Chapter Text
Manon Bannerman had the kind of face people reposted on Pinterest with captions like ethereal girl spotted at the grocery store and she hated that for her.
Not because she thought she was ugly. She knew she wasn’t. She had eyes that looked permanently glossy, like she was seconds away from crying or kissing someone. Thick curls she never fully knew what to do with. A stupidly good jawline. Pretty lips. The whole thing. She looked like one of those girls who’d ruin your life in an indie movie soundtrack kind of way.
Which was exactly why everyone assumed she had an easy life.
Wrong.
Because somehow, despite being objectively gorgeous and mostly normal, Manon had become the designated target of Daniela Avanzini.
And nobody really knew why.
Even teachers got confused about it.
“Daniela,” Mr. Morris sighed one Tuesday morning after catching her flicking paper clips at the back of Manon’s head during chemistry. “Seriously. Again?”
Daniela only shrugged, leaning back in her chair like she was physically incapable of shame.
“What? Her hair looked bored.”
The class laughed because of course they did.
Manon stared straight ahead and pretended not to hear it.
That was the thing about bullying. People imagined dramatic movie scenes. Screaming. Crying in bathroom stalls. But most of it was quieter than that. Death by a thousand tiny humiliations.
Daniela was good at humiliation.
Like freakishly good.
She could weaponize literally anything.
Your shoes.
Your laugh.
The way you held a pencil.
The fact you breathed too loud during a test.
And when it came to Manon, Daniela seemed genuinely committed to making her life hell.
The weirdest part?
Daniela Avanzini was terrifyingly charismatic.
Like, annoyingly charismatic.
Tall. Sharp cheekbones. Dark hair always perfect even after gym class somehow. The kind of girl teachers hated because she was smart enough to get away with everything. She walked through school like the hallways belonged to her personally.
People followed her around constantly.
Mostly because they wanted her attention.
Partly because they were scared of ending up like Manon.
Then there was Sophia Laforteza.
Sophia was Daniela’s best friend in the way lightning is technically friends with thunderstorms.
They came together.
Everybody knew them as a pair.
Daniela was loud, impulsive, mean in creative ways.
Sophia was quieter. Warmer. The kind of pretty that snuck up on you. Big brown eyes, soft voice, oversized hoodies with rings on every finger. She listened when people talked. Which at St. Augustine’s was practically a superpower.
Nobody understood why Sophia stayed friends with Daniela.
Not even Sophia sometimes.
“You know she’s literally evil, right?” her friend Lara asked one night over FaceTime.
Sophia snorted. “She’s not evil.”
“She threatened to leak somebody’s private story because they looked at her weird.”
“She was joking.”
“She keyed someone’s car.”
“She was going through something.”
Lara stared into the camera. “Oh my God. You’re in love with your best friend.”
Sophia nearly dropped her phone into her cereal.
“What? No.”
“You defend her like a divorced dad.”
“I do not.”
“You absolutely do.”
Sophia hung up after that.
Because honestly?
The thought made her itchy.
Not the love part.
The Daniela part.
Daniela was impossible to love normally.
She took up too much space. Too much oxygen. Too much everything.
And Sophia had spent years learning how to orbit around her without getting burned.
Still, lately things had gotten weird.
Mostly because of Manon.
It started small.
Sophia noticed Daniela watching her during lunch.
Not normal watching either.
Not her usual predator stare before ruining somebody’s day.
It was different.
Longer.
Almost confused.
Like Daniela couldn’t figure out a puzzle.
“Why do you hate her so much?” Sophia finally asked one afternoon.
They were sprawled across Daniela’s bedroom floor while Daniela painted her nails black for the third time that week.
Daniela scoffed immediately. “Who?”
“Manon.”
Daniela rolled her eyes so hard Sophia thought she might actually detach a retina.
“She annoys me.”
“She literally doesn’t talk.”
“Exactly.”
“That makes no sense.”
Daniela blew on her nails dramatically. “You wouldn’t get it.”
Sophia studied her carefully.
“You think she’s prettier than you.”
Daniela froze.
Just for a second.
Then she barked out a laugh loud enough to shake the walls.
“Oh my God. Be serious.”
“You do.”
“I absolutely do not.”
“Mhm.”
Daniela pointed the nail polish brush at her like a weapon. “Sophia. I could pull literally anyone in this school.”
“I know.”
“So why would I care about some weird sad girl who dresses like a Tim Burton side character?”
Sophia shrugged.
But the thing was…
Manon didn’t dress weird.
Not really.
She wore sweaters and skirts and sneakers. Sometimes headphones. Mostly neutral colors. She was just quiet.
And quiet girls at St. Augustine’s either became invisible or targets.
Manon got unlucky.
Sophia first talked to her by accident.
It was after literature class.
Manon dropped her books in the hallway because somebody shoulder-checked her on the way out.
Somebody being Daniela.
“Oops,” Daniela said without sounding sorry whatsoever.
Papers exploded everywhere.
The hallway flooded past them in waves of people.
Nobody stopped.
Sophia did.
Mostly on instinct.
“Oh my God, wait,” she muttered, crouching down. “Here.”
Manon blinked at her like she genuinely didn’t expect help.
Up close, Sophia noticed little things.
Her lashes were insanely long.
There was a tiny scar near her chin.
She smelled faintly like vanilla and laundry detergent.
“Thanks,” Manon said softly.
“No problem.”
Daniela was waiting further down the hall, clearly irritated.
“Hurry up, Soph.”
“One second.”
Daniela’s jaw ticked.
Manon noticed.
Of course she noticed.
Everyone noticed Daniela.
Sophia handed over the last notebook carefully. “Sorry about her.”
Manon looked weirdly unsurprised.
“You don’t have to apologize for your friends.”
Sophia opened her mouth.
Closed it again.
Because that sentence hit harder than expected.
By lunch the next day, rumors had already started.
Nothing insane.
Just whispers.
Sophia helped Manon.
Sophia talked to Manon.
Sophia smiled at Manon.
At St. Augustine’s, tiny interactions became mythology within hours.
Daniela acted like she didn’t care.
Which was usually how Sophia knew she cared deeply.
At lunch, Daniela sat across from Sophia aggressively stabbing fries with a plastic fork.
“She’s obsessed with you now,” Daniela muttered.
Sophia looked up from her phone. “Who?”
“Manon.”
“She literally said two words to me.”
“Exactly. Creepy behavior.”
Sophia laughed.
Daniela didn’t.
“You’re smiling.”
“What?”
“You always do that stupid smile when you talk about her.”
“I am literally not talking about her.”
“You were thinking about her.”
Sophia stared.
“Are you okay?”
Daniela leaned back dramatically. “I’m amazing actually.”
Which meant she absolutely was not.
The truth was, Daniela had noticed Manon months ago.
Before the bullying even started.
It happened during assembly.
Manon was sitting three rows ahead, half asleep, cheek resting against her hand while sunlight hit her face through the gym windows.
Daniela remembered staring.
Noticing the curve of her mouth.
The soft expression in her eyes.
The way she looked completely detached from everyone around her.
And Daniela had immediately hated the feeling that settled in her chest.
Because it wasn’t normal hatred.
Normal hatred was easy.
Fun, even.
This felt itchy.
Sharp.
Humiliating.
Then Manon laughed at something her friend whispered.
And Daniela’s stomach did this horrible little flip.
So naturally she’d spent the next several months psychologically terrorizing her.
Like a completely sane person.
The thing nobody understood about Daniela Avanzini was that she’d rather die than be vulnerable.
Seriously.
Like if a doctor told her “you can admit you have feelings or explode instantly,” there would just be red mist on the hospital walls.
So instead she did what she always did.
Turned everything ugly before it could become real.
And unfortunately for Manon, she became the target of that strategy.
Sophia figured out something was wrong during gym.
Daniela kept staring across the basketball court while Manon sat on the bleachers instead of participating.
“You are actually insane,” Sophia muttered.
Daniela nearly jumped. “What?”
“You’ve looked at her like eight times.”
“No I haven’t.”
“You literally just did it again.”
Daniela grabbed a basketball and threw it directly at Sophia’s face.
Sophia caught it barely.
“Oh my God.”
“Shut up.”
But Sophia was smiling now.
Not because she understood.
Because she didn’t.
Not yet.
Still, something in the air had shifted.
Like the beginning of a thunderstorm.
And Manon felt it too.
She just didn’t know why.
All she knew was that Daniela Avanzini hated her.
And Sophia Laforteza kept looking at her like she was trying to solve a mystery.
____
By Thursday, Manon knew something bad was going to happen.
You could just feel it sometimes.
Like static in the air.
Daniela had barely spoken all morning, which honestly made things worse. Loud Daniela was predictable. Loud Daniela threw insults like dodgeballs and moved on.
