EPISODE 1 – “The First Day”*

*Sandra’s POV*

If someone had told me that one semester could change everything, I would’ve rolled my eyes. But that was before the first day of senior year—before things started to fall apart quietly, and then all at once.

The school hallway smelled like floor polish and overused perfume. Lockers clanged open, sneakers squeaked, and laughter bounced off the walls. My cousin Joan spotted me from across the hallway and waved dramatically like she hadn’t just seen me last week.

“Sandraaa!” she called, rushing toward me, curls bouncing.

I barely had time to blink before she wrapped me in a hug. “You look so different. Is that eyeliner? Are we doing the mysterious transfer student vibe now?”

I laughed. “Calm down, Joan. I just—grew up a little.”

“You glowed up, you mean.” She winked. “Ugh, boys are not ready.”

She looped her arm through mine and started leading me toward her group.

“They better be,” I joked. “I didn’t come back to this school just to be invisible again.”

She grinned. “Don’t worry. I’ve got you.”

We turned the corner—and that’s when I saw him.

Alex.He was leaning against a locker, scrolling through his phone like it was nothing. Just a guy in a hoodie, jeans, and that annoying natural confidence some boys were born with. When he looked up, our eyes met for half a second.

Time did a weird thing.

“Babe!” Joan chirped, letting go of my arm to run up to him.

*Babe?*

I blinked. Wait. That’s Joan’s boyfriend?

Alex wrapped an arm around her waist without missing a beat, leaning down to kiss her cheek. “Missed you,” he said.

“Even after texting me all summer?” Joan teased.

He smirked. “Especially after that.”

I looked away quickly, pretending to adjust the strap of my bag, but something twisted in my stomach. Not jealousy, not really. Just… surprise. Weird surprise. Joan hadn’t mentioned *this* kind of boyfriend. Just a name. Just “Alex.”

And somehow, the name hadn’t prepared me for *him.*

Joan pulled me closer. “Alex, this is my cousin—Sandra. The one I told you about.”

Alex extended a hand, polite smile in place. “Hey. Nice to finally meet you.”

“Same,” I said, taking his hand. His grip was warm and steady. Too steady.

Joan’s phone buzzed, and she gasped dramatically. “Mark just texted—he’s here. I have to go say hi, I’ll be right back!”

She dashed off, leaving me and Alex standing awkwardly.I cleared my throat. “So… you and Joan, huh?”

He chuckled. “Yeah. A little over six months now.”

“That’s... cool. She really likes you.”

“She’s Joan,” he said simply, like that answered everything.

The hallway felt too quiet for a moment. My heart beat a little too fast, and I didn’t know why.

Thankfully, Joan came bouncing back with a tall, broad-shouldered guy beside her. “Sandra, meet Mark! He’s Alex’s best friend. And Adel’s on her way!”

Mark gave me a friendly nod. “Heard you’re the smart one in the family.”

“Oh, she’s more than that,” Joan said proudly, then linked her arm with mine again. “Come on, let’s go claim our table before the art freaks take it.”

As we walked, I glanced back at Alex.

He was already looking.

And in that moment, something shifted.

But I didn’t know what it meant.

Not yet.

---

*EPISODE 2 – “Something About Him”*

*Sandra’s POV*

Lunch was louder than I remembered. The cafeteria buzzed with excitement, trays clattered, and someone’s playlist was playing off-key in the background. But none of it mattered—because I was hyper-aware of one thing.

Alex.

Sitting right across from me.

Joan, naturally, had claimed the center of the table, launching into her usual storytelling—this time about how she accidentally dyed her eyebrows orange over summer break. Mark was cracking up beside her, his deep laugh booming through the air, while Adel had her chin propped on one hand, unimpressed and scrolling through her phone.

And Alex? He was just there.

Leaning back casually, hoodie sleeves pushed up, eyes occasionally flicking to me.

I wasn’t looking at him. *Not directly*, anyway.

Okay, maybe once. Maybe twice.

“You’re quiet,” Adel said suddenly, peering at me over her phone. “Jet lag from the two-hour flight?”

I laughed. “No, just adjusting.”

“She’s fine,” Joan answered for me, nudging my shoulder. “She just needs time to warm up.”

“I’m warm,” I replied quickly—too quickly.

Alex smirked. He *definitely* heard that.

I sipped my juice to hide the heat creeping up my neck.The conversation drifted to classes, prom rumors, and which teacher was most likely to break down before finals. Everyone had opinions. But mine? I was just busy trying to figure out what exactly was going on inside me.

Because every time Alex laughed, my chest did a stupid fluttery thing.

Because every time he looked my way, my stomach flipped.

