The Friday sun dipped lower over the city as the last school bell echoed through the halls of Westbridge High School.
Earlier that week, Mia Sterling had done something she never imagined she would have the courage to do. She had woken before sunrise, skipped her usual morning routine, and caught the seven o'clock public bus despite classes beginning three hours later. The school campus had been almost empty when she arrived. The janitors were still cleaning corridors. A few teachers wandered through the building carrying coffee. Her hands trembled as she slipped the folded white envelope into Damian Jones' locker. No name. No perfume. Just a handwritten confession. Then she walked away before anyone could possibly see her.
...
That afternoon, the school canteen buzzed with conversations. Mia sat with her friends near the windows. Her lunch sat nearly untouched. Every few moments she glanced toward the entrance. Then Damian walked inside. He wasn't alone. Several boys followed behind him, laughing loudly as they carried trays stacked with food. They claimed a nearby table. Mia immediately lowered her eyes. Her heart pounded. She stole tiny glances every few seconds.
Damian laughed at something one of his friends said. He looked relaxed. Confident. Completely unaware of the emotional hurricane happening only a few tables away. Or perhaps... He was aware. Twice their eyes briefly met. Neither smiled. Neither waved.
After finishing lunch, Damian simply stood, gathered his tray and left with his friends. Not a single word. Not even a greeting. Mia spent the remainder of the afternoon wondering if he had even found the letter.
...
After school she opened her locker. A folded envelope rested inside. Her breathing stopped. She immediately grabbed it and hurried toward the girls' washroom before any curious classmates could notice. Locking herself inside a stall, she unfolded the letter. The handwriting was neat. Simple. Straight to the point.
"I appreciate your honesty. Unfortunately, I'm not interested in pursuing a relationship with you. However, if you simply wish to spend time together, I don't mind going on a date or two. If you're free this Friday evening, let me know. Here are my contact details."
She stared at the paper for nearly a full minute. He... Rejected her. Yet... Asked her out? It made absolutely no sense. And somehow... She couldn't stop smiling.
By the time she reached home, Damian's number had already been saved into her phone. For the rest of the evening she imagined dozens of different conversations that might happen. Every version ended with him eventually falling for her.
...
Friday arrived. Mia cancelled her private tuition. Ignored her evening study schedule. Even postponed helping her mother with household errands. Nothing mattered more than the date. She reached the café fifteen minutes late. Damian had already arrived.
He sat calmly near the window. He wore a dark navy jacket over a plain black T-shirt, fitted jeans and white sneakers. His hair looked unusually tidy compared to school. A silver watch rested on his wrist. Nothing flashy. Everything clean.
Mia wore a light cream sweater over a pale blue skirt with black stockings. She had spent nearly forty minutes deciding how to style her hair before finally settling for soft curls. She nervously approached.
"Sorry I'm late."
"It's fine."
He smiled politely.
"Sit."
She did. An awkward silence followed. Finally Mia introduced herself. She spoke about her hobbies. Her parents. How she enjoyed watching movies on weekends. How she disliked crowded places. She quickly realized she was rambling.
"So..."
She smiled.
"What about you?"
Damian smiled back.
"I like sports."
"Really?"
"I love football."
His eyes brightened.
"My favorite team sport."
He leaned forward enthusiastically.
"Rugby is probably second."
For the next fifteen minutes... Damian transformed into a lecturer. He discussed famous football clubs. Legendary players. Championship matches. Training methods. Team strategies. Historic tournaments. Even nutritional plans for professional athletes. Mia nodded politely at first. Then her smile slowly weakened. She had expected something romantic. Instead... She felt like she had accidentally enrolled in a sports seminar.
The waiter approached. Damian looked toward Mia.
"Before we order..."
She smiled hopefully.
"I'll only be paying for whatever I order."
Her smile froze.
"Oh..."
"I thought I'd mention it now so there's no misunderstanding."
She forced herself to smile again.
"That's...fair."
Inside... She felt disappointed. She quietly assumed he was simply being frugal. Then Damian ordered. A large burger. Chicken nuggets. French fries. A thick milkshake. An extra side of onion rings.
