Two week earlier -the first day of school had seemed so promising. Until she arrived. And now…

Once again back at school, Dom was struck by how normal everything seemed on the surface. The morning sunlight bathed the quad in its usual golden hue, the familiar sounds of chatter, footsteps, and locker doors slamming creating a deceptive backdrop of routine. But beneath that normalcy, the air hummed with a different kind of energy, one laced with whispered rumors and wide-eyed curiosity.

System Notification: Rumor Mill Activated!

Effect: +5 Gossip Radius. Passive Perception: Snippets of conversation now unavoidable.

“Did you see the new girl?”

“Think her dad’s famous?”

“I heard he’s a recluse.”

“They moved here from New York, right?”

“Have you seen what she drives?”

“They bought that mansion on Oak Knoll - can you believe it?”

The murmurs followed Dom as she wove through the crowd, each snippet of conversation like an uninvited ping against her mental radar. Things were just like normal... yeah, right.

Her mood lifted slightly when she spotted Nile lounging on the bench at their usual spot in the quad. He was slouched in his usual lazy sprawl, one arm draped casually over the backrest, his laptop bag at his feet. When he looked up and saw her, his face broke into a grin, and he waved enthusiastically.

System Notification: Familiar Friend Detected!

Status: Nile. Currently oblivious. Relationship Level: Trust +10, Emotional Availability -2 (Distraction Present).

Dom felt a small smile tug at her lips. The weight on her chest lifted ever so slightly as she adjusted the strap of her backpack and made her way toward him, clutching the new sketches she’d stayed up half the night working on. After her latest dream, the puzzle box felt tantalizingly close to being solved, and she couldn’t wait to share her findings with Nile.

She was only a few yards away when the moment was shattered.

Ash.

The new girl breezed past her, her glossy blonde hair catching the sunlight like it had been staged for a shampoo commercial. Without hesitation, she threw herself at Nile, wrapping her arms around him in a way that seemed entirely too familiar for someone who had barely arrived in town. Dom’s steps faltered, her stomach twisting as she watched Ash press her body against Nile’s, her laugh tinkling like the chime of a wind bell.

System Alert: Rival Detected!

Name: Ashleigh “Ash” Fairchilde

Reputation: Immaculate. Threat Level: Ambiguous (Calculating...).

Nile looked slightly startled at first but quickly recovered, glancing around Ash to spot Dom. His face lit up again, as if just realizing she was there. “Oh hey, Dom! You remember Ash, right?” His voice was bright, casual, like nothing about this moment was even slightly off.

Dom’s smile froze on her lips, her gaze zeroing in on Ash’s hand as it slid down Nile’s arm, her long fingers intertwining with his like they had been doing this for years. Dom’s grip on her sketchbook tightened, her nails digging into the leather binding. The hopeful excitement she’d felt moments ago crumbled into something sharp and bitter, a knot of jealousy and frustration lodging itself firmly in her chest.

System Notification: Negative Status Effect Acquired.

Jealousy: Emotional Turmoil Activated. Penalty: -2 Focus, +3 Irritability.

“Yeah,” she managed weakly, her voice strained. “I remember Ash.”

She stuffed the sketchbook into her backpack with a swift, jerky motion. There was no way she was going to show Nile her drawings now, not with her around. Something about Ash made Dom’s instincts scream for caution. That radiant smile, the way she carried herself with such effortless charm - it all felt too calculated, too perfect. And the way Ash looked at Nile, like she already owned him... it was infuriating.

Dom mumbled something under her breath that would’ve made a sailor blush. Ash’s head turned sharply, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly as if she had heard. For a moment, her polished facade slipped, a flicker of something dangerous flashing in her gaze as she met Dom’s eyes. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by her dazzling smile as she squeezed Nile’s hand and turned up the charm.

System Notification: Social Combat Initiated!

Rivalry Status: Passive Aggression Escalating...

