Stella's POV
The day of the music festival week had finally arrived, and I was staring at my closet, trying to decide what to wear. My hands drifted across the hangers, but then I saw it. There, tucked away in the back, was the perfect dress, a heather purple one with delicate flowers stitched along the side corners, like tiny bursts of color against the soft fabric. It was gorgeous, and for some reason, it felt like the right choice for today.
I held it up in front of the mirror, twirling it slightly. “This should do,” I whispered to myself with a smile.
Across the room, Mia and Harper were also getting ready, both of them slipping into more formal attire. Of course, they were in the student council, so they had to look a bit more official than the rest of us. Mia adjusted her blazer while Harper silently fastened a delicate necklace around her neck. 
Mia was the first to break the quiet, her voice cutting through the suffocating silence. "You know," she began, glancing over at me with a smirk, "you’re one of the lucky girls who get to be serenaded by the OES Group tonight—Liam and his bandmates. It’s a pretty big deal."
I blushed, nodding shyly but not really knowing how to respond. A part of me still felt strange about all the attention. Harper, on the other hand, didn’t say a word, just standing there quietly as she finished getting ready. It felt... odd. But then again, this kind of silence had become normal lately, so I shrugged it off.
As I turned to leave the room, an idea popped into my head. Zeus. He was performing later, and I wanted to wish him good luck, but I had already promised Gwen I’d be at her dorm to help her get ready. I grabbed my phone and quickly typed out a message to Zeus.
Stella: Hey, good luck tonight! You’ll do great on stage. I know it. You’ve got this!
I stared at the message for a second before hitting send, my heart beating just a little faster than usual. Almost immediately, my phone buzzed with a reply.
Zeus:Thanks, Stella! I won’t let you down.
I couldn’t help but chuckle softly to myself. He replied so fast, like he had been sitting by his phone just waiting for me to text him. Such a good boy. 
Shaking my head with a smile, I tucked my phone away and said my goodbyes to Mia and Harper. "I’ll see you guys at the festival. I have to head over to Gwen’s to help her get ready."
Mia waved me off, while Harper gave me a silent nod, still lost in her own thoughts. 
---
When I got to Gwen’s dorm, the door was slightly ajar, and inside was pure chaos. Towels were strewn across the floor, a hair dryer was half-hanging off the edge of the bed, and there were bottles of powder and hairbrushes scattered everywhere.
I raised an eyebrow, standing in the doorway. "Did someone rob your dorm or something?" I asked sarcastically, stepping over a pile of clothes.
Gwen, who was sitting cross-legged in front of her vanity, laughed, throwing a towel in my direction. "Oh, shut up. It’s called organized chaos."
"Yeah, sure." I rolled my eyes, trying not to trip over a pair of shoes as I made my way to her side. "Looks like a tornado hit in here."
Gwen waved me over to help with her hair, and I grabbed the brush, standing behind her as I began running it through her tangled curls. The room fell quiet for a while, the only sound being the soft hum of the hairdryer I had finally managed to turn off.
Out of nowhere, Gwen broke the silence. "So, anything interesting happen last night?"
Her sudden question caught me off guard, and I paused mid-brush. "What? Uh, no. Nothing really," I answered, quickly resuming my brushing to avoid the topic.
Gwen smirked at me in the mirror, clearly not convinced. "Really? No one gave you anything? A note? A letter, maybe?"
I frowned, my confusion growing. "A letter?" I repeated, trying to make sense of what she was hinting at. "No... why? Did something happen that I don’t know about?"
Gwen just shrugged casually, but I could see the mischievous glint in her eyes. "Oh, no reason. Just thought maybe someone might’ve wanted to... you know, confess their feelings or something."
I blinked, still trying to understand what she was getting at. "Confess their feelings?" I laughed, shaking my head. "I think you're imagining things."
She just smiled, not saying anything else, and went back to adjusting her makeup. I didn’t press further, figuring whatever she was hinting at would reveal itself eventually. Gwen always had a way of knowing things before anyone else did. But for now, I just focused on making sure her hair didn’t look like a complete disaster.
---
As the minutes ticked by, I helped Gwen finish getting ready. The room slowly transformed from a chaotic mess into something a bit more presentable. Gwen, now fully dolled up and looking absolutely stunning, grinned at herself in the mirror.
"You know, Stella," she said, turning to face me with a wink, "tonight’s going to be interesting. I have a feeling something big is going to happen."
