Gwen’s POV
As Stella drifted away from the crowd, she seemed so… empty. Her steps were slow, almost like each one weighed her down more than the last. It was just me, Harper, and Mia left, watching her disappear. I couldn’t shake this feeling building in my chest. Seeing her like that? She looked more than sad; she looked like she was breaking.
The silence around us was almost painful, thick and heavy. Then, out of nowhere, Mia burst through it like only she could.
“Didn’t I say this was gonna be déjà vu? Stella practically set the whole science lab on fire at her old school, and here we go again,” Mia smirked, shaking her head like she’d predicted the whole thing.
Harper shot her an annoyed look and smacked Mia’s arm. “Are you kidding? You’re impossible.”
“What? Just saying!” Mia put her hands up, grinning like she’d just told the joke of the year. She shrugged. “But…you know, I kinda feel bad for her, though. She looked miserable. I mean, like, genuinely.”
I nodded, not able to shake the sadness I’d felt seeing Stella like that. I could feel it, that quiet urge to do something. “Yeah…we should try to cheer her up. Somehow.”
Harper turned to me, her eyes sparking with determination. “You’re right. We’ve got to do something. We can’t just leave her like that.”
An idea flickered to life in my mind. I didn’t know exactly what Stella liked, not really, but anything was better than doing nothing. “I’ve got an idea. Come here,” I whispered, pulling them closer. We leaned in, forming a tight huddle.
“What is it?” Harper asked, her tone hushed but hopeful.
“Let’s plan something for her. I don’t know what exactly, but we can make it fun, something that’ll actually get her to smile.” I glanced around, almost like I was scared someone would overhear us, though we were alone.
Mia’s eyes lit up. “Oh, this sounds like it could be epic!” But then she suddenly frowned, looking a bit concerned. “Uh, wait… I just realized. I don’t have enough allowance for…you know, anything big.”
I rolled my eyes, chuckling. “When do you ever have money, Mia?”
“Hey!” Mia crossed her arms in a mock pout. “I have money sometimes! It’s just… it disappears on snacks and…important stuff.”
Harper raised an eyebrow. “Sure. Like candy and those weird-flavored chips?”
“Excuse you,” Mia huffed, her voice dripping with mock seriousness, “snacks are crucial to survival. I’m practically the snack expert here!”
Harper and I exchanged a look, and then we burst out laughing. Only Mia could somehow make a shortage of funds sound like an accomplishment. But even Mia’s little quirkiness made me feel like, yeah, we might be able to pull this off.
“Alright,” Harper said, her voice quieting down as she got serious again. “We need a list. What do we need…uh, like decorations? Maybe snacks?”
Mia nodded eagerly, practically bouncing. “Leave snacks to me. I might not have cash, but I’ve got connections,” she said, tapping her temple as if she had the secret to life.
“Connections?” Harper snorted, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes!” Mia leaned in closer. “My cousin works at that party supply store across town, so we’re set. Trust me, we’ll get the best stuff they have!”
“Well, that’s…something,” I said, sharing a grin with Harper. “Just don’t come back with expired chips or shrimp-flavored popcorn like last time.”
Mia gasped, acting all offended. “Hey! That shrimp popcorn was an adventure for the taste buds. You’re just not cultured enough.”
I groaned, laughing as I shook my head. “Right. I think my taste buds are cultured enough to never want that again.”
Harper snickered, and I could see the spark of mischief in her eyes. “Just remember, Mia, edible snacks, okay?”
Mia crossed her arms, looking all serious. “Alright, fine, fine! But no promises if they don’t have any interesting flavors left.”
Harper looked back at me, nodding. “I’ll handle the location. If we get everything together, just make sure Stella shows up.”
“Got it,” I said, feeling that spark of excitement grow. It wasn’t just a plan; it felt like a small mission. Something we were all part of, and it was weirdly thrilling.
We continued planning, scribbling little notes on a piece of paper, keeping our voices low. Every now and then, Mia would come up with some wild suggestion—like glow-in-the-dark balloons or, as she put it, “the most ridiculous hats you’ve ever seen.” Harper would just sigh, shaking her head, but she was laughing too. It was the kind of ridiculous that made it all feel fun, like we were building something special.
“Wait, though,” Mia suddenly protested as Gwen suggested another decoration. “You guys do realize that my cousin isn’t running a charity, right? I need to make this work with zero budget!”
“Can't afford a snacks now?” Harper quipped, raising an eyebrow. “Face it, you’re broke.”
“Oh, excuse me, Miss Responsibility,” Mia said, smirking and throwing her hands up dramatically. “Not everyone has your ‘perfectly planned out finances.’”
Harper snickered, rolling her eyes. “It’s called not spending every cent on ‘cultured snacks.’”
“Oh, because plain potato chips are such a ‘cultured snack,’” Mia shot back, fake gasping. 
They went back and forth, Harper’s calm sarcasm against Mia’s loud, unfiltered comebacks. Watching them was like watching a comedy show, and I had to hold back my laughter to not draw attention.
