The romance queen

The Romance Queen

Chapter One — The Girl Who Knew Everything About Love

At exactly 7:45 on Monday morning, Amara walked through the gates of Westbridge Academy with one hand holding her schoolbag and the other holding a phone that had already received seventeen messages.

Seventeen.

She stopped beneath the huge oak tree near the entrance and stared at the screen.

Maya: Please tell me what to do.

Tessa: He hasn't replied since yesterday.

Lina: Do you think he likes me?

Amara sighed.

She loved her friends, she really did.

But sometimes she wondered how she had somehow become the unofficial relationship expert of the entire school.

She opened Maya's message first.

"He says he's busy, but he's been online three times. What does that mean?"

Amara typed quickly.

"It doesn't automatically mean he doesn't like you. Don't assume the worst. Give him some space and talk to him later."

She sent it.

Another message arrived immediately.

"You're the best, Romance Queen!"

Amara rolled her eyes.

That nickname had started as a joke.

Six months earlier, she had helped two classmates settle a ridiculous misunderstanding. Somehow, they ended up dating. Then another friend asked Amara for advice. Then another.

Soon, everyone knew her as the girl who could supposedly solve any love problem.

The Romance Queen.

Amara secretly hated how much she liked the nickname.

She was good at understanding people. She could tell when someone was nervous, pretending to be confident, hiding jealousy, or simply afraid to admit how they felt.

But there was one thing she couldn't understand.

Her own heart.

"Amara!"

She turned.

Maya came running toward her, nearly dropping her books.

"Finally!" Maya exclaimed. "I've been waiting for you."

"You sent me seventeen messages."

"Exactly. And you only answered one."

"Because you asked me the same question four different ways."

Maya grabbed Amara's arm.

"Because I need a serious answer."

Amara smiled.

"Okay. What's wrong?"

Maya lowered her voice.

"It's Daniel."

"Of course it is."

"He didn't say good morning."

Amara stared at her.

"That's the emergency?"

"He always says good morning."

"Maybe his phone died."

"He posted a picture twenty minutes ago."

Amara pressed her lips together to stop herself from laughing.

Maya crossed her arms.

"Don't laugh."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"I'm smiling."

"Same thing."

Before Amara could respond, the school bell rang.

Students hurried toward their classrooms.

"Come on," Amara said. "We'll talk during lunch."

Maya nodded.

"But you're helping me."

"Obviously."

They walked into the school building together.

Amara had no idea that before the day ended, her own advice about love would be tested in a way she had never expected.

---

By lunchtime, the entire school seemed unusually noisy.

Amara sat beneath the oak tree with Maya, Tessa, and Lina.

"So?" Tessa asked.

"So what?"

"Are you going to tell us?"

"Tell you what?"

"About your secret admirer."

Amara nearly dropped her drink.

"I don't have a secret admirer."

Maya laughed.

"Everyone has one."

"Not me."

"You're the Romance Queen," Lina said. "Someone must like you."

"That is exactly why nobody should like me."

They laughed.

Amara had heard the rumors before.

Apparently, at least three boys in school liked her.

Apparently, one of them had written her a letter.

Apparently, another had asked someone for her number.

Amara had ignored all of it.

She wasn't interested.

At least, that's what she told herself.

"Speaking of romance," Maya said, "look who's coming."

Amara followed her gaze.

A boy was walking across the courtyard.

He was tall, dressed in the school's dark-blue uniform, with a backpack hanging from one shoulder. His expression was calm, almost bored.

Amara recognized him immediately.

Ryan Carter.

He had transferred to Westbridge Academy that morning.

She had heard about him before she had even seen him.

Quiet.

Smart.

Difficult.

And apparently allergic to unnecessary conversation.

Ryan stopped near their table.

"Excuse me."

The girls became silent.

Ryan looked at Amara.

"Are you Amara?"

She blinked.

"Yes."

"Someone said you give relationship advice."

Maya immediately started smiling.

Amara gave her a warning look.

"I do sometimes."

Ryan nodded.

"I need advice."

The girls looked at one another.

Amara pointed toward the empty seat.

"Sit."

Ryan sat.

"What happened?"

He looked uncomfortable.

"My friend likes someone."

"Okay."

"But he doesn't know how to tell her."

Amara smiled.

"That's easy. He should be honest."

Ryan frowned.

"Just like that?"

"Yes."

"What if she doesn't feel the same way?"

"Then he'll know the truth."

"And that's supposed to make him feel better?"

"No," Amara said. "But knowing the truth is better than spending months wondering."

Ryan studied her for a moment.

"You really believe that?"

"Of course."

He leaned back.

"What if being honest ruins the friendship?"

Amara paused.

"Then maybe the friendship wasn't strong enough."

Ryan shook his head.

"That's a terrible answer."

Amara's eyebrows rose.

"I'm sorry?"

"You heard me."

Maya covered her mouth.

Tessa looked like she was trying not to laugh.

Amara folded her arms.

"Okay, Mr. Expert. What's your answer?"

Ryan shrugged.

"Sometimes people need time."

"Time doesn't solve everything."

"It can."

"Not when someone is afraid."

"Fear can protect people."

"Fear can also stop people from being happy."

Ryan stared at her.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then he smiled slightly.

"You're interesting."

Amara felt strangely caught off guard.

"Thank you."

Ryan stood.

"I'll think about your advice."

"Good."

He walked away.

Maya waited exactly three seconds.

"OH."

Amara groaned.

"Don't."

"That boy was flirting with you."

"He was asking for advice."

