𝐆𝐈𝐔𝐋𝐈𝐀 𝐕𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐎, a young girl who's never known stability. Raised by a reckless, unstable mother, she spent her childhood caught between drug runs and police raids, ruining her right for a normal childhood. One night when her mother go...
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The cafeteria stretched wide and bright, a gleaming hall of polished wood and glass. Long tables, smooth and dark, were arranged in neat rows, each surrounded by clusters of students deep in conversation or laughter.
Floor-to-ceiling windows bathed the space in warm afternoon light, casting soft, golden hues across the gleaming surfaces. The faint smell of fresh bread and sandwiches lingered near the serving counters and tables.
If it weren't for Sofia, I honestly don't know how I would've made it through this week without completely losing it. From the first day, she sort of just adopted me. Dragging me into conversations, saving me seats at lunch, and making sure I wasn't left standing alone like some confused new kid with no clue where to go.
She made things lighter when they felt unbearably heavy, always knowing exactly when to crack a joke or change the subject. She was also beautiful. Like drop dead gorgeous.
Her eyes were a piercing baby blue, wide and expressive, like they caught every flicker of emotion in the air. Even in the low cafeteria lighting, they seemed to glow, sharp and clear like polished glass. Her hair was pitch black and fell in glossy waves all the way down to her lower back, catching the light with every move she made.
I sat with her in our usual spot, tucked near the window and just a few rows down from where Damon, Luca, and their friends sat. Like clockwork, every lunch period, Luca would swing by. Sometimes just to say hi, sometimes to steal a few fries off my tray.
And Damon was... Damon. Aside from his occasional glares, he mostly acted like I didn't exist. He never spoke to me. It was like I was some background noise he'd decided to tune out completely. I still don't understand why but I sure as hell wasn't going to be the one to ask.
Sofia leans in from my left and nudges me with her elbow. "Hey did you hear about that party next weekend?"
I furrow my eyebrows. "No? Who's throwing it?"
"Mason Rhodes."
I still for a moment. I clear my throat, not trusting my voice. "Are you planning to go?" I ask.
She shrugs. "I don't know. Only if you want to. His parties can get a bit... chaotic."
"Speaking about Mason. What do you know about him?" I ask,
Sofia rolls her eyes and stabs a fork in her strawberry. "He's a total asshole who thinks he's better than everyone."
I hum. That makes sense. "He's been giving me these weird looks in class and out this entire week," I say.
She raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean, looks?"
"Not like creepy looks," I quickly clarify. "Just, you know... constant flirty looks."
Sofia smirks, nudging me with her elbow again. "Ooooh, Mason Rhodes playing the game, huh?"
I roll my eyes but laugh anyway. "Don't make it sound so fun. He's an asshole, remember?"
