Stella's POV
The library was unusually quiet, even for a Monday afternoon. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, making the dust in the air shimmer like tiny stars. The faint scent of old books and polished wood hung around, giving the place an oddly comforting feel.
But no amount of comfort could ease the headache I was getting from staring at my chemistry notes. I rubbed my temples, trying to make sense of the formulas that seemed to dance off the pages. Midterms were coming up, and I was already drowning.
A loud sigh beside me broke my focus. Gwen was slumped over her books, her head buried in her arms. “I hate this,” she groaned, her voice muffled. “Why do we have to learn all this stuff? Who even cares about the molecular structure of ethanol?”
I snorted, shaking my head. “I don’t think we’re supposed to understand why, Gwen. We just have to memorize it.”
She lifted her head, her hair a messy halo around her face. “Well, that’s stupid.”
I bit back a laugh, flipping through my notebook. “You say that every time we study. And every time, you end up getting a higher grade than me.”
Gwen grinned, her eyes sparkling. “That’s because I’m naturally brilliant.” She tossed her hair dramatically, then slumped back down. “But this... this is torture. Why did we pick chemistry?”
“You picked chemistry. I just followed because you begged me to.”
Gwen glared at me, her cheeks puffing up in annoyance. “Yeah, well... you didn’t have to listen.”
“Right,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Because saying no to you is so easy.”
Gwen flashed me a cheeky smile. “I’m irresistible. You can’t help but say yes to me.”
I shook my head, pretending to be annoyed. “If you spent half as much effort on studying as you do on being dramatic, you’d ace this exam.”
She stuck her tongue out at me, making me laugh. But my laughter quickly faded as my eyes landed on the dense page of chemical equations. I felt my stomach twist, the anxiety creeping back in.
“Hey...” Gwen’s voice softened, her teasing gone. “You okay?”
I quickly nodded, forcing a smile. “Yeah. Just... stressed, I guess.”
Gwen watched me closely, her gaze sharp. “You’ve been acting weird lately. Is it... is it about Zeus?”
My heart skipped a beat, and I looked away, pretending to adjust my notes. “Why would it be about Zeus?”
Gwen’s lips curved into a knowing smirk. “Oh, come on. You’re blushing. Did something happen?”
I could feel my face heating up. “Nothing happened!” I snapped, a little too quickly.
Gwen’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Oh, really? Then why are you all flustered?”
I buried my face in my hands, groaning. “Can we please just study? This exam is going to destroy me.”
Gwen burst out laughing, loud enough to earn us a glare from the librarian. She quickly slapped a hand over her mouth, her shoulders shaking with silent laughter. “You’re so obvious,” she whispered, leaning closer. “You totally like him.”
I felt my heart race, my cheeks burning. “I don’t—”
“Oh my God, you do!” Gwen’s eyes were wide with excitement. “This is perfect! You guys would be so cute together!”
I glared at her, my voice a harsh whisper. “Can you keep it down? I don’t need the whole library knowing about this.”
Gwen giggled, clearly enjoying my misery. “Relax. No one’s listening. Except that guy over there who keeps staring at you.”
My head snapped up, and I followed Gwen’s gaze. Sure enough, a boy a few tables over was glancing our way, his face turning red when our eyes met. He quickly looked away, pretending to read his book.
Gwen grinned. “See? You’re popular, Stella.”
I sank lower in my chair, wanting to disappear. “Can we please focus on chemistry?”
“Fine, fine,” Gwen said, still smiling. “But we’re not done talking about this. I want all the details later.”
I sighed, knowing there was no escaping her. “There’s nothing to tell.”
“Liar.” Gwen’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “But I’ll let it go... for now.” She flipped open her textbook, her expression turning serious. “So... what’s the difference between an ionic bond and a covalent bond again?”
I blinked, my brain struggling to catch up. “Uh... ionic bonds transfer electrons, and covalent bonds share them?”
Gwen made a face. “That makes no sense. Why can’t they just get along?”
I laughed, my earlier anxiety fading. Gwen always had a way of making things feel lighter, even when everything else felt heavy.
We fell into a rhythm, bouncing questions off each other and trying to make sense of the complicated formulas. Gwen’s sarcastic remarks and dramatic sighs kept me from spiraling into panic, her humor a constant distraction.
