It's nighttime, and the girls and I are huddled in my room, still jittery from the haunted house fiasco. Thankfully, my mom made dinner and snacks for us, so our bellies are full, even if our nerves are on edge. The girls are glued to their phones, except for Xalia, who has already passed out. Bored and restless, I decide to check my spy account to see what Deanesh is up to.

Scrolling through, I see the usual drama about her and Travis being back together. But then I spot something that makes my heart skip a beat. It's a story featuring Anthony with some girl, both smiling as if they just stepped out of a toothpaste commercial. And the kicker? Deanesh captioned it with, "I ship them together." Instantly, my mind spirals, but I remember how petty and jealous Deanesh can be, so I try to brush it off. Still, my mood sours, and Karissa notices.

"Dena, honey, I don't like that look on your face. What happened?" she asks, her concern genuine.

"I really don't wanna talk about it right now, if that's cool with you," I reply, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Yeah, it's cool," Karissa says, dropping the subject but keeping an eye on me.

Jaelee, ever the instigator, decides to change the topic. "Guys, I know this isn't the best timing, but how about we share some spooky stories?"

Karissa immediately shoots that idea down. "Oh no, we are not."

"After what happened earlier, it's a hell no for me," I add, not wanting to revisit any more haunted experiences.

Jaelee's suggestion sparked a friendly debate that woke up Xalia. She was livid. "Can you all shut the hell up?" she snapped. But once she heard the idea, she was surprisingly on board. Seriously, could I get a break from this madness?

As we started sharing stories, none were as bone-chilling as Karissa's. She revealed that her mom was supposed to have twins, but only Karissa was born --because she had absorbed her twin in the womb. Creepy, right? But the real kicker? Karissa claimed that sometimes, when she looks in the mirror, she sees a double image of herself doing things she's not doing and smiling back at her in a way that screams "sisterly bond from beyond."

I was ready to bawl my eyes out. Why did we think this was a good idea? Once we were done scaring ourselves silly, we rushed into bed, pulling the covers over our heads like that would protect us from ghostly apparitions.

Despite my paranoia, sleep eventually claimed me. When I woke up, the relief was palpable. I had survived the night --ridiculous, I know, but it felt like a victory. The girls were still sleeping, so I decided to whip up some breakfast and tea. When they finally stirred, we ate together, but then they had to go home. Watching them leave was bittersweet; the room felt so empty without them. But hey, at least I had survived another night with my besties and all the craziness that comes with them.

Feeling like a lonely widow, I decided to crank up some good music to lift my spirits. Just as I was getting into the groove, there was a knock on the window. And you already know who it was.

"Hey, beautiful girl," Anthony said, flashing that irresistible smile of his.

"Anthony!" I rushed to him, hugging and kissing him like my life depended on it. It felt like an eternity since I'd seen him, even though it had only been a day. We held each other so tightly, like we never wanted to let go.

"I missed you so much," I said, looking up at him.

"I missed you too," he replied. "I regret ever leaving you."

"Aww, it's okay. I understand. But what did you do?"

"A lot of work. I helped my dad and grandpa cut down some trees, removed some branches, and fixed up the place."

"That sounds exhausting. But is there anything you want to tell me?"

"Yeah and no. Why?"

"I saw a picture yesterday, and I have questions."

"What picture?"

"I saw you and another girl in a picture on Deanesh's post. You were smiling."

He rolled his eyes. "Of course, it has to be Deanesh stirring the pot. The girl in the picture is just a friend. Look, I only have eyes for you, so you don't have to worry about any other girl, okay? And Deanesh can go straight to hell for all I care."

When he said he only had eyes for me, my heart practically melted. The way he looked at me, the sincerity in his voice, it was everything. Even though I hadn't shown him the picture, his explanation seemed genuine, so I decided to let it slide. For now.