At some point, Harper leaned in and, half-jokingly, whispered, “Let’s just hope Mia doesn’t end up getting us banned from that store.”
“Hey! I’m a perfect customer. They love me there,” Mia shot back, all defensive.
I chuckled, patting Mia’s shoulder. “Alright, ‘perfect customer.’ Just… bring what you can. We’ll make it work.”
Our plans were starting to come together, even if we still had no clue what Stella’s reaction would be. But at that moment, it didn’t matter. We were all in on this. Just us, plotting out this crazy surprise, and it felt like our own little secret. 
----
The room was an absolute disaster. Dust coated everything like it was some ancient attic nobody dared to touch in years. Bits of trash scattered the floor, wrappers, broken pieces of…something, and more cobwebs than I cared to count. But, hey, if this was gonna be a movie night to cheer Stella up, I’d make it work. I rolled up my sleeves and got to it, wiping, sweeping, and gathering the junk into an old trash bag I’d found stuffed in the corner.
Once most of the floor was at least visible under all the dust, I started setting out the good stuff. The tray of lights I’d brought would give the walls a nice warm glow, nothing too bright—just enough to make everything feel cozy. Next, I checked off the projector, all ready to go and just waiting for tonight’s movie selection. And, of course, I had a stash of pillows to scatter around. We’d all need something soft to flop down on.
I paused for a moment, looking over the stuff, thinking it looked like one of those Pinterest setups. Well…minus the dust and trash. But, hey, maybe by the end, it’d come close. I dug into my bag for my phone, opening up the messages. I recorded a quick voice note to Stella and hit send. “Hey, meet me at the abandoned room on the old hallway at 8 o’clock tonight. I’ve got so give.” 
I half-smiled, imagining the look on her face when she listened to that. I really hoped this would give her something to smile about.
After the cleaning, I went back to arranging things, hanging the lights up on the walls, checking to make sure they actually worked. I flipped the switch, and they lit up, casting this warm, glowy vibe across the room. Perfect.
Next up was the projector. I turned it on, testing a few movies on my phone, scrolling through titles. A few rom-coms, maybe something with action in it, she might like the mix. I didn’t really know Stella’s favorite movies, but I figured I’d just pick a few good ones and go from there. With that set, I checked my watch. There was still some time before Mia and Harper were supposed to show, so I went to tackle the last thing on the list.
The terrace at the back of the room was covered in dust too, but it was the perfect little corner to set up something extra. I wiped down an old table, clearing it of grime, and added a fluffy carpet on the floor, laying out some pillows around it for a comfy little hangout spot. I set up a small bucket of ice with drinks, arranging them so they’d be chilled by the time we started. I even found a mini speaker and put it next to the drinks, ready to play some background music.
Just then, I remembered the fans. They weren’t mine, but Harper and Mia had “borrowed” them from the administration office earlier. And, hey, they were both on student council, so technically, they had access, right? Besides, they promised to return them tomorrow. Hopefully, no one would notice a couple of fans gone missing overnight.
Finally, I grabbed my phone again and texted Zeus. “Hey, I need you in the abandoned room later. Emergency. Be there around 8:30.”
He replied pretty fast. “What emergency? Is something wrong?”
I chuckled, typing back, “Can’t explain now. Just be there.” 
In reality, there was no “emergency,” but if this worked out, maybe Zeus and Stella would finally talk things out. And I’d get a front-row seat to all the drama, which was honestly one of my favorite parts.
I sat back, looking around at the setup. It was…better than I expected. A little quirky, for sure, but it felt like us.
I dropped onto a dusty pillow, finally taking a breath after all that cleaning. My arms were sore, and I probably smelled like the attic, but the place actually looked…nice. I closed my eyes for a second, just enjoying the quiet.
And then—bam! The door creaked open, and Mia’s voice hit me like a cannon.
“Yo! Gwen, this place looks insane!” she yelled, dropping a bag of snacks onto the floor. “You should’ve seen the store. My friend hooked me up with all this stuff. I mean, they were like ‘Mia, take whatever you want,’ and I was like ‘Heck yes!’”
Behind her, Harper rolled her eyes, looking half asleep and totally over it. She was wearing a cozy, oversized cardigan that looked like a blanket wrapped around her, and these loose plaid pants that just screamed “comfy.” Meanwhile, Mia was her complete opposite, sporting bright red athletic shorts and a hoodie two sizes too big, like she was ready to run a marathon or something.
“Gwen,” Harper sighed, eyeing Mia as she continued rambling about the snacks, “how did you survive setting all this up by yourself?”
“It was either this or listening to Mia’s life story. I think I made the right choice,” I replied, smirking.
“Hey!” Mia whined, looking up from her snack bag, eyebrows scrunched. “My stories are way more interesting than dust and pillows.” She looked around and then stopped, her mouth dropping. “Wait a minute, did you do all this by yourself? Holy—this looks like some magazine shoot or something! I mean, Gwen, who knew you were hiding all these Martha Stewart skills?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at her reaction. “It’s just some lights and pillows, Mia. Not exactly rocket science.”
