The clock on your nightstand glows 2:47 AM. Your phone buzzes against the wood like an impatient insect, casting a pale rectangle of light across your ceiling.
Seven notifications in the span of ten seconds.
You're not in any group chats. You made sure of that after the group project incident of sophomore year. So when your phone starts vibrating like it's having a seizure, your first instinct is to roll over and ignore it.
It buzzes again. And again. And again.
With a groan, you grab it. The screen is blinding. A group chat. Someone named "Megan" added you.
The chat name is just a string of emojis: 🎀✨💋🫦
You're about to hit leave when a new message pops up.
Manon
wait wait wait okay so daniela said she saw him at the library AGAIN
Daniela
I DID NOT say that. I said I saw him leaving the library. There's a difference.
Manon
girl that IS the tea
Yoonchae
it's 3am why are we awake
Lara
because we're HOT and we CAN
also because manon won't stop txting abt this mystery man
Manon
HE'S NOT A MYSTERY. He's literally in our psych lecture. Every Tuesday and Thursday. You've SEEN him.
Lara
i've seen a lot of men babe i can't keep track
The messages are still flowing. Fast. Chaotic. Like they've known each other for years, finishing each other's sentences, riffing off each other's energy.
You're holding your thumb over the "Leave Chat" button when another notification pops up. This time, it's a direct reply. Tagged to you.
Daniela
wait
who's yn
The chat goes silent.
You watch the three dots appear. Disappear. Appear again.
Lara
LMAOOO did we add a random???
Megan
oh my god I think I added the wrong number. I'm so sorry 😭
More dots. Then:
Manon
wait she's still in here lol
yn you there?? girl you're seeing all our tea huh
Lara
SHE'S LURKING. I FEEL IT.
Daniela
okay this is actually funny. yn. if you're there. you're one of us now.
Manon
yeah yn. you've seen too much. you can't leave now.