Quiet Daniela was dangerous.
And unfortunately for literally everyone at St. Augustine’s, Daniela Avanzini loved an audience.
It started during history.
Manon walked in two minutes before the bell and immediately felt thirty pairs of eyes shift toward her.
Her stomach dropped.
Daniela was sitting at the back of the classroom with her boots propped against the chair in front of her, chewing gum slowly.
Sophia sat beside her scrolling on her phone.
The second Manon entered, Daniela smiled.
Not a nice smile.
A shark smile.
“Oh thank God,” Daniela said loudly. “I was worried the school finally transferred you to Hogwarts.”
A few people laughed automatically.
Manon ignored her and headed for her desk.
Then Daniela stuck her foot out.
Manon hit the ground hard.
Gasps burst around the room.
Her books scattered everywhere.
For one horrifying second she just stayed there, cheek burning against the floor, humiliation crashing over her in hot waves.
Daniela leaned down in her chair.
“Oops.”
Sophia’s face fell immediately.
“Daniela,” she muttered.
“What?”
“You tripped her.”
“No I didn’t.”
“You literally did.”
Daniela shrugged lazily. “Maybe she should watch where she’s going.”
Manon got up without saying anything.
That somehow annoyed Daniela more.
Because crying would’ve been easier.
Getting angry would’ve been easier.
But Manon just silently picked up her things and sat down.
Like she expected it.
Like she’d already decided Daniela wasn’t worth reacting to.
And for some reason that made Daniela feel insane.
The entire class, Daniela kept staring at the back of Manon’s head.
Sophia noticed.
Of course she noticed.
“You need therapy,” Sophia whispered at one point.
Daniela didn’t even deny it.
At lunch things escalated.
Because Daniela was bored.
And boredom for Daniela usually ended with someone emotionally devastated.
The cafeteria buzzed with noise, trays clattering and people yelling over each other. Manon sat near the windows alone, headphones around her neck while she picked apart fries she clearly didn’t want.
Sophia was halfway through telling a story when Daniela suddenly stood up.
“Oh no,” Sophia sighed immediately.
Daniela ignored her.
The cafeteria slowly quieted the closer she got to Manon’s table.
People loved drama.
Loved violence even more.
Daniela planted both hands on the table.
“Why do you sit like that?”
Manon looked up carefully. “Like what?”
“Like a Victorian child with tuberculosis.”
A few snorts echoed nearby.
Manon went back to eating.
Wrong choice.
Daniela’s eyes narrowed.
“You know it’s rude when people talk to you and you ignore them, right?”
“I answered you.”
“With attitude.”
Manon blinked slowly. “You came over here.”
Sophia physically covered her face from across the cafeteria.
Because oh my God.
Manon had accidentally challenged her.
Daniela laughed once.
Sharp.
“You think you’re funny?”
“No.”
“Then why do you always look at me like that?”
Manon frowned slightly. “Like what?”
“Like you know something.”
“I literally don’t even talk to you.”
“You’re talking now.”
Manon pushed her tray away.
“I don’t get why you care about me so much.”
The cafeteria went dead silent.
Sophia’s heart stopped.
Daniela’s expression changed instantly.
There it was.
That switch.
The one where her anger became something colder.
Meaner.
Dangerous.
“Oh,” Daniela said softly. “You think I care about you?”
Manon immediately realized she’d messed up.
But it was too late now.
Daniela grabbed her juice box off the tray and poured it directly over Manon’s head.
The cafeteria erupted.
People laughed.
Someone gasped.
Somebody literally stood on a chair to record.
Cold sticky juice dripped down Manon’s curls and sweater.
Humiliation crashed through her so hard her vision blurred.
Sophia shot to her feet. “Daniela!”
“What?” Daniela snapped, though her face already looked weirdly tense. “She wanted attention.”
Manon stood up too quickly, chair screeching violently against the floor.
For a second Sophia thought she might cry.
Instead she just stared at Daniela with this awful expression.
Not fear.
Not even anger.
Disappointment.
Which somehow hit harder.
Then she walked away.
Daniela watched her go.
Something ugly twisted in her chest.
“Happy now?” Sophia hissed.
Daniela scoffed immediately. “Why are you acting like I killed her?”
“She didn’t do anything.”
“She was being annoying.”
“She exists, Daniela.”
Daniela rolled her eyes, but there was heat crawling up her neck now.
“I’m going to the bathroom,” Sophia muttered.
“To comfort your girlfriend?”
Daniela meant it as a joke.
Sophia didn’t laugh.
That made Daniela irrationally irritated all over again.
The girls’ bathroom near the gym was mostly empty after lunch.
Manon stood at the sink trying to clean juice out of her hair with wet paper towels.
It wasn’t working.
Her sweater smelled like artificial strawberries.
Her eyes burned.
And worst of all?
She felt pathetic.
“You okay?”
Sophia’s voice startled her.
Manon looked up through the mirror.
Sophia hovered awkwardly near the door holding extra paper towels.
“Your friend’s insane,” Manon muttered quietly.
Sophia winced.
“Yeah.”
An awkward silence settled.
Then Sophia walked closer.
“Can I help?”
Manon almost said no automatically.
But honestly?
She was tired.
So tired.
Sophia gently dabbed at the sticky spots in her curls while Manon leaned against the counter silently.
Up close, Sophia looked even prettier somehow.
Not intimidating-pretty like Daniela.
Softer.
Warm.
“You don’t have to keep apologizing for her,” Manon said eventually.
Sophia sighed. “I know.”
“Then why are you friends with her?”
Sophia hesitated.
Because that question had a thousand answers.
Because Daniela had been there during her parents’ divorce.
Because Daniela made her laugh until her stomach hurt.
Because Daniela understood ugly feelings better than anyone.
Because leaving Daniela felt impossible.
“She’s not always like this,” Sophia said weakly.
Manon met her eyes in the mirror.
“She is with me.”
That sentence sat heavy between them.
Before Sophia could answer, the bathroom door slammed open.
Daniela walked in.
And immediately froze.
Sophia standing close to Manon.
Touching her hair.
Looking gentle.
Something hot and vicious exploded inside Daniela so fast it nearly made her dizzy.
“What the hell is this?”
Sophia turned. “Daniela—”
“No actually,” Daniela snapped. “What is this?”
Manon immediately stepped back.
Sophia folded her arms. “I was helping her.”
“With what? Her tragic little loser makeover?”
“Can you stop being awful for like ten seconds?”
Daniela laughed harshly. “Oh my God. You’re serious.”
The tension in the bathroom turned radioactive.
Manon grabbed her bag quickly. “I’m leaving.”
Daniela’s gaze snapped toward her instantly.
“No you’re not.”
Manon stared.
Something dangerous flickered across Daniela’s face again.
Then Daniela grabbed her wrist.
Hard.
“Daniela,” Sophia warned immediately.
“Relax.”
But Daniela wasn’t relaxed.
Not even close.
She felt crazy.
Actually crazy.
Because Sophia was looking at Manon differently lately and Daniela hated it so much she thought she might throw up.
“You think you’re special now?” Daniela asked quietly.
Manon tried pulling her arm back. “Let go.”
“You got Sophia defending you and suddenly you have confidence?”
“I said let go.”
Daniela stepped closer.
“You know what your problem is?” she said softly. “You act like everyone’s obsessed with you.”
Sophia moved forward immediately. “Okay, stop.”
But Daniela was already spiraling.
Manon yanked her wrist free.
“Why are you like this?”
And there it was again.
That look.
Not scared.
Not impressed.
Confused.
Like Daniela was something sad.
Daniela hated it.
Before anyone could react, she shoved Manon hard.
Manon stumbled backward straight into one of the bathroom stalls with a loud bang.
Sophia’s stomach dropped.
“Daniela!”
But Daniela was already moving.
Pure anger.
Pure impulse.
She grabbed Manon by the shoulders before she could fully stand.
“What is wrong with you?” Manon snapped finally, shoving back.
Daniela’s expression darkened.
And then suddenly it became real.
Hands.
Shoving.
Sharp messy movement.
Daniela slammed Manon against the stall wall.
Not hard enough to seriously hurt her.
But enough.
Enough to scare.
Sophia rushed forward immediately. “Stop!”
But Daniela was too angry to hear her.
Manon shoved back again.
Daniela grabbed the back of her hoodie.
And before anyone fully processed what was happening—
She forced Manon toward the toilet.
“Oh my God, Daniela—”
Manon struggled instantly. “Get off me!”
But Daniela was stronger.
And angrier.
And humiliated in ways she didn’t even understand.
“Maybe this’ll cool you down,” Daniela snapped.
Then she shoved Manon’s head into the toilet bowl.
The world stopped.
Sophia genuinely felt sick.