I narrowed my eyes at her, suspicious of the way she said that. "You’re being cryptic again, Gwen."
She just laughed, waving me off. "Oh, you’ll see. Trust me. Just don’t be too surprised when things start getting... interesting."
I shook my head, letting out a small laugh. "You’re impossible, you know that?"
Gwen grinned at me, standing up and doing a little twirl in her dress. "And that’s why you love me."
I rolled my eyes playfully. "Yeah, yeah. Now come on, let’s get to the festival before we’re late."
As we headed out the door, Gwen was still smiling, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that she knew something I didn’t. Something was definitely going on, but I guess I’d just have to wait and see what it was.
Gwen wouldn’t stop teasing me as we made our way toward the campus hall. Every few seconds, she’d nudge me with her elbow or make some sly comment, trying to fluster me. 
“So,” Gwen grinned, leaning in as we walked, “are you having a date at the event today?”
I rolled my eyes, groaning. “Gwen, I swear, if you don’t stop—"
“You’ll what?” she cut me off, pretending to act scared. “Oh no, Stella’s gonna hit me with her famous icy glare! Save me!”
I shoved her lightly, laughing despite myself. She was frustrating, but in a good way. That’s Gwen for you—always knowing how to get under my skin in the funniest ways possible.
By the time we reached the event, the atmosphere had completely shifted. The campus hall was huge, and the place was full with energy. Students were everywhere, playing games, laughing, shouting. I could hear the distant sounds of water splashing and cheers coming from the park area. There was a water gun fight happening near the entrance, and a group of students was racing go-karts over by the bumping cars. 
“Wow,” I murmured, taking it all in. “It’s like... the whole school’s here.”
“Of course,” Gwen said, throwing her arms wide as if she owned the place. “It’s the music festival, after all. We’ve got food, games, and oh—" she stopped mid-sentence, her eyes locking on something in the distance. “Well, well, well. Look at that.”
I followed her gaze and saw a massive crowd gathered around a dunk tank. But it wasn’t the tank that had everyone so excited, it was the person standing in front of it.
“Is that... Liam?” I asked, squinting to get a better look.
Gwen grinned, nodding. “Yep. And from the looks of it, he’s about to be the next victim.”
Liam was standing by the dunk tank, pulling off his hoodie and revealing a plain white sando underneath. The second his hoodie hit the ground, a chorus of screams erupted from the girls in the crowd.
I raised an eyebrow. “Geez, have they never seen a guy take off his shirt before?”
Gwen snorted, “Apparently not. But hey, you gotta hand it to him—he’s got the crowd in the palm of his hand.” 
Liam stepped toward the microphone near the dunk tank, a cocky grin spreading across his face. “Alright, everyone,” he called out, his voice booming over the speakers. “I’ll be the next one inside the cage, and I get to choose who gets to dunk me.”
The crowd went wild, and I couldn’t help but feel a little curious. Who would he pick? A bunch of students were already waving their hands, eager to be chosen.
Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone jumping up and down, frantically waving her hands in the air. “Me! Me! Pick me!” Harper shouted, practically bouncing with excitement.
I couldn’t help but giggle. She looked so childish, like a kid trying to get the teacher’s attention. It was actually kind of cute. Gwen noticed too, but she didn’t say anything, just smirked as Harper continued to wave her arms around.
Liam chuckled into the microphone, glancing over at Harper. “Whoa, Harper, calm down a bit,” he teased, shaking his head. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Harper froze, a sheepish smile on her face as she slowly lowered her arms.
Then Liam straightened up, brushing a hand through his hair and scanning the crowd. His gaze landed on me, and a small, knowing smile tugged at his lips. 
Oh no.
Before I could react, Liam raised his arm and pointed directly at me. “How about... Stella?”
The crowd erupted again, and suddenly all eyes were on me. My face turned bright red as students started whispering and giggling, waving their hands to give me a clear path.
“Wait... what?” I muttered, blinking in confusion.
I looked over at Harper, who was standing there with a blank, almost disappointed expression on her face. She didn’t say anything, just stared at me like she was expecting me to do something.
Gwen, on the other hand, wasted no time. She nudged me hard in the ribs, leaning in close. “Well? What are you waiting for? Go play!”
I hesitated, staring at Liam. I didn’t want to make a fool out of myself in front of everyone, but at this point, it didn’t look like I had much of a choice. With the entire crowd watching and Gwen practically pushing me forward, I swallowed my pride and slowly made my way toward the dunk tank.
