Ayla's POV
"Since then I didn't hear from her. I had totally forgotten about her until I met her today as my new boss. So tell me"
I said, facing Mira, who was sitting on the couch across from me, listening like she was watching a thirty-episode Netflix drama.
"So tell me Mira, do you now see why I need to quit this damn job?" I paused and look into Mira's eyes
"I'm sure by now You should already be thinking about how we'll write a new employment letter to other companies." I waved my hands dramatically, turning to face her.
But she stayed quiet.
"Come on girlie, don't tell me you're that sad honey. It's my past, I've already left it behind. For now, let's just focus on finding me something new, okay? I know you love me, but I'll be sad if you keep that face."
Still, Mira said nothing.
I blinked. "Uh… Mira?"
She just stared at me for a second. Then without a word, she stood up, gave me another look, and headed straight for our room.
"Honey, is my past that touching? Are you that sad? Or are you planning a revenge plot?" I called out after her.
She didn't answer, just turned the corner and disappeared inside.
Oh no. My poor bestie. I'd traumatized her.
She must be so sad for me she can't even speak. Maybe she went to cry, maybe she's in there sobbing into my spare pillow, whispering, 'How could they do that to my Ayla?'
I was halfway to getting up to comfort her when she reappeared, holding a freshly tailored black blazer that looked way too expensive to belong to either of us.
"Stand up," she ordered.
"Why? Are you comforting me with expensive clothes?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at the sleek blazer in her hand.
"Just stand up," she repeated, her voice weak, like she'd run out of energy.
For a second, guilt pricked my chest. Great. I'd drained my best friend's soul with my tragic high school story.
"You… you don't really need to," I started, still confused, reaching out for the blazer.
"You see this?" she said, cutting me off as she helped me slip my arms into it. "This is a great weapon. Absolutely no one can resist it. Especially when it's worn by someone pretty like you."
"Come on, what are you insinuating?" I asked, completely thrown off.
"I bought this for myself two months ago," she continued, still forcing the blazer onto me like a fashion-obsessed general dressing her soldier. "I was saving it for the day I finally bag the new model guy at my company. I even hid it so you wouldn't find it, but it seems destiny wants you to have it instead."
"Come on Mira, are you that sad about my high school trauma? Or is it because I said I'm quitting? You're helping me prep for my next interview, right? Please don't be that traumatized. I'm a strong woman."
"I don't care how strong you are," she said softly, cutting me off again. "I'm giving you this so you'll go back to that job tomorrow. Look at this, it's sleek enough to be seductive and professional at the same time. Wear it to Solaria."
"Come on Mira, you can't mean that!" I blurted, but she pressed her finger gently against my lips before I could say more.
"You need to go back," she said, still dressing me up like I was her personal Barbie. "You have to finish your tragic dark romance saga and clear those misunderstandings. I, Mira Thompson, have waited all my life to witness a dark romance firsthand, and I'm not about to let you waste this opportunity. So go back there and give me a happy ending!"
I yanked her finger away, glaring at her. "You've officially lost it. Like completely insane. No, maybe I'm the crazy one for sitting down and telling you such a traumatic story when I already know you think backward."
"Nooo!" she screamed, clutching her chest dramatically. "I'm crazily in love with this drama! My favorite protagonist, please be merciful and give me a happy ending!"
"Mira, honestly, you're insane." I frowned. "She bullied me, okay? For two years. Why are you not concerned about that? You just want a dark romance with my bully!"
"Hmmm," Mira hummed, pacing like she was analyzing a case. "See, actual bullies push people down the stairs, spread nasty rumors, steal your lunch money. Which of those did she do to you exactly?"
I blinked. "She, she never gave me a moment of peace! She…"
"Exactly," Mira cut in, pointing at me like she'd solved a mystery. "Your so-called bully kept you beside her all the time, glared when you talked to other girls, made sure you had lunch before she did, stood by you when you got injured. Babe, that's not bullying. That's bad flirting."
"Mira!" I shouted, turning toward my room. "You know what? Let's talk about this tomorrow. It's three a.m. already, and I'm not going to work tomorrow. So we'll have plenty of time to discuss this insanity then."
"No, girl. Total no. You're going, my love," Mira said with a devilish grin as she pulled me back.
"You're not serious, Mira," I said, trying so hard not to laugh.
"I'm serious!" She threw her hands up. "You two sound like a dark-romance couple with severe communication issues. It's giving I hate you, but don't talk to anyone else either. I'm jealous seeing you with others, but I'm too proud to admit it. You're mine only."
I snorted. "That's ridiculous."
"Oh really?" She leaned forward. "Then what if Sophie was the real villain? Think about it, she was always there, whispering, meddling, conveniently showing up whenever things went wrong. And the biggest red flag? She's clingy with Elena. Didn't you say everyone warned you about how obsessed she was with her? What if she did all that out of jealousy, lied, and told you to ask your roommate just to cause a misunderstanding and break you two apart?"
I blinked at her. "That's some wild fan-fiction energy, Mira. This would've been a global hit if it landed in the hands of a good writer."
She pointed at me again. "Tell me it doesn't make sense."
I wanted to laugh it off. I wanted to argue intensely that it didn't. But something in me twisted instead a part of me doubted it made sense. Because honestly, for all my years in Solaria, Elena hadn't actually bullied me herself. Except for keeping me close without giving me peace. But why did everyone who treated me badly in Solaria always say I should go ask my roommate whenever I asked why? They always mentioned her name. Even that night of graduation didn't I see her car pass while I stood in the rain for hours? No. It doesn't make sense. Nothing about Elena is good. She's bad to the core.
"It… it doesn't. It doesn't make any sense, even a little," I blurted out sharply. "It's obvious Elena was bad. I'm not the only one who knows that everyone in Solaria knows that, even the teachers."
Mira sighed dramatically, collapsing beside me. "And apart from you, who else has she ever kept that close? Took to her Queen's dormitory? Treated like that?"
"That doesn't mean she's a good person, she did all that because she hated me," I stammered.
"Fine," Mira said, rolling her eyes. "Keep telling yourself that, main character. Just know this and know peace, she's obsessed, not bullying you."
I tossed a pillow at her. "And about your happy ending, maybe go find your own dark-romance boss who'll keep you close all the time to fix at three a.m.?"
She caught the pillow mid-air, smirking. "I don't need to do that. I already have you to handle that part for me. As for my own romance life, let's just leave that aside and focus on building yours."
We both burst out laughing, that tired, delirious kind that only happens after too many hours awake.
By the time we stopped, it was already 3:42 a.m.
The night was still and quiet, except for Mira muttering under her breath, "Seriously though, go get that happy ending. I'm invested now. If you both end up together, just know I'm your number one fan."
I didn't even let her finish before I was already on my feet, heading to my room.
"Use the remaining few hours to sleep," she called after me. "Because I'll be waking you up in the next few hours. You're going back to Solaria."
"I'm not," I replied without turning back.
"You know it took you years to find that one," she said. "And to crown it all, Elena doesn't even remember you anymore. There's no need to think about it again, she's already forgotten. Just focus on your work and forget her, like you already did. Unless," her voice softened with teasing, "you're still in love with her?"
"That's a valid point," I said, stepping into my room. "But I'm still not returning."
I shut the door behind me, but I could still hear her voice from across the hall.
"Whatever," she called out. "Just know I'm waking you up in the next few hours. Don't keep your number one Elena and Ayla dark romance fan in suspense."