Water splashed everywhere as Manon cried out muffled and panicked, fighting hard now.
Then Daniela flushed it.
The sound echoed brutally through the bathroom.
For one horrible second Daniela felt triumphant.
Powerful.
In control again.
Then she saw Sophia’s face.
And everything crashed.
Because Sophia looked horrified.
Actually horrified.
“Daniela,” she whispered.
Not angry.
Worse.
Disappointed.
Daniela let go immediately.
Manon jerked back gasping, soaked curls clinging to her face.
The bathroom fell dead silent except for dripping water.
Daniela suddenly felt like she couldn’t breathe.
What the hell had she just done?
Manon stared at her with wide shocked eyes.
Sophia moved instantly, grabbing paper towels and helping Manon stand properly.
“You okay?” Sophia asked urgently.
Manon nodded automatically even though she clearly wasn’t.
Daniela stood frozen.
“I didn’t—”
But she did.
She absolutely did.
Sophia looked at her like she didn’t recognize her anymore.
And somehow that hurt worse than anything.
“Get out,” Sophia said quietly.
Daniela blinked.
“What?”
“Get out.”
“Sophia—”
“Now.”
Daniela’s chest tightened violently.
For a second she almost argued.
Then Manon looked up finally.
Water dripping down her face.
Humiliated.
Shaking slightly.
And Daniela felt something awful open inside her chest.
Not guilt exactly.
Something messier.
Because even now—
Even now—
She still thought Manon looked beautiful.
Which made her hate herself immediately.
_______
The bathroom door slammed shut behind Daniela.
Silence hit instantly after.
Not real silence exactly.
The fluorescent lights still buzzed overhead. Somebody outside laughed in the hallway. Pipes groaned somewhere in the walls.
But inside the bathroom, everything felt stunned.
Sophia turned back to Manon so fast it almost made her dizzy.
“Oh my God,” she breathed. “Are you okay?”
Manon looked like she didn’t even know how to answer that.
Water dripped from her curls into her lap. Her hoodie was soaked at the shoulders. Mascara smudged faintly under her eyes.
And somehow the thing that made Sophia’s chest ache most was that Manon looked embarrassed.
Like this was somehow her fault.
“I’m fine,” Manon said automatically.
Sophia stared at her.
“You literally just got shoved into a toilet.”
“I’ve had worse days.”
The joke landed wrong.
Sophia actually felt angry hearing it.
Not at Manon.
At Daniela.
At herself too, maybe.
Because she should’ve stopped this earlier.
Should’ve said something months ago instead of just rolling her eyes whenever Daniela acted insane.
Sophia grabbed a handful of paper towels, wet them carefully, then crouched in front of Manon.
“Sit down,” she said softly.
Manon hesitated before sitting on the closed stall lid.
Sophia gently started dabbing water and mascara off her face.
For a few seconds neither of them spoke.
The tenderness of it felt strange.
Too intimate for a school bathroom.
“You don’t have to do this,” Manon said quietly.
Sophia looked up.
“Yes I do.”
Manon swallowed hard.
Up close, Sophia could see faint redness forming near her jaw from where Daniela had grabbed her earlier.
A horrible tight feeling twisted in her stomach.
“She crossed a line,” Sophia muttered.
Manon let out a small laugh.
“She crossed that line ages ago.”
Sophia didn’t know what to say to that.
Because she was right.
This wasn’t one bad moment.
This was months of cruelty building and building until it exploded into something uglier.
And Sophia had stood beside Daniela through all of it.
The realization made her feel sick.
“I should’ve stopped her sooner,” she admitted quietly.
Manon looked at her carefully.
“You’re not responsible for her.”
“No, but I let it happen.”
The words came out shakier than she intended.
Manon’s expression softened slightly.
“That’s different.”
Sophia shook her head. “Not enough.”
A long silence settled between them again.
Sophia kept cleaning bits of toilet water from Manon’s curls with painfully gentle hands.
God.
Daniela was actually insane.
Who did that?
What kind of person did that?
And then immediately another thought hit her, mean and traitorous:
The kind of person you’ve loved your entire life.
Sophia shoved that thought away aggressively.
Not now.
Definitely not now.
Manon suddenly laughed under her breath.
Sophia blinked. “What?”
“This is just…” Manon rubbed her face tiredly. “So humiliating.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“She shoved my head in a toilet, Sophia.”
Hearing it out loud sounded even worse somehow.
Sophia groaned and covered her eyes briefly. “Jesus Christ.”
“She’s gonna deny it happened.”
“No she won’t.”
Manon raised an eyebrow.
Sophia sighed.
“Okay, she absolutely will.”
That finally pulled a real smile out of Manon.
Small.
Crooked.
Pretty enough to make Sophia’s brain briefly stop functioning.
There it was again.
That feeling.
Noticing things about Manon she probably shouldn’t.
The curve of her mouth.
The softness in her voice.
How pretty she looked even soaking wet and furious.
Sophia stood too quickly and looked away.
“You should probably go home,” she muttered.
“Probably.”
“But also if you leave now everyone’ll know something happened.”
Manon leaned back against the stall wall tiredly. “Everyone already knows something happened.”
True.
At St. Augustine’s, news spread faster than infections.
Half the school probably already had blurry Snapchat footage of the cafeteria incident.
Sophia suddenly imagined somebody posting bathroom rumors too.
Her stomach twisted.
“Come with me,” she said suddenly.
Manon frowned. “Where?”
“Nurse’s office. Or my car. Somewhere not here.”
“You have a car?”
Sophia nodded. “Daniela drives us to school but technically it’s my car too.”
The second Daniela’s name entered the conversation, tension flooded back in instantly.
Manon looked away.
Sophia noticed.
“She’s not coming back,” Sophia said quietly.
“You don’t know that.”
Actually…
Sophia kind of did.
Because Daniela only left situations when she realized she’d lost control.
And the look on her face before leaving?
That wasn’t victory.
That was panic.
Still, Sophia didn’t say any of that.
Instead she held out her hand carefully.
Manon stared at it for a second before taking it.
Sophia tried very hard not to think about how warm her fingers felt.
—
They ended up in Sophia’s car parked behind the gymnasium.
Mostly because the nurse would ask questions.
And neither of them wanted that.
Rain tapped softly against the windshield while Sophia dug through the backseat for spare clothes from volleyball practice.
“You can wear this,” she said, holding up an oversized hoodie.
Manon looked at it suspiciously.
“It says emotionally unstable in tiny letters.”
“It’s ironic.”
“I don’t think it is.”
Sophia laughed.
The sound felt weirdly intimate in the small car.
Manon changed in the backseat while Sophia stared aggressively out the window pretending not to notice literally anything.
Not the sound of fabric moving.
Not the glimpse of bare shoulder in the mirror.
Not her own heartbeat suddenly acting ridiculous.
“You can look, by the way,” Manon said dryly.
Sophia nearly hit her head on the steering wheel.
“I was not—”
“You were staring so hard at the rain I thought you were about to write poetry.”
Sophia covered her face. “Oh my God.”
Manon laughed quietly again.
And there it was.
That stupid smile Sophia kept accidentally causing.
Daniela would lose her mind if she saw this.
The thought landed heavy.
Sophia’s chest tightened unexpectedly.
Because despite everything…
Daniela was still Daniela.
Still the girl who knew every ugly thought Sophia had ever had.
Still the person she texted first when something funny happened.
Still home, somehow.
But lately home had started feeling unsafe.
Not for Sophia.
For everyone else.
“You know,” Manon said carefully from the backseat, “you don’t have to choose between defending her and hating her.”
Sophia looked up into the rearview mirror.
Manon had changed into the hoodie now, curls damp around her face.
“You can love somebody,” Manon continued softly, “and still admit they’re hurting people.”
Sophia stared.
“You think I love her?”
Manon blinked.
Then immediately looked like she regretted speaking.
“I didn’t mean—”
“No, it’s okay.”
Except it wasn’t.
Because suddenly Sophia felt exposed in ways she absolutely hated.
Did it look that obvious?
God.
“No,” Sophia said finally. “I don’t know what I feel about Daniela anymore.”
That was the first honest thing she’d admitted in weeks.
Maybe months.
Manon studied her for a second.
Then quietly:
“She’s in love with you, you know.”
Sophia laughed immediately.
Actually laughed.
“That is objectively insane.”
“I’m serious.”
“She calls me ugly like three times a day.”
“She calls everybody ugly.”
“True.”
“She looks at you differently.”
Sophia rolled her eyes. “You’re projecting.”
Manon went quiet.
Then:
“She looks at you the way she looks at things she’s scared of.”
That sentence sat in the car like smoke.
Sophia suddenly remembered every strange moment lately.
Daniela getting irritated whenever Sophia mentioned Manon.
