*Chapter 1: The Trouble Magnet* Mai just wanted a normal junior year. That was the plan. Then Ryan showed up. Ryan Carter. Varsity quarterback. Loud, cocky, and that infuriating smile that got him out of detention. He and Mai had been enemies-s***h-frenemies since freshman year. He’d steal her AP Bio notes, write “Miss Serious” on her locker in dry erase, and call her out in the middle of homeroom. And for some reason, he always showed up whenever she was with Theo. Theo Kim. Quiet, smart, glasses, and the guy Mai actually liked. He saved her a seat in the library and remembered she took her coffee black. He never started drama. But Ryan did. “Mai! You and Theo again?” Ryan said, sliding between them at her locker. “He’s boring. Come to the game with me. I’ll show you what fun looks like.” Mai rolled her eyes. “Go bother someone else, Ryan.” Theo just handed her his hoodie and smiled. It was chaos. And Mai was over it. *Chapter 2: Zoe Enters the Chat* Zoe Bennett. Head cheerleader. Gorgeous, popular, and had a crush on Ryan since freshman year. Problem: Ryan only had eyes for annoying Mai. So Zoe made a plan. With her bestie Emily. “Listen,” Zoe said over iced coffee in the cafeteria. “If Ryan won’t notice me, I’ll make him stop noticing Mai. Then he’ll have no choice.” Emily stirred her frappé. “And what about Theo?” Zoe smirked. “Mai likes Theo? Adorable. We’ll ruin that too.” Operation: Break Them Apart. Step 1: Post a pic. Step 2: Start rumors. Step 3: Win. *Chapter 3: Mildred to the Rescue* Mildred Park. Mai’s best friend. Student council VP. Loud, loyal, and zero tolerance for BS. The day Zoe posted a selfie with Ryan at the homecoming game with the caption _“my person ❤️”_ and tagged him on i********:, Mildred saw it first. She burst into Mai’s English class. “Mai! Look at this crap!” Mai stared at the photo. Ryan looked uncomfortable. Zoe looked smug. “Mildred, I don’t care,” Mai lied. “Let them.” “You don’t care?” Mildred crossed her arms. “Then why did Theo just text you ‘you okay?’” Mai didn’t answer. *Chapter 4: Chaos at Homecoming* It was Ryan’s big game. He insisted everyone come. “I’m not going,” Mai said. “You are,” Ryan said, tossing two tickets on her desk. “Theo’s coming too.” The bleachers were a disaster. Zoe was in a cheer uniform, hanging all over Ryan on the sidelines. Emily “accidentally” spilled soda on Mai and Theo. Ryan kept dragging Mai to the concession stand, then glancing back to see if Theo was watching. Theo kept watching. After the game, outside by the parking lot, Mai snapped. “Ryan! Why are you always in my business?!” “Because you’re always with him!” Ryan shot back. “And you’re always with her!” Mai pointed at Zoe. Silence. Theo stepped forward. “Mai, can we talk? By the bleachers?” *Chapter 5: The Truth* Behind the bleachers, under the stadium lights, Theo sighed. “I like you, Mai. I’ve liked you since freshman year. But I’m tired of competing with Ryan for five minutes of your time.” Mai’s chest hurt. “I’m tired too. Of all the drama.” “I’m not Ryan,” Theo said softly. “I won’t chase you in circles. But I’m here. If you want me.” Mai didn’t answer that night. *Chapter 6: Chasing After You* The next week, Zoe tried again. She cornered Ryan after practice. “Why do you keep going after Mai? She doesn’t even like you.” Ryan looked at her. “Zoe… I don’t chase her because I like her. I chase her because she’s the only one who tells me no. And I’m an idiot.” Zoe’s face fell. Emily handed her a napkin. Meanwhile, Mai made a choice. She stopped running. She found Theo in the library during free period. No Ryan. No drama. “I don’t want chaos,” she said. “I want peace. With you. If you still want me.” Theo smiled. That slow, real one. “I’ve been chasing after you too, Mai.” *Epilogue: Senior Year* Things didn’t magically turn perfect. That’s the part the movies always skip. The part where graduation doesn’t fix everything. Where people don’t suddenly become different people just because the last bell rings. Senior year started the same way junior year ended: messy, loud, and a little tired. *Ryan* Ryan Carter didn’t disappear. He just ran out of reasons to cause chaos. Football took most of his energy. Friday nights under the stadium lights, bruises, ice packs, and college scouts in the bleachers. He still had that grin. The one that used to mean trouble. But now it mostly meant “I’m exhausted, leave me alone.” He ended up as Mildred’s lab partner in AP Chem by accident. The teacher thought it would be “character building.” The first week, he blew up a beaker. The second week, Mildred made him write the entire lab report while she did the actual experiment. By October, they had a system. By December, they were getting A’s. He apologized to Mai once. It wasn’t a big scene. Just third period, hallway, no one around. “Hey,” he said. “For all the notes am so sorry