Olivia barely slept that night.
The anonymous message still glowed on her phone screen like a warning she couldn’t unsee.
I’m being forced by Sophia. Her sister set up Ethan’s cousin years ago. The video evidence is with Jack from the photography club. Find it before it’s destroyed.
Every word had carved a deeper crack in the fragile wall she had built around herself.
And then there was Ethan.
The memory of his car pulling up beside her in the parking lot replayed in her mind again and again—his calm, controlled voice when he told Brett to back off… the way he stepped in front of her like it was the most natural thing in the world.
But Jackson’s words outside her apartment had shattered the moment.
"Have you forgotten what happened to your cousin? Helping Olivia will only alert the Davis family."
So that was the truth.
Ethan hadn’t helped her just because he cared.
He had his own reasons.
Olivia curled tighter into her blanket on the couch of the tiny apartment she shared with Mia, her chest tight.
She didn’t know what hurt more—the possibility that Ethan had been using her…
Or the fact that a small, foolish part of her had wanted to believe he wasn’t.
The front door creaked open quietly.
Olivia lifted her head as Mia stepped inside carrying two cups of coffee and a brown paper bag.
“You’re awake,” Mia said softly.
Her eyes looked tired. Nervous.
Olivia sat up slowly.
“You went out early.”
“Yeah.” Mia handed her a coffee. “Thought caffeine might stop you from spiraling.”
Olivia gave a weak smile.
Too late.
For a moment they sat in silence.
Then Mia sighed heavily and dropped onto the couch beside her.
“Okay,” she said. “I can’t do this anymore.”
Olivia blinked. “Do what?”
“Pretend.”
The word landed between them like a stone.
Olivia’s stomach tightened.
Mia stared at her hands, twisting the sleeve of her hoodie.
“There’s something I need to tell you,” she said quietly. “And you might hate me after.”
Olivia’s pulse quickened.
“Mia…”
“My brother used to date Sophia’s older sister.”
Olivia froze.
The name hit like ice water.
“Emma Davis,” Mia continued bitterly. “Queen of manipulation.”
Olivia had heard the name whispered around school before.
Sophia’s older sister. The one who had graduated years ago but still seemed to have influence everywhere.
“What does that have to do with me?” Olivia asked slowly.
Mia let out a shaky breath.
“My brother loved her. Like… stupidly loved her.”
She gave a humorless laugh.
“But the Davis family doesn’t do love. They do power.”
Olivia’s fingers tightened around her coffee cup.
“Emma accused my brother of stealing money from their company. Completely fake charges.”
Olivia’s heart dropped.
“He ended up drowning in debt from legal fees,” Mia whispered. “Lost his scholarship. Had to drop out.”
“Oh my God…”
“I hated them after that.” Mia finally looked up at her, eyes glossy. “All of them. Especially Sophia.”
A terrible realization crept into Olivia’s mind.
“Mia…”
“I didn’t approach you by accident,” Mia said hoarsely.
The words cut deeper than Olivia expected.
“You were the only person in school who had a chance of beating Sophia in the cheer captain election.”
Olivia’s throat tightened.
“So you wanted to use me.”
“At first… yes.”
The honesty hurt.
“But that changed!” Mia said quickly, grabbing Olivia’s arm. “Olivia, I swear it did.”
Her voice cracked.
“You became my best friend. The only real friend I’ve had in years.”
Olivia stared at her.
Anger flickered in her chest.
But beneath it was something else.
Understanding.
Because Mia had been there through every humiliation.
Every whisper.
Every cruel rumor.
“You should’ve told me,” Olivia said quietly.
“I was scared,” Mia whispered. “Scared you’d leave.”
Silence filled the room.
Then Olivia exhaled slowly.
“You’re an idiot.”
Mia blinked.
“What?”
“You thought I’d abandon you for something that happened before we were even friends?”
Tears immediately welled in Mia’s eyes.
“Wait… does that mean—”
Olivia sighed.
“I’m still mad.”
Mia winced.
“But I’m also grateful you told me the truth.”
Relief flooded Mia’s face.
“Thank God.”
She suddenly pulled Olivia into a tight hug.
“You’re stuck with me forever now.”
Olivia laughed weakly.
“Great. My life just keeps getting worse.”
Mia pulled back and wiped her eyes.
“Actually… it might get better.”
She grabbed Olivia’s phone.
“That anonymous message said Jack from the photography club has the real video, right?”
Olivia nodded slowly.
“Then we go get it.”
—
The photography club room sat at the far end of the campus arts building.
It smelled faintly of chemicals and old cameras.
Jack looked up nervously when Olivia and Mia stepped inside.
He was hunched over a laptop, adjusting photos.
His expression immediately changed when he saw Olivia.
“Oh.”
Mia crossed her arms.
“You filmed the cheer captain speeches, right?”
Jack swallowed.
“Yeah…”
Olivia stepped forward carefully.
“Jack… do you still have the original footage?”
His face paled.
“No.”
Mia narrowed her eyes.
“You’re lying.”
Jack rubbed the back of his neck.
“Sophia told me not to give it to anyone.”
Olivia felt her chest sink.
“She threatened you?” Mia asked sharply.
Jack hesitated.