Chapter 1
If you came here for a love story, you’re late. That chapter ended the moment I let go of a love I thought would last.
But if you’re here for an embarrassing disaster involving misplaced confidence and public humiliation, you’re right on time. I was strutting like I owned the place: perfect outfit, killer shoes… and legs that chose betrayal at the worst possible moment, making me trip on my way down the staircase.
If the fall wasn’t bad enough, the universe decided to add insult to injury. My bag flew open, scattering everything—pens, crumpled receipts, coins from the purse I forgot to close—all showering down like confetti. And who was there to witness it? Everyone. Including the cute guy from one of my classes that I’ve recently been crushing on.
He even tried to help me up, which, in theory, sounds sweet, right? But in reality? Not at all. Because when you’re on the ground, knees bruised, dignity shattered, and you hear, “Are you okay?” all you really want to do is get teleported to another universe. Instead, I said, “I’m fine!” while trying to collect my scattered pride along with my belongings.
But hey, that’s life, isn’t it? One moment you’re daydreaming about how cute you look today, and the next, you’re a human yard sale on the stairs—with spaghetti legs and a cute guy witnessing your every awkward move.
“Don’t laugh.” I glared at Axel as I took a sip from my iced tea.
“I’m not laughing,” he said, though the smirk on his face betrayed him. “I’m just… processing.”
“Processing what?” I shot back. “How your ex-girlfriend turned into a public spectacle in the span of five seconds? You must be glad we’re not dating anymore, huh?”
Yes, he’s that ex. And yes, somehow, we’re friends now.
“No,” he said, dragging out the word like he was trying to annoy me. “Processing how you thought walking like a runway model to class in heels you barely wear was a good idea in the first place.”
I rolled my eyes and set my drink down. “Excuse me for having confidence. I didn’t know the universe had a vendetta against me today.”
Axel chuckled, leaning back in his chair, looking far too pleased with himself. “Confidence is great. But maybe next time, try to work on, I don’t know, balance?”
I grabbed a napkin from the table and half-heartedly chucked it at him. “You’re hilarious.”
“Stairs thing?” Raven plopped down beside me, stealing a fry from my plate. “I heard you went on a dive earlier.”
“It’s today’s headline,” Axel said with a grin.
“Great,” I muttered. “Why do I hang out with you people again?”
“Because without us, your life would be boring,” Ezra chimed in, appearing out of nowhere with Dylan trailing behind. “Now, what’s this about a crush?”
“For crying out loud,” I groaned, burying my face in my hands.
Ezra slid into the seat across from me with their order on a tray and an unmistakable look of intrigue on his face. “Come on, Amara. Spill. Who’s the lucky guy that got a front-row seat to your Cirque du Stairlay performance?”
“It’s no one,” I mumbled through my hands, hoping my mortification would end if I just refused to engage.
“Oh, it’s someone,” Raven said, chewing thoughtfully on her stolen fry. “Look at her. She’s radiating embarrassment. That’s from being witnessed by someone specific.”
“Please, stop,” I groaned. “Haven’t I suffered enough?”
“Nope,” Dylan said, smirking. “Not until we know who this guy is.”
I dropped my hands and shot them all a withering glare. “Do you ever consider the concept of boundaries?”
“Not really,” Ezra said without missing a beat.
Axel, who had been content watching my misery unfold, finally chimed in. “You guys are missing the real question. Did this mystery guy laugh when it happened?”
“Of course he didn’t!” I snapped. “He was polite. He helped me pick up my stuff and asked if I was okay. Unlike some people I know.”
Axel raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying himself. “Hey, I would’ve helped. But I also would’ve laughed. You know, for balance.”
Raven threw a fry at him, and I was oddly grateful for the small act of solidarity. “You’re such a troll,” she said.
“Thank you,” Axel replied with an infuriatingly smug smile.
Ezra interrupted, “We’re not done here. Details, Mara. What does this guy look like? What’s his vibe?”
“He’s…” I hesitated, knowing there was no way I’d escape this interrogation. “He’s in my media studies class. Brown hair, around 5’7, kind of… artsy, I guess?”
“Oh my gosh, it’s Jared! I know people in my class who are crazy about that guy.” Raven raised her voice, letting the whole cafe hear her and snapping her fingers like she’d just cracked the code. “You’re into Jared, aren’t you?”
My silence was answer enough.
“Oh, this is gold,” Dylan said, leaning back like he was settling in for a show. “So, what’s the plan? Gonna fake another fall so he keeps noticing you?”
I groaned. “Why do I tell you people anything?”
“Because you love us,” Raven said, grinning as she stole another piece of my fries. “And because we’re the only ones who’ll help you figure out how to turn this crush into something more.”
