Let's be Together

Things have changed. So much that just sitting here, watching her from across the cafeteria, makes my chest ache in ways I can't ignore. I pick at my salad, the cucumber and tomato taste as bitter as my mood as I glance toward Millie's table. She's sitting there with the basketball girls—and, of course, Quinn.

Three days. Three damn days since I watched her kiss Quinn at that party. Three days since everything between us felt like it hit a wall.

We haven't talked, not the way we used to. And every time I see her, she's with Quinn, her new best friend, it seems. God, I hate her.

"Earth to Grace?" Juhyuk's voice snaps me out of it. I finally look away, swallowing the bite I barely tasted. He studies me with a mix of curiosity and concern. "You look off. What's up?"

I force myself to nod, eyes dropping to my bowl of sad, limp lettuce. But he's not buying it. He scoots closer, pushing gently.

"Grace, come on. You're barely eating, and you're staring at Millie's table like it's gonna explode. Spill it. What's bugging you?"

And before I know it, it all spills out, unfiltered. "Don't you think Millie's...found her new group? Like, she barely spends time with us now." I glance back toward her table, hoping, maybe stupidly, that she'll look over. But she doesn't. She's laughing with her new people, like she doesn't even notice I exist anymore. If she thinks "giving me space" means ignoring my existence and kissing someone else, she's got it all wrong.

Juhyuk snorts, rolling his eyes. "I knew it. It's about Millie." He shrugs, leaning back in his chair. "Look, they're her teammates. It makes sense she'd hang out with them sometimes. You're overthinking it."

"But Quinn isn't even on the team," I mutter, gesturing to the girl with curly hair who's practically glued to Millie's side, laughing too loudly. Juhyuk shrugs, like it's obvious. "Maybe she's just a friend. Relax."

Friend? They look like a hell of a lot more than friends to me. I bite back the comment, shoving another cucumber in my mouth before I say something I'll regret. Juhyuk must see how pissed I am because he tries to smooth it over.

"Look," he says, patting my shoulder. "Even if she's hanging out with them, it doesn't mean she's dropping you. This is just how high school works sometimes. You'll see—she'll come around."

He even throws in a quick jab about his sister Juyoung hanging with Charlotte—claims she'll be back because "she and Charlotte have no common ground." I manage to laugh at that, and he grins back, which actually helps, just a little.

And then a shadow falls over the table. I look up, startled to see Alejandro from Spanish class standing there, looking like he's been debating this for a while.
"Uh, hi," he says, sounding shy. He's half-Spanish, with the accent to match, and he's usually a pretty chill guy.

But right now, he's looking nervous as hell.

I blink. "Hey, Ale. You, uh...need something?"

Alejandro hesitates, glancing between me and Juhyuk, who's now watching him with a suspicious glare. "I... I wanted to ask you something," he says, scratching the back of his neck. He seems tense, like he's working up to something. I catch Juhyuk narrowing his eyes, and I roll mine in response, elbowing him under the table to be nice.

"Yeah, sure," I say, offering Alejandro an encouraging smile. "What's on your mind?"

Alejandro fumbles over his words, then looks up at me, eyes wide and hopeful. "I...I'd like to take you on a date," he blurts out, his accent giving the words a soft, lilting quality.

And for a second, I'm floored. Alejandro wants to go on a date with me? He's cute, nice, sure, but I never saw him that way. Juhyuk lets out a low, sarcastic chuckle and mutters something like, "This oughta be good." I give him a sharp elbow to keep quiet, feeling my face heat up.

Alejandro stands there, looking nervous, like he's bracing himself for whatever I'm going to say.
I'm about to tell Alejandro no—because I don't want to lead him on, not with all this Millie stuff making my head spin.

But then I catch it, just for a split second. Millie's watching us, her gaze locked on me, dark and intense, with that look she used to have when anyone even got close to flirting with me. But now? She's just staring, no smile, no teasing.

Does she even care? Or is she just curious? God, I hate this. I can't keep torturing myself over someone who clearly isn't bothered by what I do anymore.
Then I see it—Quinn looping her arm around Millie's neck, leaning in close, way too close. And just like that, I snap.

"Screw it," I say, louder than I intended. "Yes, Ale. I'll go with you."

It's reckless and impulsive, but right now, I don't give a damn. If Millie can just move on and forget about me, maybe I can try doing the same.

____

"I heard you're going on a date with some dude?"

I freeze at the sound of her voice, my heart skipping a beat. Millie stands behind me, leaning against the doorframe of the empty restroom, watching me through the mirror with an expression I can't quite read.

The casual tone grates on me. My stomach twists. I turn off the faucet, pretending to smile. "Yep, I am," I say, forcing nonchalance as I pat my hands dry. "Does it bother you?"

I don't know what I'm hoping for here—maybe that she'll get that flicker of jealousy, the same way I felt when I saw her with Quinn, that she'll drop this whole cold act and actually tell me how she feels. But she just shrugs, her eyes darting away from mine.

"It's cool. You can do what you want," she mutters, her voice flat. "I'm not anyone to say anything about it."

I scoff, frustration bubbling over. "You're not anyone to say anything? Seriously, Millie?"

She shifts on her feet, looking uncomfortable. "That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" I snap. "You're my best friend. Or at least I thought you were. Your opinion matters to me. You matter to me. And right now, it's like you don't give a shit about me at all."

Her eyes finally meet mine, and for a second, something flickers in them—maybe regret, maybe frustration, or maybe it's all in my head. Her voice comes out clipped, defensive. "You're the one who said you needed space, remember? I didn't want to... I didn't want to push you."

I feel like screaming. "I did say that, but I didn't mean you should disappear from my life, Millie! It's like you're barely here. You don't talk to me, you don't even look at me." My voice cracks, but I push through. "It's like you don't care about what I do. And it's killing me."

Her face softens for just a second, and I think—hope—maybe she's going to say something real, something honest. But instead, she asks, "Are you excited about the date?"

The words die on my lips. No, I'm not excited about this stupid date, I want to scream. But before I can say anything, the door bursts open, and a group of girls floods in, laughing and chattering, filling the space with noise. 

Then Quinn appears, sidling up to Millie like she owns the place, her voice bright and chirpy. "Hey, Grace!" she chirps, like we're best friends. Why the hell is she even here?

She turns to Millie, giving her a nudge. "We've gotta go or we'll be late for the theater. You know Miss Alison doesn't mess around."

Millie looks at me, then back at Quinn, clearly torn. Her eyes hold mine for a second longer, and I'm waiting, hoping she'll stay—that she'll choose me. But then she lets out a breath, gives me a small, almost guilty smile, and nods. "Yeah...we should go."

My chest tightens as I force a smile and nod. "Go on, then. We'll talk later." My voice sounds flat, even to me.

Quinn grins, tossing me a smug smile as she pulls Millie along with her. Millie's about to say something, but then she stops, her expression closed off again. All I get is a clipped, "Bye," before they both walk out.

The second they're gone, my fake smile drops, and a rush of anger claws its way up my throat. I want to scream, to punch something, to chase after them and drag Millie back.

Why did I even let her go?

Why did I just stand there and let Quinn steal her away, again?

I feel my fists clench, my nails digging into my palms as the frustration burns through me. That stupid, chirpy, clingy Quinn, acting like she's got some right to Millie that I don't. And Millie—letting her.