The shrill sound of a whistle sliced through my sleep like a knife.
I groaned and rolled over on my bed, my body heavy and unwilling to cooperate. My eyelids fluttered open slowly as I let out a lazy yawn, still half-lost in dreams. Reaching for my phone, I squinted at the screen—and instantly, sleep abandoned me.
5:00 AM. On the dot.
My eyes widened as my heart skipped. Before I could fully process it, hurried footsteps echoed from downstairs. Doors creaked open, murmurs filled the hallway, and the sound of rushing students told me exactly what was happening.
"Coach Donald on it again," Chloe muttered beside me, stretching with a tired groan.
"What's going on?" I asked, my voice thick with sleep as I pushed myself upright.
"Saturday morning workout," she replied flatly, already heading toward the bathroom like she'd accepted her fate.
"Fuck it. I hate workouts," I growled, flopping back onto the bed for a second before forcing myself up.
"You better start getting prepared," Ivy said, stepping out of the bathroom with a towel draped over her shoulder. "Coach Donald doesn't take excuses."
Jasmine and I dragged ourselves into the bathroom next. The cold water jolted my senses as we rushed through everything—brushing, washing, tying our hair—our movements sharp and irritated. Minutes later, we slipped into our jerseys and sneakers. We packed our hair into neat ponytails and pulled on our matching headbands, the bold words MEAN GIRLS staring back at us in the mirror.
If we were being dragged into misery, we were doing it together.
Downstairs, students were already gathered in uneven lines, faces tired and bodies tense. The early morning air felt heavy, filled with dread and resentment. Just as we moved to join the queue, a sharp voice stopped us in our tracks.
"Not so fast."
Coach Donald's eyes locked onto us. His stare was hard and unforgiving, crawling over my skin like he was searching for a reason to explode.
"What were you girls doing upstairs?" he demanded.
We stayed silent, pretending not to hear him. My jaw tightened as I stared straight ahead.
"Have you girls suddenly gone deaf?!" he snapped.
I rolled my eyes before I could stop myself.
"You!" He pointed directly at me. "Stand here. I can tell you're the rude one among them."
Heat rushed to my face, but I stepped forward anyway, lifting my chin. If he wanted rude, I could give him rude.
"Not like we did something bad," I muttered.
He turned sharply. "Still talking? After coming late?"
Something inside me snapped.
"Honestly, you don't expect teenage girls like us to wake up by 5 AM and still meet you downstairs exactly by 5 AM," I said firmly.
"This isn't a military school."
A few students slowed their steps, clearly listening.
"Bold of you to question my authority," he said coldly.
He turned to the rest of the students and ordered them to start jogging, appointing Aiden and Jason as leaders. Aiden moved confidently to the front, while Jason glanced back briefly—his eyes meeting mine for a second longer than necessary.
Then the coach faced me again.
"Detention."
The word hit the air like a slap.
"No," I said immediately.
Gasps rippled through the group. My friends stiffened beside me.
The coach ordered them to leave, but they refused without hesitation, standing closer to me like a shield. My chest tightened at the sight.
"You'll all be reported to the principal on Monday," he warned before storming off to join the joggers.
Back in our hostel room, we collapsed onto our beds, exhaustion and adrenaline finally catching up.
"I'm really glad we became friends with you, Kal," Ivy said softly, staring at the ceiling.
"For real," Chloe added, smirking. "Is your guts transferable?"
"At least we're not out there dying for fitness," Jasmine said.
We laughed—real laughter, the kind that eased the tension in my chest.
I stood before the mirror, studying my reflection. My posture was relaxed, confident.
"For real though," I said casually, hands on my hips. "The girl is well-built. What exactly am I exercising for?"
"But Monday worries me," Ivy sighed. "The principal's office?"
I smiled calmly. "Relax. It's not a big deal."
"You say that like he's your sugar daddy," Ivy teased.
"Oh please," I scoffed. "He's just my uncle."
She raised an eyebrow. "You sound way too comfortable for just an uncle."
Monday arrived faster than I wanted.
We entered the principal's office wearing innocent expressions, like we had no idea why we were there. The coach sat stiffly beside the desk, his jaw clenched.
The principal's disappointment was obvious when he saw me.
"Miss Kaliyah," he said. "On a Monday morning?"
I looked away unapologetically.
"Sir, I honestly don't think we did anything wrong," I said.
"Explain."
"Our only offense was being ten minutes late. That shouldn't be a crime."
"I support Kal," Chloe added boldly. "Expecting teenage girls to meet you by 5 AM sharp is unreasonable."
"That's sheer wickedness," I added, earning another deadly glare from the coach.
The principal studied us. "Why couldn't you meet him by 5 AM?"
"Sir," I said calmly, "we're girls. Personal hygiene matters. Unlike boys who don't care much about how they smell."
The corner of his mouth twitched as he tried not to laugh.
"I understand," he said. "But disobedience isn't acceptable."
"With respect, sir, refusing to be bullied isn't disobedience," I replied confidently.
"Bully?" he echoed.
"The coach tried to punish me for speaking up," I said. "Maybe my boldness intimidated him."
The coach flared up, but the principal silenced him with a raised hand.
"That's enough. Girls, return to class."
Relief washed over me.
After our last class for the day, students began heading back to their respective hostel rooms. Chairs scraped against the floor, laughter filled the air, and exhaustion clung to everyone like a shadow.
That was when the J-BOYS sauntered toward our desk.
Jason didn't even ask before sitting on my desk, his presence instantly commanding attention. I could feel eyes on us, curious and nosy. He leaned slightly forward, resting his hands beside my books, his gaze steady on my face.
"Your boldness makes me fall deeply in love with you," Jason said, unapologetic and calm.
"I can't go a day without having you on my mind."
My heart skipped, betraying me. I forced myself not to react too much.
"Thank you," I replied politely, even though my fingers tightened around my pen.
"These are my best buddies—Jaden and Jake," he added, pointing at the two guys standing behind him.
They smiled at me, clearly enjoying the moment.
"If you're here for your jacket, just know I didn't come to school with it," I said, crossing my arms lightly.
Jason stared at me for a moment, then smiled—slow and confident.
"Kal," he said, his tone suddenly serious, "I want to officially ask you out."
The chatter around us faded into background noise.
"If you decide to turn me down in front of my friends, I promise to back off completely," he continued.
"And I don't mind if you keep my jacket after that. Besides," he added with a small shrug, "it's officially yours now."
My heartbeat grew louder in my ears. I swallowed.
I wasn't sure if I wanted to date him. I wasn't sure if I was ready. But one thing was painfully clear—I had already fallen for him, whether I liked it or not.
"So, Kaliyah," he said, holding my gaze, "will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?"
I bit my lower lip and turned to my friends. They didn't say anything—just smiled at me, warm and reassuring. I looked down at my fingers, my mind screaming at me to say no.
Then Crystal crossed my thoughts.
I lifted my head and met Jason's eyes.
"Yes."
My friends jumped up in excitement, their cheers drawing even more attention. Jason's face broke into a wide smile as he stood and pulled me into a warm hug. I relaxed against him without meaning to.
Then he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on my lips.
It was brief—but it lingered.
And I hated how much I wanted more.