23

It started with a whisper.Then a giggle.Then three heads turned toward Y/N in the hallway.

She paused mid-step, feeling that familiar pit in her stomach. The “Heather has been talking again” feeling.

Sam appeared at her side out of nowhere like he had a radar for drama.

“Did you hear?” he whispered, eyes big.“She’s saying you and Rodrick only got together because he lost a bet.”

Y/N blinked. “Excuse me?”

“Apparently he told his band he could ‘pull the sad new girl in a week’ and now she’s going around saying he was just using you for practice.”

She stared for a second, silent.

Sam winced. “Uh-oh. You’re doing the thing.”

“What thing?”

“The calm-before-the-verbal-murder thing. Should I hold your earrings?”

“Not yet,” she said, cracking her neck.

Lunchtime. Heather sat at the center of a table full of people hanging on her every word, fake laughing like she was on reality TV.

Y/N walked straight up behind her.

“Heather.”

Heather turned, blinking all innocent. “Oh my god, hey girl. You look so cute today!”

“Don’t ‘hey girl’ me. Heard you’ve been busy.”

Heather tilted her head. “Me? Nooo.”

“Mmhm. So that bet Rodrick allegedly made…”

“Oh. That.” She laughed. “I mean, it’s just what people said—”

“Yeah, well let me correct you before your lip gloss melts your brain.”“Rodrick didn’t make a bet. You made that up because you can’t stand the fact that he picked me.”

Everyone went quiet. Heather's fake smile cracked for a second.

“I’m sorry you peaked in middle school,” Y/N added sweetly. “But spreading lies won’t make your personality less unbearable.”

Sam—somewhere in the back—whispered, “And that’s on public humiliation.”

“So maybe,” Y/N continued, “next time you wanna lie about me, don’t. Or I’ll post the screenshots from your little ‘I miss you’ DMs to Rodrick last month.”

Heather’s face drained.

Gasps. Laughter. A kid choked on his juice pouch.

Y/N smiled. “Thanks for your time.”

And she walked away.

~Later That Day~

Rodrick found her leaning against her locker, casually sipping an iced coffee like she didn’t just verbally gut someone.

“I heard Heather might be transferring schools,” he smirked.

“Oops.”

“You’re terrifying.”

She sipped. “You’re welcome.”

He leaned in close. “You like me.”

“I literally said I loved you yesterday.”

“Yeah, but I still need the daily reminder.”

She rolled her eyes but kissed him anyway.And the hallway just—stared. Again.

“Rumor that, bitches,” Sam called from across the hall.