LOGINCHAPTER 41: SHE WANTS TO GO VIRAL OR DIE TRYINGMAYA’S POVBy the time I reached Charlotte’s house, I already knew she was in full drama mode. I could hear her before I even got to her front porch.“A little to the left, no that's ugly! Why is my face behaving like this? I walked in without knocking because Charlotte’s mom never cared, and because knocking would take too long and Charlotte would probably throw a shoe at the door if I delayed.I entered the living room and stopped.Charlotte stood in the middle of the room posing like she was auditioning for America’s Next Top Model: Apocalypse Edition. Soft natural light coming from the window, hair clipped back like she had a glam team, she didn’t, and a pile of outfits around her feet like she’d been fighting her closet.Her phone was balanced on a stack of books, tilted by a jar of hair cream, and set to timer mode. Every time it blinked she switched poses pout, soft smile, confused baby dolphin, whatever.She turned and spotted
CHAPTER 40: QUEER QUEENMAYA'S POVBy the time lunch ended, Charlotte was still pacing like her sneakers were about to catch fire. I tried everything: jokes, threats, dumb theories, nothing could calm her. So I promised I’d help her after school and dipped for something I actually couldn’t miss:My club meeting.AKA:The Queer Student meeting, my happy place, the only group in this whole school where people don’t treat me like I’m a walking rainbow sticker with attitude issues.And, okay fine, also the place where my girlfriend would be.I walked into the art room we meet here because the counselor says it’s “creative and freeing,” but I think she just likes the pastel beanbags and the moment I stepped in, I felt my shoulders drop. Like I could breathe again.The room smelled like acrylic paint and cheap vanilla candles, and the walls were covered in pride flag collages. Someone drew a giant lesbian flag shaped like a dragon. It’s perfect. I want it tattooed one day.“Hey!” Sienna wav
CHAPTER 39: I KNEW ITCHARLOTTE'S POV I kept checking my bag like something inside was going to magically ring. It didn’t. Nothing buzzed, nothing lit up, nothing even shifted. My phone was just… gone.I tried to stay calm, but my stomach wouldn’t stop twisting. I checked the table again. Then under the table. Then inside my locker, which I already opened twice. Then my bag again, because maybe it was hiding for fun.“Where’s your phone?” Maya asked, chewing gum like she had zero stress in the world.“I don’t know,” I whispered. “I swear I put it on that table for one minute. One. Minute.”Maya squinted at me. “Maybe you dropped it?”“I’m not a toddler,” I snapped, then instantly felt bad. “Sorry. I’m just ugh, I feel weird.”Maya stopped chewing. “Weird like what?”“Like someone touched my stuff.”Her shoulders lifted. “Why would anyone want your stale phone?”“It’s not stale.”She raised a brow. “Girl, your screen protector has cracks that look like a map of Africa.”I groaned. “M
CHAPTER 38: EYES EVERYWHERE SOPHIE’S POVI slid into my seat in the back of the classroom, my hands trembling a little as I shoved my phone into my hoodie pocket. I couldn’t stop thinking about that message. Hi stalker, guess you dropped your phone. My stomach felt like it had twisted into a knot the size of a basketball. Someone knew. Someone knew that I had been watching Charlotte, tracking her, taking screenshots, obsessing. And now, all of a sudden, the power shifted.I kept my head down, pretending to write notes as my eyes darted across the room. Charlotte. There she was. Smiling at Sophie, laughing at a joke I couldn’t hear. Perfect hair, perfect teeth, perfect everything. Ugh.I gripped my notebook tighter. Focus, Olivia. Calm. But my brain refused to comply. Every move Charlotte made, every flick of her hair, the way she laughed at Sophie’s jokes it was all under my microscope. My chest tightened when she leaned over to whisper something to Maya and Sophie? That calm, obl
CHAPTER 37: HAHA LAST LAUGH CHARLOTTE'S POV The morning sun wasn’t even fully awake yet, but I was lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling like it had personally offended me. Being grounded was one thing but being grounded in complete silence while everyone else continued having a normal teenage life? Cruel. Absolutely cruel.I groaned dramatically and rolled over, unlocking my phone.A message from Maya was waiting:Maya: Girl are you alive?For a split second I considered lying. Pretending I was fine. Pretending I was ready for her birthday party later tonight. But the memory of my mom standing in the hallway last night arms crossed, disappointment radiating like broken WiFi made my stomach twist again.My fingers moved on their own:Charlotte: I’m grounded. I can’t go tonight.I didn’t even put an emoji. That was how bad things were.Maya’s response came in hot:Maya: What do you mean you can't come?? Your mental health depends on this party.Before I could reply, another messag
CHAPTER 36: BUSTED AT TWO AMCHARLOTTE'S POV By the time Max’s car finally dropped me off, it was 2:07 a.m., and every nerve in my body was buzzing with leftover party adrenaline mixed with creeping dread. I imagined all the thirty seven senerious that could happen if I get caught by my mum.One of them including being shipped to Australia where my wierd uncle live to work in his barn.I stood on the sidewalk staring at my house like it was a haunted museum. All the lights were off. The windows were silent. Everything looked peaceful.Too peaceful.I tiptoed up the driveway, clutching my shoes because the heels were basically weapons at this point. My skirt kept riding up and my hair smelled faintly like basement air and spilled soda. How Cute.I slid my key into the front door, praying it wouldn’t do that loud metallic clankClick.Okay, smooth. I could do this.I closed the door quietly and let out a tiny breath of victory.Then“Charlotte Vientiane Tilbury”I jumped so hard I drop