Blue's POV
I called Blossom again. Straight to voicemail—again. A part of me wanted to smash my phone against the wall, but instead I sighed and tucked it in my bag. Whatever was going on, she better not have bailed on me. Not today.
The sun was annoyingly cheerful as I walked into school, blazer crisp, badge gleaming. Head prefect duties were calling, whether I liked it or not. I hadn't even stepped through the gates properly when I spotted Kaylen.
Correction: I spotted the back of Kaylen's head as he turned and made a beeline in the opposite direction.
Wow. Bold.
Before I could even process that weird dodge, the principal waved me down. "Blue, can you show our new student around?"
Because obviously I had nothing else going on today.
The new guy stood by the office—tall, sharp jawline, and somehow looking both annoyed and interested at the same time. He wore our uniform like he'd been born in it and looked at me with the kind of patience you reserve for very small children and customer service reps.
"Hi," I said, extending a hand. "I'm Blue. I'll be your guide to teenage chaos."
"Nice to meet you," he said, and his voice was low and clear. "I'm Levi."
Oh. He had a voice like a Spotify playlist labeled 'comfort chaos.'
We walked through the halls and I gave him the standard tour, only with 40% more sarcasm. He was funny. Quick with comebacks. Even laughed at my jokes—which might've been flirting? Or maybe he was just smart enough to not upset the person with the hall passes.
After I dropped Levi off at his first class, I found my girls near the lockers. Chels, Rhea, and Maddie. All gossip, perfume, and synchronized eye-rolls.
"You good?" Chels asked, frowning. "You look like someone cancelled your birthday."
"It's Blossom," I muttered. "She's not answering, and I think Kaylen is avoiding me."
Rhea raised a brow. "Both sisters MIA and boyfriend acting shady? Blue, honey, that's not a vibe. That's a Netflix series."
Classes blurred after that. I was too distracted to take decent notes. I even forgot my own locker combo.
Lunchtime rolled around, and I marched to Kaylen's class. His seatmate—a snide little weasel named Bryson—looked up from his phone.
"He's in the cafeteria," he said, without making eye contact.
I all but sprinted to the cafeteria. Spoiler: Kaylen wasn't there. Neither was his ego.
Something in me snapped.
I turned around and marched right back to Bryson's class, caught him just as he was stepping into the hallway.
"You think this is funny?" I snapped.
"What?" he blinked, pretending innocence like I hadn't just done a whole side quest because of his stupid lie.
"Where is he really?" I hissed.
"I don't know what you're—"
I didn't even think about it. I threw a full punch. Right in his smug little face.
Bryson stumbled back, crashing into the lockers.
People gasped. Phones came out. I didn't care.
"Tell. Me. Where. He. Is."
Bryson groaned, clutching his jaw. "Study room. He's in the study room, okay?"
"Thanks," I said, brushing off my blazer. "You could've just said that the first time."
And with that, I walked off, fury in my veins, dignity in shambles, and a sudden craving to break more noses.
I burst into the study room like a windstorm in uniform, ready to cause an academic disturbance. And there he was—Kaylen—looking as calm and casual as if nothing was wrong. Sitting there with his bag half-open and a bored expression like he hadn't ghosted me all morning.
He blinked and then jolted upright when he saw my face.
"Kaylen," I growled, marching over like a woman on a mission. I didn't even give him a chance to speak. I grabbed his ear and dragged him out with me. Whispers exploded behind us, the usual suspects reveling in the drama. A few even clapped. Not helping.
I didn't stop until we got to the rooftop. Kaylen stumbled back when I let go of his ear, rubbing it with a hiss. "What the hell, Blue?"
"What is going on with you?" I snapped. "Why are you avoiding me?"
He blinked like I'd asked him if grass was real. "Wasn't it at the pool last night?"
I froze. My brain stuttered. "Wait... what?"
He tilted his head. "It was you, wasn't it?"
I didn't respond. I was suddenly very interested in the ground.
"Yeah. That's what I thought." He laughed bitterly. "We're done."
Then he walked off. Just like that. Like I was a season finale cliffhanger and he already read the spoilers.
"No, Kaylen—wait!" I chased him back down the hallway, heart thudding, the ache in my chest growing louder than the pounding of my shoes. "Please! Just let me explain!"
But he kept walking.
Until someone stepped in his way.
It was the new guy, Levi. Cool, composed, hands in his pockets like this was just another Monday.
Kaylen tried to shove past him. "Move."
Levi didn't flinch. "You should listen to her."
Kaylen shoved again. Bad idea.