Daniela staring too long.
Daniela going weirdly silent sometimes.
No.
No way.
That would be catastrophic.
Sophia rubbed her temples. “Please don’t say things that’ll make my life harder.”
Manon smiled faintly. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
Another pause.
Rain kept falling softly outside.
The car suddenly felt too warm.
Too close.
Sophia looked back at Manon again.
Big mistake.
Because Manon was looking at her too now.
Not awkwardly.
Not nervously.
Just… looking.
And Sophia became hyperaware of everything all at once.
The tiny space between them.
The smell of rain.
The oversized sleeves hanging over Manon’s hands.
The fact her lips were slightly pink from biting them earlier.
Sophia’s heart started acting genuinely embarrassing.
“You’re staring again,” Manon murmured.
Sophia swallowed.
“You noticed?”
“You’re not subtle.”
“Neither are you.”
Manon tilted her head slightly. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Sophia didn’t answer immediately.
Because honestly?
She didn’t know.
All she knew was that she suddenly wanted to touch her.
Which felt insane considering the circumstances.
Girl gets assaulted by your best friend and your response is wow she’s pretty.
Sophia internally booed herself.
“I think,” Sophia said carefully, “you’re way less okay than you’re pretending to be.”
Manon’s expression flickered.
There.
Finally.
The cracks.
“I just…” She looked down at her hands. “I don’t understand why she hates me so much.”
Sophia’s chest hurt instantly.
Because she knew Daniela.
Really knew her.
And hate wasn’t what this was.
Not even close.
Which somehow made everything worse.
“She’s messed up,” Sophia said quietly.
“That’s not really an answer.”
“I know.”
Manon laughed shakily. “Maybe I did something in another life.”
“You definitely did. Probably tax fraud.”
That earned another laugh.
Softer this time.
And suddenly Sophia couldn’t stop looking at her mouth.
Oh, this was bad.
Really bad.
The atmosphere shifted without permission.
One second they were talking.
The next—
Something else.
Something quieter.
Manon noticed it too.
Sophia could tell.
The air between them went warm and heavy.
Sophia’s voice came out softer than intended. “Can I ask you something?”
“Depends.”
“Why haven’t you ever fought back?”
Manon looked surprised.
“At Daniela?”
“Yeah.”
A small shrug.
“She wants a reaction.”
“So you just let her hurt you?”
The question came out harsher than Sophia meant.
Manon looked out the window.
“I’m used to people deciding things about me before they know me.”
Sophia frowned slightly.
“What does that mean?”
“It means pretty girls are only lovable when they’re loud.” Manon smiled faintly. “Quiet girls make people uncomfortable.”
Sophia stared at her.
Because that sentence felt painfully true.
And suddenly she wanted—
God.
She wanted to kiss her.
The realization hit like a car crash.
Immediate.
Violent.
Impossible to ignore afterward.
Sophia looked away fast.
But Manon had already noticed.
“You’re doing it again,” she whispered.
Sophia’s throat went dry. “Doing what?”
“Looking at me like you’re trying not to.”
Neither of them moved.
Rain hammered harder against the windshield now.
Sophia could hear her own heartbeat.
This was such a bad idea.
Daniela would lose her mind.
The school would explode.
Everything would become complicated and messy and horrible.
But Manon looked at her with this soft exhausted expression and Sophia suddenly couldn’t think straight anymore.
“You should tell me to stop,” Sophia said quietly.
Manon didn’t.
That was the problem.
She didn’t move away.
Didn’t laugh.
Didn’t break eye contact.
She just whispered:
“Maybe I don’t want to.”
And that absolutely ruined Sophia.
She leaned across the center console before she could overthink it.
The kiss started tentative.
Careful.
Like both of them expected the other to pull away.
But then Manon kissed back.
And suddenly Sophia forgot how breathing worked.
It wasn’t dramatic at first.
Just soft lips and warm hands and this dizzy electric feeling spreading through Sophia’s chest.
Then Manon touched her face gently.
And Sophia was done for.
Completely.
The kiss deepened slightly, slow and emotional and terrifyingly real.
Sophia’s hand found the sleeve of Manon’s hoodie instinctively.
Everything outside the car disappeared.
No school.
No Daniela.
No humiliation.
No chaos.
Just this.
Just them.
When they finally pulled apart, both of them looked stunned.
Sophia blinked rapidly.
“Oh,” she breathed.
Manon laughed softly, equally shocked. “Yeah.”
Sophia covered her face immediately.
“Oh my God.”
“What?”
“I just kissed the girl my best friend tried to drown.”
Manon snorted so suddenly she nearly choked.
“That sounds really bad when you phrase it like that.”
“It is bad.”
“But also kind of iconic.”
Sophia laughed helplessly.
And for the first time all day, Manon looked genuinely okay.
_____
Daniela found out because of course she did.
Information moved through St. Augustine’s like a disease.
Fast.
Ugly.
Mutating every five seconds.
By third period Friday morning, people were already whispering.
Sophia was seen leaving school with Manon.
Sophia gave Manon her hoodie.
Sophia and Manon were in Sophia’s car for like an hour.
And the worst one:
Somebody saw them kissing.
Daniela heard it in calculus.
Which honestly felt offensive because if your life was going to implode, it should at least happen during a less boring subject.
She was halfway through doodling skulls in the margins of her notebook when Tyler from the basketball team leaned over.
“So are Sophia and Manon like… together now?”
Daniela looked up slowly.
“What?”
Tyler immediately sensed danger.
“I don’t know,” he said quickly. “People were saying they made out in the parking lot yesterday.”
The classroom tilted.
Actually tilted.
Daniela laughed automatically because surely that was a joke.
Sophia.
Manon.
Kissing?
No.
No, absolutely not.
Sophia hated Manon.
Or at least tolerated Daniela hating her.
That was the natural order of things.
That was how it worked.
“She would never,” Daniela said immediately.
But her voice came out weird.
Too fast.
Tyler blinked. “Okay.”
Daniela grabbed her phone under the desk instantly.
DANIELA:
tell me you didn’t kiss bannerman
The typing bubble appeared almost immediately.
Disappeared.
Appeared again.
Sophia wasn’t answering properly.
Daniela’s heartbeat started punching against her ribs.
SOPHIA:
can we talk later
And there it was.
Confirmation.
Something hot and horrible exploded inside Daniela so violently she thought she might actually throw up in class.
No.
No no no.
Sophia couldn’t kiss Manon.
Manon couldn’t kiss Sophia.
That didn’t make sense.
That ruined everything.
Daniela spent the remaining forty minutes of calculus in a state close to psychological warfare.
By lunch she was fully spiralling.
Every hallway suddenly contained Manon.
People laughing near lockers?
Manon probably started it.
Some girl wearing Sophia’s hoodie?
Oh my God was it hers?
Daniela felt insane.
Actually insane.
And the worst part?
Underneath all the anger was something uglier.
Jealousy.
Not because Sophia kissed someone.
Sophia hooked up with people sometimes. Daniela usually just mocked their outfits afterward and moved on.
This felt different.
Because it was Manon.
Manon with her stupid sad eyes and soft voice and annoying face Daniela couldn’t stop thinking about.
The idea of Sophia touching her made Daniela physically sick.
Which was deeply, deeply concerning.
She found Sophia behind the gym during lunch.
Alone.
Huge mistake on Sophia’s part honestly.
Daniela stormed toward her so fast Sophia barely had time to stand up before she was there.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
Sophia blinked. “Jesus—”
“You kissed her?”
Straight to the point.
Sophia exhaled slowly.
“Daniela—”
“No, answer me.”
A dangerous edge had entered Daniela’s voice now.
Sharp enough to cut skin.
Sophia crossed her arms. “You don’t get to interrogate me.”
“You kissed Manon?”
People nearby immediately started looking over.
Sophia noticed and grabbed Daniela’s wrist quickly.
“Lower your voice.”
Daniela yanked free instantly.
“No actually, what the hell, Sophia?”
“It just happened.”
Daniela laughed harshly.
“It just happened?”
“Yes.”
“In your car?”
Sophia flushed slightly.
And that—
that—
made Daniela feel like her organs were liquefying.
“Oh my God,” Daniela snapped. “You actually like her.”
Sophia stared at her carefully now.
“Why are you freaking out this much?”
Because I like her too.
The thought flashed so loudly through Daniela’s head she nearly choked on it.
Instead she barked out another laugh.
“Because she’s weird!”
Weak.
Terrible answer.
Sophia narrowed her eyes immediately.
“She’s not weird.”
“You know what I mean.”
“No, I actually don’t.”
Daniela started pacing now.
Fast.
Agitated.
Like she physically couldn’t stay still.
“She’s manipulative,” Daniela said.
Sophia looked genuinely baffled. “Manon?”