Mia blinked. That... Didn't exactly look inexpensive. She quietly ordered the cheapest tomato soup on the menu. The waiter left. Damian immediately resumed discussing sports. More football. More rugby. More famous athletes.
By now Mia's interest had completely disappeared. She interrupted.
"So...do you have any siblings?"
"Yeah."
He nodded casually.
Then immediately continued talking about football. She waited.
"...How many?"
He looked thoughtful.
"Probably one."
She frowned.
"Probably?"
He ignored the question and returned to explaining why certain football formations worked better than others. Finally Mia sighed.
"You know..."
"I don't really like sports."
Damian stopped talking.
"Oh."
He laughed awkwardly.
"Fair enough."
Silence settled between them. Several long seconds passed.
"So..."
Mia tried again.
"That sibling..."
"Hm?"
"Were you joking about having a sibling?"
He suddenly laughed.
"Yeah."
"I was."
"I'm an only child."
Mia stared.
"So why say probably?"
"I thought it might make you laugh. I know sports is kinda boring topic."
She didn't laugh. Neither did he. Their food finally arrived. Damian's side of the table looked like a feast. Burger. Fries. Chicken nuggets. Milkshake. Onion rings.
Meanwhile... Mia quietly stared at her lonely bowl of soup. It looked painfully small. She hadn't realized how hungry she actually was. Damian continued eating comfortably. Several minutes later he glanced toward her soup.
"That doesn't look very filling."
"It isn't."
"Want something heavier?"
Her eyes brightened.
"Really?"
He waved for the waiter.
"I'll have a sandwich and another milkshake for her."
Then he looked at Mia.
"You'll be paying for yours, obviously."
Her heart nearly sank. She wanted to leave. She wanted to stand up and walk out. Instead... She smiled weakly.
"Sure."
The sandwich eventually arrived. She immediately began eating. She hadn't realized how hungry she had become. Damian watched quietly.
"How's the food?"
"It's really good."
"I personally picked the curtains and wallpaper of this restaurant."
She laughed.
"Good one."
"I'm serious."
She blinked.
"My father owns this restaurant."
"I helped choose the interior design."
She waited for the punchline. None came.
"You really mean that?"
"Yes."
"Oh..."
She looked around again.
"It does look nice."
"Thanks."
Then curiosity struck.
"If your dad owns the place..."
"Why are we paying for the food?"
"Because we're customers."
His answer sounded perfectly normal. Yet somehow... It annoyed her even more. Eventually Mia asked the question she had wanted to ask since reading his letter.
"So..."
"Why don't you like me?"
Damian answered without hesitation.
"I'm not really into girls."
She blinked.
"...What?"
"I'm not sure."
"I've been having...funny thoughts lately."
"What kind of funny thoughts?"
He shrugged.
"I don't really know."
"Maybe one day I'll confess to someone."
Mia stared at him.
"...Are you saying you're gay?"
"Maybe."
Her mind froze. She became the first person Damian had ever hinted that possibility to. Or so she believed. He smiled casually.
"You're the first person I've told."
"What about you?"
He asked.
"Anyone special?"
"I only dated one person."
"For about six months."
"Oh?"
"Who?"
She hesitated.
"One of your friends."
Damian nodded thoughtfully.
"I see."
"I'm not really close to many people."
Mia continued.
"Mostly my parents."
"My friends."
"That's all."
"Any siblings?"
"No."
"I'm the only child."
Damian smiled.
"That's cute."
She rolled her eyes.
"You say weird things."
"That I've been told."
For the first time that evening... The atmosphere softened. Not romantic. Just... Less awkward. Once Mia finished eating, Damian looked at her.
"Anything else you want to talk about?"
She opened her mouth. Closed it again. There were countless things. Yet suddenly... Nothing felt worth saying.
"No."
"Alright."
They paid separately. Walked outside together. The evening breeze felt refreshing after spending so long indoors. Damian shoved his hands into his pockets.
"You know..."
"I don't trust a lot of my friends."
Mia looked surprised.
"Really?"
"A few of them are...creepy."
"They do things I'd rather stay away from."
