Aria and Selene had been inseparable since the first day of middle school. Aria was the quiet, thoughtful one who loved sketching in the margins of her notebooks, while Selene was bold and magnetic, the kind of person who could make friends in a grocery store line. Together, they balanced each other perfectly—Aria grounding Selene’s wild ideas, Selene pulling Aria into adventures she’d never dare to try alone.

For years, they shared everything—sleepovers filled with whispered secrets, matching bracelets they swore they’d never take off, and dreams of moving to the same city after college. But as high school wore on, small cracks began to form.

It started with little things. Selene began hanging out with a new crowd—louder, flashier, and always on social media. Aria didn’t mind at first, but she noticed Selene stopped inviting her to certain events. Then came the art competition. Aria had been working on her piece for months, pouring her heart into it. The night before the submission deadline, she saw Selene post a photo online of her own entry—an eerily similar concept to Aria’s, down to the color palette.

When Aria confronted her, Selene laughed it off. “It’s not like you own the idea of painting a city skyline,” she said, her tone sharp. But Aria knew it wasn’t coincidence.