Chapter 8: Heat in the Halls

A few weeks had passed since the explosive confrontation outside the school, but the echoes of that day still lingered in the air like smoke after a fire.

The class booth event had been a wild success—laughter echoed through the halls, food spilled onto homework pages, and for once, every student seemed unified in chaotic joy. Even the teachers had cracked reluctant smiles. The only ones who didn’t enjoy it were the older students—left out of the festivities and fuming in silence. Of course, they’d never admit they were jealous… but the bitter muttering about “kid stuff” gave them away.

That morning, Maya and Emma strolled through the school gates with beaming smiles and caffeine-fueled energy. The sun was warm, the breeze flirted with their hair, and for once, nothing felt wrong. Even Kerrie and Mina were spotted across the hall, animatedly chatting and grinning ear to ear. No time to talk now, but just seeing them happy made everything feel lighter.

That is—until a very unwanted presence blocked their path.

Luke.

Standing there like a rotting memory that refused to fade, his eyes locked onto Maya’s with a fake softness she saw through instantly.

Emma’s eyes narrowed into pure venom.
Emma: "What the hell do you want, Luke?" she snapped, the disgust in her voice thick as tar.

Luke’s lips curled into a half-smile, too smooth, too rehearsed.
Luke: "I just wanna talk to my girlfriend..."

But that word—girlfriend—hit the ground like shattered glass. Maya froze. Then slowly, her eyes lifted to his, cold and blazing.

Maya: "If you think I'm going to forget what you did… you’ve never been more wrong."

Luke blinked, faltered slightly.
Luke: "We haven’t broken up yet... which means I'm still your boyfriend. And you know damn well you love me."

A laughless breath escaped Maya. She tilted her head like she was examining a bug under glass.
Maya: "Well then, Luke—let me be painfully clear. We're. Over. If that wasn’t obvious yet. Want me to spell it out again?"
She leaned in slightly, her eyes piercing.
Maya: "Thank you for ruining my day… and my life. I’ll always remember you—like a bad rash."
Her smile was so sugar-sweet it burned.

Luke stood there, blinking rapidly, as if the world had just shifted beneath him.

Across the hall, a tall boy leaned against the lockers, arms crossed, eyes fixed directly on her.

Maya noticed. Oh, she noticed.
She turned her head, smiled slyly, and gave a little wave.

Emma: “Is that the guy you were talking about?”

Maya: “Yup. Waiter boy. Keeps looking at me like I’m a damn movie. Even Evie teased me. I swear it’s annoying, but... kinda confidence-boosting, y’know?”

Emma: “Girl, he is... so fucking hot. What the hell.”

Maya: “I KNOW RIGHT? You should hear his voice. Straight up voice actor vibes. Like, 'I’ll be your villain, baby' energy.”

The two burst into laughter and glided into class with exaggerated struts.

---

Later, after class...

Mark: “Hey Smurf. Heard your little lover’s quarrel. Savage.”
He was leaning casually on her desk, smirking like the devil with perfect teeth.

Maya: “Sorry you had to hear that, Asia. I'm sure your girlfriend from five minutes ago was heartbroken. I honestly thought you'd last at least ten.”

Mark: “Suck it.”

Maya: “Maybe I will.”
She winked and watched his face glitch like a software error.

---

Lunch break. The holy grail of gossip and greasy food.

The girls took over their usual spot, trading snacks and secrets like currency.

Kerrie: “Okay okay okay, there's this guy in my class and I swear he's the cutest thing I’ve ever seen—”

Maya: “I don't think Mina has eyes for anyone except T—”
A swift hand smacked across her mouth mid-sentence.

Mina: “Do. Not.”

Emma: “Oooo someone's having trouble in paradise.”

Mina: “I swear to God, if you don’t—”
She sighed, rubbing her temples like a stressed-out CEO.
Mina: “I don’t like… fuck.” She whispered it like a curse.

Maya: “Don’t worry, boo. He probably likes you back. I mean, have you seen you?”

Mina: “How would you even know?”

Maya: “C’mon, it’s obvious—”

Suddenly—BAM.

Maya was shoved against the wall. Her back hit cool tiles, her breath catching in surprise.

A pair of strong arms caged her in.

The hallway froze.

She blinked up—and there he was.

Liam.

The boy from the restaurant. The one who watched her like she was a spark waiting to catch fire.

Liam: “I’ve been trying to figure out how to ask you out since the restaurant... but I figured screw it. You’ll say yes anyway. So... do you?”

She tilted her head, lips curling into a playful pout.
Maya: “I don’t know… do I?”

He grinned.

Then he leaned in—and kissed her.

Not a polite peck. Not a sweet brush.

A kiss that stopped the hallway.

A kiss that made someone drop their juice box.

They pulled apart, breathless. His hand still rested gently on her hip.

Maya: “Well… when you put it that way...”
She tapped his chest with a flirtatious finger.
Maya: “I’ll call you.”

And just like that, she kissed him again, briefly, then turned and sauntered down the hall with a smirk, her besties catching flies with their gaping mouths.

Kerrie: “Maya. You’re… you’re SO SEXY. I can’t even function.”

Mina: “I didn’t think PDA could be pleasant. But that? That was cinematic.”

Emma: “You’ve changed, girl. And I love it.”

They laughed, shrieked, hyped her up like it was their full-time job.

But they didn’t notice the figure standing near the stairwell.

Watching.

A pair of dark eyes burned holes into Maya’s back, jaw clenched tight.

Jealousy, green and sharp, coiled in his gut like a snake.

Because not everyone was celebrating.