CLEOVON
Monday, 7:00 AM
Cringg!
“Argh!” I groan as I reach for my alarm clock and shut it off with a heavy hand. I squint at the time, still half-asleep. “Damn. It’s already 7:00?”
For a moment, I just lie there, staring at the ceiling, trying to convince myself I can skip today. But I know I can’t. With a sigh, I force myself out of bed, dragging my feet across the floor like it’s some kind of punishment. Still, there’s one thing that makes it worth it—seeing my girlfriend. And, well… I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy the attention I get at school.
I walk over to the mirror and run my fingers through my hair, pushing it upward until it sits just right. I tilt my head slightly, examining my reflection with a faint smirk.
“Yeah,” I whisper to myself. “It would definitely be a waste.”
Satisfied, I head straight to the bathroom and take a quick shower. A few minutes later, I’m done. I dry off, put on my uniform, and gather my things. Before leaving my room, I spray on some perfume—just enough to make an impression without being too much.
As I head downstairs, my mom notices me immediately from the kitchen.
“Eat something before you leave,” she says.
“Just a bite,” I reply casually as I walk over and grab a piece of bread. I take a quick bite, barely tasting it, then turn toward the door. “Bye, Mom!”
“Take care!” She calls after me.
I step outside and check my watch. 7:29 AM. Not bad.
I hop into my car and start the engine, heading straight toward my girlfriend’s house. Luckily, she’s already outside when I arrive, waiting like she always does.
The moment she sees me, her face lights up. She waves and jogs toward the car, her energy already lifting my mood.
I step out quickly to open the door for her. “Good morning,” I say with a smile.
“Good morning,” she replies, sliding into the seat.
Once she’s settled, I close the door and walk around to the driver’s side, getting in and starting the car again.
“How was your vacation?” I ask as we pull away.
She shrugs, leaning back against the seat. “Nothing much, honestly. I wish I could’ve just stayed here with you. I really missed you, you know.” She leans closer and gives me a quick peck on the cheek.
I chuckle softly. “I missed you more, babe.”
She rolls her eyes playfully, but she’s smiling.
We spent the rest of the drive laughing and catching up, talking about everything that happened while we were apart. She tells me about her trip to her mom’s side of the family—how boring it was without her phone, how strict they were about gadgets, and how she had no choice but to just go along with it. I can tell she hated being disconnected like that.
Meanwhile, I tell her about staying home, hanging out with friends here and there, and doing absolutely nothing productive. Compared to her vacation, mine sounds way better.
When we finally arrive at school, I glance at my watch. 7:53 AM.
Right on time.
As soon as I notice the time, my phone vibrates with a notification. I pull it out and see that I’ve been added to an unknown group chat. I barely give it a second glance before locking my phone.
It’s probably just my friends making another group chat for some random plan—maybe a party, maybe a trip, who knows.
“Aren’t you going to check it?” Signy asks as she steps out of the car.
I lock the doors and shake my head. “Nah. It’s probably nothing.”
She raises an eyebrow. “What if it’s important?”
I sigh quietly. She’s not going to let this go, is she?
“Fine,” I say, unlocking my phone again. “I’ll check it so you’ll stop worrying.”
I open the group chat and scroll briefly. It looks like someone is just randomly adding people, one after another. Nothing special.
Then I notice one familiar name among the list—Huxlee Mendez.
I scoff slightly before locking my phone again and slipping it into my pocket.
“I told you—it’s nothing,” I say.
“What’s the group chat even for?” Signy asks curiously.
I shrug. “No idea, babe. I’ll just leave later if it turns out to be useless.”
She smiles, satisfied. “Okay.”
The bell rings sharply at exactly 12 PM, its familiar sound echoing through the hallways and signaling the start of lunch break. I finally get a moment to breathe as the morning classes come to an end, and soon enough, I find myself sitting with my friends, gathered around our usual spot. We eat together, casually talking about random things.
I pull out my phone as the memory of the group chat from earlier that morning suddenly comes rushing back to me. The unread messages are still piling up, the number growing higher by the second.
“Hey, Leon, did you create this group chat?” I ask, lifting my phone slightly so he can see the screen.
Leon barely glances at it before shaking his head. “Nah, man. I didn’t make that. I’m in there too.”
I frown. “Seriously?”
“Yeah,” he says, leaning back in his chair. “Got added this morning. No idea who’s behind it.”
That doesn’t make me feel any better.
I shift my gaze to the rest of the table, scanning their faces one by one. “What about you guys? Any of you made it?”
They all immediately shake their heads, some of them even looking more confused than I feel.
“Nope.”
“Not me.”
“I got added too.”
“So we’re all just… dragged into this?” I mutter, more to myself than anyone else.
I look back down at my phone, my thumb hovering over the screen for a second before I finally type into the group chat.
“Who added me here?”
The message is sent, and within seconds, the chat starts moving again. Then a new message pops up.
“Oh, babe, you’re in here as well!”
I freeze for half a second before instinctively turning my head. Signy is sitting just a few seats away, smiling at me. Her expression is bright.
“Who added you here?” I ask her directly.
She shrugs casually. “I don’t know,” she says, still smiling. “I just got added like everyone else.” Then she tilts her head slightly, her smile softening. “But I’m kind of glad I’m here,” she adds. “You’re here too.”
