Everyone at Ridge Valley High knew who Ava was. She was the Ava. Queen of the senior class, homecoming court favorite, captain of the volleyball team, and someone who walked the hallways with effortless confidence. Her wavy caramel hair always looked like it belonged in a commercial, her nails were perfectly done, and somehow she had a new outfit practically every other day. People smiled at her, waved at her, and even teachers seemed to give her just a little more leniency than they gave anyone else.

And then there was her little brother—Jake.

Jake was a freshman. Not a geek, not a jock, not someone people pointed at and laughed about—but just… there. He did his work, answered questions in class, followed the rules, and turned in homework on time. That alone was enough for him to be known as “the good kid” to the teachers and “Ava’s little brother” to pretty much everyone else. People only remembered his name once they connected him to her.

“Oh, you’re Ava’s brother, right?”

He’d hear it at least once a day. Ava, Ava, Ava.

She’d walk right past him in the halls, surrounded by her crowd of senior girls with thick eyeliner and way too much perfume. She never waved. Never said hi. Jake figured it was part of her “too cool” image, and he didn’t take it personally. He got it—he was just the quiet, slightly awkward freshman brother. He didn’t fit her world.

But then, one Thursday after school, everything changed.

Jake had stayed late in the library to work on his biology project. He liked the quiet, and the librarian always had peppermints at the front desk. When he finished, the school was nearly empty. The sun was just beginning to dip low, casting long shadows through the courtyard as he walked to the front gates. His earbuds were in, but he paused the music when he heard someone laugh near the gym.

He wasn’t being nosy—just curious. He figured it might be the volleyball girls or some seniors hanging around, but when he turned the corner, he froze.

There was Ava.

Leaning against the back wall of the gym. Her head tilted slightly, hair swept to the side, still in her cute tan cardigan and white sneakers. One hand tucked into her hoodie pocket. The other… holding a vape.

Jake blinked. At first, he thought he was seeing it wrong. Maybe it was just a pen or something. But then she raised it to her lips, took a slow drag, and exhaled a cloud of sweet-smelling smoke that drifted into the cold air like a secret.

He ducked behind the corner, his heart pounding.

Ava. Vaping?

Miss Perfect. The girl who told him to “be smart” every time he even thought about breaking a rule. The girl who lectured him once for not eating breakfast and said, “You have to take care of your body, Jake.” And now… this?

He peeked again. She was still there, alone. She looked tired, now that he was really seeing her. Not the same Ava everyone else saw during the day. Her shoulders were slouched, and she kept glancing around, like she was nervous someone would see her. It felt weird, like the world flipped upside down for a second.

Jake slowly stepped backward, debating if he should just leave. But his sneaker squeaked on the cement, and Ava’s head snapped around.

“Jake?!”

He froze. She’d seen him.

She quickly hid the vape behind her back, standing straighter. “What are you doing here?”

He walked toward her, stunned. “What are you doing?”

Ava’s mouth opened like she had a good excuse waiting—but nothing came out.

“I—” she paused, then sighed and rubbed her forehead. “It’s just once in a while, okay?”

“You vape?” Jake said, voice still filled with disbelief. “Seriously?”

“It’s not a big deal,” she said quickly. “It’s just to relax. It’s not like I’m addicted or anything.”

Jake stared at her. “You told me vaping was gross and stupid. You gave me a whole speech about it.”

“I know,” she snapped, then looked down. “I know, okay? I didn’t think you’d—ugh, I didn’t want you to see this.”