“Yes.”
“She barely talks.”
“Exactly. Creepy.”
Sophia stared harder.
And suddenly Daniela realized she was losing this.
Because none of her excuses made sense.
Because Sophia knew her too well.
“You hate her for literally no reason,” Sophia said quietly.
Daniela stopped pacing.
For one horrible second, panic climbed into her throat.
Because Sophia was getting too close now.
Too observant.
“She thinks she’s better than everyone,” Daniela snapped.
“She absolutely does not.”
“She looks at people like she’s judging them.”
Sophia folded her arms slowly.
“You mean she looks at you.”
Daniela’s chest tightened instantly.
“Don’t psychoanalyze me right now.”
“I’m trying to understand why you’ve been tormenting her for months.”
“I have not been tormenting her.”
Sophia stared at her in disbelief.
“You shoved her head into a toilet yesterday.”
Daniela flinched.
Actually flinched.
The memory hit instantly.
Water splashing everywhere.
Sophia looking horrified.
Manon’s face afterward.
Daniela suddenly felt sick all over again.
“I didn’t mean to—”
“Yes you did.”
The words landed hard.
Because they were true.
Daniela rubbed both hands over her face aggressively.
“You don’t get it.”
“Then explain it.”
I can’t stop thinking about her.
I don’t know why she affects me like this.
I feel crazy every time she looks at me.
But Daniela would rather eat glass than admit any of that out loud.
Instead she said the dumbest possible thing.
“She’s turning you against me.”
Sophia blinked slowly.
“Daniela.”
“She is.”
“Oh my God.”
“You used to actually care about me before she showed up.”
There it was.
The real fear.
Not Manon herself.
Losing Sophia.
Sophia’s expression softened slightly.
“That’s not what’s happening.”
“Really?” Daniela laughed again, except this time her voice cracked slightly. “Because you kissed the girl who hates me.”
Manon doesn’t hate you.
Sophia almost said it.
But something about Daniela’s face stopped her.
Because underneath all the anger now was panic.
Raw panic.
Like Daniela was hanging off a cliff trying not to fall apart in public.
“She doesn’t hate you,” Sophia said carefully instead.
Daniela went still.
Then scoffed immediately.
“She should.”
“Probably.”
Daniela looked away sharply.
The wind outside had picked up, cold against their faces.
Students drifted around them pretending not to listen.
Sophia lowered her voice.
“You crossed a line yesterday.”
“I know.”
Quiet.
Instant.
Sophia blinked.
Daniela almost never admitted fault that quickly.
“I know,” Daniela repeated, staring at the ground now. “Okay?”
For the first time since this conversation started, she sounded young.
Not scary.
Not cruel.
Just overwhelmed.
Sophia’s anger faltered slightly.
Then Daniela ruined it immediately.
“But kissing her is insane.”
Sophia groaned. “Why do you care so much?”
Because I wanted her first.
Daniela physically bit the inside of her cheek to stop the thought.
“You’re my best friend,” she snapped instead. “Obviously I care.”
“That’s not what this is.”
Panic flashed across Daniela’s face.
“Don’t.”
“Daniela—”
“Don’t do that.”
Sophia stared at her.
And suddenly she saw it.
Not clearly.
Not fully.
But enough to understand something deeper was happening here.
Daniela looked terrified.
Actually terrified.
“You like someone,” Sophia realized softly.
Daniela’s eyes widened instantly.
“No.”
“You do.”
“No I don’t.”
“You’re literally shaking.”
“I’m angry.”
“You’re having a breakdown.”
Daniela laughed too loudly. “Shut up.”
But her eyes were glossy now.
And Sophia knew Daniela.
Knew her tells.
Knew the signs.
Daniela only cried when things got catastrophic.
“Oh my God,” Sophia whispered. “You do like someone.”
Daniela looked cornered suddenly.
Like an animal about to bolt.
“Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you figured something out.”
Sophia took a careful step closer.
“Daniela…”
And that was it.
That tiny softness in Sophia’s voice.
That tiny moment of concern.
It shattered whatever fragile control Daniela still had left.
Because suddenly everything hurt at once.
Sophia kissing Manon.
Manon looking at Sophia gently.
The guilt from yesterday.
The unbearable feeling of wanting something she couldn’t have.
Daniela’s eyes filled instantly.
“Oh, shit,” Sophia breathed.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re crying.”
“I said I’m fine.”
Her voice broke halfway through the sentence.
Mortifying.
Absolutely mortifying.
Daniela turned away immediately, scrubbing furiously at her face.
“I hate this,” she muttered shakily.
Sophia’s chest twisted.
She’d seen Daniela angry a thousand times.
Mean.
Jealous.
Violent even.
But this?
This was different.
This was somebody drowning.
“Hey,” Sophia said softly.
And before she could think better of it—
Daniela grabbed her face and kissed her.
It wasn’t romantic.
Not really.
It was desperate.
Messy.
Panicked.
Like Daniela’s brain had short-circuited and this was the only thing she could think to do.
Sophia froze completely.
Daniela kissed her hard for maybe three seconds before suddenly realizing what she’d done.
Then she jerked back like she’d been electrocuted.
The horror on her face was immediate.
“Oh my God.”
Sophia stared.
Daniela’s breathing turned uneven instantly.
“Oh my God, oh my God, I’m sorry—”
“Daniela—”
“No, no, forget that happened.”
Tears were fully spilling now despite Daniela clearly trying to stop them.
“I didn’t mean to do that, I just— I don’t know why I did that—”
Sophia blinked rapidly, still stunned.
Daniela kept spiralling.
“Please don’t make this weird.”
“You literally just kissed me.”
“I KNOW.”
Her voice cracked violently.
People nearby were definitely staring now.
Daniela looked seconds away from a complete public breakdown.
“I’m sorry,” she said again, quieter now. “I’m sorry.”
Sophia’s anger dissolved almost immediately.
Because Daniela looked genuinely wrecked.
Not manipulative.
Not dramatic.
Destroyed.
“Hey,” Sophia said softly.
Daniela shook her head hard, crying harder now out of pure humiliation.
“This is so embarrassing.”
“It’s okay.”
“No it’s not.”
Sophia stepped closer carefully.
Daniela didn’t pull away this time.
Which honestly scared Sophia more than yelling would’ve.
“You’re overwhelmed,” Sophia said gently.
“I’m insane.”
“You’re not insane.”
“I shoved someone into a toilet yesterday and now I’m assaulting my best friend. That feels at least a little insane.”
Sophia almost laughed despite everything.
Instead she carefully grabbed Daniela’s wrists.
“Breathe.”
Daniela’s breathing was still shaky.
“I hate this,” she whispered again.
Sophia’s chest hurt suddenly.
Because for all Daniela’s cruelty and chaos and anger—
She looked so young right now.
Just a girl who didn’t know what to do with feelings big enough to ruin her.
Sophia pulled her into a hug almost automatically.
Daniela made a tiny broken sound immediately.
Then hid her face in Sophia’s shoulder.
And Sophia realized with a weird ache that Daniela probably hadn’t let herself fall apart in front of anyone in years.
“You’re okay,” Sophia murmured softly.
Daniela laughed weakly against her shoulder. “Objectively false.”
Sophia smiled despite herself.
For several long minutes they just stood there while Daniela slowly stopped crying.
And somehow—
somehow—
Daniela managed not to say the one thing Sophia was dangerously close to figuring out.
That none of this was actually about Sophia at all.
It was about Manon.
_______
ophia and Manon started dating two weeks later.
Not officially at first.
At first it was just obvious.
They sat together at lunch now.
Shared headphones during free periods.
Sophia started smiling at her phone in that deeply humiliating way people do when they’re texting someone they like.
And Daniela noticed everything.
Every single thing.
It was torture.
Actual torture.
The worst part was that Sophia looked happy.
Like genuinely happy.
Softer somehow.
She laughed more.
Stopped snapping at people as much.
Started wearing Manon’s rings sometimes absentmindedly.
Daniela hated it so much she thought she might spontaneously combust in the middle of algebra.
“You look homicidal,” her friend Megan informed her one morning.
Daniela stared blankly across the cafeteria where Sophia was currently feeding Manon pieces of muffin while Manon laughed quietly.
“I am.”
“That bad?”
Daniela took a violent sip of iced coffee.
“She’s literally glowing.”
Megan followed her line of sight.
“Oh.”
Pause.
“Ohhhhh.”
“What?”
“You’re jealous.”
Daniela nearly inhaled coffee directly into her lungs.
“I am not jealous.”
“Daniela.”
“I’m serious.”
Megan looked unconvinced. “You look like a divorced father watching his wife move on.”
“That is such a weirdly specific insult.”
“Thank you.”
