001.

 MIA ♥

“Well well well, if it isn't the one and only Fatty Mia.”

If there's one thing I hate about school, it'll probably be seeing Kathleen Turner, the head cheerleader of Westfield High and my bully, every single day of the year.

Kathleen stood in front of me, a daring smirk plastered on her flawless face, as her brainless minions surrounded her.

“Wow. I thought people get hotter after summer breaks but you... just get uglier.”

The group behind her snickered in amusement.

Kathleen pushed off the locker she’d been leaning against and took slow, deliberate steps towards me, her heels clicking against the tiled floor.

“Seriously,” she continued, tilting her head as if studying roadkill, “I thought maybe—maybe—you’d do us all a favor and like… evaporate over break. But no. Here you are. Same fat face, same tragic ponytail, same everything. Did you even try to lose the baby weight? Or is this just your brand now?”

I lifted my chin—just a little—and forced my voice out before I could second-guess it.

“Yeah, Kathleen? Well, at least when I look in the mirror I don’t have to remind myself that my personality requires a push-up bra.”

Kathleen’s smirk fell as I continued.

“You spent the whole summer posting ugly thirst traps yet you're still single.”

One of her minions—Lexi, I think—actually gasped. Like, audibly.

Kathleen’s eyes narrowed, her face scrunching up in anger. “Listen, you fat bitch—”

“Damn, Mia. You got jokes this year.”

That low confident voice came from behind me—and I felt made my stomach immediately flip even though I hated that it did.

Ethan Cole.

If Kathleen is the reason I hate school, Ethan's the reason I hate life entirely.

He's the gorgeous captain of the hockey team. Six-foot-two of muscle and perfect cheekbones. He absolutely loves making my life trash. 

And... he's my neighbor.

He sauntered up beside Kathleen, and gave me a slow once-over that felt worse than any insult she’d thrown.

“Wow, did you gain some extra pounds, Mia?” he chuckled mockingly. 

I gritted my teeth in anger. 

Kathleen smiled at my reaction, looping her arm through Ethan’s.

“See? Even Ethan’s embarrassed for you,” she purred, leaning her head on his shoulder. “That’s how you know it’s bad.”

Ethan chuckled, his blue eyes still locked on me.

Kathleen gave my shoulder a condescending little pat as she turned to leave, her minions right behind her. “Try not to eat the hallway on your way to class, ’kay? We don’t need you getting stuck in a doorway again.”

Ethan lingered for half a second longer, his smirk fading.

“See you around, whale,” he said quietly, just loud enough for me to hear.

I stood there until the warning bell rang knowing I would rather die than confess how much Ethan's words hurt me.

*...*...*...*...*

I grabbed my lunch tray and began to select what I'd eat. Once I made my choice, I glanced to the corner table where, sure enough, my best friends were waiting. 

Jaden spotted me first. He’s tall, Black, queer as hell, and is literally the most sociable person I know.

Even the popular kids tolerate him...sometimes.

Today he's wearing a cropped lavender hoodie. He waved dramatically like we hadn’t seen each other in years instead of twenty minutes.

“Girl, get over here before I whoop your ass,” he called to me, loud enough that a couple of other students turned around.

I dropped my tray next to his with a clatter. “You’re so extra, I swear.”

“Extra is my brand, baby.” He scooted over so I could slide in beside him. 

Across from us, Riley was already demolishing her salad like it personally offended her. 

She’s my other best friend. A total nerd like me but a complete vegetarian freak. I could never be a vegetarian but I'm sure you already know that.

Riley looked up mid-bite. “Hey, Mia. I heard someone say that Kathleen went crazy on you by the lockers earlier. What the hell did she do?”

I sighed and poked at the mystery meat on my plate. “The usual. She and Ethan just love tormenting me, I guess.”

Jaden shook his head. “Ethan Cole? Again?”

“Always,” I muttered.

Riley snorted. “You guys literally grew up together. Shouldn't you and Ethan be friends or something? I don't know what his problem is.”

Jaden rolled his eyes. “But real talk—why can’t they just mind their own damn business? Like, they both literally have everything. Why waste their energy picking on you? It’s giving bored and bitter.”

“Right?” I said, stabbing a french fry and shoving it in my mouth. 

Riley nodded furiously. “She’s just terrified that if she stops being mean for five seconds, people will realize she’s actually just… average.”

Jaden cackled. “Average with good makeup. That’s her whole personality. Contour and cruelty.”

We were all cracking up now, till I felt the air shift. 

I turned just in time to see Kathleen and her squad gliding past our table. Her lips curled into that signature smirk.

“Mia,” she drawled, loud enough for half the entire room to hear, “are you really gonna eat all of that? Like… all of it?”

Her minions burst into synchronized laughter.

I froze. 

Jaden immediately leaned back in his chair, and gave Kathleen the fakest, most unimpressed smirk.

“Sweetie,” he said, “she’s eating lunch. You should try it sometime. Might help with that ugly vibe you’ve been serving since freshman year.”

Riley continued, “Yeah, Kathleen. Maybe if you ate for once, your flat ass wouldn’t be so bothered about other people’s plates.”

The laughter from their side died instantly. “Whatever,” one of them muttered. “She’s still—”

Kathleen cut her off with a sharp look, then flicked her hair and started walking again. “Enjoy your… meal, Mia. Try not to choke on that fry.”

They strutted off toward their table in the center of the cafeteria, with their heads high.

I glanced back to Jaden and Riley, who were both still glaring daggers in her direction.

“Thanks, guys,” I said quietly. “Seriously. You didn’t have to do that.”

Jaden waved me off. “Babe, please. The day I let Kathleen Turner talk to you like that is the day I turn in my gay card and become straight. Which is never happening.”

Riley snorted. “Facts. People like her need to be put in their place.”

“Yeah,” I said, smiling for real this time. “Thanks anyway.”