Levi shoved back.
Then Kaylen swung.
And the hallway exploded into chaos.
Fists flying, students screaming, phones raised like it was a live-streamed concert.
I dove between them, trying to separate them. "Stop! Are you both insane?!"
Too late. Teachers were already coming, alerted by the noise like sharks to blood.
Before I could react, Kaylen and Levi each grabbed one of my hands.
"Run!"
They pulled me toward the stairs, but just as we burst out onto the floor—
BAM. Teachers. Three of them. Standing like final bosses at the end of a level.
And we were caught.
----
Blue sat stiffly in the detention room, her blazer half-off, brows knit in exhausted frustration. The room was quiet except for the occasional tapping of a pen and the humming of the old ceiling fan. Her fingers fidgeted against the hard plastic chair as Principal Hartley finished her lecture.
"As head prefect, you are expected to lead by example," the principal stated, arms crossed like she'd just caught the entire student council running a black market behind the gym. "Carelessness like this undermines your position. I trust this won't repeat itself."
"Yes, ma'am," Blue muttered, throat tight, eyes flicking briefly toward Kaylen across the room. He sat with his arms folded, jaw tense.
"Now—" Principal Hartley shifted her gaze to him. "You two clearly have things to discuss. Levi? Give them space."
Levi, who had been whistling quietly, gave a lazy salute and sauntered off to the far end of the room. Blue turned slowly to Kaylen.
"You wouldn't even let me explain," she said.
He scoffed. "Explain what? That you humiliated me? That you lied?"
She shook her head. "It wasn't me at the pool, Kaylen. It wasn't. The whole thing was a setup. By Rhea and Chels. You know—the so-called 'ride or dies'?"
Kaylen's face twisted. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Blue reached into her bag and pulled out her phone, flicking rapidly through messages and screenshots. "Here. Look. Messages between them. Planning it. Even used my spare uniform. They knew how much you cared about loyalty. They wanted to break us."
Kaylen leaned forward slowly, reading through the screen, each word tightening his face further. "These... these are real?"
She nodded. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I just... didn't know how."
Kaylen leaned back, visibly shaken. He didn't say a word. So Blue stood and walked over to Levi.
"I need to be around someone who doesn't look like he's going to combust," she muttered, flopping into the seat beside him.
Levi smirked. "Wow. That was intense. Your drama levels are giving Mean Girls a run for its money."
"Trust me, I'd rather be watching a movie than living in one."
"So, Miss Prefect, what's your damage?"
She gave him a look. "Besides the apocalypse that is my love life? Not much. What about you, Mr. Transfer Mystery?"
"Levi Stone. Formerly of Pine Grove Academy. Transferred here because my mom got a gig lecturing at the university. I skateboard, I eat cereal at 2 a.m., and I think most school systems are an elaborate prank."
Blue blinked. "...You might be the strangest person I've met."
"Takes one to know one. You punched a guy before lunch."
"He lied to me."
"Still, that was a mean right hook. Should I be scared?"
"Only if you lie to me too."
Levi held up his hands, grinning. "Noted."
Before she could think of a comeback, her body gave in to the exhaustion and her head tilted sideways. Within minutes, she was asleep.
---
Levi glanced at her, then at Kaylen.
"So... rough day, huh?"
Kaylen raised an eyebrow. "That obvious?"
"You looked like you wanted to throw me off the roof earlier."
Kaylen sighed. "Yeah. Sorry about that. I was... angry. At her. At myself."
"Well, she told you the truth. And she hit a guy for you."
"Yeah, I know. I was a jerk."
Levi gave a small shrug. "So go be un-jerk. You still care, right?"
Kaylen looked at Blue, sleeping with a frown still etched on her face. "Yeah. More than I want to admit."
When the bell rang, Levi nudged Blue gently. She stirred, blinking. "School's over," he said.
As they walked through the hallway, whispers floated around them like confetti. Blue didn't look at anyone. Kaylen stayed silent beside her.
At the bus stop, Kaylen suddenly grabbed her hand.
"Sit."
She blinked and obeyed.
He knelt in front of her.
"I'm sorry. For everything. For doubting you. For not listening. For being stupid. You didn't deserve that."
Blue's eyes softened. "I'm sorry too. I should've told you the second I knew."
They sat in silence.
Then, the bus arrived.
Kaylen stood, leaned down, and gave her a quick kiss—gentle, apologetic, real.
Before she could react, he turned and jogged away. Blue sat there, stunned.
Then she smiled faintly and waved after the bus.