Because, according to Joan, he was her boyfriend.

And that fact? It made this whole thing feel… wrong.

“You’re in the science department, right?” Alex asked suddenly, pulling me out of my spiraling thoughts.

“Yeah,” I replied, blinking. “Why?”

“I saw your name on the Physics project list. We’re in the same group.”

Great. Just great.

“Oh,” I said. “Cool.”

Joan clapped excitedly. “Ooooh! Group partners! Now you’ll finally see how annoyingly smart she is. I swear she finished a whole semester’s worth of work before we even unpacked her bags.”

“Impressive,” Alex said, his gaze never leaving mine.

Joan laughed, reaching for his drink like she owned it—and well, technically, she did. “Please. She’s been a nerd since birth.”

Mark leaned toward Adel. “I give it two weeks before she starts correcting the teachers.”

“Two days,” Adel muttered without looking up.

Everyone laughed, and I did too. But it felt delayed, forced.Because I couldn’t stop noticing things I shouldn’t.

Like how Alex looked better when he laughed.

Like how Joan leaned into him, claiming him—subtly, but firmly.

Like how I didn’t want to feel what I was feeling.

When the bell rang, Joan groaned dramatically. “Ugh. Art. I didn’t even bring my sketchpad.”

She kissed Alex on the cheek. “See you after class?”

He nodded, and she left with Adel, tossing a wink at me as she passed.

Mark followed with a lazy salute. “Try not to break the science lab on your first day.”

That left just me and Alex at the table.

“Ready to survive Physics?” he asked.

“I was born ready.”

He grinned. “Good. You’ll carry the team.”

We walked toward class together, and I hated how easy it felt. How natural. Like we’d done this a thousand times.

As we reached the door, he leaned in slightly and said, “By the way… I like the eyeliner.”

My heart skipped a full beat.

I opened my mouth to reply, but the teacher walked in, barking instructions, and the moment shattered.

We slid into our seats.

But I couldn’t stop smiling.

And I hated that I was smiling.

Because if I wasn’t careful…

This wasn’t going to end well.

---

*Episode 3 – “The Pull”*

*Alex’s POV*

If someone had told me a few weeks ago that my steady, simple life would spiral because of one girl walking into my kitchen, I would’ve shrugged it off. I mean, Joan and I had been together since junior year. We weren’t perfect, but we had history. We had plans. We had *comfort*.

But then Sandra showed up.

Not loud, not flashy—just… *present*. And somehow, that was all it took.

It started with the way she listened. Not just to words, but to the silence in between. With the way her eyes wandered when she thought no one was looking, as if she was always reaching for something invisible. The way she smiled when she thought something was funny but didn’t want to laugh out loud.

She was a mystery I hadn’t asked for, and now couldn’t stop chasing in my head.

We shared classes. Science mostly. Sometimes we’d bump into each other on campus and talk for a minute—two, tops—but I caught myself holding on to every word like they meant something more.

Joan noticed.

She always does.

We were walking to class when she said, “You’ve been acting weird lately. Distracted.”

I faked a yawn. “Just tired.”

“Hmm.” She didn’t believe me, but she didn’t press either. Joan didn’t push when she was suspicious. She waited—calculated. That worried me more.Later that day, I found myself paired with Sandra in the lab.

“Of course it’s you,” she muttered with a smirk when she saw the partner list.

I laughed. “What, not thrilled?”

She raised a brow. “You talk too much.”

“And you pretend not to listen.”

Her lips twitched.

We worked in quiet, side by side, close enough to feel the heat off her skin. At one point, her hand brushed mine reaching for a test tube. Neither of us moved.

Not right away.

There was a pause. A beat too long.

When she finally looked up at me, it felt like the room faded around us. Like even the fluorescent lights knew this moment wasn’t normal.

I looked away first.

I had to.

Because I knew if I didn’t, I’d say something I couldn’t take back.

Joan found me after class.

“You and Sandra looked cozy,” she said, half-joking.

“Lab partners,” I said quickly. “Nothing serious.”

But Joan’s eyes were sharp. Watching.

Later that night, I lay in bed staring at the ceiling. My phone buzzed—Joan texting me about her outfit for next week’s art show. I replied, but my mind wasn’t there.

It was with a girl whose laugh I was trying too hard to forget.

And the worst part?

I didn’t want to forget.

Because I hadn’t felt this alive in months. And that scared the hell out of me.I was standing at a crossroad. One path paved with safety, history, and a girl who loved me. The other? Unknown, thrilling, and very possibly a mistake.

But mistakes never looked this beautiful.

And I wasn’t sure how much longer I could lie to myself… or to Joan.