The next day dawned bright and early, the kind of day that practically hums with possibility. The group had decided to meet up at their usual spot in the courtyard before classes started, the cool morning air refreshing as it rustled through the trees.

Briar was the first to arrive, a rare occurrence, and she took a moment to appreciate the quiet. She leaned against the railing, inhaling deeply as she let the tranquility wash over her. The hustle and bustle of school would begin soon enough, and she wanted to enjoy the peace while it lasted.

But the peace didn't last long. Austin, as if on cue, appeared from around the corner, sliding up to the railings beside her with that easy grin of his. He leaned on the rail, facing away from her but still close enough that their arms almost touched.

"Morning, princess," he said casually, his voice warm and slightly teasing. "You're here early. Didn't expect that."

Briar rolled her eyes, but there was a small smile on her lips. "What can I say? I like to keep you on your toes."

Austin chuckled, turning to face her fully now. "You certainly do that." There was a pause, a comfortable silence stretching between them as they both took in the morning.

But of course, Austin couldn't resist breaking it. "You know," he started, his tone playful, "I've been thinking. Since we're officially 'boyfriend and girlfriend' now, maybe we should make it more... public?"

Briar raised an eyebrow, intrigued but wary. "And what exactly do you mean by 'public'?"

"Oh, you know," Austin said, trying to appear nonchalant but failing miserably. "Maybe hold hands in the hallway, sit together in class, that kind of thing. You know, just to really make Madison jealous."

Briar smirked, catching onto his game. "So, this is all about making Madison jealous, huh? Nothing to do with the fact that you might actually like spending time with me?"

Austin feigned shock, placing a hand over his heart. "Me? Liking you? Perish the thought."

Briar couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head at him. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"I've been told once or twice," Austin admitted, his grin widening. "But seriously, Briar. We don't have to hide. I don't care what Madison thinks, or what anyone else thinks for that matter."

Briar's smile softened, the playful banter fading as she looked at him. There was something in his eyes, something genuine that made her heart skip a beat. "I know, Austin. But... it's just complicated. She's not exactly the kind of girl to take things lying down."

Austin's expression grew serious as well, the teasing gone as he stepped closer, their shoulders brushing. "I get that, Briar. But I don't want to hide how I feel about you. Not anymore."

Briar felt her breath catch in her throat. The way he was looking at her, the way his voice had dropped to that low, sincere tone—she knew he was being serious. And that scared her a little, even though she didn't want to admit it.

Before she could respond, their moment was interrupted by the sound of their friends' laughter, approaching rapidly from across the courtyard. They turned just in time to see Evie, Grace, Jonathan, Sam, Jax, and Kaya coming toward them, all of them clearly up to something.

"Well, look who's having a cozy little chat," Evie teased, wiggling her eyebrows as she approached. "Are we interrupting something?"

"Yeah," Kaya added with a smirk, "you two looked pretty intense over here. Should we give you some privacy?"

Austin sighed dramatically, rolling his eyes at his friends' antics. "You guys are the worst. Can't a guy have a moment with his girlfriend without being hounded?"

Briar blushed at the word "girlfriend," but she tried to play it off. "Oh, please. We were just talking. You all need to get your minds out of the gutter."

Jonathan chuckled, clearly enjoying the teasing. "Sure, just talking. And I'm the Queen of England."

Grace, however, had a more pressing question. "So, Briar, what's the plan with Madison? You know she's probably going to try something soon, right?"

Briar nodded, her playful mood fading slightly as she remembered the situation with Madison. "Yeah, I've been thinking about that. She's not going to make this easy."

"That's why we're here," Jonathan said, his tone more serious now. "We'll help you guys deal with her. Whatever it takes."

Austin nodded, his jaw tightening as he thought about Madison's likely reaction. "We're not going to let her mess with us anymore. If she wants to play games, we can play too."

Sam, always the one to lighten the mood, grinned and waggled his eyebrows. "And hey, if it gets too bad, we can always stage that fake proposal I suggested. That'll really throw her off."