“I don’t want to turn it into something more,” I lied. “It’s just a stupid crush. Nothing’s going to happen.”
“Famous last words,” Axel said with a smirk.
I shot him a glare. “Don’t you have something better to do than torment me?”
“Not really,” he said, completely unfazed. “This is way more fun.”
I buried my face in my hands again, wondering, for the nth time, why I kept these people in my life.
As if on cue, the universe decided to up the ante on my humiliation. A shadow loomed over the table.
“Hey, Amara.”
Jared.
I peeked through my fingers and confirmed my worst fear. There he was, standing a little awkwardly but smiling that polite, boy-next-door smile.
The table went dead silent for all of two seconds before Ezra coughed—loudly. “Wow, what a coincidence. You’re Jared, right?”
I could feel my soul trying to escape my body.
“Uh, yeah,” Jared replied, clearly confused.
Ezra nodded like they were best friends. “Yeah, yeah, we’ve totally met… somewhere. Anyway, Amara was just talking about you.”
I subtly kicked Ezra’s foot and widened my eyes at him.
“Really?” Jared asked, looking genuinely curious.
I wanted to melt into the ground. “No! He’s joking. He does that. Constantly.”
“Yeah, it’s a thing I do,” Ezra said, completely unapologetic.
Dylan leaned back in his chair and grinned up at Jared. “She also told us how you were her knight in shining armor earlier. Very gallant of you.”
Raven was trying so hard to suppress her laughter that she was shaking. Axel, meanwhile, had the audacity to start clapping.
Jared scratched the back of his neck, clearly amused but trying to play it cool. “Well, uh, I saw you while I was ordering and just wanted to make sure you were okay. That fall looked rough.”
“I’m fine,” I muttered, voice muffled by my hands. “Thanks for checking.”
“Cool, cool. Well, I’ll see you in class.” He gave me one last smile before walking off, completely oblivious to the chaos he’d left in his wake.
As soon as he was out of earshot, the table exploded.
“Did you see his face when Dylan said ‘knight in shining armor’?” Ezra cackled.
“I thought Raven was going to choke,” Dylan added, wiping tears from his eyes.
“You guys are the worst,” I said, finally dropping my hands to glare at them.
“No, we’re the best,” Raven corrected, grinning. “If it weren’t for us, you wouldn’t have these core memories to cringe over later.”
“Yeah, you’re welcome,” Axel said, raising his drink in a mock toast.
I didn’t even bother responding. I just picked up a crumpled tissue and threw it at him.
The chaos continued until the group finally finished the food and decided to call it a night. The evening air as we stepped out was crisp, and the streetlights bathed everything in a soft glow.
“So,” Axel drawled, falling into step beside me for a moment. “You gonna keep wearing heels to class, or is today’s stunt your retirement announcement?”
I shot him a sharp sideways glare. “You’ve been unbearable all day, you know that?”
“Hey, I’m just asking the important questions.”
“We’re not dating anymore, yet you still torment me whenever you get the chance. Some habits stick, I guess.”
“You told me we were better as friends than as a couple. I’m just sticking to the branding you gave me.”
”At least you’re self-aware.”
His expression changed but before he could get another word in, Ezra’s voice cut through the tension. He was leaning against his car, parked a few spaces down the street. “Amara, let’s go! Some of us have things to do. Don’t you have deadlines or something?”
“You’re a saint for driving me,” I said, ignoring Axel’s smirk as I turned to head toward Ezra.
“We’re neighbors. I’d be a jerk not to take you with me when our apartments are right next to each other.”
Dylan and Raven already left earlier, leaving me with the less noisy but equally annoying guys.
I gave Axel one last look as I walked away. “Don’t get lost on your way to… wherever it is you’re going.”
I half-expected Axel to throw in another quip, but he just raised a hand in lazy goodbye.
When I climbed into Ezra’s car, he shook his head. “You two exhaust me.”
“We’re not even doing anything,” I muttered, buckling my seatbelt.
“Exactly,” Ezra replied, the corner of his mouth lifting in a knowing smirk. “That’s what makes it exhausting.”
I shot him a look. “Don’t start. I spent so long running after someone who never ran toward me. Let me rest.”
Ezra didn’t push further, much to my relief. Instead, he switched topics, talking about his upcoming assignment and complaining about the lack of sleep he was getting because of it. I let the conversation flow, grateful to focus on something other than my disastrous day or my ex-boyfriend who seemed to enjoy tormenting me just a little too much.
As much as I wanted to believe I’d closed that old chapter, some stories don’t end just because you stop reading them.
