MIA

Ugh, Mondays.

The bane of my existence.

As I reluctantly slipped into the dreaded ensemble of a grey blazer and skirt, I couldn't help but feel like I was being initiated into a cult. Seriously, why did we all have to wear the exact same uniform? It was like the fashion police had declared a state of emergency, and conformity was the only way to survive. Meanwhile, Miles had struck gold with his attendance at a public school. No uniforms, no suffocating sameness. That's probably where his wild and crazy antics stemmed from. Lucky him.

"Mia, honey, don't be so moody. It's not good for that pretty face of yours," Dad's voice crackled through the screen of my phone.

It had been a few years since Dad had landed that high-paying gig as an oil engineer, which allowed us to infiltrate the prestigious halls of Breston. Sure, it meant we saw him less frequently, but he always made an effort to stay connected. Gotta give him credit for that.

"Just the usual 'I'd rather be anywhere but school' mood, Dad," I replied, absentmindedly brushing my hair and letting it tumble down my shoulders in its natural state. Styling was for the motivated, and today, I was definitely not feeling the motivation.

"So, you're ready to go with Jackson, right?" His words caught me off guard, and my hand froze against my lips as I absentmindedly applied lip balm.

He didn't have to bring up the dreaded topic now.

Ever since Maddy broke the news to me, I had been torn between excitement and nervousness. Sure, Jackson seemed somewhat okay on Saturday, and I was relieved that we could at least hold a conversation. But that didn't mean we were suddenly best friends again.

I mean, I messed up big time, and while I desperately wanted to repair our fractured connection, the thought of Jackson waltzing into Breston flooded my mind with a torrent of questions.

Would he even acknowledge my existence at school, or would I become the invisible girl, doomed to blend into the background?

And let's not even get started on the mind-blowing transformation he had undergone. I was fully prepared for girls to lose their minds over his newfound magnetism. Seriously, it was like he had discovered the secret to becoming a walking heartthrob overnight.

"Mia, are you listening?" Dad's patient voice snapped me back to reality, and I realized I had been lost in my own little world.

"Huh? Yeah," I mumbled, rising from my bed, grabbing my bag, and trudging down the stairs with my phone in hand.

"Guess who's eager to chat?" I announced, proudly displaying my phone showing Dad on the screen to the curious faces of my family. Maddy pounced on the opportunity, snatching it from my grasp with the speed of a cheetah.

"Hey, that's just rude!" I exclaimed, rolling my eyes in mock annoyance before making my way to the kitchen, the symphony of clattering dishes accompanying my footsteps.

"You don't want to chat with Dad?" I questioned Miles as I poured oats into a bowl and added a generous splash of milk. He glanced up from his phone either engrossed with a game or, undoubtedly, a conversation with some girl he found hot.

Boys.

"Nah, we had a marathon chat session a few days ago. I'm good," he replied nonchalantly, his attention immediately returning to his phone.

I nodded and took a few more bites of my breakfast, feeling the weariness settle in. As I finished cleaning the bowl, the doorbell chimed, jolting me from my thoughts. He's here.

"He's here, Mia!" Maddy's voice echoed through the house, and I nearly dropped the bowl in my attempt to keep it steady. She zoomed towards me, bidding a hasty farewell to Dad and thrusting my phone into my hand.

"Let's go!" she exclaimed, dragging me along as I scrambled to grab my bag.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door and there stood Jackson, hands casually tucked into his pockets, gazing down at his feet.

"Hey," I managed to breathe out, hoping to catch his attention. His head lifted, and a warm smile graced his lips. Kill me. Of course, he had to showcase his dimples.

"Where's your uniform?" I asked, trying to act normal and not like a weird person on the first day of school. I noticed he wore a simple white shirt and jeans. He still looked incredibly attractive though and his newfound muscles were more visible than ever before, unlike the oversized sweater he had worn the other day.

"Oh, my mom couldn't find the time to get it, so I'll change when I get to school," he explained, and I nodded in understanding.

Maddy interjected, "Oh, I exist too, you know," making both of us turn towards her as she playfully waved at Jackson.

"My sincere apologies, Miss Maddy," he replied, playing along, and Maddy chuckled.

"Apology accepted. Now, let's go," she said, linking her arm with his and leading him away.

I closed the door behind me and followed them, my gaze fixated on the blue car parked in the lot. I assumed it was his.

"Nice ride," I complimented, making my way towards it.

"Thanks," he replied with a grin. Just as he opened the back door for Maddy, she hopped in. I tried to follow suit, but he promptly slammed the door shut and swiftly moved to the front, opening the door for me instead.

"Get in, we're running late," he declared, not giving me a chance to object. I quickly slid into the seat as he shut the door and hurried to his side.

"Hey, Mia, your boyfriend has a sweet ride," Maddy winked mischievously.

