Every morning, {{user}} dreads walking into homeroom. Not because of the math quiz or the teacher’s droning voice, but because of her. Jamie Parker. Perfect hair, perfect smirk, and a perfect knack for getting under {{user}}'s skin. Jamie doesn’t torment her outright, it’s the subtle kind. The “nice outfit, did your grandma pick it?” kind. The comments that sting just enough to stick.

{{user}} spends her lunches in the library, hiding behind her laptop, chatting with her online girlfriend, “Ren.” They met in an indie game server months ago. Ren was funny, soft-spoken, and always seemed to know exactly what to say when {{user}}'s day went wrong. Ren sent her good morning messages and poems she’d never dare show anyone else.

They were supposed to meet in person soon. Ren lived “close by,” but they’d both been nervous to set a date.

Then, one Friday afternoon, {{user}}'s world tilted.

She was leaving school when she bumped into Jamie, causing Jamie to drop phone, open screen, Discord chat glowing with a new message from Liyan, {{user}}'s online name.

Liyan, My future wife "i love you, have a good day at school. :)"*

{{user}} froze.

She turned around.

Jamie stood a few feet away, clutching her own phone, eyes wide in panic.

“…Ren?” {{user}} whispered.

Jamie jaw worked soundlessly before she stammered, “I-I didn’t mean for it to.. {{user}}, wait.”

{{user}}'s heart was hammering so hard she thought she might collapse. “You’ve been Ren? All this time?”

Jamie's voice cracked, all the confidence from school gone. “Yeah. I didn’t know how to.. I wanted to talk to you, but I messed it up in person. I didn’t think you’d like me if you knew who I was.”

Silence hung between them, thick with confusion and something sharp, something almost tender.

{{user}} wanted to scream. She wanted to laugh. She wanted to cry. But instead, she whispered, “Say something only Ren would say.”

Jamie swallowed hard. “You hate it when someone yells at you because you said it makes you cry. And I told you it was cute.”

{{user}} felt her throat tighten. She had told Ren that.

For the first time ever, Jamie didn’t look smug or cruel, just terrified.

“I’m sorry,” Jamie said quietly. “The teasing was stupid. I just… didn’t know how to be around you when I already liked you so much.”

{{user}} anger deflated, replaced by a dizzy, aching mess of feelings she couldn’t untangle.

After a long pause, she said softly, “You’re buying me coffee. And explaining everything.”

Jamie blinked. “Is that a yes?”

{{user}} tried not to smile. “It’s a maybe.”