Remember Me?

Remember Me?

Harper avoided the hallway outside the gym like it was on fire.

Which, in a way, it was.

That’s where Kenzie’s posse hung out before third period. And where Harper had made the mistake of walking too close the day before—just close enough to hear one of them fake whisper, “I heard she draws herself with Jaxon in her notebook. Like, naked.”

The only thing naked about her sketchbook was a Greek statue study she did for art class.

Still, the rumor spread like spilled soda across the cafeteria.

It was only Wednesday.

She was doomed.

“Maybe you should post another drawing,” Mia offered at lunch, tapping through her phone while Harper slowly picked apart her sandwich. “A dragon, maybe. Breathing fire on a pom-pom.”

Harper gave her a look.

“What?” Mia shrugged. “Humor is a coping mechanism.”

Harper sighed. “I just want this to blow over.”

“You and I both know it won’t. Not until

he

does something stupid. Or smart.”

Harper didn’t reply. She couldn’t.

Because “he” was currently sitting three tables away, sandwiched between teammates, his hoodie tugged low over his eyes like it could hide the way he kept

looking at her.

Stolen glances.

Quick flicks of his eyes.

She saw all of them.

And she hated that she was counting them like they meant something.

Her phone buzzed.

New DM from @jaxonbrooks

Harper stared at the notification, heart skittering in her chest like a bird in a cage.

She glanced at Mia, who was still nose-deep in her phone, probably planning some sarcastic TikTok clapback. Slowly, Harper turned her screen away and tapped it open.

jaxonbrooks

u remember kindergarten?

Her brows pulled together.

Before she could respond, another one popped up.

jaxonbrooks

u were the only girl in the class who didn’t want to play princess

u were coloring that big unicorn dragon thing

& i asked u to be my gf for the day

for my bday

Her breath caught in her throat.

jaxonbrooks

u said no

u said “that’s not how girlfriends work”

i cried in the bounce house for like 10 mins

Harper’s heart did an Olympic somersault.

She

remembered.

The party. The chocolate cupcakes. The way he’d stood in front of her with frosting on his chin and asked, point blank, “Will you be my girlfriend today? For my birthday?”

She’d said no, because she didn’t get it back then. Because she didn’t like being told what to do. And because she thought birthdays should be about

you, not asking someone else to pretend.

But she’d watched him cry in the bounce house anyway.

And she’d felt awful.

She stared at the screen now, unsure what to say.

Until a second message came through.

jaxonbrooks

i never really forgot that

i think that’s when i started noticing u

Heat bloomed across her face.

This wasn’t a boy flirting in the hallway. This wasn’t him smirking in class or letting his girlfriend post thirst traps.

This was

Jaxon, texting her something

real.

She swallowed hard and replied.

harperlane.art

u had frosting on your eyelashes

i didn’t know boys cried

i thought u hated me after that

The reply came fast.

jaxonbrooks

never did

think I loved you

She blinked.

harperlane.art

not hate

just didn’t want to be one of the girls who chased u

Another pause.

And then:

jaxonbrooks

what if i want u to catch me?

Harper’s whole body stilled.

The cafeteria noise faded. Her sandwich sat untouched. Her hands trembled slightly over the screen.

This wasn’t happening.

This wasn’t

real.

But it was.

Because across the room, he looked at her again.

Not a glance.

A

look.

Direct. Sure.

Wanting.

She looked back.

And in that second, it felt like no one else existed in the whole damn building.

But reality came crashing down with one word from Mia:

“Kenzie.”

Harper snapped out of it.

She followed Mia’s gaze to the entrance of the cafeteria, where Kenzie Matthews stood with two girls flanking her like backup dancers. She was scrolling her phone slowly, deliberately—eyes cold and calculating.

And then, like a scene straight out of every high school nightmare Harper had ever secretly judged other people for, Kenzie’s gaze met hers.

And she smiled.

Not the kind of smile that says

hi.

The kind that says

you’re next.

Harper swallowed hard.

“I think she knows,” she whispered.

Mia nodded grimly. “What does she know?  That he messaged you? anyways she’s watching. She just hasn’t decided if she wants to

kill

you or

humiliate

you.”

“She probably already picked both.”

“Well,” Mia said, patting her hand, “good thing you’ve got me. I’ve been waiting for a war since Homecoming.”

Harper didn’t laugh.

Because as bold as Mia was, as charming as Jaxon could be…

Kenzie? She didn’t

lose.

And Harper had a feeling she was about to find out exactly what it cost to win his attention—even for a second.