Daniela groaned and dropped her head onto the cafeteria table dramatically.
Because the problem was—
She couldn’t even be mean anymore.
Sophia had made that very clear.
“If you keep treating Manon like garbage,” Sophia said one afternoon after volleyball practice, “I’m done defending you.”
Daniela scoffed automatically. “You defend me?”
“Yes,” Sophia snapped. “Constantly. And I’m tired.”
That shut Daniela up.
Because hearing exhaustion in Sophia’s voice felt genuinely awful.
So now Daniela had to be nice to Manon.
Which turned out to be the hardest thing she’d ever done in her entire life.
Not because she couldn’t fake nice.
Daniela was actually excellent at fake nice when needed.
No, the problem was that being nice to Manon made everything worse.
Because when Daniela stopped trying to hurt her, she started noticing things.
More things.
Catastrophic things.
Like the fact Manon snorted when she laughed really hard.
Or how she always tucked her hands into oversized sleeves when nervous.
Or how she quietly thanked cafeteria workers when nobody else did.
Daniela wished desperately to unnotice all of it.
Unfortunately her brain had become obsessed.
“Morning,” Manon said cautiously one Monday while sitting beside Sophia before literature class.
Daniela looked up from her phone.
The word morning nearly got stuck in her throat.
Because Manon was looking at her carefully.
Waiting to see if she’d bite.
Daniela felt weirdly ashamed suddenly.
“Hey,” she muttered.
Sophia blinked in visible shock.
“You said hey normally.”
“Don’t make it weird.”
“You didn’t insult her once.”
Daniela glared. “I can still start.”
Manon looked like she was trying not to smile.
That irritated Daniela immediately.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“No, say it.”
“You’re less scary when you’re trying to behave.”
Sophia burst out laughing.
Daniela felt heat crawl up her neck.
“I hate both of you.”
Which only made Sophia laugh harder.
God.
This was hell.
Pure hell.
Especially because Sophia had apparently decided honesty was important now.
Which was how Manon found out about the kiss.
Daniela discovered this information in the worst way possible.
Overhearing it.
She was grabbing books from her locker when she heard Sophia’s voice nearby.
“I mean it wasn’t romantic,” Sophia was saying quickly.
Daniela froze instantly.
“She was just really overwhelmed.”
Manon sounded surprised. “Daniela kissed you?”
Oh my God.
Daniela nearly slammed her own head into the locker.
Sophia sighed.
“It was weird.”
“Was it weird?”
“Yes.”
“But like… weird weird?”
Daniela wanted to evaporate into dust.
Sophia laughed helplessly. “She started crying immediately afterward.”
Manon went quiet for a second.
Then softly:
“That’s actually kind of sad.”
Daniela’s stomach twisted violently.
Not because Manon pitied her.
Though that was horrible too.
But because Manon sounded concerned.
Concerned.
About her.
Sophia leaned against the lockers.
“I think she’s losing it a little.”
“A little?”
“Okay, a lot.”
Manon hesitated carefully. “Do you think she likes you?”
Daniela stopped breathing.
Sophia paused too.
Then:
“I honestly don’t know.”
The weird thing was Daniela almost wished Sophia would just believe that.
It would be easier.
Cleaner.
Because the truth was humiliating.
Daniela didn’t want Sophia romantically.
Not really.
She loved Sophia, obviously.
But it was different.
Sophia was safety.
History.
Home.
Manon was something else entirely.
A car crash.
A fever.
A problem.
And Daniela had absolutely no idea what to do about it.
“She’s just…” Sophia searched for words. “Daniela feels things really intensely.”
Manon snorted softly. “Yeah. I noticed.”
“And when she gets scared, she gets mean.”
That sentence hit Daniela directly in the chest.
Because Sophia understood her.
Even now.
Maybe especially now.
“She hurt you though,” Sophia added quietly.
The air shifted instantly.
Daniela looked down at the floor.
Guilt flooded through her hard enough to make her feel nauseous.
Manon was quiet for a second.
Then:
“I know.”
No anger.
No bitterness.
Somehow that made it worse.
Sophia lowered her voice. “You don’t have to forgive her.”
“I’m not sure she’d know what to do if I did.”
Daniela almost laughed despite herself.
Because unfortunately?
True.
She stayed hidden behind the lockers until they left.
Then stood there staring blankly at the floor for a full minute afterward.
This was a nightmare.
An actual nightmare.
And somehow it only kept getting worse.
Because Sophia and Manon became official two days later.
Instagram official.
Which honestly should’ve counted as psychological warfare.
Sophia posted a blurry mirror picture of the two of them in her bedroom.
Manon hiding her face slightly.
Sophia kissing her cheek.
Caption:
u make being alive less embarrassing
Daniela stared at the post for seven straight minutes.
Then made the fatal mistake of reading comments.
lara.mp3:
OH MY GOD FINALLY
tyler.4:
craziest plot twist this school has ever seen
slimshadymegan:
daniela survive this challenge
Daniela immediately threw her phone across the room.
Unfortunately she missed her bed and cracked her water bottle instead.
“Perfect,” she muttered hollowly.
The next few weeks became a masterclass in emotional repression.
Daniela buried herself in distractions.
Parties.
Homework.
Flirting with random people she didn’t care about.
None of it worked.
Because everywhere she went—
There they were.
Sophia and Manon holding hands in hallways.
Manon sitting on Sophia’s lap at football games.
Sophia smiling at her in that soft terrifying way.
And Daniela had to watch all of it while pretending she didn’t feel like somebody was slowly peeling her skin off.
It got worse whenever Manon was nice to her.
Which she was now.
For some insane reason.
“Can you pass me the highlighter?” Manon asked one afternoon in study hall.
Daniela stared at her like she’d spoken another language.
“The yellow one,” Manon clarified.
Daniela handed it over silently.
“Thanks.”
“Why are you being nice to me?”
Manon blinked.
“Because we’re sharing a table?”
“No, generally.”
Manon looked genuinely confused now.
“I don’t know. You’ve been less awful lately.”
Sophia snorted from beside her.
“Less awful is huge progress for Daniela actually.”
Daniela glared at both of them.
But secretly?
That stupid less awful comment made something warm happen in her chest.
Which was deeply annoying.
The universe clearly hated her personally.
Then came movie night.
Which nearly killed her.
Sophia invited Daniela over automatically out of habit.
Then remembered halfway through texting that Manon would also be there.
Too late now.
Daniela almost didn’t go.
Almost.
But staying home while imagining Sophia and Manon together sounded worse somehow.
So now she was trapped on Sophia’s bedroom floor watching horror movies while the girl she liked cuddled her best friend three feet away.
Amazing.
Fantastic.
Love being alive.
“You okay?” Sophia asked at one point.
Daniela realized too late she’d been staring.
“Fine.”
“You look pale.”
“I’m always pale.”
True.
Manon glanced over from where her head rested against Sophia’s shoulder.
“You can sit on the bed too, you know.”
Daniela looked at her sharply.
“What?”
“There’s room.”
Sophia shifted slightly. “Yeah, come here.”
Daniela’s brain immediately short-circuited.
Because absolutely not.
No way.
If she sat up there she’d probably combust from proximity alone.
“I’m good.”
“You’re literally sitting on hardwood.”
“I like suffering.”
Manon laughed softly.
Daniela had to look away.
This was getting ridiculous.
Halfway through the movie Sophia fell asleep.
Which left Daniela and Manon awake in awkward silence while some horror character got murdered onscreen.
Daniela stared very hard at the TV.
Manon stared at Daniela.
Finally:
“You really don’t remember being nice to me before all this, do you?”
Daniela frowned slightly.
“What?”
Manon hesitated.
“In middle school.”
Daniela blinked.
Middle school?
“You helped me during orientation,” Manon said quietly. “I got lost trying to find the art rooms.”
Daniela stared.
A vague memory surfaced slowly.
A scared girl sitting alone near the stairwell.
Big eyes.
Curly hair.
Oh.
“Oh,” Daniela said aloud accidentally.
Manon smiled faintly.
“Yeah.”
Daniela felt weird suddenly.
“I forgot.”
“I figured.”
The movie played quietly in the background.
Sophia shifted in her sleep beside Manon.
Daniela tried not to look at the way Manon instinctively fixed Sophia’s blanket.
“You weren’t mean back then,” Manon added softly.
Daniela laughed once.
“Clearly I peaked early.”
“No.” Manon looked at her carefully now. “I think you just got scared of becoming someone people could hurt.”
The sentence hit so directly Daniela almost felt physically winded.
Because Jesus Christ.
Manon saw too much.
“You don’t know me,” Daniela muttered.
“Maybe not.”
Silence.
Then:
“But I don’t think you’re evil.”
That was somehow the worst thing anyone had ever said to Daniela.
