Sophia Laforteza didn’t need to walk down the hallway to make people stare—they already were. Every step she took was accompanied by whispers and turned heads. With her sleek black hair, porcelain skin, and sharp, confident smile, she was the kind of girl everyone knew not to cross. Captain of the cheer squad, daughter of a business tycoon, and the undisputed queen of Ridgeview High.

Her boyfriend, Tyler Hayes—the star quarterback—was her equal in status and ego. Together, they ruled the school like it was built for them.

That Friday afternoon, practice had just ended, and Sophia sat on the bleachers, sipping from a pink tumbler while Tyler spun his football in one hand. He had that mischievous look again—the one that always meant trouble.

“I’ve got a challenge for you,” he said.

Sophia glanced at him over her lashes. “I don’t do challenges. I set them.”

He grinned. “Yeah, but this one’s fun. You know that nerd girl? The one who always eats alone, looks like she’s allergic to sunlight?”

Sophia smirked faintly. “Unfortunately, yes.”

“Bet you can’t make her fall for you,” he said. “You know, pretend you’re into her. Just for laughs.”

Sophia’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You want me to seduce her? For a bet?”

Tyler shrugged, still grinning. “Come on, babe. You could get anyone to like you. You’re Sophia Laforteza. It’ll be hilarious.”

Two of her squadmates, still gathering their things nearby, overheard and started laughing. “Oh my god, that would be iconic,” one of them said. “Can you imagine her actually thinking Sophia likes her?” “She’d probably faint,” the other giggled.

Sophia’s lips curved into a slow, confident smile. She stood up, brushing imaginary dust from her cheer skirt, and looked at Tyler with that practiced, perfect poise that made people nervous.

“You think I can’t?” she asked coolly.

Tyler chuckled. “Prove me wrong.”

She picked up her phone, checked her reflection in the black screen, and slid it into her pocket. “Fine,” she said simply, turning away with that effortless grace that made even silence feel expensive. “Watch me.”