"He was staring at you."

"He was listening."

"He smiled."

"People smile."

Maya leaned closer.

"Not like that."

Amara shook her head.

"Please find something else to talk about."

But as Ryan disappeared through the school doors, Amara found herself watching him.

She didn't know why.

Maybe Maya was right.

Maybe there had been something unusual about that conversation.

Or maybe she was simply curious.

---

The afternoon passed quickly.

During mathematics, Amara tried to concentrate on the lesson.

She failed.

Her mind kept returning to Ryan.

Not because she liked him.

At least, she didn't think she did.

It was because he had challenged everything she believed about love.

Most people came to her because they wanted reassurance.

Ryan had come to question her.

That was different.

When the final bell rang, Amara packed her books and headed toward the library.

She needed to return a novel she had borrowed.

The library was almost empty.

She walked between the shelves until she reached the back corner.

Then she heard voices.

"You're wasting your time."

Amara stopped.

It was Ryan.

Another boy was standing with him.

"She doesn't like me," the boy said.

"You don't know that."

"She barely talks to me."

"Then talk to her."

"What if she laughs?"

"Then you'll survive."

Amara smiled.

Ryan's advice sounded strangely familiar.

She stepped around the shelf.

The boys noticed her.

The other boy immediately became embarrassed.

Ryan raised an eyebrow.

"You were listening."

"I wasn't trying to."

"Sure."

Amara looked at the other boy.

"Are you the friend?"

He nodded.

"Yes."

"The one who likes someone?"

He nodded again.

Amara smiled.

"Then Ryan is right. Talk to her."

The boy looked nervous.

"What if she says no?"

"Then at least you'll know."

Ryan looked at Amara.

"See? That's exactly what I said."

Amara smiled.

"Maybe you're learning."

"Maybe."

The other boy walked away.

Ryan remained.

"You really believe love is that simple?" he asked.

"No."

"Then why do you give everyone simple answers?"

"Because sometimes people make love complicated when it doesn't need to be."

Ryan leaned against the bookshelf.

"And what do you know about love?"

Amara laughed.

"Enough."

"Have you ever been in love?"

The question caught her completely off guard.

She looked away.

"No."

Ryan nodded slowly.

"So you've never been in love, but you're the Romance Queen."

"When you say it like that, it sounds ridiculous."

"Because it is."

Amara frowned.

"You don't have to insult me."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"I'm just saying you can't understand something you've never experienced."

Amara crossed her arms.

"Do you understand love?"

Ryan's expression changed.

For the first time, his confidence disappeared.

"No."

"Then we're even."

Ryan looked at her.

"Maybe."

A strange silence filled the library.

Then he said quietly, "Maybe that's the problem."

"What is?"

"Everyone thinks they understand love until it happens to them."

Before Amara could answer, Ryan walked away.

She watched him disappear between the shelves.

For some reason, his words stayed with her.

---

That evening, Amara sat at her bedroom desk, staring at her notebook.

She had written one sentence at the top of the page:

Love is not supposed to be complicated.

Then she crossed it out.

She wrote:

Maybe love is complicated.

Then crossed that out too.

Her phone buzzed.

Maya.

"Emergency."

Amara smiled.

"What happened?"

The reply came quickly.

"Daniel finally replied."

"And?"

"He said he was busy because he was helping his cousin."

Amara smiled.

"See? You worried for nothing."

"I know 😭. You're the best."

Amara put her phone down.

She looked out the window.

The neighborhood was quiet.

She thought about Ryan.

Why had he asked whether she had ever been in love?

Why had his expression changed when she asked him the same question?

And why did she suddenly care?

She shook her head.

"This is ridiculous."

Her phone buzzed again.

This time, the message wasn't from Maya.

It was from an unknown number.

Unknown: You shouldn't trust Ryan Carter.

Amara froze.

She stared at the message.

Another one appeared.

Unknown: He isn't who you think he is.

Her heart began beating faster.

She typed:

"Who is this?"

No response.

She waited.

Nothing.

Then another message arrived.

Unknown: Ask him why he really transferred to Westbridge.

Amara stared at the screen.

She didn't know what to think.

Ryan had only been at Westbridge for one day.

How could someone already be warning her about him?

She put the phone down.

Maybe it was a prank.

Maybe one of her friends was trying to scare her.

She picked up the phone again.

Before she could type another message, her screen lit up.

This time, it was Ryan.

Ryan: Hey.

Amara hesitated.

Then she replied.

Amara: Hey.

A few seconds passed.

Ryan: Can I ask you something?

Amara smiled despite herself.

Amara: Sure.

His reply appeared.

Ryan: Why do you help everyone with love?

Amara stared at the question.

She typed:

Amara: Because I like helping people.

Ryan replied almost immediately.

Ryan: That's not the real reason.

Amara frowned.

Amara: Then what is?

There was a long pause.

Finally:

Ryan: Maybe you're trying to understand something yourself.

Amara's smile disappeared.

She didn't answer.

Another message appeared.

Ryan: Goodnight, Romance Queen.

She stared at those words for several seconds.

Then she locked her phone.

Outside her window, the wind moved through the trees.

Amara had always believed she knew everything about love.

But for the first time, she wondered whether the Romance Queen knew anything at all.

And somewhere across town, Ryan Carter was staring at his own phone, thinking about the same girl.

Only he knew something Amara didn't.

He hadn't come to Westbridge Academy by accident.

And getting close to her was part of a secret he had promised himself he would never reveal.

Not yet.

End of Chapter One