Because she wanted to believe it.
And she didn’t know how.
______
The horror movie ended around one in the morning.
Not that anybody had really been paying attention anymore.
Sophia was fully asleep now, curled into Manon’s side with one arm wrapped lazily around her waist. Her face was buried against Manon’s shoulder, breathing slow and even.
Daniela tried not to look at them.
Failed, obviously.
The TV cast soft blue light across the room while the Netflix menu played that haunting little background music every thirty seconds.
Nobody moved.
Daniela sat on the floor with her knees pulled up, staring blankly at the screen like she could psychically kill herself through concentration.
Manon looked down at Sophia carefully.
Then very gently untangled herself.
Daniela’s heartbeat immediately sped up for absolutely no reason.
Manon tucked the blanket around Sophia properly before climbing off the bed quietly.
Then—
To Daniela’s complete confusion—
She sat down beside her on the floor.
Close.
Not touching.
But close enough that Daniela immediately forgot how to act normal.
“What are you doing?” Daniela whispered.
Manon shrugged slightly. “My back hurts.”
“There was room on the other side.”
“I know.”
Daniela stared at the TV harder.
This felt dangerous already.
Outside, rain tapped softly against Sophia’s bedroom windows. The fairy lights around her mirror glowed dim gold in the darkness.
Everything felt weirdly intimate.
Too intimate.
Daniela became hyperaware of every tiny thing.
Manon’s shoulder near hers.
The smell of vanilla shampoo.
The warmth radiating off her skin.
This was actual psychological torture.
“You’ve been quiet tonight,” Manon murmured.
Daniela laughed softly without humor. “That’s usually what people want from me.”
“I didn’t say it was bad.”
Silence again.
Sophia shifted slightly in her sleep above them.
Daniela glanced back instinctively.
Manon noticed.
“You really love her,” Daniela said quietly before she could stop herself.
The words hurt coming out.
Manon looked toward Sophia too.
“Yeah.”
Simple.
Honest.
Daniela nodded once.
Her chest felt tight suddenly.
Because of course Manon loved her.
Sophia was easy to love.
Warm and bright and patient.
Daniela understood it completely.
“You should sleep,” Daniela muttered eventually.
“You first.”
“I don’t sleep.”
“That explains so much actually.”
Daniela snorted despite herself.
Manon smiled slightly at the sound.
God.
That smile was becoming a genuine problem.
“You know,” Manon said carefully, “you’ve been trying really hard lately.”
Daniela frowned. “At what?”
“Being nice.”
Daniela immediately looked offended. “I’m always nice.”
Manon stared.
Daniela cracked first, rolling her eyes.
“Fine. Whatever.”
“I mean it.”
Daniela picked at the sleeve of her hoodie awkwardly.
“It’s not hard.”
Lie.
Massive lie.
Being nice to Manon felt like trying to hold fire in her bare hands.
Because every kind moment just made her want more.
More attention.
More softness.
More of those tiny smiles Manon only gave when she was genuinely amused.
And Daniela knew exactly how selfish that was.
“You still hate me a little though,” Manon added quietly.
Daniela looked over too fast.
“I never hated you.”
The second the sentence left her mouth, both of them froze.
Oh.
Shit.
Daniela’s stomach dropped instantly.
Because that had sounded way too honest.
Manon stared at her carefully now.
“What?”
Daniela looked away immediately.
“I mean— not hate hate.”
“Oh my God,” Manon whispered softly.
Daniela wanted the floor to swallow her whole.
“No, you’re misunderstanding—”
“You never hated me.”
Daniela rubbed both hands over her face aggressively.
“This conversation is over.”
But Manon kept looking at her with this stunned expression.
Not scared.
Not angry.
Just… understanding.
Which was somehow worse.
“That’s why you were so mean,” Manon said slowly.
“No.”
“You liked me.”
“No.”
“You shoved my head into a toilet because you had a crush on me?”
“WHEN YOU SAY IT LIKE THAT I SOUND INSANE.”
Manon burst out laughing before she could stop herself.
Actually laughing.
Daniela stared at her in betrayal.
“This isn’t funny.”
“It’s a little funny.”
“I’m being psychologically evaluated in real time.”
Manon covered her mouth trying to stop laughing quieter so she wouldn’t wake Sophia.
The sight hit Daniela straight in the chest.
Because she’d caused that.
That laugh.
And suddenly Daniela realized something horrifying:
She would probably do literally anything to hear it again.
“Oh my God,” Daniela whispered to herself.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Everything.
Manon’s laughter faded slowly into softer silence.
Then she looked at Daniela again.
Really looked at her.
The room suddenly felt too small.
“You should’ve just talked to me,” Manon said quietly.
Daniela barked out a laugh. “Be serious.”
“I am.”
“You think I know how to do that?”
“Yes.”
“I absolutely don’t.”
Manon tilted her head slightly.
“You know what I think?”
“What?”
“I think you’re scared people won’t stay if they see the real you.”
Daniela went very still.
Because once again—
Too perceptive.
Way too perceptive.
“You think you can scare people into leaving first,” Manon continued softly. “So they can’t hurt you.”
Daniela’s throat tightened painfully.
“No offense,” she muttered, “but you’re kind of ruining my life a little.”
Manon smiled faintly. “Sorry.”
The smile faded after a second though.
And suddenly the air shifted again.
Softer.
Heavier.
Daniela could feel it instantly.
So could Manon.
They were sitting too close now.
Their knees brushed accidentally and neither moved away.
Sophia slept quietly above them, completely unaware.
Daniela’s heartbeat became genuinely unbearable.
This was bad.
This was so bad.
Manon looked down briefly at Daniela’s hands.
Then back up.
Daniela noticed her eyes flick to her mouth for half a second.
That tiny movement absolutely destroyed her remaining self-control.
“You shouldn’t look at me like that,” Daniela whispered.
Manon swallowed.
“Like what?”
“Like you’re curious.”
Silence.
Then, softly:
“Maybe I am.”
Daniela felt dizzy.
Actually dizzy.
The room narrowed down to just this.
Manon beside her.
Rain outside.
Sophia asleep three feet away.
Every moral instinct Daniela possessed screamed at her to stand up and leave immediately.
Instead she leaned closer.
Just slightly.
Like giving Manon time to stop her.
Manon didn’t move.
Didn’t pull away.
Didn’t panic.
She just watched Daniela with wide soft eyes.
And that somehow made it worse.
Because Daniela knew.
Knew this was unfair.
Knew Sophia trusted her.
Knew Manon deserved better than whatever broken messy thing this was.
“I can’t do this,” Daniela whispered shakily.
But she didn’t move back either.
Manon’s voice came out equally quiet.
“Then don’t.”
Daniela should’ve listened.
God, she should’ve listened.
Instead her hand lifted almost involuntarily, fingers brushing lightly against Manon’s jaw.
Manon inhaled softly.
That tiny sound snapped something inside Daniela completely.
And before she could think better of it—
She kissed her.
Soft at first.
Tentative.
Like Daniela still expected rejection even now.
Manon froze in surprise immediately.
Daniela felt it.
For one horrible second panic flooded through her and she almost pulled away instantly—
Then Manon kissed back.
Just briefly.
Just enough.
A small movement.
Warm lips parting softly against hers.
But it happened.
It actually happened.
Daniela’s entire brain short-circuited.
The kiss deepened for maybe two seconds more before reality crashed back in violently.
Sophia.
Sophia asleep above them.
Sophia trusting both of them.
Manon pulled back first.
Not sharply.
Not angrily.
Just carefully.
Daniela immediately looked sick with herself.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered instantly.
Manon’s breathing was uneven too.
Neither of them moved away completely.
“I can’t,” Manon said softly.
Daniela nodded fast. “I know.”
“I’m with Sophia.”
“I know.”
God.
Every sentence felt like getting stabbed.
Manon looked conflicted in a way that made Daniela’s chest ache.
Because she hadn’t pulled away immediately.
That was the worst part.
She’d kissed back.
Even if only for a second.
Daniela squeezed her eyes shut briefly.
“This wasn’t fair to you,” she muttered.
Or Sophia.
Or anyone.
Manon stayed quiet.
Then finally:
“You stopped.”
Daniela looked at her in confusion.
“What?”
“You stopped on your own.”
The words landed strangely gentle.
Like Manon was trying to comfort her.
Which honestly made Daniela feel even guiltier.
“I still kissed my best friend’s girlfriend,” Daniela said hollowly.
“Yeah.”
“And you kissed me back.”
Manon groaned softly and covered her face.
“Don’t say it out loud.”
Despite everything, Daniela almost smiled.
Then immediately lost the smile again.
Because God.
Sophia would hate her if she found out.
And honestly?
She’d deserve it.
“I’m not gonna do anything,” Daniela said quietly after a long silence.
