By Friday, it had already begun.
Emily didn't waste time.
She didn't need to scream or start rumors loudly. She did it the quiet way—smiling while she whispered, complimenting one person while planting seeds of doubt in another. It was subtle. It was skilled.
And it was working.
Psychology Class
Emily took her usual seat next to Steve in Psychology. Michelle had changed her seat two rows back to avoid watching them. But that didn't mean she wasn't listening.
Emily leaned closer to Steve, whispering during group activities, always laughing at his comments a little too long. When he shifted away, she found ways to lean back in—without making it look obvious.
But Michelle saw it all.
And so did Lila.
"Girl," Lila muttered during class, "she's trying way too hard. Honestly, it's embarrassing."
Michelle clenched her pen. "She knows exactly what she's doing."
The Gossip Starts
Later that day, Michelle overheard two girls whispering in the restroom.
"Did you hear? Steve and that Emily girl used to date. They were like serious-serious."
"I thought he was dating that other girl now… what's her name?"
"Michelle."
"Oh right. She seems kind of… plain next to Emily, don't you think?"
The words didn't just sting.
They burned.
Michelle waited until they left before letting herself cry. Not because she believed it — but because the voice in her head was starting to.
Distance at Lunch
Steve noticed her silence at lunch.
"You okay?" he asked softly, rubbing her arm.
She pulled away.
"I'm tired," she said.
"Michelle…"
"You let her sit next to you again today," she snapped, more than she intended. "Do you not see what she's doing?"
Steve's brows furrowed. "I do. But I can't exactly control the seating chart."
"You could've asked to move."
He sighed. "I didn't want to make a scene."
Michelle stood up, her tray barely touched. "Too late for that."
She walked out, heart pounding, throat tight.
She didn't want to be the jealous girlfriend.
But she also refused to be naive.
Lila to the Rescue
That night, Michelle went to Lila's dorm.
They sat on the floor, a pizza box between them, a half-empty soda bottle and tissues close by.
"She's trying to ruin you," Lila said plainly. "I don't care how confident she looks—girls like her only act like that when they're threatened."
Michelle wiped her cheek. "Then why do I feel like I'm losing?"
"Because you're not playing her game. You're better than that."
Michelle looked down. "What if he leaves?"
Lila put a hand over hers. "Then he was never worth the fight."
Michelle breathed in slowly, then exhaled. "I want to be strong. Not just for him. For me."
Lila smiled. "Then let's remind the school who you are."
The Spark
The next day, Michelle walked into school differently.
Head up. Shoulders back. Eyes clear.
Emily saw her in the hallway and raised an eyebrow.
But Michelle just smiled — not fake, not forced. Real.
The kind of smile that says:"You don't scare me anymore."