Nobody likes Mondays.
Except me of course. On Mondays I feel refreshed and full of power and energy.
Clearly ready to kick the world's ass with my awesomeness.
On Mondays I get extra points on my energy and of course --my drip.
I practically glow--well when the sun falls on my caramel skin of course.
Golden hour. Baddie mode unlocked.
The only day of the week I wake up as early as Ava.
I got myself ready for school and for some reason I decided to check what was going on--online.
I checked my phone and almost had a headache from the numerous texts exploding from the group chat and the main school page.
I'm sure seventy percent of my phone memory was immediately lost from the annoyingly excessive messages.
--oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh
--its him, it's really him
--yall tripping, he can't be that fine
--Hunter Kim is coming to our school Ahhhhhhh
Who the fuck is Hunter Kim? What planet is he from for even Adelle the school bitch--uhm I mean the head girl-- to have a meltdown over.
My fingers instantly flew over the screen ready to express my "subtle" (not really) thoughts on who this Hunter Kim person was.
I typed about half a page worth of words made of of 99% you fucking idiots and 1% who is he.
And immediately I was about to hit the send button, my phone buzzed and lit up almost blinding me in the process. Ivy's contact info was displayed on my screen.
"Girl, did you hear?" She said all excited and whipped.
"Who the hell is Hunter Kim and why is everyone trippin on his arrival to Astor heights. Did he crawl out of some fantasy novel or some shit. Cuz there's no way Bitch queen(Adelle), is actually whipped for him".
"Okay? T.M.I--But brace yourself babe, cuz I am about to blow your mind".
I rolled my eyes as if she could see me
"Talk to me"
"Well Hunter Kim is the leader of the most popular Asian American YouTube coding and content squad.
Ctrl+FINE!".
I paused for a second.
"What the fuck is that? Not exactly subtle huh".
Ivy gasped in pure horror. "You don't know Ctrl+FINE? Why are we friends?
Fine fine whatever, do you know Mirai Kim. The supermodel?".
"Yeah I know her, she's a baddie and them hips don't lie".
"Yeah well the hips that ain't lying are the same hips that brought Hunter into this world".
"Shut up"-- my eyes widened.
"Yes girl I knowwwww"
"No literally Ivy shut up, what did I tell you about lying?"
"Girl I'm not lying, im sitting and also just cuz talking over the phone ain't enough, I'm coming to pick you up so we go to school together".
The phone beeps and I stare at the screen.
Beep beep.
I heard a car horn and my eyes widened.
That was fast
Ain't no way that's Ivy right? I immediately grabbed my bag, flew down the stairs and flung the door open.
There she was in her baby pink Porsche macan waving her long pedicured nails through the window yelling.
"EM GET IN NOW, I'VE GOT WAY MORE TEA".
"How did you get here so fast? I rushed down the driveway, threw my bag in the back and sat by her"--then we rode off into the sunrise.
"I still can't believe you don't know Ctrl+FINE". Ivy looked at me ignoring the clear road.
I looked at her skeptically.
"You were kidding when you said Mirai Kim's son is joining our school right?"
"Nope I was very clear and didn't lie about it at all. He's probably on his way right now. I saw some girls posting videos about it on insta".
"Astor heights bitches are so extra. Besides he can't even be that fine".
Ivy slapped her phone to my face and I had instant whiplash.
My soul almost escaped but I grabbed it midair and dragged it back into my body. Oh my goodness, he was so good-looking it hurt. It had to be a crime to have such a lethal face card. Right?
I cleared my throat so I wouldn't squeal when I said.
"Damn who's this A.I guy?. Bro is clearly not real, I mean look how beautiful he is".
I zoomed in scanning this beautiful creature. He had smooth silver hair(obviously dyed), stood at six foot four( it was stated) and that face.
Mmmmm--that face. It looked like it'd been carved by angels. He had beautiful hazel eyes, and his lips were so pink you'd think he was wearing makeup.
As if his natural charm wasn't enough he had a stunning tattoo of butterflies on the left side of his neck and a beautiful silver earring on his right ear.
This guy was beyond beautiful but what's the big deal. The only reason why he's so beautiful is because his mom's genes are working over time
He didn't earn those looks, he was just born with them.
Lucky. He clearly won the DNA lottery.
That should be considered cheating, I'm so unimpressed right now.
Reality drove me out of my daze when Ivy's voice cut through.
"Told you"--Ivy pulled her phone away moving her eyes to the road.
'Told me what? This is clearly not a real person"
I refuse to accept that guys like this actually exist.
She groaned noisily
"Just accept it. That's Hunter kim for you, he has that effect on everybody.
And what makes him beyond hot is his Nyx".
"His Nyx? Did he get himself cursed or something , what's a Nyx?"
I squinted my eyes trying to recall if I'd ever heard that word before.
The car stopped and we were right Infront of Astor heights.
I was so shocked, did we just teleport to school. I mean its not like I live that far from school but this was a little concerning.
"Ivy, how'd we get here so fast?"
Ivy smirked and stepped out of the car.
"I took a shortcut".
I grabbed my bag from the back and stepped out walking behind her suspiciously then she suddenly turned around.
I almost died from how abrupt that was.