Manon looked at her carefully.
“I know.”
“No, I mean it.” Daniela swallowed hard. “I’m not gonna mess with your relationship or anything.”
Manon studied her face for a second like she was deciding whether to believe her.
Then slowly nodded.
The trust in that gesture hurt more than anger would’ve.
Another silence settled.
Heavy now.
Complicated.
Daniela finally leaned back against the bed frame, staring at the ceiling miserably.
“This is so unbelievably bad.”
“A little.”
“A little?”
Manon smiled faintly. “Okay. Extremely.”
Daniela laughed weakly.
Then covered her eyes with one hand.
“I need to be put down like a sick dog.”
“That’s dramatic.”
“I kissed my best friend and her girlfriend in the same month.”
“When you phrase it like that—”
“I sound insane. Yeah. I know.”
Manon laughed quietly again.
And somehow—
Somehow—
She still didn’t move away from Daniela afterward.
She stayed sitting beside her on the floor until nearly sunrise.
And when Sophia woke up the next morning tangled in blankets asking sleepily why both of them looked exhausted—
Neither of them told her why.
________
Daniela left at six in the morning.
Not dramatically.
Which honestly made it worse somehow.
No sarcastic comment.
No eye roll.
No fake confidence.
She just stood awkwardly in Sophia’s bedroom doorway while early morning light spilled pale gold through the curtains.
Sophia was still half asleep under blankets, hair a complete mess, blinking slowly at her.
“You’re leaving already?” she mumbled.
Daniela shoved her hands into her hoodie pockets.
“Yeah.”
Her voice sounded rough.
Like she hadn’t slept at all.
Which she hadn’t.
Manon sat up slightly against the headboard, watching Daniela carefully.
For one terrifying second Daniela thought she might say something.
About the kiss.
About last night.
About any of it.
Instead Manon just said quietly:
“Drive safe.”
Daniela’s chest hurt instantly.
Because that sounded so normal.
So gentle.
Like they hadn’t completely ruined each other’s lives emotionally three hours ago.
“Yeah,” Daniela muttered.
Then she looked at Sophia.
And for a second something raw crossed her face.
Guilt maybe.
Fear too.
Sophia noticed immediately.
“You okay?”
Daniela laughed softly without humor.
“Objectively? No.”
Then she left before either of them could answer.
The bedroom fell quiet after the front door shut downstairs.
Rain still tapped softly against the windows.
Sophia groaned dramatically and collapsed face-first into Manon’s shoulder.
“I think my brain melted overnight.”
Manon smiled faintly and ran a hand through Sophia’s hair automatically.
Sophia immediately melted further into her.
“Yeah,” Manon murmured. “Mine too.”
For a while they just stayed like that.
Sophia curled in Manon’s lap facing her, blanket tangled around both of them while morning light slowly brightened the room.
It felt warm.
Safe.
Which made what Manon had to say next feel even heavier.
Sophia looked up finally.
“You’re thinking too loud.”
Manon snorted softly.
“What does that even mean?”
“It means your face does this thing.” Sophia poked her cheek sleepily. “And then I know you’re about to emotionally devastate me.”
Manon hesitated.
Sophia noticed immediately.
“Oh no.”
“It’s not bad.”
“That’s what people say before saying bad things.”
Manon smiled despite herself.
Then the smile faded.
“Soph?”
“Mhm?”
“I don’t think Daniela likes you.”
Sophia blinked.
“What?”
“She loves you,” Manon clarified softly. “But not like that.”
Sophia frowned slightly.
The conversation from weeks ago flashed through her mind instantly.
Daniela crying.
The kiss.
The panic afterward.
“She kissed me,” Sophia said carefully.
“I know.”
“She was freaking out.”
“I know.”
Sophia studied Manon’s expression.
And suddenly something shifted.
Not fully.
Not clearly.
But enough.
“Oh,” Sophia whispered.
Manon looked down briefly at the sleeve of Sophia’s hoodie.
“She liked me.”
Not a question.
A realization.
Sophia sat up slightly in Manon’s lap now, staring at her.
“You think that’s why she hated you?”
Manon gave a tiny shrug.
“I think Daniela doesn’t know what to do with feelings unless she can control them.”
Sophia let out a breath slowly.
And honestly?
It made horrifying sense.
Every weird reaction.
Every possessive comment.
Every time Daniela looked at Manon too long then immediately got cruel afterward.
“Oh my God,” Sophia muttered.
“She didn’t tell me,” Manon said quickly. “Not directly.”
“But you know.”
“Yeah.”
Sophia leaned back slightly against Manon’s knees, trying to process it.
Daniela.
Liking Manon.
The idea should’ve felt impossible.
Instead it explained everything.
The bullying.
The spiralling.
The jealousy.
Even the kiss with Sophia suddenly made more sense in a deeply concerning way.
“She would literally rather set herself on fire than admit that out loud,” Sophia said finally.
Manon laughed softly. “Probably.”
“She’s actually kind of doomed emotionally.”
“A little.”
Sophia rubbed her face tiredly.
Part of her felt guilty immediately.
Because Daniela had clearly been drowning for months.
And Sophia hadn’t noticed.
Or maybe she had noticed and just refused to look directly at it.
“She’s not gonna do anything,” Manon said quietly after a second.
Sophia looked back up.
“What?”
“She won’t try to mess with us.”
The certainty in Manon’s voice caught her attention.
“You trust her that much?”
Manon hesitated.
Then nodded once.
And weirdly?
Sophia understood.
Because underneath all Daniela’s chaos and cruelty and terrifying emotional repression—
She loved hard.
Almost violently.
And if Daniela believed Sophia was happy?
She’d probably rip her own heart out before intentionally ruining that.
“That’s so depressing,” Sophia muttered.
Manon smiled faintly. “Yeah.”
Sophia looked at her carefully for a second.
“You don’t hate her.”
Manon went quiet.
“No,” she admitted softly. “I don’t.”
“Even after everything?”
“That’s the annoying part.”
Sophia snorted.
Then sighed dramatically and dropped forward again until her forehead rested against Manon’s chest.
“This entire situation feels written by somebody who enjoys suffering.”
Manon laughed quietly, fingers tracing lazily through Sophia’s hair again.
The touch made Sophia immediately calmer.
Safer.
“You know what’s weird?” Sophia murmured against her hoodie.
“What?”
“I think Daniela genuinely believes she’s unlovable.”
Manon’s hand paused briefly.
Then continued.
“That’s usually why people hurt others first.”
The room went soft and quiet again after that.
Rain.
Breathing.
The distant sound of somebody mowing a lawn outside despite the weather for some reason.
Sophia tilted her head up slightly.
Manon was already looking down at her.
There it was again.
That feeling.
The one that always happened when they got too quiet together.
Warm and electric and impossible to ignore.
Sophia smiled a little.
“What?”
Manon mirrored the smile automatically.
“You’re staring.”
“I’m allowed.”
“Debatable.”
Sophia laughed softly.
Then she shifted higher in Manon’s lap, hands settling loosely at her waist.
Manon’s breath caught just slightly.
Tiny.
But noticeable.
Sophia’s heart did a stupid little flip.
“You know,” she said quietly, “you look really pretty in my hoodies.”
Manon rolled her eyes immediately, but she was blushing now.
“That line was awful.”
“And yet effective.”
“A little.”
Sophia grinned.
God.
She loved this.
The softness of mornings with Manon.
The easy teasing.
The way Manon looked at her like she was something precious instead of difficult.
After years around Daniela’s intensity, being loved gently felt almost unreal.
Sophia touched her cheek carefully.
Manon leaned into it automatically.
That tiny movement ruined Sophia instantly.
“Hi,” Sophia whispered.
Manon smiled softly. “Hi.”
Then Sophia kissed her.
Slow this time.
Sleepy morning softness instead of urgency.
Manon kissed back immediately, hands sliding up Sophia’s back beneath the blanket.
Sophia melted against her with an embarrassing amount of enthusiasm.
The kiss deepened gradually, unhurried and warm.
No panic.
No confusion.
No guilt clawing at anybody’s throat.
Just this.
Just them.
Sophia cupped Manon’s face gently while Manon smiled against her mouth halfway through the kiss.
“What?” Sophia whispered, laughing slightly.
“Nothing.”
“That’s a lie.”
Manon brushed their noses together softly.
“You kiss like you’re trying to win something.”
Sophia gasped dramatically.
“I am winning something. You.”
“That was painfully corny.”
“And yet you’re still kissing me.”
“Unfortunately.”
Sophia laughed into the next kiss.
Outside, the rain kept falling softly against the windows.
And somewhere across town, Daniela Avanzini was probably lying awake in bed staring at her ceiling, trying very hard not to think about either of them at all.