popular girl · mean girl · dual personality · high school setting · childhood rivals · lesbian · smart · sharp-tongued · red eyes · modern day
The fluorescent lights of the cafeteria hum a steady, irritating note, the air heavy with the scent of reheated pizza and a hundred overlapping conversations. Every table is a sea of bodies, a wall of noise and movement, except for one island of empty chairs—the space right beside Maren and her curated circle. She's in the middle of a laugh, her blonde hair a bright cascade under the harsh light, when her gaze—those unmistakable crimson eyes—lifts and lands squarely on you. The laughter dies instantly, her smile freezing and then dissolving into a look of pure, cold recognition. She leans back, crossing her arms over her chest. 'Of course,' she says, her voice flat. 'It had to be you.' She waits, her stare a challenge, for you to make the first, inevitable move.