A few people at the table react instantly.
“My gosh, get a room,” Vebby groans, rolling her eyes dramatically.
We just laugh and start exchanging messages in the group chat for everyone to see.
After a few moments, I scroll through the GC again and see the video posted there in a group created by an unknown person.
It’s obviously me in the video, but I’m not completely sure about the girl. If it’s really me, then the girl should be my girlfriend, or at least that’s what I immediately think, until the admin suddenly speaks up and says the girl I’m kissing in the video isn’t her.
Signy starts to lose it, her anger exploding as she reads the messages, so I quickly calm her down, trying to keep her from spiraling even more.
But inside, I’m not calm at all. Now I have to deal with whoever the hell is trying to break us apart, because I swear, whoever that person is, I’m going to break their bones into pieces.
HUXLEE
Monday, 5:00 PM
Cring!
“Huxlee!”
The bell has just rung, but Ciela is already at my classroom door, waiting for me like she always does. She really doesn’t waste time; she probably left her own class even before the alarm fully went off.
“Coming!” I reply, quickly grabbing my pen case. I slip it into my bag as I walk toward her.
She immediately clings to my arm, tugging me along the hallway. “You’re so slow,” she says, shaking her head. “You know, sometimes bending the rules is fun.”
I roll my eyes playfully. “I already bent the rules today, Ciela. I was late for the morning class.”
She laughs. “Yeah, I was with you when that happened.”
We laugh together as we walk down the hallway, our voices blending with the noise of students passing by.
Our chitchat is suddenly interrupted when someone steps in front of us, blocking our way. I look up and see the school king standing before us. Our eyes meet briefly before his gaze shifts to Ciela.
Ciela raises an eyebrow. “What?”
“We need to talk,” he says, his tone serious and firm.
She scoffs. “Uhm… sorry? I think I didn’t hear you right.”
“I said, we need to talk.”
She crosses her arms over her chest, unimpressed. “Does your queen know that you’re here talking to another girl? And what exactly are we going to talk about? I don’t remember us being friends.”
Cleo pushes his hair upward in frustration, a habit I have noticed he does often, and I used to think he only did it to look good in front of everyone, but now I realize it is simply part of his natural mannerism.
He is about to speak again when a voice calls out from behind him.
“Babe!”
I freeze internally.
What is this situation? Why am I suddenly stuck in the middle of all of this? I just want to leave.
His girlfriend walks up to him and looks between the two of them. “What’s going on?” she asks. “I was looking for you.”
Ciela exhales sharply. “If you don’t mind, queen and king, we’re leaving,” she says, grabbing my arm and trying to pull me away.
“You’re not going anywhere until you confess,” Cleo says.
Ciela frowns. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“You’re the admin in that group chat, right?” Cleo continues, his eyes locked on her.
What? He thinks Ciela is the admin?
Ciela lets out a sharp laugh, disbelief clear on her face. “What the fuck, Cleavon? Why would I waste my time exposing your shit?”
Cleo scoffs. “You tell me, Ciela. Is it because I turned you down?”
Both Signy and I freeze, our jaws dropping at the same time. It’s not just us—everyone in the hallway seems to hear him.
Signy stammers, clearly caught off guard. “W-what? What do you mean you turned her down?”
Cleo straightens slightly, as if preparing to explain himself. “It was during vacation when I received her letter,” he says. “She confessed to me. I wrote back, rejecting her.”
Whispers immediately erupt from the students around us, spreading like wildfire.
I stare at Ciela, my mind struggling to process what I just heard.
Ciela… has a crush on Cleo? No way.
Ciela suddenly bursts into laughter, loud and unrestrained, as if the whole thing is the most ridiculous joke she has ever heard. “You know what?” she says, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. “Everything you’re saying is bullshit. Yeah, bullshit.” She points to herself. “Me? Having feelings for you? Come on, man. Wake up. You’re far from my type.”
“Deny it all you want,” Cleo says, unfazed. “I have proof.”
He pulls out a piece of paper and throws it toward her. Ciela doesn’t move, so I step forward and pick it up from the floor. I unfold it carefully and scan the contents.
It’s a handwritten letter, written neatly in italics. The words are clear and structured, almost too perfect. At the bottom, there are initials: C.M.Y.
My grip tightens slightly.
The initials… they match Ciela’s name but—
“This… isn’t her handwriting,” I say, still staring at the paper.
Ciela immediately grabs one of her notebooks and throws it at Cleo. He catches it instinctively, his brows furrowing as he flips through the pages, comparing the writing.
“But the letter has your initials,” Cleo insists.
Ciela rolls her eyes and snatches the notebook back from him. “Yeah, right, ‘King Von.’ Do you even realize how many people here could have those initials?”
Cleo and Signy exchange glances for a brief moment before he looks back at her, confusion flashing across his face.
“Then who—”
“Get the fuck out of our way, asshole,” Ciela cuts him off. “You just wasted my precious time.”
Cleo and Signy step aside, giving us space.
Ciela grabs my hand tightly and pulls me forward. “The movie’s over!” she exclaims, raising her middle finger behind us without even looking back.