The bell echoed through the hallways of Abigail Adams High School, signaling the start of another day. Camille walked into Cory's classroom with Riley, feeling lighter than she had in weeks. Things with Josh had been amazing lately, and for the first time, she felt like her life was beginning to find its balance.

The gang was already there-Farkle scribbling equations in his notebook, Zay leaning back in his chair while cracking jokes, and Lucas chatting with Maya by the windows. Camille smiled and waved at everyone as she took her seat near Riley, her gaze briefly meeting Josh's as he leaned against Cory's desk. He shot her a subtle grin, and her stomach fluttered.

Riley nudged her playfully. "You're staring again."

"I'm not staring," Camille said, trying-and failing-to sound nonchalant.

"You're practically writing him a love letter with your eyes," Riley teased, giggling.

Camille laughed, feeling a warm blush creep up her cheeks. "Fine, maybe a little."

Cory walked in, clapping his hands to get everyone's attention. "Alright, scholars, let's settle down. Today's lesson is about communication-the key to every successful relationship. Whether it's with friends, family, or..." He paused dramatically, "...something more." His eyes flicked to Josh and Camille for a fraction of a second, earning a collective groan from the class.

"Subtle, Dad," Riley muttered under her breath.

The class moved into group discussions about the importance of honest communication, and Camille found herself paired with Maya, Lucas, and Zay. At first, everything seemed normal-Maya was her usual snarky self, cracking jokes and tossing playful insults at Lucas. But as the conversation went on, Camille couldn't help but notice Maya's mood shift.

It started with little things-Maya glancing at Josh every so often, her expression unreadable. Then, as the group broke off into smaller pairs to complete the worksheet, Maya became unusually quiet.

"Hey," Camille said softly, leaning closer to Maya. "You okay? You've been kind of... off today."

Maya shrugged, her gaze fixed on the paper in front of her. "I'm fine."

Camille frowned, not convinced. "Maya, come on. What's going on?"

Maya hesitated, then sighed. "It's nothing. Just... old stuff. Forget it."

Before Camille could press further, Josh walked over to their group, pulling up a chair beside Camille. "How's it going over here?" he asked, his tone light.

Camille smiled, but she couldn't help but notice the way Maya stiffened slightly. "We're good," Camille replied. "Maya's just being all mysterious, as usual."

Maya's lips twitched into a forced smile. "What can I say? I like keeping people guessing."

Josh chuckled, completely missing the tension. "Sounds like you."

As the class continued, Camille couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was wrong. Maya's mood was off, and every time Josh spoke or laughed, Camille caught Maya glancing at him with an expression she couldn't quite read.

By the time the bell rang, signaling the end of class, Camille had had enough. As the others packed up their things and started to leave, she pulled Maya aside.

"Okay, spill," Camille said firmly. "What's going on with you? And don't say 'nothing' this time."

Maya crossed her arms, avoiding Camille's gaze. "Why do you care?"

"Because you're my friend," Camille said, her voice softening. "And you've been acting weird all day. Is it... is it something I did?"

Maya finally looked at her, and for a moment, Camille thought she saw a flicker of guilt in her friend's eyes. Then Maya sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"It's not you," Maya said quietly. "It's... Josh."

Camille's heart sank. "What about Josh?"

Maya hesitated, her guard slipping for just a moment. "I thought I was over it, okay? Over him. But seeing you two together... it brought everything back."

Camille stared at her, stunned. She had known about Maya's old crush on Josh-everyone did-but she thought it was in the past. Maya had seemed so carefree about it, even joking about how ridiculous it had been.

"I didn't mean for it to happen," Maya continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm happy for you, Camille. Really, I am. But sometimes... sometimes it just hurts."

Camille didn't know what to say. She felt torn-guilty for being with Josh when she knew how much Maya had cared about him, but also defensive of her relationship. Josh had chosen her, and she loved him. She didn't want to feel like she had to apologize for that.

"Maya..." Camille began, but Maya held up a hand.

"Don't," Maya said, her tone firm but not unkind. "I'm not trying to ruin things for you. I just... I needed to say it. To get it off my chest."

Camille nodded slowly, her emotions swirling. "I'm glad you told me. I just... I don't want this to come between us."

"It won't," Maya said, though her voice wavered slightly. "It's my problem, not yours. I'll deal with it."

Before Camille could respond, Maya turned and walked away, leaving Camille standing alone in the now-empty classroom, her thoughts racing.

---

That evening, Camille sat on her bed, replaying the conversation in her mind. She felt conflicted-grateful that Maya had been honest with her, but also unsure of how to move forward. Could their friendship survive this?

When Josh called later that night, Camille hesitated before answering. She didn't want to bring it up, didn't want to put him in an awkward position. But as they talked, laughing about their day, she realized something: no matter what challenges came their way, she and Josh would face them together.

And as for Maya? Camille knew it would take time, but she was determined to find a way to make things right. Because no matter how complicated things got, their friendship was worth fighting for.