, and that whole mysterious past thing going on? Have you seen the male lead in this series? He's got it all—brooding eyes, perfect hair, and zero real-life baggage. I'd rather daydream about him than deal with some awkward real guy who probably still lives in his mom's basement."
Alexa burst out laughing, clutching her sides like I'd told the funniest joke ever.
"Oh please, Lila. It's not like any real guy would give you a chance anyway. You'd rather fantasize over a pixelated dude because actual men wouldn't even glance your way twice."
I grabbed the nearest pillow and chucked it at her head.
"Screw you, Alexa. Get out!"