She hadn't expected that answer.
"I thought all of you were really close."
"We are."
"But trust is different."
She nodded slowly. Then something escaped her lips before she could stop herself.
"I was once bullied too."
Damian turned.
"By who?"
She hesitated. Then quietly answered.
"Sophia Reed."
"And Grace Walker."
His eyebrows rose.
"What happened?"
"Promise you won't tell anyone."
"I promise."
She inhaled deeply.
Just as she prepared to speak... Her phone rang. Mom. She jumped slightly. Damian chuckled.
"Relax."
"You can tell me next time."
She looked up.
"Next time?"
"The park."
"This Sunday."
"If you're free."
Her face brightened.
"I'd like that."
She smiled all the way toward the nearby bus stop. As the bus pulled away... Damian waved. She waved back through the window.
Later that night... Damian opened his laptop. Within minutes he logged into an anonymous account.
Hi.
A reply came almost instantly.
Hi.
He smiled.
"I have evidence against your bullies."
One by one... He uploaded photographs. Videos. Private recordings. All while pretending to be Emily Carter.
Mia stared at the files in disbelief.
"Why are you exposing your own friends?"
"I'm a victim too."
Damian typed a completely fabricated story. Every sentence carefully designed. Every detail believable. Mia accepted every word.
"What should I do with all this?"
He already knew the answer.
"Send everything anonymously to Alice Hart."
"Why Alice?"
"She hates betrayal."
"If she learns the truth, she'll tear the group apart."
Mia hesitated.
"...Shouldn't we work together instead?"
"I'm afraid they'll come after me."
"They'll destroy me."
She understood.
"You're right."
Several hours later...
Damian quietly gained access to Mia's phone remotely. He watched. Patiently. Exactly as expected... She anonymously forwarded every file to Alice. Damian leaned back in his chair. Perfect. Exactly according to plan. After all...
The very first anonymous message Alice had ever received— the one containing intimate photographs involving Emily Carter and Melvin Blackthorne— had also come from Damian. Every crack inside their friendship... Had begun with him.
Present day. Alice still couldn't stop looking at the videos and photographs. Her stomach twisted every time she replayed them. Pieces of conversations. Cruel laughter. Evidence she never imagined existed. She felt betrayed. Angry. Disappointed. Mostly... At herself.
The next morning she boarded the school bus. Her makeup looked flawless. Carefully applied. Elegant. She spotted Damian sitting alone. Without asking permission she sat beside him.
"Morning."
He smiled.
"Morning."
She studied him quietly.
"Are you alright?"
He looked confused.
"...Why?"
"Yesterday."
"You carried the umbrella for me."
"You got soaked."
"I'm fine."
She continued staring.
"Really?Are you really fine? Like really?"
He understood what she truly meant.
"I'm perfect."
Alice sighed softly. Then rested her head against his shoulder.
"I wish you were honest with me. I hope you will be in the future."
Damian looked out the window instead of answering. After a long silence she whispered near his ear.
"I talked to Mia."
That finally caught his attention.
"What did she say?"
Alice smiled sadly.
"She hates me."
"She thinks I was blind."
"She thinks I trusted my...bitchass friends."
Damian watched her carefully.
"You really didn't know?"
"I didn't."
"I was absent during those incidents."
"And I stopped believing gossip years ago."
"Most rumours are just perfect lies."
Damian gave a quiet hum.
"Hm."
Nothing more. She frowned.
"You don't believe me."
"It's hard. I mean how oddly stupid of you."
Alice lowered her head.
"I apologized."
"To Mia."
"On behalf of Sophia and Grace."
"We talked for almost an hour."
Damian remained silent. Then she looked directly into his eyes.
"Stop playing with her."
He answered calmly.
"I already have."
"We ended things yesterday."
"You literally watched us."
"We're done."
Alice searched his face. Somehow... She still wasn't convinced.
"Then apologize."
He sighed.
"I will."
She smiled faintly.
Moments later the gentle rocking of the bus lulled her to sleep. Her head rested comfortably against his shoulder. Damian looked out the window. Expression unreadable. Whatever game he was playing... It was far from over.