Anthony whisked me away for the evening, treating me to dinner and fun. We spent hours laughing, talking, and making up for lost time. It was magical. As night fell, we stayed out later than expected, cherishing every moment. It was perfect.

When he finally drove me home, he told me how amazing the evening had been. I watched him drive away, my heart still fluttering, before heading upstairs to my room. I fell onto my bed, gushing over him and replaying the night in my head. It had been a perfect night, and I was already sad that it was over.

It's Monday again, for what feels like the hundredth time --ugh, I hate Mondays. But whatever, I woke up early today, so that's a win. I went through my usual morning routine, made breakfast, ate, and drove to school. When I got there, the girls hadn't arrived yet, so I went inside, stuffed everything into my locker, and waited for them in our classroom.

After what felt like an eternity --okay, thirty minutes --they finally showed up. But, of course, the devil herself decided to make an entrance too.

"What do you want, Deanesh?" I asked, already exasperated.

"I want you and my cousin to break up. You are not meant for him," she declared with her usual air of superiority.

"Oh my God, Deanesh, you are like a leech. What the heck is wrong with you?" Xalia snapped. "Can you just stop being a jealous bitch for one day?"

"Thank you, Xalia," I said, grateful for her backup.

"Mind your business, nerd girl," Deanesh shot back, her eyes narrowing.

"No, you need to mind your business, you weirdo. The world doesn't revolve around you," Xalia retorted, standing her ground. "You better get to walking before I cause a scene. I'm sick of you and your antics. Leave Dena alone."

"This isn't over," Deanesh hissed, but her bravado was faltering.

"Girl, bye," I said, waving her off.

I was literally exhausted with Deanesh's nonsense, but I was so thankful for Xalia sticking up for me. Who knew that girl had such fire in her? After Deanesh stormed off, we couldn't help but gossip about her because, honestly, she deserved it.

The bell rang, signaling the start of our first class, which thankfully flew by. Before I knew it, it was time to go home. I was excited to spend more time with Anthony, so I told the girls I was leaving early, hopped into my car, and drove home.

As I parked, I saw the same girl from the Instagram picture standing at Anthony's door, ringing the doorbell. Curiosity got the best of me. Who was she? And what was she doing here? Determined to get some answers, I marched over to confront her.

I stood at Anthony's doorstep, staring at the unfamiliar face before me.

"Hi, who are you?" I asked, my voice tinged with suspicion.

"Hi, I'm Carmen, and I'm looking for Anthony," she replied confidently.

"Why?" I shot back, my tone sharp and defensive.

"Because I want him back," Carmen stated matter-of-factly. "And what's with the questions?"

"Well, you can't have him back because I'm his girlfriend," I retorted firmly.

Carmen's expression shifted, a smirk playing on her lips. "Oh, I see what's going on here. Deanesh told me how much he misses me, and I miss him too."

I scoffed, unable to believe what I was hearing. "Deanesh doesn't know anything. Respectfully, don't ever come back here and leave Anthony alone."

Carmen's smirk faltered, but she remained defiant. "I'm sorry, girl, but that's not about to happen."

Before I could respond, Anthony appeared behind Carmen, his expression torn between pleading and frustration. "Dena, please let me explain."

"I know you want me," Carmen said with a teasing glance at Anthony.

At that moment, I felt a mix of emotions --anger, hurt, and betrayal. Despite my shock, I managed a bitter laugh. "You know what? You can have him, love. You both deserve each other. I'm out of here."

"Dena, wait!" Anthony's voice pleaded desperately. "I don't want her. I want you. Please don't go. I can explain."

As I stormed away from Anthony's house, my mind raced with thoughts. I couldn't believe we were in this situation again. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised; after all, Anthony and Deanesh were close cousins. The parallels were becoming too stark to ignore.

Instead of heading home, I found myself speeding towards Karissa's house. I needed my friends more than ever right now. The sense of betrayal hung heavy in the air, and I knew I couldn't face this alone.