But even as we laughed and teased each other, my mind kept drifting back to last night. The mysterious text, the record sheets, the warning.
Curiosity kills, Stella.
I shivered, my fingers tightening around my pen. I needed to be careful. I couldn’t let Gwen, or anyone else know what I was digging into. Not until I understood it myself.
------
Gwen is now leaning over her notebook, scribbling down notes, her tongue poking out in concentration. Her hair was a messy halo around her head, and for once, she looked genuinely focused.
I tried to do the same, but the words on the page blurred together. My mind kept drifting back to the record sheets I’d found. Nothing made sense yet, and it was driving me crazy.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed. Not just once but multiple times, rapid and loud. Her head shot up, her eyes narrowing in annoyance. “Who the hell is blowing up my phone right now?”
Before I could say anything, my phone buzzed too. And not just mine. All around us, phones were lighting up, buzzing like a swarm of angry bees. I looked around, noticing other students pulling out their phones, their faces twisting in confusion.
“What’s going on?” Gwen asked, her voice low.
I shrugged, pulling out my phone. “No idea. Probably some stupid group chat.”
But as soon as I unlocked my screen, I saw it. A text from an unknown number with a link. There was no message, just the link, short and plain. I hesitated, my thumb hovering over the screen.
“Did you get it too?” Gwen’s voice was tense, her eyes wide. She held up her phone, showing me the same link.
“Yeah...” I mumbled, my heart beating faster. “What is it?”
Gwen shook her head. “No clue. Should we...?”
Without thinking, I tapped the link. It took me to a video, the screen loading for a moment before the image became clear. My stomach dropped, my blood running cold.
It was a recording of the student council office, but it wasn’t just any recording. It was Liam. And Harper.
My eyes widened as the scene played out before me. Liam was leaning against the desk, his back to the camera. Harper stood in front of him, her hands on his chest. They were close. Too close. And then...
My mouth went dry as Harper pulled Liam down, her lips meeting his. It was a full-on kiss, not just a peck. Her hands slid up his neck, her fingers curling in his hair as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing her against the desk.
My jaw dropped. “What the...?”
Gwen’s face went pale, her eyes glued to her phone. “No way. That’s... that’s Harper. And Liam.”
“They’re... they’re making out,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “In the student council office?”
It felt wrong to watch, like I was intruding on something private. But I couldn’t look away. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Harper’s fingers were tangled in Liam’s hair, her body pressed against his. It was... intimate. Way too intimate for two people who weren’t supposed to be together.
The camera angle was perfect, showing every move, every touch. I felt my face heat up, embarrassment and shock twisting in my stomach. Who would record this? Who would send it to everyone?
“Turn it off,” Gwen said suddenly, her voice harsh. She slammed her phone face down on the table, her hands shaking. “Stella, stop watching it.”
I snapped out of my daze, quickly locking my phone. My heart was racing, my palms sweaty. “What the hell was that?”
Gwen’s face was pale, her eyes wide with shock. “I... I don’t know. But that was Harper. And Liam.”
I swallowed hard, my mind spinning. “Does Mia know about this?”
Gwen shook her head, her face twisted in worry. “I don’t think so. She would’ve told us if she knew. She... she trusts Harper.”
I felt sick. Mia was going to be devastated. She adored Harper, looked up to her. And Liam... I didn’t even know where to begin with him.
“This is bad,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “This is really, really bad.”
Gwen nodded, her hands still trembling. “Who would send that? And why? Why now?”
I looked around, noticing other students staring at their phones, whispering to each other. Some of them were glancing our way, their eyes wide with shock and curiosity. The gossip was already spreading.
“We need to find Harper,” I said, standing up so fast my chair nearly toppled over. “And Mia. We need to talk to them before... before this gets any worse.”
Gwen grabbed her bag, her face set in determination. “Let’s go. Now.”
We hurried out of the library, my heart pounding in my chest. Questions raced through my mind, each one more terrifying than the last. Who recorded that video? Why send it to everyone? And what would happen to Harper when everyone found out?
The hallways were buzzing with whispers, students showing each other their phones, their faces a mix of shock and excitement. The news was spreading like wildfire, and there was no stopping it.
I felt my chest tighten, panic clawing at me. Harper’s face flashed in my mind, her bright smile and carefree laugh. She had no idea what was coming.
And neither did we.