UCLA's Heartthrob and Beverly's Princess
"Through our fabulous investigative reporters, we've discovered that Reid and Isla actually went to the same high school. Could this college 'love' have sparked years ago, just waiting to rekindle on their reunion at UCLA? And here's the juiciest bit: we managed to get an interview with Terry, the boyfriend of one of Reid's past flames, who claims Isla 'picked Reid up' right in the middle of their chase!
But wait, there's more. It seems Reid only follows seven people on Instagram, and guess who made the cut? Isla! Coincidence or something special? We'll let you decide, lovelies. Stay tuned for the hottest, sweetest gossip right here at UCLA. Until next time, bye!"
Lila finishes reading aloud, glancing over to where I've buried my face in my pillow, groaning for what feels like the thousandth time this morning. How do they get this information so fast? No wonder they have over a hundred thousand subscribers, it makes sense.
"Hey, don't stress. No one really pays attention to campus gossip," Maddy says from the floor, twisted into some kind of advanced yoga pose.
"Yeah, I'm sure no one's read it yet," Lila adds, though her expression says otherwise.
"It already has seven thousand comments and eighteen thousand likes," I mutter, lying back on my bed with a sigh.
Lila gives a soft laugh. "Yup, you're screwed."
"Lila!" Maddy scolds, but I tune them out as they bicker. I should be getting ready for class, but every time I've even tried to leave the room, the hallway stares and whispers have driven me back here. I had to set my Instagram profile to private to handle the sudden flood of messages and nasty comments. Some were rude, some congratulatory, and the rest were warnings from girls he'd hurt in the past.
Their messages all share a similar theme: "He'll make you think you're the only one, then you realize you're not." I scroll through them again, my stomach knotting. Even drunk, I remember the way Reid had drawn me in, how he made me feel like I was the only girl in the world for that moment. But if I keep letting myself fall into his orbit, I'll end up just like themâor worse, like Stella.
"Hey, Isla," Lila's voice pulls me out of my thoughts, her tone gentle, "are you okay?"
"Yeah, are you sure you're good?" Maddy joins her, both sitting on either side of me and wrapping me in a comforting hug.
I force a laugh. "I'm fine." It's the right thing to say, even though I'm anything but fine.
"You know, you don't have to go to class if you don't want to," Lila offers. "We could stay in with you."
"Yeah!" Maddy says, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "We could just skip today."
"You weren't planning on going to class, were you?" Lila teases, raising an eyebrow at Maddy, who gasps in mock horror.
"Why would you think that?" Maddy says, pretending to be offended, and we all laugh.
"No, really, we should go," I say, standing up. "It's the first day. We need to make a good impression, and we can't do that by hiding in here."
Lila grins, pulling Maddy up as they start getting ready. I glance at my phone one last time. Part of me wonders if he'd reach out after everything, even just a quick text to check in. But my screen remains silent. I turn it over, letting out a heavy sigh, and head to join Maddy and Lila by the closet.
After some consideration, I settle on a pair of high-waisted jeans, a fitted white crop top, and my favorite sneakers. Simple, but put-together. I throw on a light cardigan, check my reflection one last time, and head out with Maddy and Lila.
The UCLA campus is buzzing with energy, and as soon as we step into the main quad, I feel eyes following me. Whispers ripple through the crowd, and I catch snippets of my name here and there, enough to make me wish I could melt into the pavement. I keep my head down, following the campus map on my phone to find my first class: Intro to Sociology.
The lecture hall is massive, rows and rows of seats, and I'm so focused on finding a spot that I don't realize I've entered five minutes late. The professor pauses, looking at me over his glasses.
"Miss...?" he prompts, waiting.
"Uh, Isla," I stammer, feeling the eyes of a hundred classmates on me.
"Welcome, Miss Isla. Next time, please try to arrive on time." He nods to the remaining open seats near the back. I slip into one, cheeks burning, as he continues his lecture.
The rest of the morning doesn't get any easier. Between Intro to Sociology, English Composition, and History of Art, I feel like I'm barely keeping up, both with the material and with the endless undercurrent of whispers. Every now and then, someone snaps a picture or sneaks a glance, and I try to ignore it, though my patience is wearing thin.
By the time my last class ends in the early afternoon, I'm completely drained. I feel like I've been holding my breath all day, and the second I step outside, I exhale, searching for a quiet escape.
I make my way to a small café off-campus, the kind that always smells like fresh coffee and vanilla. When I reach the counter, I order a chai latte with almond milk and a blueberry sconeâsomething comforting to unwind with. Once my drink is ready, I find a seat by the window, taking in the view outside. The bustling campus scene beyond the glass feels strangely removed, like I'm watching a movie of someone else's life.
Just as I'm starting to relax, the volume of conversation around me rises noticeably. Curious, I glance upâand freeze. There, making his way across the café, is Oliver with his trademark cheeky grin. Trailing a few steps behind him, with that same casual swagger, is Reid. He's wearing a pair of dark sunglasses, absurdly oversized, yet somehow, they make him look ridiculously attractive.
My heart skips a beat, and I instinctively look down, trying to hide behind my coffee cup as memories of our kiss flood my mind. I can feel my pulse quicken as they make their way over, both of them weaving through tables and glancing my way.
Lila was right, I really was screwed.
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That's it for this chapter lovelies, I had this drafted already and decided to just upload it...... I'm not feeling too well so I might not upload for a while..... sad, I know. I'll try my best to get well soon and resuming normal uploads. Till then, love y'all. Don't forget to comment and vote â¤ï¸