Chapter 12 Staying Away
Mia's POV
The hallways buzzed louder than usual as students poured out of their classrooms like bees from a hive, all headed in one direction, the football field. It was tryout day, but it might as well have been a concert.
Screams echoed down the halls, and I had to sidestep a group of freshmen nearly trampling over each other, waving glittery signs that said LIAM ALCARAZ FOR QB! in bold, sparkly letters.
I allowed myself a small smile. It was ridiculous, but also kind of sweet.
He deserved the attention. He was kind, funny in a quiet way, and just cocky enough to carry the weight of the school's obsession. And even if no one knew it, he had brought me lunch today. A full meal wrapped in warmth, packed with care just for me.
No matter how much I wanted to be there for Liam, to give him my full support, I just could not. Because I could not be part of his world. Not now, not with so many eyes watching.
In our last period, my classmates practically circled Liam like he was a crowned prince. They kept chanting about cheering him on, trying to get his attention, while I sat two seats away, pretending not to exist. I did not look at him. Not once. Because I knew what it would mean if I did.
If I got close to Liam now, I would not just ruin his reputation. I would get him hurt.
I headed for the school exit, backpack slung low on my shoulder, my sneakers quiet against the tiled floor. I figured I could slip out unnoticed, maybe go to work early. But as I rounded the hallway leading to the back gate, a sudden wall of perfume and designer blazers blocked my path.
My ex-best friends. I froze, my breath catching. The four of them stood like a glittering wall of judgment, perfectly manicured and smirking like they had already won.
And just like that, I knew this was not a coincidence. I started to turn and walk the other way, but Chloe's voice rang out, sharp and laced with venom.
"Where do you think you are going, Mia?"
I stopped. My heart thudded. Slowly, I turned my head over my shoulder.
"What do you want?" I asked, my voice steady despite the dread crawling up my spine.
Chloe stepped forward, flipping her hair with dramatic flair. "I am here to give you a little warning. Stay away from Liam Alcaraz."
I blinked.
"You might have fooled him into thinking you are sweet and mysterious with that sad little girl act, but you and I both know your place." Chloe's smile widened. "And it is not beside someone like him."
My fingers tightened around my bag strap.
Chloe did not stop. "You were already at rock bottom, Mia. Do not dig lower by chasing something that was never meant for you."
And then Belle chimed in, smug as ever. "You think he actually cares about you? You are a charity case. A pity lunch. Do not mistake crumbs for a seat at the table."
The others snickered. Kim echoed, "Stay away from Liam." Trish followed, "Stay away."
A chorus of cruel words. Echoes of every nightmare I had tried to survive. They turned and walked off like they had delivered a public service.
I stood there, alone in the hallway, my chest tight and my ears burning. I should have been used to this by now.
But somehow, it still hurt. Not because Chloe was right. But because a part of me was terrified she might be.
"Hey, are you okay?" Josh's voice pierced through the break room's low hum. I blinked hard, snapping out of whatever mental fog I had been trapped in, my eyes still glued to the same paragraph in my book.
"I said, are you okay?" he repeated, leaning across the table with a frown. "You are gripping that textbook like it insulted your ancestors."
"I am fine," I replied quickly.
Josh tilted his head, not buying it. "You? Fine? Mia Villaruiz, the girl who outlines her notes in four different colors, now suddenly staring at a single sentence like it is a life decision? No, maam. Something is up."
I hesitated, then let out a breath. "It is nothing. Just someone new."
Josh perked up immediately. "Ooh. New? As in new student? As in new crush?"
I gave him a look, but that only encouraged him.
"Oh my God," he whispered dramatically, smacking the table with both hands. "This is huge. Spill. Right now."
"It is not like that," I said. "He just talked to me. A few times."
Josh leaned in. "A few times?"
I shrugged. "He gave me food once."
Josh clutched his chest like I had personally wounded him. "Fed you? That is not just a boy. That is an emotional support system."
"Stop," I muttered, laughing despite myself.
But Josh was not done. "Do you know what this means? This means you have officially entered the potential love interest zone. We need a code name, we need a strategy."
"I do not want a strategy," I cut in. "I do not want any drama. Not with my past. Not with everything I am trying to fix. My plan is simple. Graduate top of the class, win that scholarship, and prove them all wrong. That is it, no distractions."
Josh leaned back slowly. "Okay, I hear you. But counterpoint. What if your revenge story includes a love interest that makes Belle lose sleep and Chloe eat her own lip gloss?"
I shook my head. "You have not even seen him."
"Please. If he got your attention, he must be more than a walking jawline. What is his name?"
I hesitated. "Liam Alcaraz." The name changed everything. Josh froze, his smile gone, his eyes narrowing like he had just seen a ghost.
"What?" I asked, instantly alert. "You know him?"
Josh stood abruptly, grabbing his tray. "Stay away from him, Mia."
"What? Why?" I called after him, my heart thudding, but he was already out the door. He did not look back.
The bus ride home was eerily quiet. Josh, usually a chatterbox, sat stiffly by the window, arms crossed, lips pressed thin. I wanted to ask again. Needed to. But something about the weight in his silence made me afraid of the answer.
When we arrived at our apartment complex, I turned to head inside when Josh gently grabbed my wrist.
"I am sorry," he said softly. "I ruined the vibe, I know. But please do not get close to him. Just promise me that."
I gave him a shaky smile. "Do not worry. No one wants to get close to me anyway."
Josh flinched, guilt flashing across his face, but he let me go without another word.
That night, sleep did not come easy. I lay in bed listening to the buzz of my old fan, my thoughts tangled in a mess of what ifs and Josh's cryptic warning.
Liam Alcaraz. The boy who did not just talk to me once, but multiple times. The one who looked me in the eye, who offered me food without pity, who made me laugh quietly during a dull class. The one who saw me, even when I was trying so hard not to be seen.
So why did Josh say he was bad news?
The next morning, I arrived at school before the sun had fully stretched across the campus. I took my seat, pulled out my notes, and braced myself for another normal day.
But it did not stay normal for long. As my classmates filtered in, the whispers started. Loud, excited, shallow.
"Liam killed it at tryouts."
"He is hotter than the senior captain."
"He is already quarterback. First week. Can you believe that?"
Class started soon after, the bell cutting through the noise like a warning.I stared down at my notebook, forcing my attention to the empty lines on the page. I did not need to ask who they were talking about. The entire school had seen him on that field. He was lightning, fast, focused, magnetic.
And then he walked in. The energy in the room shifted instantly.
I did not look up. I refused to. I kept my eyes on my notebook as if I was deeply invested in the lesson already, even though my mind was anything but calm. I tried my best not to meet his eyes, not to give anyone a reason to notice, not to let him see the flicker of awareness I could not quite shut off.
I told myself to stay invisible. Just a girl in her seat, and another name on the attendance list.
I walked alone after class like always, head down, hoodie up despite the heat. My shoulders were tense, my steps hurried, like I was trying to outrun something only I could see. When I spotted him waiting at the exit, my face fell. Not in surprise, but in dread.