Grace groaned, smacking Sam lightly on the arm. "We're not doing that, Sam. You need to let it go."

"Yeah, yeah," Sam muttered, still grinning. "But I'm just saying, it would be epic."

Evie shook her head, but there was affection in her eyes as she looked at Sam. "You're something else, Sam. But let's focus on keeping Madison off their backs, okay?"

The group nodded in agreement, forming a sort of protective circle around Briar and Austin. The morning sun was fully up now, casting long shadows as they made their way toward the school building, ready to face whatever the day would bring.

As they walked, Briar felt a strange mix of emotions—nervousness, excitement, and a bit of dread. But most of all, she felt a sense of solidarity. No matter what Madison tried, she had her friends by her side. And maybe, just maybe, that was enough to get through whatever challenges lay ahead.

As they approached the entrance, Austin caught her eye, giving her a small, reassuring smile. It was a smile that said, "We've got this." And despite everything, Briar found herself believing him.

For the first time in a long while, she felt like maybe everything was going to be okay. And as they stepped into the school together, she knew she wasn't alone. Not anymore.

As the group entered the school, the air seemed to hum with a mixture of anticipation and mischief. They were a tight-knit team, ready to face whatever chaos Madison might throw their way. But little did they know, the chaos would come from an entirely different source.
The first bell rang, signaling the start of the school day. 

Students hustled through the halls, heading to their respective classes. Briar and Austin exchanged a quick glance, a silent agreement to meet up at lunch, before parting ways. Briar headed toward her homeroom with Evie and Grace, while Austin and the boys walked off in the opposite direction.

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As the girls rounded a corner, they nearly collided with Mr. Thompson, the school's somewhat eccentric chemistry teacher. He was juggling a precarious stack of papers, which promptly went flying in all directions when the girls startled him.

"Oh dear, oh dear!" Mr. Thompson exclaimed, flailing as he tried to catch the fluttering pages.

"We're so sorry, Mr. Thompson!" Briar apologized, quickly bending down to help him gather the scattered papers. Evie, Kaya and Grace joined in, suppressing giggles as they picked up the mess.

Mr. Thompson, oblivious to their amusement, gave them a frazzled smile. 

"No harm done, girls. Just a little morning excitement, eh?" As they handed him the last of the papers, Mr. Thompson suddenly straightened up, his eyes widening as if he'd just remembered something important. 

"Oh, but while I've got you here—Briar, right? The principal wants to see you in her office. Urgent matter, she said.

"Briar's heart skipped a beat. "Uh... okay, thanks, Mr. Thompson." She shot a worried glance at her friends, who both gave her sympathetic looks.

"What do you think that's about?" Evie asked as they continued down the hall. "Probably something to do with the whole Madison situation," Grace guessed. "Maybe they've already caught wind of what's going on." Briar groaned. 

"Great. Just what I need—getting called to the principal's office before I've even had breakfast."

"Hey, maybe it's nothing," Evie offered, trying to be optimistic. 

"Maybe she just wants to talk about... I don't know, extracurriculars or something." Briar wasn't convinced, but she forced a smile. "Yeah, maybe." She parted ways with her friends, heading reluctantly toward the principal's office.

As she made her way through the busy halls, her mind raced with possibilities. Had Madison already caused trouble? Had someone seen her and Austin together and reported it? Or was it something completely unrelated? Whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

When she finally reached the office, she took a deep breath and knocked on the door. "Come in," called the voice of Principal Lewis from inside.Briar pushed the door open and stepped into the room, trying to keep her nerves in check. Principal Lewis, a stern but fair woman in her late forties, looked up from her desk with an unreadable expression.

"Briar," she greeted, motioning for her to sit. "Thank you for coming. There's something we need to discuss." Briar nodded, swallowing hard as she took a seat. "What's this about, Principal Lewis?" Principal Lewis leaned back in her chair, folding her hands on her desk. 