“Oh, but it’s not just lights and pillows, okay?” she said, throwing her arms around dramatically. “This is like…like a fairytale movie den or whatever! It’s so cozy, like we could all just snuggle up and…ahh, it’s perfect! Harper, look at this! Do you see this?”
Harper gave a tiny nod, arms crossed. “Yes, Mia. I do, in fact, have eyes. It’s very nice, Gwen.”
Mia rolled her eyes at Harper’s deadpan response, flopping down onto one of the pillows. “Seriously, Harper, you could try sounding a little more impressed. Gwen turned this dump into…well, it’s magical! Like some enchanted treehouse without the trees.”
“More like an enchanted dust house,” I muttered, shaking the dirt off my hands.
Mia gasped, clapping her hands together. “Wait! You cleaned this whole place too?” She looked at me like I’d just moved a mountain. “Girl, you’re a hero. An absolute hero.”
I chuckled. “A hero covered in dirt, but yeah. Thanks, Mia.”
“Anyway!” Mia suddenly sat up, bouncing a little. “I got snacks! Chips, chocolate, soda, you name it! And look, I even got those little marshmallows for hot chocolate. We’re gonna be like cozy queens tonight!”
Harper raised an eyebrow. “Did you actually buy those snacks, or did your friend just let you take them because they were sick of hearing you talk?”
“Harper!” Mia’s mouth dropped open. “I am offended. Deeply offended. My friend loves me, thank you very much.” 
“Oh yeah?” Harper looked half-interested. “How much did you actually pay for all of that?”
“Um…” Mia hesitated, scratching the back of her head. “A solid…zero dollars and zero cents.”
Harper sighed, shaking her head. “Unbelievable.”
I bit back a laugh. “Mia, you’re ridiculous. But, hey, free food is free food, I guess.”
“Exactly!” Mia said, grinning like she’d just won some argument. “You guys just don’t appreciate my resourcefulness. If anything, I saved us all money. So, you’re welcome.”
Harper looked over at me, and I could see that “done with Mia” look in her eyes, but she was also trying not to smile. “Remind me why we’re friends with her?”
“Entertainment purposes,” I shrugged. “And because she’s good at getting free snacks, apparently.”
Mia smirked, throwing a chip at Harper. “See? Even Gwen gets it. Harper, just admit it, you’d be bored out of your mind without me.”
Harper held up her hands, avoiding the chip missile. “I would be less annoyed without you, that’s for sure.”
“Oh, admit it, you’d miss me!” Mia leaned in, her voice dropping dramatically. “Deep down, Harper, you love my crazy, chaotic spirit.”
Harper snorted. “Deep down, I’m wondering why I haven’t changed my roommates yet.”
I shook my head, laughing as I watched them. Their bickering was the exact vibe I’d hoped for tonight—something light, funny, no drama. Just the three of us acting like, well…us.
“Alright, alright, break it up,” I said, pulling the two of them back to reality. “We’ve got a movie night to prepare for. Mia, you done with the snack breakdown? Or do you have more of your life story to share?”
“Oh, don’t worry,” Mia said, flipping her hair overdramatically. “I’ve got loads of stories. I haven’t even told you guys about my run-in with the neighbor’s dog last week.”
Harper rolled her eyes. “Please, spare us.”
Mia ignored her, popping open a bag of chips and offering it to both of us. “Anyway, Gwen, seriously…this place looks amazing. I mean, can we just appreciate this setup? The lights, the pillows, the projector…it’s like you pulled this out of a dream or something!”
I smirked, giving a mock bow. “Thank you, thank you. I do my best.”
Harper gave me a little clap, deadpan. “Yes, Gwen, very impressive. I’m sure Stella will love it.”
“Hope so,” I said, shrugging. “That’s kinda the whole point.”
Mia sighed, lying back on a pillow. “Well, if she doesn’t, then she’s got no taste. This place is perfect.” She sat up suddenly, narrowing her eyes. “Wait…are you two trying to make me cry? Because if this is some emotional setup, I will cry. Like, ugly-cry all over these nice pillows.”
Harper snorted, crossing her arms. “Mia, you ugly-cry at everything. I don’t think Gwen has to set anything up for that.”
“Oh, ha ha, Harper,” Mia shot back, tossing another chip at her. “You’re just jealous because I’m in touch with my emotions.”
Harper dodged it, barely hiding a smile. “Sure, Mia. That must be it.”
Watching them bicker, I couldn’t help but laugh. “Alright, I’m setting a rule right now—no crying, no bickering. Tonight’s about relaxing, cheering Stella up, and eating as many snacks as we possibly can. Deal?”
Mia grinned, holding up her hand for a high five. “Deal!”
Harper rolled her eyes, but slapped her hand against Mia’s anyway. “Deal.”
We sat there, all three of us just looking around the room, waiting for the clock to hit 8 and for Stella to show up. The room was filled with soft lights, a pile of pillows, and my two chaotic best friends. It was perfect. Well, perfect for us.
Now, we just had to hope Stella thought so too.