When Hearts Align || MIKHAIAH

Chapter 10: The Fallout

The days following the university event were nothing short of a whirlwind for both Mikaelle and Aria. As they had anticipated, the judgment from their peers was swift and unrelenting. Whispers followed them wherever they went on campus, eyes that once looked at Mikaelle with admiration now flickered with doubt, and Aria found herself at the center of more attention than she had ever wanted.

It didn’t take long for the gossip to spread. Mikaelle’s public defense of Aria during the event had made waves, and now it seemed like everyone had something to say about it. The story evolved and twisted with each retelling—some students claiming that Mikaelle had “declared war” on her old friends, while others suggested that Aria was manipulating her for social gain. The rumors were baseless, but that didn’t stop them from gaining traction.

One morning, Mikaelle sat at her usual spot in the library, a cup of coffee cooling beside her as she tried—and failed—to focus on her assignments. The whispers seemed louder than usual today, the stares more pointed. She could feel the weight of judgment bearing down on her, and no matter how hard she tried to block it out, it gnawed at the edges of her thoughts.

Her phone buzzed on the table, and she glanced at the screen to see a series of notifications. Social media was abuzz with discussions about her and Aria. Some posts were harmless, simple observations about their friendship, but others were venomous. One comment, in particular, caught her eye:

*“Mikaelle Lim slumming it with scholarship kids now? Guess money can’t buy class.”*

Mikaelle’s heart sank. She knew better than to take these things to heart, but the constant barrage was exhausting. She didn’t understand why her friendship with Aria had become such a spectacle. Why did people care so much about who she spent time with? Why was it anyone else’s business?

As if on cue, her phone buzzed again—this time with a message from her mother.

*Call me when you get a chance. We need to talk.*

Mikaelle’s stomach twisted in knots. Her parents had been relatively quiet about the situation up until now, but she had a sinking feeling that the university gossip had finally reached their ears. She wasn’t ready for that conversation, not yet.

She took a deep breath, trying to push the stress aside. There was nothing she could do about the rumors right now, and she refused to let them control her. With a determined exhale, she turned her attention back to her coursework, hoping to lose herself in the pages of her textbook.

But before she could even finish reading the first paragraph, her phone buzzed once more—this time with a message from Aria.

*Hey, can we talk? Meet me under the oak tree?*

Mikaelle felt a wave of relief wash over her. At least with Aria, she didn’t have to pretend everything was fine. She quickly gathered her things and made her way outside, the crisp autumn air nipping at her skin as she walked toward their familiar meeting spot.

When she arrived, Aria was already sitting under the sprawling branches of the oak tree, her face tense with worry. Mikaelle’s heart clenched at the sight. Aria had been through so much already—her hard-earned scholarship, her balancing act between school and work, and now this. The last thing Mikaelle wanted was for their friendship to make things harder for her.

“Hey,” Mikaelle greeted softly, sitting down beside her. “What’s going on?”

Aria didn’t answer right away. She stared down at her hands, her fingers twisting together nervously. When she finally spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper. “Have you… seen what people are saying about us?”