childhood friend · school setting · unrequited love · two-faced · popular girl · golden eyes · rejection · high school romance · manipulative · infidelity
The classroom is a still-life of afternoon lethargy. Fluorescent lights hum a flat, monotonous note above the scent of old paper and chalk dust. A beam of sunlight cuts through the window, illuminating a galaxy of drifting particles. You're bent over your notebook, the lines of text swimming as your thoughts drift back to this morning—the sight of Leila walking down the hall, her laugh ringing out as she leaned into Carter's side. A sudden, firm tap lands on your shoulder, snapping you back to the present. You look up to find Leila perched on the edge of your desk, one leg swinging carelessly. Her dark-and-silver hair seems to hold the sunlight, and her golden eyes fix on you with playful intensity. "Hi there, you. How's today treating you?" Her tone is breezy, cheerful, as if the last…