The next morning, Mia woke up to seventeen notifications. Which was unusual. Very unusual. She frowned and grabbed her phone from her bedside table. Most of the notifications were from Sophie. Which immediately explained everything. Mia opened the chat.
Sophie: GOOD MORNING.
Sophie: WAKE UP.
Sophie: I HAVE QUESTIONS.
Sophie: WHY IS THERE A PHOTO?
Mia blinked.
"What photo?"
Then she remembered. The sunset picture. The one she'd posted the night before. It wasn't even that obvious. It was just a picture of the pond from their date. Except if people looked carefully... There was a reflection. And in that reflection were two very recognizable people. Mia immediately buried her face in her pillow.
"Oh no."
A few seconds later, her phone started ringing. She looked at the screen and immediately smiled.
Aiden.
She answered.
"Good morning."
"You're trending."
Mia laughed.
"What?"
"The school found the picture."
"Oh."
"Oh?"
"Is that bad?"
Aiden sighed dramatically.
"Mia."
"Yes?"
"Half the school is analyzing reflections."
Mia immediately started laughing.
"You're joking."
"I wish I was."
She could hear the smile in his voice.
"Good morning to you too."
"Good morning."
"Did you sleep?"
"Barely."
"Why?"
"Because Noah sent me twenty-three messages."
Mia laughed harder.
"Twenty-three?"
"Twenty-three."
"What did they say?"
"Mostly nonsense."
"Helpful."
"Very."
By the time they arrived at school, the rumors had somehow gotten worse. Students kept glancing at their phones. Others whispered whenever Aiden and Mia walked past. Aiden spotted Noah waiting near the entrance. Unfortunately.
"THE PHOTO."
Aiden groaned.
"Good morning, Noah."
"THE PHOTO."
"Good morning, Noah."
"THE PHOTO."
Mia nearly doubled over laughing.
Noah pointed dramatically.
"You posted relationship evidence."
"It was a sunset."
"It was a sunset with romance."
"What does that even mean?"
"I don't know."
"At least you're honest."
Inside the classroom, things somehow became worse. Sophie was already waiting for Mia.
"There she is."
Mia narrowed her eyes.
"What did you do?"
"What makes you think I did something?"
"Your face."
"Fair."
Sophie immediately shoved her phone forward. It was the picture. Zoomed in. Extremely zoomed in. Painfully zoomed in. The reflection was visible.
"Oh my God."
"I know."
"Why would you zoom in that much?"
"I was curious."
"That's terrifying."
Meanwhile, Aiden was suffering his own problems. Noah had apparently shown the picture to half their friend group. By lunchtime, multiple students had started making jokes whenever Aiden walked by. He finally escaped to the cafeteria and sat down across from Mia.
"Your picture ruined my life."
"My picture was innocent."
"It absolutely wasn't."
"It was literally a sunset."
"There was a reflection."
"You noticed the reflection."
"That's not the point."
"It kind of is."
Aiden laughed.
"I can't argue with that."
"You never can."
"That's not true."
"It is."
"Okay, maybe sometimes."
"Most times."
Before Aiden could defend himself, Noah and Sophie appeared.
Again.
Like they had some supernatural ability to locate them.
"You two need hobbies."
"We have hobbies."
"No, you don't."
"We absolutely do."
Aiden pointed at them.
"Our relationship is not a hobby."
Noah and Sophie exchanged a glance.
Neither looked convinced.
The rest of lunch was spent arguing about that exact statement.
Nobody won.
Especially Aiden.
After school, things finally calmed down. Students headed home. Teachers disappeared into staff rooms. The hallways grew quieter. For the first time all day, Aiden and Mia found themselves walking toward the school gates together. The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the pavement, and for once, nobody was bothering them.
"Your picture caused problems."
"My picture was beautiful."
"That's not the issue."
"It sounds like the issue."
Aiden laughed.
"You know what I mean."
"I do."
For a few moments, they continued walking side by side.
"You know," Mia said, "I think Noah and Sophie are enjoying this more than we are."
"That's impossible."
"True."
"They act like this is their relationship."
"They kind of do."
Aiden shook his head.
"I'm never forgiving them for locking us in that gym."
"Really?"
"Okay, maybe a little."
Mia smiled.
"A little?"
"A very little."
She laughed.
Then nudged his shoulder.
"You were smiling."
"What?"
"You smile a lot more now."
"There it is again."
"What?"
"You keep saying that."
"Because it's true."
Aiden pretended to think about it.
"Maybe you're the reason."
Mia immediately looked away.
Trying (and failing) to hide her smile.
Aiden noticed.
Immediately.
"You're smiling."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Absolutely."
Mia laughed.
Then shook her head.
"Can I ask you something?"
"You can ask me anything."
The answer came so naturally that Aiden froze for a second. Mia immediately noticed.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"That's suspicious."
"A little."
She rolled her eyes.
"You were going to ask me something."
"Right."
Aiden smiled.
"Second date this weekend?"
Mia's smile appeared instantly.
The kind that always made his brain stop functioning.
"Are you asking me out again?"
"Maybe."
"You realize I'm already your girlfriend."
"I know."
"So technically you've already succeeded."
"Good point."
Mia laughed.
Then slipped her hand into his.
Aiden immediately forgot what he was going to say next.
Again.
It was becoming a serious problem.
"I'd love a second date."
Aiden smiled.
"Good."
"Good."
"There it is again."
"What?"
"Our word."
Mia laughed.
And together they continued walking home, talking about where they should go this weekend, completely unaware that Noah and Sophie were watching from across the street.
"They're holding hands."
"They are."
"This is disgusting."
"It's adorable."
"It's both."
For once, Noah and Sophie completely agreed.