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RYLEE HANSON (narrative)
I was sitting cross-legged on my bed, scrolling through playlists to find the perfect vibe for later, when Sasha barged into my dorm room without knocking, as usual. She tossed her backpack onto the floor and plopped into my desk chair, spinning it once before stopping to look straight at me.
"So, you and Nika, huh?" She teased with a huge grin on her face.
I froze, my thumb hovering over my phone screen. "What are you talking about?" I fake confusion to piss her off.
She grinned, leaning back in the chair like she had all the time in the world. "Don't even try to play dumb. You know Paige told me everything. Coffee date. Tonight. Nika."
My stomach flipped, a mix of excitement and dread. I set my phone down, avoiding her gaze.
"It's not a big deal anyway," I fake disinterest.
"Not a big deal? Rylee, you've been sneaking around like a lovesick teenager, and now I find out it's because of Nika? This is huge!"
I groaned, flopping backward onto my pillows. "It's not huge, okay? We're just grabbing coffee. It's casual."
Sasha scoffed, spinning the chair again. "You don't do casual. You've been obsessing over this mystery girl for weeks, and now you're finally going on a date with her. Don't even try to downplay it."
I sat up, glaring at her. "I'm not obsessing."
"Oh, please. You've been smiling at your phone like a goof for the past 20 minutes and now you're trying to act cool? Spare me."
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Fine, okay? I really like her. Happy?"
Her grin widened. "Extremely. So, what's the plan? Where are you taking her? What are you wearing? Do you need a pep talk?"
I threw a pillow at her. "It's just coffee, Sasha. I don't need a whole strategy."
"Rylee, this is Nika we're talking about. She's smart, she's gorgeous, and she is very much out of you league. You better bring your A-game."
I groaned, rubbing my temples. "Why do I tell you things?"
She stood up, hands on her hips. "Because I'm your best friend, and you know I'm right. Now, let me see your outfit."
"It's coffee! What am I supposed to wear? A tux?"
"No, but you could at least put in some effort. You want her to see the best version of you, not the half-asleep, post-practice version."
I sighed, getting up to rummage through my closet. "If I let you help, will you stop being so annoying?"
She grinned, flopping onto my bed. "Absolutely not. But I will make sure you look amazing. Now, let's talk strategy. Do you open the door for her? Compliment her? Or just play it chill?"
