Elena sat quietly in the classroom, flipping through her notebook. Her mind kept replaying the events of the last few days-Gabriel and Andrew’s constant teasing, their unexpected protectiveness, and the strange feeling of warmth that had begun to bloom in her chest. It was all so new, so confusing.
As she pondered, the classroom door creaked open. Gabriel walked in first, his usual confident stride making heads turn. Andrew followed right behind him, his trademark smirk plastered on his face. Their eyes scanned the room, locking onto Elena in an instant.
“Morning, Star,” Gabriel said casually as he slid into the seat beside her.
Andrew grinned as he plopped down on her other side. “You’re shining extra bright today.”
Elena blinked at them, her face heating up. “Will you two stop with the nicknames? People are already staring.”
Gabriel shrugged, leaning back in his chair. “Let them stare. They’re probably jealous.”
Andrew nodded in agreement. “Exactly. Who wouldn’t want to sit next to the most interesting girl in the room?”
Elena sighed, trying to focus on her notebook. These two were relentless, and she wasn’t sure how to handle their attention.
After class, the three of them walked out together. Gabriel and Andrew flanked Elena, their presence drawing curious looks from every direction. Elena kept her eyes on the ground, wishing she could disappear.
“We need to talk,” Gabriel said, stopping by the campus fountain.
Andrew perched on the edge of the fountain, twirling a pen in his fingers. “Yeah, Star. Time to make it official.”
Elena frowned, crossing her arms. “Make what official?”
Gabriel smirked, his eyes locking onto hers. “Our group. You, me, and Andrew. The Star Group.”
Elena blinked, confused. “The… what?”
Andrew grinned. “It’s perfect, right? You’re the star, and we’re your awesome sidekicks.”
Elena raised an eyebrow. “Sidekicks? Aren’t you two supposed to be the popular ones? Why would you even want me in your group?”
Gabriel’s smirk softened, his voice steady. “Because we like you, Elena. You’re different. You’re real. And after everything that’s happened, we’re not letting you deal with any of this alone anymore.”
Andrew nodded. “Exactly. So, are you in or not?”
Elena hesitated, her heart racing. “You’re serious about this?”
Gabriel stepped closer, his gaze unwavering. “Dead serious. Say yes, Star.”
Elena bit her lip, her emotions swirling. She had never been part of anything like this before. But as she looked at their determined faces, she realized that maybe, just maybe, she could trust them.
“Fine,” she said softly. “I’m in.”
Andrew whooped, throwing an arm around her shoulders. “Welcome to the team, little star!”
Gabriel smirked, his eyes gleaming. “You won’t regret it.”
The three of them spent the rest of the day together, planning their next move. They talked about classes, the upcoming festival, and, of course, how to handle Mia.
“We can’t let her get away with what she did,” Gabriel said firmly, his fists clenched.
Andrew nodded. “Agreed. But we need to be smart about this. No unnecessary drama.”
Elena frowned, her stomach twisting. “I don’t want to cause more trouble. Can’t we just let it go?”
Gabriel shot her a sharp look. “No, we can’t. She hurt you, Elena. And if we don’t stop her, she’ll do it again.”
Andrew leaned closer, his expression serious. “We’re not saying we’ll do anything crazy. Just enough to remind her who’s really in charge around here.”
Elena hesitated but eventually nodded. She didn’t want to fight, but she also didn’t want to feel powerless anymore.
As they walked back to their dorms, Elena felt a strange sense of belonging. For the first time in a long time, she wasn’t entirely alone.
Unknown to them, Mia was watching from a distance. Hidden behind a tree, her phone camera was aimed squarely at the trio. She zoomed in, capturing the way Gabriel and Andrew stood close to Elena, their hands brushing hers as they laughed and talked.
Mia’s lips curled into a sinister smile. She adjusted the angle, snapping photos that made it look like both boys were leaning in to kiss Elena.
“This is perfect,” she muttered to herself. “Let’s see how long your little group lasts, Star.”
Satisfied with her work, Mia slipped her phone into her pocket and disappeared into the crowd, her mind already racing with plans to ruin Elena’s newfound happiness.
That evening, Elena sat in her dorm room, her heart feeling lighter than it had in weeks. For the first time, she had friends real friends who cared about her. She smiled to herself, thinking about their ridiculous “Star Group” and the way they had insisted she was an important part of it.
But as she reached for her phone to text them, a knock at her door interrupted her thoughts.
“Elena,” came a voice from the other side. It was Mia.
Elena’s heart sank, dread pooling in her stomach. She stood up slowly, her hand trembling as she reached for the doorknob.
What does she want now?
She opened the door, and Mia’s smirk was the first thing she saw. “Oh, hi, Elena. Mind if I come in?”
Before Elena could respond, Mia pushed past her, stepping into the room as if she owned it.
“I just wanted to congratulate you,” Mia said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Looks like you’ve finally made some friends. Gabriel and Andrew, no less. Impressive.”
Elena frowned, her hands clenching into fists. “What do you want, Mia?”
Mia pulled out her phone, her smirk widening as she tapped the screen. “Oh, nothing much. Just thought you might want to see these.”
She turned the screen toward Elena, showing her the photos she had taken earlier. In the pictures, it looked like Gabriel and Andrew were both kissing her,, their faces close to hers.
Elena’s eyes widened in horror. “What.. how did you-”
Mia laughed, tucking her phone away. “Relax, Star. I haven’t sent them to anyone. Yet.”
Elena’s blood ran cold as Mia stepped closer, her voice dropping to a threatening whisper. “But if you don’t do exactly what I say, everyone will see these. And let’s just say, your little ‘Star Group’ will crash and burn.”
With that, Mia turned and left, leaving Elena standing in the middle of her room, her heart pounding and her mind racing.
What was she going to do now?