“Hi, Dom!” Ash chirped, her voice sugary sweet but with a distinct edge beneath the surface. “Nile’s been so sweet. He’s told me so much about you! I’m sure we’ll be the bestest of friends.”

Dom’s jaw clenched. Ash’s words dripped with feigned sincerity, but the look she shot Nile -full of genuine adoration, and mischief- made Dom’s stomach churn. Nile, oblivious to the tension simmering between the two girls, gazed at Ash like she was the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen. His goofy, lovesick grin only made Dom’s frustration boil hotter.

System Notification: Emotional Availability -3 (Love-Struck Distraction Detected).

Dom forced a grimace that barely passed for a smile. “Yeah,” she said through gritted teeth. “The bestest.”

Her tone was acid, but Nile didn’t seem to notice. He was too busy hanging on Ash’s every word, every laugh, every flutter of her lashes. Dom’s chest tightened further, her frustration curdling into something darker as she watched the two of them. The sight of Ash leaning into Nile, their hands still linked, was more than she could take.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

“Nile, I’ll see you around, okay?” Dom’s voice wavered slightly, but she managed to keep it steady enough to avoid drawing suspicion. She turned on her heel before Nile could respond, her movements brisk and sharp.

Behind her, Ash’s overly cheerful voice followed her like nails on a chalkboard. “Byee!”

Dom glanced back briefly, just in time to see Ash leaning closer to Nile, their heads almost touching as they shared some private joke. The sight sent a fresh stab of pain through her chest, and she turned away quickly, blinking against the sting of tears welling in her eyes. She refused to let either of them see her cry.

System Notification: Emotional Status Shift - Sadness Active. Penalty: -1 Confidence, +2 Determination.

Her steps quickened as she made her way across the quad, weaving through clusters of students with her head down. But even as she walked away, she could feel the weight of Ash’s gaze following her. Unseen but undeniable, it lingered like a predator’s eyes tracking its prey.

By the time Dom reached the edge of the quad, she dared to glance over her shoulder again. Ash had shifted her focus back to Nile, her flirtatious laugh ringing out like a bell. But for the briefest moment, Dom had seen it - the calculated glint in Ash’s eyes as she watched Dom retreat, carefully veiled beneath her bright, giggling exterior.

Dom’s hands balled into fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palms as she swallowed hard against the mix of anger, jealousy, and hurt threatening to overwhelm her. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Ash wasn’t just playing games - she was playing Dom.

And Dom wasn’t sure she could win.

Dom had tried everything to keep her mind off Nile’s sudden infatuation with Ash, but nothing worked. It just didn’t make sense. They’d just met, there was no way-

I thought after that night… Dom stopped herself. Of course, with what happened -Nile had been so distant. She’d thought it was because of his parents. But now she wasn’t so sure. Not with how suddenly they had gotten together.

She bit her lip in frustration.

The sting of seeing him look at Ash the way she’d always hoped he’d look at her gnawed at her, a persistent ache she couldn’t shake no matter how hard she tried. Her sketches usually provided solace, a way to pour her emotions into something creative, but even they felt hollow now.

At her usual table in the Lost and Found, Dom focused intently on her sketchpad, forcing her pencil to move in smooth, deliberate strokes. The subdued lighting of the café cast a warm glow over the stage, where an indie artist performed an acoustic set. The singer, a fiery redhead with dark, expressive eyes, crooned out a soulful melody that filled the room, her voice raw and haunting.

Dom’s pencil captured the singer’s likeness on the page - the arch of her brows, the cascade of red hair, the spotlight glinting off her guitar. The café’s ambiance usually soothed her, the soft murmur of conversations blending with the clinking of coffee mugs and the faint hiss of the espresso machine. But today, even the familiar comfort of her favorite spot couldn’t dull the edge of her frustration.

She wasn’t just frustrated -she was furious. Not with Nile, not entirely. He was free to like whoever he wanted, wasn’t he? It wasn’t as though she had any claim over him. But seeing him fawn over Ash, so easily swept away by her practiced charm, made Dom’s blood boil. She clenched her pencil tighter, the lead snapping with a sharp crack that echoed louder than it should have.

