MasukCHAPTER 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
CHAPTER 35: HAHA FOOLCHARLOTTE'S POV SOPHIE: guess who also got invited to a party last minuteSOPHIE: just got saved from boredom hehheI blinked. My stomach flipped. Sophie got invited to a party woahhh. I typed back quickly, thumbs trembling:ME: No way!! Who invited you?SOPHIE: friends, last minute thing, didn’t even plan to goSOPHIE: But yay! not alone in my boring houseI bit my lip, looking around the basement. The boys were laughing about something Max said, a kid was spinning in a chair dangerously close to the stereo, and I… Well, I was trying to figure out how to text Sophie without it looking like I was hiding.ME: Wow lucky you. I wish I was somewhere else, no kiddingI almost typed “I’m in a basement full of boys and weird energy drinks” but thought better of it.Max leaned over and whispered, “You okay?”I nodded, trying to act casual. “Yeah… yeahhh… just… soaking in the party atmosphere.”He smirked. “Uh huh. Party atmosphere. Got it.”I laughed nervously and typed
CHAPTER 34 : WORST PLANCHARLOTTE'S POV I woke up with my stomach doing nervous gymnastics. Party tonight, basement, Max, possibly loud music, definitely potential embarrassment.Before I even rolled out of bed, Maya burst into my room without knocking, classic Maya.“There she issss,” she sang, yanking open my wardrobe. “We’re picking an outfit. No objections. No ugly choices. No panicking clothes that overstimulates you.”“I never wear panic clothes,” I protested.She held up a shirt I’d worn at least eight times this month. “Really? Explain this then.” her eyebrows narrowing towards each other I threw a pillow at her. She dodged like she’d been training for this.My phone buzzed on my nightstand.SOPHIE: Good morning lottie. what are you up to today?My heart did an Olympic level flip.Of all the days, why today?I typed with my thumbs shaking:LOTTIE : hey!! I've got a birthday thing later tonight. nothing major, might sneak out of the party lol.Maya glanced over. “Who’re you
CHAPTER 33: DOUBLE TROUBLE CHARLOTTE'S POV My heart didn’t just drop it fell through the floorboards, took a bus, and left the country.Sophie’s voice came through the phone again, sharp and confused.“Charlotte?? Who’s Charlotte?”I stared at my screen like it had personally betrayed me.No. No. No. Universe, why??Before I could even react, my bedroom door swung open and Maya popped her head in holding her phone, “found my phone but do you have a charg..”“Maya get out,” I whisper yelled, eyes wide.She blinked. “But my..”“out!! out!!out!!!!out!!!Right now.”“…okay, jeez,” she muttered, backing out slowly. “Drama queen.”I shut the door so fast the air pressure changed.Now it was just me. Ohhh no me and Sophie and a mountain of panic big enough to have its own postcode.I unmuted the call with a shaky breath.“Sorry!” I said, trying to sound normal. “Um yeah! That was my.. my baby sister.”A pause followed, a very long uncomfortable pause .“…your sister?” Sophie echoed.“Yes!







