The bell signaling the start of a new school year rings, as Olivia walks into school, all eyes are on her. The rest of the students part to the side to make way for their queen bee. They all look on with respect as her high heels click through the halls. Olivia walks past all of them, too busy scrolling through her phone to notice them. Once she’s out of sight, they all murmur and whisper about how perfect she is, some wanting to date her, others wanting to be friends with her.

Olivia walks up to her mean girl posse, as her best friend, Lynn, waves her over. “Hey, girlfriend!” Lynn says as she hugs her best friend. “Just in time! The girls and I were just talking about Vince, and how he’s like, so hot!” Lynn says as she daydreams for a second. “I think I’m tots gonna ask him out… wait, what about you, Olivia?”

Olivia looks around as if she’s trying to avoid Lynn’s question. “What’re you talking about?” Olivia say with a bit of defensive energy in her voice. “Look, Lynn, I appreciate it, but I don’t need your help finding a boyfriend anymore because… because I’ve… already found one…”

Lynn’s eyes widen in surprise. “Really? Wow, guess you weren’t too busy after all, huh? So, where is he?”

*Uh… he’s… right… over… there..!” Olivia says as she points to you, {(user)}. Everyone in the hall is silent as they look at you, the new kid. Some are annoyed and eye you up and down, others are jealous.

“Hey, babe..” Olivia says in a not so confident tone as she approaches you. When she gets close enough, communicates with her eyes, praying you’d understand what she’s trying to do.

Biting her lip nervously, she shrugs and giggles. "Hey there...you're the new kid, right?" She waits for a response as she glances over at Lynn, silently pleading with you to play along. After all, it could be worse--she could have brought up her embarrassing tomboy past or how poor she used to be and how much she misses her old neighborhood in Chicago...

She's surprised when you say "yeah" instead of asking her who she is. Doesn't she realize that I'm like... the most popular girl in school? Well, whatever. Trying to ignore it, Olivia forces a smile and says, "I'm Olivia, by the way. It's nice to meet you." Reaching out, she extends her hand for a shake. Looking at you expectantly, she hopes this introduction will help solidify their fake relationship in everyone else's eyes.

Olivia blushes softly at your touch and smiles wider as you shake her hand firmly. "Hi Dio," she says sweetly, lingering on his name to make it sound like a caress. "It's really nice to meet you." She looks around at the crowd of students who are watching them, not wanting to seem too desperate but also hoping that everyone will take notice and realize that she's now off limits.

"So...," she starts awkwardly, drawing out the word as she tries to think of something else to say, "do you want to sit with us at lunch today?" Her smile turns hopeful, her eyes darting between yours as if waiting for your answer.

"Great!" she exclaims, flashing her pearly whites in a genuine smile. "Come on then," she says, linking arms with you and leading the way to the cafeteria. Over her shoulder, she shoots Lynn and the rest of the group an overly dramatic wink before turning back to focus on Dio.

"So, what do you think of our school so far?" Olivia asks, trying to make conversation as they walk. "And how's your family adjusting to the move?" She knows she should be asking questions about him, but she can't help but want to share a bit more about herself as well.

"Oh, really?" She furrows her brow in surprise and glances at him sideways. "Well that's kind of different, isn't it? Usually people who move here are with their families or something. How come you decided to make the move on your own?" Her tone is light and curious, wanting to know more about this enigmatic boy she finds herself walking next to.

Olivia's expression turns serious as you reveal this piece of information. She tightens her grip on your arm and leans in a bit, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "Oh my God, really? Are you okay?" she asks, concern clear in her tone. "I mean, if someone's been giving you trouble..." She trails off, not sure how to continue the thought without sounding accusatory toward any of her classmates.

Her eyes widen at your explanation, and she lets out a small gasp. "Oh my God... I'm so sorry that happened to you," she says sincerely. "I mean, it must have been really scary..." She looks at you sideways, studying your face for a moment before continuing. "Do the police know about this?"

"And are they protecting you or something? I mean, you seem pretty safe here...," she trails off again, not wanting to pry but also genuinely curious about your situation.

Olivia listens carefully as you explain that it's just you handling the situation. She admires your courage and determination, but she can't help but feel a sense of dread deepening in her stomach. "You don't have to go through this alone," she whispers, reaching up to gently touch your cheek with the back of her hand. "If you ever need someone to talk to or just... I dunno, hang out with..." She trails off, searching for the right words before finally settling on a smile. "...I mean, we're friends now, right?"

The cafeteria comes into view at the end of the hallway, and she realizes they've reached their destination. Lynn and the rest of her crew are already there, watching them with curious expressions as Olivia glances between you and her friend group. "Come on," she says softly, leading you over to join them. "Let's eat."

She slides into the empty seat next to you at the lunch table, making sure there's enough room for you to sit comfortably. The others greet you with polite smiles and small talk, but Olivia can tell they're mostly interested in hearing more about this mysterious newcomer who managed to catch her eye.

"So Dio," she says, turning to face you with a friendly smile, "what do you like to do for fun?" She leans in slightly and whispers conspiratorially, "And don't say 'avoid getting killed by criminals' or I might have a heart attack." The others at the table laugh lightly at her joke, but she can tell they're genuinely interested in getting to know you better.

"Well," you respond after taking a moment to think about it, "I like playing video games and listening to music." You glance at Olivia, wondering if she'll approve of your interests. She nods encouragingly, telling herself that this fake relationship with Dio is going to be much easier than she thought.