System Notification:

Emotional Turmoil Detected!

Effect: +5 Frustration, -3 Precision (Art).

She sighed heavily, tossing the broken pencil onto the table. Her hands trembled as she reached for her coffee, the ceramic mug warm against her palms. The bitter taste of the espresso cut through the lump in her throat, grounding her for a moment.

“Hey, Dom,” a familiar voice broke through her thoughts.

Dom looked up sharply, startled. Nile stood by her table, his hands shoved into his pockets, his expression awkward and uncertain. For a brief moment, her chest tightened. His voice still had that effect on her, no matter how hard she tried to ignore it.

“Hey,” she said, forcing a smile. “Fancy seeing you here.”

She moved a few of her things to the side, gesturing for him to sit. “Have a seat, unless, of course, your girlfriend is waiting for you.”

The words came out sharper than she intended, and Nile winced slightly as he slid into the chair across from her. “She and I are meeting up later,” he admitted, his tone defensive. “I figured I should find you first. We need to talk about what happened.”

Dom raised an eyebrow, feigning indifference. “Oh? Did you want to catch me up on the game I got you access to? Or do you mean the run-in I had with your overprotective sister at the hospital over a week ago? Or is it something else…?”

Nile rubbed the back of his neck, his discomfort evident. “Umm, yeah. Kylie.”

Dom leaned back, crossing her arms. Her voice was casual, but the edge beneath it was unmistakable. “Honestly, it’s no big deal. She’s going through a lot, and I get lashing out like that. She’s just being a big sister.”

“Yeah, but Dom - she practically threatened you. You should’ve seen how livid she was when she finally got home from the hospital. She tried to forbid us from seeing each other! What the hell is up with that? Where does she get off thinking she can just ride in here and control me like that? It’s bullshit.”

Dom’s lips twitched into a faint smile, despite herself. “I know, and I couldn’t agree more. But give her some time to calm down. Everything happened so fast; she probably just needs time to process things.”

Nile shook his head, his frustration bubbling to the surface. “Did you know she managed to get her old job back?”

Dom blinked, momentarily thrown. “Wait -here? At the Lost and Found? But this is my sanctuary! I can’t have your crabby older sister ruining it for me!”

“Oh, how the tables turn,” Nile said with a smirk. “What happened to all that talk about her needing time to process and heal?”

“Hey, that was before I found out she’d be crashing one of my favorite spots. How’d she even manage that? Last I heard, she ditched the manager the same way she left your parents.”

Nile sighed, slouching back in his chair. “Because he’s in love with her. Always has been. It’s one of those tragic, one-sided romances. He doesn’t get that she isn’t -and never will be- interested.”

Dom winced. “Oof. Now that, I understand.”

“Speak of the devil,” Nile muttered, nodding toward the entrance.

Dom turned, her heart sinking as she spotted Kylie making her way into the café. She moved with her usual confidence, her polished smile firmly in place as she waved to a few familiar faces. At the bar, she greeted the chief barista with a kiss on the cheek, earning a flurry of hushed whispers from the nearby patrons.

When Kylie’s gaze landed on their table, her smile faltered for a fraction of a second. Dom caught the flicker of disdain in her expression before Kylie smoothed it over, her mask of friendliness snapping back into place. Dom’s stomach churned as Kylie made her way over.

“-and she shall appear,” Dom muttered under her breath, finishing Nile’s thought.

“Hey, sis,” Nile greeted her with a strained smile. “First day back on the job?”

“No, I start tomorrow,” Kylie replied smoothly, her voice perfectly pleasant. “Just checking in to get the feel of the place.”

Kylie barely acknowledged Dom, her focus entirely on Nile. She stood with her back to Dom, her body language making it abundantly clear that she had no intention of engaging with her. Dom’s jaw tightened, her fingers curling into fists beneath the table.

If you can’t beat ‘em, pretend they don’t exist. Real mature.