---
As I stepped up to it, I could feel the heat of everyone’s gaze on me. My hands were already shaking as I grabbed one of the softballs from the pile next to the tank. Liam sat inside the cage, flashing me a cocky grin.
“Take your best shot, Stella,” he said, his voice dripping with challenge.
I narrowed my eyes at him, clutching the ball in my hand. “Don’t get too comfortable in there, Liam.”
Gwen and Harper stood off to the side, watching intently. Harper was biting her lip, probably praying that I’d actually manage to hit the target. Gwen, on the other hand, was practically jumping up and down with excitement, egging me on. 
I took a deep breath, stepping back and preparing to throw the ball. The crowd was hushed now, all eyes focused on me. I could feel the weight of the pressure, but I wasn’t about to back down.
“Come on, Stella!” Gwen called out. “You got this!”
Liam leaned back in the cage, smirking at me like he already knew I was going to miss. I gritted my teeth and aimed carefully.
And then, with all the strength I could muster, I threw the ball.
It missed. Completely.
The crowd groaned in disappointment, and Liam laughed, throwing his head back. “Nice try!” he called out, shaking his head. 
I groaned, covering my face with my hands. I was never going to live this down. 
But then, just as I was about to step away, Gwen shoved another ball into my hands, grinning like a madwoman. “One more shot. You can do this.”
I hesitated for a moment before taking the ball from her. Maybe, just maybe, I’d get lucky this time. 
Liam leaned forward in the cage, his smirk still firmly in place. “You sure you want to try again, Stella?”
I shot him a glare, determined now. “I’m sure.”
I took a step back, focused on the target, and threw the ball with everything I had. 
It hit the target dead on.
The crowd erupted into cheers as the lever released, and Liam dropped into the water with a huge splash. Gwen and Harper were laughing so hard they could barely stand, and even I couldn’t help but laugh as Liam surfaced, shaking the water from his hair.
“Well played, Stella,” he said, wiping the water from his eyes. “Well played.” 
I grinned, feeling a surge of triumph as the crowd continued to cheer. Maybe I wasn’t so bad at this after all.
As the crowd began to scatter, heading off to other games and booths, I turned to Harper. She was smiling at me, but her smile didn’t reach her eyes. The hurt was still there, no matter how hard she tried to hide it. I bit my lip, my heart sinking at the sight. I didn’t want her to think I was stealing Liam from her. I would never, ever do that to a friend, especially Harper.
“Harper, I—" I started, stepping closer to her, but she raised her hand quickly, cutting me off.
“It’s okay, Stella,” Harper said softly, her voice calm. “We can talk about it later, after the event. Really, don’t worry.”
I wanted to push, to explain everything, but her tone told me it wasn’t the time. Still, I couldn’t shake the guilt gnawing at me. Harper was trying so hard to keep it together, but I knew I had hurt her, even if I didn’t mean to. My stomach twisted at the thought, and I hated how things had turned out.
Before I could say anything else, Gwen stepped in, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Harper’s clothes. “Uh, Harper... you’re soaked.”
I glanced down at Harper’s shirt, noticing how wet it was from the splash earlier. Her clothes clung to her uncomfortably, and I could see how embarrassed she was starting to feel.
Just as I was about to volunteer to help her get changed, Janserd, one of Liam’s friends, suddenly appeared beside us. His presence was as casual as ever, but there was a slight awkwardness in the way he spoke.
“Hey, Harper,” Janserd said, scratching the back of his neck. “I’ve got the keys to the cleaning room if you need a place to dry off. I’ve also got an extra shirt you can borrow if that’s okay.”
Harper looked a little startled by the offer, but before she could respond, Liam chimed in from the dunk tank, now standing off to the side and toweling himself dry. “You should probably go change, Harper. That shirt is really soaked now.”
The mention of her wet clothes made Harper blush a bit. She nodded, glancing down at herself before looking at Janserd, who was holding out the keys. “Thanks, Janserd. I... I’ll take you up on that offer.”
I took a step forward, ready to go with her, but before I could say anything, Gwen grabbed my arm, holding me back with a mischievous grin on her face. “Oh no, Stella. You stay. It’s your first day really getting to know the festival. Besides,” she smirked, “I’m sure Harper and Janserd can handle it. Who knows... maybe they could use some alone time.”