"I've been informed that there's been some... tension between you and another student. Madison Lee (p.s. let's pretend this is her last name cuz i forgot, lol.). Is that correct?" Briar's stomach dropped. "Uh, yeah, I guess you could say that."

"Can you tell me what's been going on?" Briar hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. "Well, it's kind of complicated. Madison and I don't really get along, and there's been some drama... but it's not just between us."

Principal Lewis nodded, her gaze sharp. "I see. And does this have anything to do with your relationship with Austin Ramirez?" Briar's heart pounded in her chest. How much did she know? 

"I mean, kind of. Madison and Austin used to date, and now she's... well, she's not too happy that we're together." Principal Lewis sighed, looking almost tired. "I figured as much. Briar, I want to be clear—I'm not here to take sides. But I've seen situations like this escalate quickly, and I want to make sure it doesn't get out of hand." Briar nodded, relieved that the principal wasn't accusing her of anything. 

"I understand. We're trying to keep things as low-key as possible, but Madison... she's not making it easy." Principal Lewis gave a small smile. 

"High school can be a minefield when it comes to relationships. But you seem like a sensible young woman, Briar. Just keep your head down, and try not to let things escalate. If anything serious happens, you come straight to me. Understood?" 

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you," Briar said, genuinely grateful for the advice. Principal Lewis nodded, and with that, the meeting was over. As Briar left the office, she felt a mix of relief and lingering anxiety. 

It could have been worse, she told herself. But it was clear that Madison wasn't going to back down anytime soon.When she rejoined her friends in the hallway, Evie and Grace immediately bombarded her with questions.

"What happened?" Evie asked. "Did you get in trouble?"

"Did she mention Madison?" Grace added. Briar quickly filled them in on the conversation, and the girls exchanged relieved glances.

"That's not so bad," Grace said. "At least she's not coming after you." 

"Yeah," Briar agreed. "But Madison's still out there, and I don't think she's going to let this go. "They walked to their first class together, where they spotted Austin already seated. 

He caught Briar's eye and raised an eyebrow in question. She gave him a reassuring nod, signaling that everything was okay. For now.

Meanwhile, Austin and the boys were at their lockers, having a conversation of their own. Sam, as usual, was the one to stir the pot."So, what's the deal, Austin?" Sam asked, leaning against his locker with a sly grin. 

"You and Briar going to make it official or what?" Austin rolled his eyes. "It's already official, Sam. You guys just can't stop talking about it."

"Yeah, but are you gonna, like, shout it from the rooftops or something?" Jax added, clearly enjoying the banter. Austin chuckled. "I'm not really the rooftop-shouting type."

"Maybe you should be," Jonathan chimed in, ever the instigator. "Madison's going to keep causing trouble until she knows for sure that she's lost.

"Austin sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know, I know. But I don't want to make things worse for Briar. She's already dealing with enough." Sam nudged him with his elbow. 

"That's why you've got us, dude. We'll keep Madison distracted. All you have to do is focus on making Briar happy." Austin smirked. "You make it sound so easy."

"It is easy," Jax said with a grin. "You've just got to keep being your charming self." Austin laughed, shaking his head. 

"You guys are something else." Jonathan, always the planner, leaned in with a conspiratorial look. "So, what's our next move? We still going to run interference on Madison?" Sam grinned mischievously. 

"Oh, absolutely. We've come this far—might as well see it through." Austin raised an eyebrow. "For the plot, right?"

"For the plot," Sam echoed with a wink. The group burst into laughter, the camaraderie between them unmistakable. They might have been up against a formidable opponent in Madison, but together, they felt like they could handle anything.

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Later that day, during lunch, the group gathered in their usual spot in the courtyard. The sun was shining, the air was warm, and everything felt just a little bit lighter. Briar and Austin sat close together, sharing a tray of fries, while the others chatted and joked around them.Evie, always the observant one, noticed Madison lurking nearby with her minions, glaring daggers in their direction. 

