Insta-Stalker Goes Rogue

Maya's thumb hovered over the follow button—again. For three weeks, she'd been basically cyber-stalking Jordan's profile, watching his stories the second they dropped, liking every post within thirty seconds like her entire social life depended on it. Pathetic? Absolutely. Welcome to sophomore year.

The worst part? Jordan had no idea she existed. Zero. Nada. They'd never actually spoken, unless you count that one time in the cafeteria when she'd literally choked on her own spit trying to say hi and ended up coughing like a dying seal instead. Smooth.

Her golden retriever, Buster, nudged her hand with his wet nose, demanding attention. "Not now, Buster, I'm having a crisis," she groaned, but the dog was relentless. He knocked her water glass over with an enthusiastic tail wag, sending liquid cascading across her desk toward her phone like a slow-motion disaster movie.

Maya dove for her phone—saved it, but not before water soaked her sweatpants. Great. Now she looked like she'd wet herself. Could this day get any worse?

"Maya! Get down here, Chloe's waiting!" her mom shouted from downstairs.

Chloe. Her so-called best friend who'd been weirdly distant all week, canceling plans last minute and leaving her on read for hours. Something was off.

Maya grabbed her hoodie, trying to play it cool as she headed outside. That's when she saw them—Chloe and Jordan, sitting on Chloe's front porch, laughing like they'd known each other forever. Jordan handed her a smoothie. Chloe touched his arm when she laughed.

Maya's stomach dropped. All those secrets Chloe had been keeping? This.

Without thinking, Maya turned and started running—away from her best friend, away from Jordan, away from the complete humiliation of seeing the guy she'd been obsessing over for weeks falling for her best friend. Her chest burned, each step heavier than the last, until she collapsed onto a park bench, gasping for air like she'd just finished a marathon she'd never signed up for.

Buster, who'd somehow escaped the house, found her first, tail wagging like her personal emotional support animal. He licked a tear off her cheek before she could stop it.

"You're the only boy who's ever loyal to me," she whispered into his golden fur.

A shadow fell across them. Jordan stood there, holding two smoothies now, breathing like he'd been running too. "Chloe told me everything," he said, holding out a peace offering. "She said you've been basically cyber-spying on me for weeks?"

Maya wanted the earth to swallow her whole. Instead, she took the smoothie. "In my defense, your photography is actually good."

Jordan's grin was genuine. "Thanks. I was gonna ask if you wanted to shoot some photos together this weekend. Chloe said you're into that stuff too."

Maybe sophomore year wouldn't be a total disaster after all. Even if she was still wearing water-stained sweatpants.