X

Danielle strutted into school like she owned the place—because, in a way, she did. Or at least, that's how it felt. The moment she stepped through the doors, eyes turned in her direction. Some were admiring, others envious, but all of them noticed her. It was the kind of attention she had gotten used to, the kind she welcomed.

She adjusted the strap of her designer bag on her shoulder, the faint scent of her expensive perfume lingering in the air as she made her way toward her locker.

And there he was.

William—her so-called boyfriend—leaning against the lockers like he was posing for a magazine cover. Tall, broad-shouldered, effortlessly attractive. The kind of guy any girl would be lucky to have. And yet, the sight of him didn't stir a single thing in her. No butterflies, no excitement. Just a reminder of the elaborate lie she'd crafted for herself.

"Hey, babe." William pushed off the locker, flashing her that charming grin that had half the school swooning. "Miss me?"

Danielle smirked, tilting her head slightly. "Every second." The words rolled off her tongue easily, as smooth as every other carefully crafted line she'd given him before.

He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her in for a quick kiss on the cheek. A performance. For them. For the school.

"So," he started, leaning in like they were sharing some grand secret. "What's this I hear about you playing chauffeur for Matthews and Hart?"

Danielle arched a brow, pretending to be unaffected. "News travels fast."

William chuckled, slipping his hands into the pockets of his letterman jacket. "Come on, Dani. You usually don't waste your time with them. What changed?"

She shrugged, reaching into her locker for her books. "Nothing. They needed a ride. I had a car." She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "You jealous?"

He smirked, leaning against the lockers again. "Of Maya Hart? Please." He scoffed, shaking his head. "I just find it funny. One day, you're ignoring them. The next, you're their personal driver."

Danielle rolled her eyes, slamming her locker shut. "Don't read into it."

William studied her for a second longer, then smirked. "Alright, whatever you say, babe."

With that, he reached for her hand, interlocking their fingers as they turned to walk down the hallway together. To everyone else, they looked like the perfect couple—effortlessly in sync, the king and queen of the school.

But to Danielle, it was just another act. Another day of pretending.

And for the first time in a long time, she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep up the charade.

Danielle, William, Lilianna, and Brooklyn walked into their history class, their usual air of confidence surrounding them as they took their seats near the back of the room. It was a routine they had perfected over the years—walking in like they owned the place, effortlessly commanding attention without ever having to ask for it.

Mr. Matthews—Cory Matthews—stood at the front of the class, flipping through a stack of papers. He barely glanced up as they entered, but Danielle didn't miss the way his expression shifted slightly. He had been their teacher for not even two days, and if there was one thing she knew, it was that he was very aware of who they were.

"Ah, my favorite history enthusiasts," Cory said, setting the papers down. His tone was laced with sarcasm, but there was no real malice behind it.

Lilianna smirked, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder. "Come on, sir. You know you'd be bored without us."

Cory sighed dramatically, crossing his arms. "You guys have been terrorizing your old teachers class for years. It's senior year—should I expect more of the same?"

Brooklyn leaned back in her chair, smirking. "Wouldn't want to disappoint you, sir."

William chuckled, draping an arm lazily over Danielle's chair. "Don't worry, Mr. Matthews. We're just here to learn." His voice was dripping with amusement, and everyone—including Cory—knew that wasn't exactly the truth.

Danielle, who had remained quiet up until now, finally spoke, her voice smooth as ever. "We could always make a bet. If we ace the next test, you give us some credit for our exceptional dedication to history."

Cory exhaled sharply, giving her a look. The group laughed, and Danielle smirked.

Cory shook his head, finally giving in with a small smile. "Alright, take your seats before I start regretting my life choices."

As they settled in, Danielle leaned back in her chair, twirling a pen between her fingers. It was a game, this back-and-forth with Mr. Matthews—one they had been playing for two days. And while she played the role of the cocky, untouchable senior flawlessly, she couldn't shake the feeling that this year was going to be different.

And she had a sneaking suspicion that Maya Hart was going to be the reason why.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of class, students began gathering their things and filing out of the room. Danielle lazily shut her notebook, not even pretending she had written anything worthwhile, and slipped it into her bag. She was just about to stand when Cory Matthews called out.

"Danielle, can you stay behind for a moment?"

Her friends paused, looking back at her, but she just waved them off. "I'll catch up," she said smoothly, watching as Lilianna, Brooklyn, and William gave her questioning looks before shrugging and heading out.

Once the classroom was empty except for the two of them, Danielle leaned back in her chair, raising an eyebrow. "What's up, sir?"

He leaned against his desk, arms crossed. "I just wanted to say thanks."

Danielle tilted her head, slightly thrown off. "For what?"

"For giving Riley and Maya a ride home yesterday," Cory said, his expression softening. "Riley told me, and I know you didn't have to do that. So... I appreciate it."

Danielle hesitated for a fraction of a second before regaining her composure. "It's not a big deal," she said casually, shrugging. "They needed a ride, I had a car. Simple as that."

Cory studied her for a moment, as if trying to read past her words. "Still, it was nice of you."

Danielle scoffed lightly. "Don't go spreading that around, sir. Wouldn't want to ruin my reputation."

Cory chuckled at that. "Right, wouldn't want people thinking you're secretly a decent person."

Danielle smirked, standing up and slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Exactly."

As she made her way toward the door, Cory spoke again.

"You know, you and Maya have more in common than you think."

Danielle paused, her hand hovering over the doorknob. She turned slightly, giving him a skeptical look. "I doubt that."

Cory just smiled knowingly. "People surprise you."

Danielle didn't respond. She just rolled her eyes, pushing open the door and stepping out into the hallway.

But as she walked away, Cory's words lingered in her mind longer than she cared to admit.