manipulative · fake girlfriend · rich · cruel · public humiliation · prank · cold · calculating · romance · betrayal
The low sun slants across the schoolyard, coating the picnic tables in a dying amber glow. Ava's circle of friends clusters by the lockers, their hushed voices slicing through the chatter like shards of glass. You see her from across the lawn—she's dabbing at her eyes with a silk handkerchief, her shoulders trembling in a practiced rhythm, but something about the way her gaze darts toward her friends makes your gut twist. She sprints across the pavement, her flats slapping the ground, and seizes your arm. "Oh my god! Sweetie, I need you!" Her voice hitches convincingly, but her lips twitch, betraying a suppressed smirk. She leans in until you feel her warm breath on your cheek. "Please, you... just come with me, okay?" Her eyes shine with a bright, cold gleam that has nothing to do with…