"Ughhh, Maddy, for the eighth time, he's not my boyfriend—" I began to protest, but my voice died in my throat as Jackson settled into his seat. I froze, suddenly nervous that he might have overheard us.

"Any problem?" he raised an eyebrow, breaking the silence. My head shook vigorously, denying any issue, and I sat up straight, fastening my seatbelt.

I could sense Maddy silently chuckling beside me, and for the first time ever, I wished we could arrive at school much sooner.

●●●

It took thirty minutes before we reached school. Jackson maneuvered his car into the same lane where all the seniors parked.

Finally, senior year.

The girls and I had been buzzing with excitement all week leading up to this day. Maddy quickly bid us farewell and hopped out of the car, heading to her class.

Jackson and I stepped out of the car, and boy, was I in for a surprise. When I said the girls would be lovestruck by him, I didn't expect it to happen this fast.

He casually ran a hand through his hair as he walked towards me. "Where's the reception office?" he inquired, his gaze solely focused on me, seemingly oblivious to the stares from both girls and boys.

A faint blush crept onto my cheeks, but I composed myself. "It's that way, you can't miss it." I pointed in the direction of a different entrance to the school, and he nodded, his brown eyes locked with mine.

"Great, I'll see you in class," he smiled, flinging his bag over his shoulders before darting off.

I should have followed suit and headed straight to class, but my brain seemed to have abandoned me as I stood there, mesmerized by the sight of his retreating back. Get it together, Mia.

Shaking off my daze, I began making my way through the halls of hell. The sudden mood shift from earlier came rushing back. Breston Academy was renowned for its impeccable structures and abundant resources, but when it came to the student body, it was a whole different story.

Don't get me wrong, I hadn't personally encountered any bullies here, and I fervently hoped it would stay that way. But witnessing the struggles of others was enough torment for me. I had to keep my head down and focus on moving forward. Stepping into the classroom, I nearly stumbled as two pairs of eyes locked onto me.

"Where is he?" Ariel scanned the room behind me, her pout deepening when she realized he wasn't in sight. "You said he was coming!"

I rolled my eyes and headed to my seat. "He's here, just went to get his uniform," I replied, taking my place, with Ariel and Sydney trailing behind me.

"Sydney, I thought you weren't interested," I smirked, earning a scoff from her.

"I'm not, just curious about him. Ariel has been bombarding me with pictures, and I have to admit, he's a looker," she grinned, causing Ariel to burst into laughter.

"Oh, and don't worry, Mia. I'm not trying to snatch him from you. I'm just curious," Ariel winked mischievously as they settled into their seats.

That made my eye widened in shock, hearingher statement. "It's... not like that! I'm not thinking of dating him. I just want to be friends with him again, you know, be as close as we were before," I protested.

"Mia, how long can you keep up that lie?" Ariel interjected, pulling out her notebook. "I don't understand," I replied, genuinely confused.

Before I could dwell on it further, a tap on my shoulder interrupted our conversation. I turned to find a familiar smile that I had seen over the years.

"Hey, Ethan," I greeted him, my smile mirroring his.

"What's this I'm hearing about an old friend coming to Breston?" he inquired, and I was pretty sure Ariel had shown him the pictures of Jackson.

"Oh, just a close friend from a while back who's returning. That's all," I brushed it off, trying not to make it seem like a big deal. Ethan was, after all, one of the heartthrobs of the school. Breston had its fair share of good-looking guys and pretty girls, and sometimes I felt like I couldn't even keep up.

He seemed uncertain about my response but nodded. "So, after school, I was thinking we should head to the park. It's been a while since it was just the two of us. What do you say?" he asked, catching me off guard.

"Uhh... well, look, the teacher's here," I stumbled over my words, desperately searching for an excuse. And I wasn't lying—it was the truth. Mr. Williams walked into the classroom at that very moment.

"Good morning, students. I hope you had a restful night because we'll be having a welcome math test." He said.

Shit.

Groans and whispers filled the air, and I slumped in my seat, agony etched across my face. Of all the subjects, we had to have a math test today, and it was the worst possible timing.

I was on the verge of tears from sheer frustration when a voice broke through the commotion. "Excuse me, sir."

I raised my head, and the noise in the room seemed to evaporate as I laid eyes on Jackson walking into the classroom, donning his freshly acquired uniform. "Woah," I heard both Sydney and Ariel mutter simultaneously, and I couldn't agree more.

Woah.

If the guys at Breston Academy thought they could pull off the uniform, they were sorely mistaken. It was as if the uniform was custom-made for Jackson.

He looked even more striking and serious, and a hint of nervousness played across his features as he glanced around the room. Our eyes met, and I could see the tension melt away as he offered me a smile before turning to speak with the teacher.

"Just friends, huh?" I heard Ethan whisper beside me, and I couldn't help but sense the sudden emergence of a rivalry.

This will be a long day.

......