"Frappuccino boom blast?".She smiled excited for some reason.
"Yeah sure, wait you're being really sus today–What is it? Go on tell me".
"It's 14th April"
"So?"
Ivy looked offended.
"I thought Ranger was your bestie, it's our anniversary week you terrible person".
I groaned
"Anniversary week? Ivy your anniversary is on the 21st.
So what good will it do me to remember it now, on the 14th?"
Ivy frowned and stormed off in the direction of the juice bar.
"Don't follow me, just stay right there and crush some ant's dreams". She said aloud clearly offended by my very reasonable statement.
I sighed and walked towards the outdoor basketball court hoping to find Ranger.
Maybe this year they're anniversary week long themed party will not require my presence if I convinced him hard enough.
I was ready to grovel at his feet just for this.
Last year was the worst, they had a different theme for everyday and I was forced to be part of it.
From super heroes, to ballroom to scifi--you name it.
And on the actual day if the anniversary it was a wedding.
I know right, what the hell. At this rate they should just get married.
I remember it like it was yesterday—mainly because that was the day I broke my heel.
Not like I was doing any good walking in them anyway.
The dress code was "modern formal," and Ivy refused to let me wear anything remotely resembling my aesthetic. No suit. No sleek black dress. No cool, edgy I'm aura farming fits.
No.
Instead, I was squeezed into a baby pink, ruffly dress covered in butterflies, stars, and sparkles, with a giant silk bow slapped on the back.
It reeked of cuteness.
Like a unicorn threw up on it… and then handed it to the purest maiden on Earth.
Which, for the record, is not Ivy–but I guess she's close enough.
By like… six billion miles.
The wedding—I mean, anniversary—was held at a real castle.
Like, historically accurate, stone walls, giant chandeliers, horse-drawn-carriages type castle.
All for a high school couple that's been together for three years.
Barely.
It wasn't so surprising, afterall they're the entire school's OTP
I was just about to give up on finding Ranger when I heard it.
A deep engine rumble. Loud. Powerful. Disrespectfully hot.
A motorcycle.
And then came the screams.
Correction—the unhinged cheerleader-level shrieks of girls who had clearly lost all grip on reality.
I turned around, eyes squinting in judgment, ready to roast every single one of them," but before the words could even leave my mouth, I heard Ace(the basketball captain's voice).
Emily look out.
BAM.
A basketball smacked me square in the face.
Like full impact.
I'm sure my face got rearranged because it hurt like hell.
I gasped, stumbled backward, and gravity said, "Come forth my child".
I was on a one way trip to a date with the schools hard unforgiving pavement.
I was falling.
But before I could make out with my hot date, a leather-clad blur jumped off the bike, crossed what felt like ten feet in two seconds, and caught me.
I was dipped.
What in the cliché?
Who was this person interrupting my "fall-into-love".
I blinked up and my own dumb reflection stared back at me.
He wore a dark helmet and for more than five seconds we stayed in that position.
Five
Whole
Seconds
I don't know about him but i was clearly mesmerized– by how shiny his helmet was.
Like damn, did he spend all morning polishing it.
Helmet Guy said nothing.
Just stood there, holding me like I was some damsel in distress from a Disney movie. All stoic. All silent. All… annoyingly cinematic.
I almost choked on how cliché it was.
I pushed at his chest. "Put me down, Ghost Rider."
He gently set me on my feet and still didn't speak. Just tilted his helmet slightly, like he was analyzing me–or judging my posture. Honestly, what the hell.
"I refuse to be part of some cliché teen drama," I declared, took two steps into the lawn and dramatically collapsed onto the grass.
"This is my home now, i live here"
I mean what were you expecting me to do. It's not like I wasn't grateful to him for breaking my fall.
But he dipped me.
Like my life wasn't dramatic enough, mother nature decided to sell me to a teen drama series.
The cliché kind too.
This was like a mystery prince on his noble stead.
In the modern world.
I lay in the lawn inhaling grass when someone lifted me and thew me over their shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"Hey,what the hel–"
Ranger instantly cut me off
–Em, geez that was so crazy and embarrassing for me".
"For you? You're not the one who got dipped by ghost rider over there".
"Yeah well did you notice that the noisy girls were there recording everything. How do you think I found you?"
My face fell.
What have I done? Did I just sell myself to social suicide?.
I lifted my head from Ranger's shoulder, groaning like the emotionally exhausted lawn potato I was. We were about twenty steps away from Ghost Rider and his fan club of screaming sirens when it happened.
He pulled off his helmet.
And holy celestial speakers—it was Hunter Kim, the guy who's photos I saw this morning.
The Hunter Kim who stole his mom's genes, walking around like a full on Photoshop. But better.
His silver hair caught the sunlight like it had a deal with the rays, and his face—his face—looked like it belonged in a museum called Perfection Is Real And You're Ugly. The photos did not do him justice. Not even close.
Everything slowed down. People screamed. I forgot my name. My soul floated six inches above my body.
That's when Ranger whispered, "Close your mouth, Em. You're drooling."
I blinked. "What? Can't I appreciate the view? "
He smirked mischievously and deadpanned. "Not if the view is my brother."
"Wait what?"
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