I shot Gwen a look, but she just wiggled her eyebrows in that way that meant she was up to something. I glanced over at Harper, who was already walking away with Janserd. She seemed okay, though I still felt uneasy about the whole thing. But maybe Gwen was right. Maybe Harper and Janserd needed some space. Harper had been through a lot today, and maybe a little distraction wouldn’t hurt.
As they disappeared from sight, I sighed, crossing my arms. “You think she’s really okay?” I asked Gwen, still feeling that knot of guilt in my chest.
Gwen tilted her head, her smirk softening into a more serious expression. “I think she’ll be fine. Harper’s tough. Besides,” she nudged me lightly, “it’s not like you did anything wrong. Liam’s the one who made that choice, not you.”
I sighed again, feeling a bit better but still conflicted. “I just don’t want her to think I’m... I don’t know, interested in Liam. I’m not.”
Gwen raised an eyebrow. “Oh, you’re not, huh?”
I rolled my eyes, nudging her back. “Stop. You know what I mean.”
Gwen laughed, holding up her hands in surrender. “Alright, alright. But seriously, don’t worry so much. Harper knows you. She knows you wouldn’t do anything to hurt her.”
I wanted to believe that. I really did. But a part of me still couldn’t shake the feeling that things weren’t as simple as Gwen made them out to be. There was tension building between us, something unspoken, and I wasn’t sure how to fix it.
But for now, I decided to let it go. Gwen was right, Harper and I could talk later, after the event. We’d figure it out.
---
The festival was in full swing now, and I tried to focus on enjoying the moment. Gwen and I wandered from booth to booth, checking out the different games and activities. There was so much to see, students laughing and running around with water guns, the smell of cotton candy and popcorn filling the air, the sound of music drifting from the main stage where bands were warming up.
Gwen, of course, was having the time of her life, dragging me to every corner of the event. We played a few games, though I wasn’t very good at any of them. Gwen, on the other hand, was surprisingly competitive, especially when it came to the ring toss.
“Oh come on, that was totally rigged!” she complained, glaring at the stack of bottles she had just missed.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Maybe you just need to practice.”
Gwen huffed, crossing her arms. “I don’t need practice. I’m ‘amazing’ at everything.”
I raised an eyebrow, giving her a teasing look. “Uh-huh. Sure you are.”
She shot me a playful glare but didn’t say anything, instead pulling me toward the next booth. As we wandered through the festival, I found myself slowly relaxing. The earlier tension with Harper was still there, but it wasn’t as overwhelming. For now, I could just enjoy the festival with Gwen.
We passed by the dunk tank again, and I noticed that there was a new volunteer sitting inside now—someone I didn’t recognize, but the crowd seemed just as excited as before. I glanced over at Liam, who was talking with a group of his friends nearby, his hair still damp from his earlier dunk. He caught my eye and gave me a small nod, a silent acknowledgment of our earlier interaction.
I nodded back, offering a polite smile before turning away. Gwen noticed the exchange and raised an eyebrow. “What’s that about?”
“Nothing,” I said quickly, not wanting to make a big deal out of it. “Just... being polite.”
Gwen gave me a knowing look but didn’t press further. Instead, she glanced around the festival, her eyes lighting up as she spotted something in the distance. “Ooh! They’ve got a photo booth! Come on, let’s go take some pictures!”
Before I could protest, Gwen grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the photo booth. It was a small tent set up near the edge of the park, with a line of students waiting to get their pictures taken. Inside, there were all sorts of props—hats, sunglasses, feather boas—and a backdrop of stars and neon lights.
We waited in line for a few minutes, and when it was finally our turn, Gwen immediately started grabbing props, throwing a pair of oversized sunglasses at me. “Here, put these on. We’re going all out.”
I laughed, putting on the sunglasses as Gwen wrapped a feather boa around her neck. We stepped into the booth, striking ridiculous poses as the camera flashed. For a moment, all the worries and tension melted away, replaced by laughter and silliness.
As we stepped out of the booth, still giggling, Gwen glanced at her phone. “We should probably head back soon. The concert’s going to start soon, and you promised to meet Zeus, right?”
I froze for a second, my heart skipping a beat at the mention of Zeus. I had almost forgotten with everything going on, but now the nerves were kicking back in full force.
“Right,” I nodded, trying to keep my cool. “I should probably go check on him.”
Gwen gave me a sly grin. “Don’t be too nervous. He’s probably waiting for you.”
I shot her a look, but the butterflies in my stomach wouldn’t settle. With a deep breath, I headed toward the main stage, ready to face whatever the rest of the festival had in store.