"Heads up, guys," she whispered. "The Wicked Witch is watching." Briar sighed, leaning back against the bench. "She's relentless."

"We knew she would be," Grace pointed out. "But that's why we've got a plan." Austin squeezed Briar's hand under the table, offering silent support. "We'll get through this, Briar. I promise." Before Briar could respond, Sam suddenly stood up, drawing everyone's attention. 

"Alright, people, it's time to put Operation Distraction into action!" he announced, causing a few heads to turn their way. Jax grinned, standing up beside him. "Let's do this." The girls giggled, shaking their heads at the boys' antics, but there was a sense of anticipation in the air. 

They all knew the stakes, and they were ready to face whatever came next. As Sam and Jax marched off toward Madison's table, Briar couldn't help but feel a surge of affection for her friends. They might have been a little crazy, but they were her crazy, and she wouldn't trade them for anything. 

"Are they really doing this?" Briar asked, half-amused, half-nervous. Evie nodded, smiling. "Oh, they're doing it. And it's going to be hilarious." Sure enough, as the boys approached Madison, they could see her eyes narrow suspiciously. 

But before she could say a word, Sam launched into an over-the-top monologue about the importance of school spirit, complete with exaggerated gestures and dramatic pauses.

Jax, meanwhile, began performing an impromptu dance routine, spinning and twirling like a professional dancer—albeit one who had never actually danced before in his life.

Madison's minions looked confused, unsure whether to laugh or be offended. Madison herself just stared at them, her expression a mix of disbelief and exasperation.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, her voice laced with irritation.

"Just spreading the love, Madison!" Sam replied cheerfully, throwing an arm around her shoulders. "We're all about unity and positivity over here!"

Jax, still dancing, spun around and nearly collided with one of Madison's friends, who shrieked and jumped out of the way. The scene was pure chaos, and it was clear that Sam and Jax were loving every second of it.

Back at their table, the rest of the group was in stitches, barely able to contain their laughter. Even Briar, who had been so stressed earlier, found herself laughing so hard that tears formed in her eyes.

"I can't believe they're actually pulling this off," she managed to say between giggles.

Austin grinned, clearly proud of his friends. "They've got a talent for making things interesting, that's for sure."

Evie wiped away a tear, still laughing. "This is the best thing I've seen all week."

As the boys continued their antics, the rest of the courtyard began to take notice. Students were pointing, laughing, and recording the spectacle on their phones. Madison, clearly embarrassed by the attention, tried to push Sam away, but he held on tight, refusing to let go.

"Come on, Madison! Smile for the camera!" Sam urged, pointing to one of the students who had their phone out.

Madison, finally losing her patience, shoved Sam away with a scowl. "Get off me, you weirdo!"

Jax, sensing that their time was up, gave one final spin before bowing dramatically. "And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you spread school spirit!"

With that, the boys retreated, leaving Madison fuming and the rest of the courtyard in an uproar of laughter. Sam and Jax returned to their table, both looking incredibly pleased with themselves.

"Well?" Sam asked, raising an eyebrow. "How'd we do?"

"Amazing," Grace said, still giggling. "You guys were amazing."

"Absolutely legendary," Evie agreed, giving them a thumbs-up.

Briar just shook her head, smiling. "You two are ridiculous. But thank you."

"Anything for you, Briar," Jax said with a wink.

As the group settled back into their lunch, the tension that had been lingering all day seemed to dissipate. They were still facing a lot of uncertainty, but in that moment, they were just a bunch of friends, sharing laughs and making memories.

And as the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, Briar couldn't help but feel a little lighter, a little more hopeful. With friends like these, she knew she could handle whatever came next—even if it involved more run-ins with Madison.

𓇼𖦹

announcement !

- hey you guys, i hope you guys understand that i might be posting the chapters a little late due to some school activities and project, I also hope y'all understand that sometimes i'm a little busy like I said due to school things, but don't lose hope on these chapters cause just so you know we are almost at the end of this book. plus look forward to the rest of the parts !

xoxo.