THE CALM BEFORE THE CHAOS

[Pink Savage Exclusive]

You ever have one of those weekends where you just breathe? No drama, no heat, just vibes? Yeah, that was me. Pink Savage finally got to lay low, kick back, and watch the school lose its mind without even lifting a finger.

The manhunt? Slowing down. The rumors? Getting ridiculous. Seriously — I heard someone swear I was Mrs. Howard's cousin. 😂

But hey, I'm not complaining. Let them chase their own tails. Meanwhile, I'm here, relaxing and watching the storm pass.

But you know what happens when things get too quiet? The universe decides to stir the pot.

Which brings me to the MIA Girls.

You know them. The "Most Influential A-listers" — their name, not mine. (Cringe.) The queens of fake smiles and backhanded compliments. The rulers of the lunchroom seating chart. And word on the street is there's trouble in paradise.

One of them's been missing from their usual lineup. And when royalty disappears, you know there's tea.

So, what happened? A fight? A scandal? A dethroning? You know I'll find out. Stay tuned. 💅

#MIAOrDOA?

#PopcornReady 🍿

Top Comment:

MIA Girls? More like MIA Queen. Ask why Layla's out — and who's taking her crown. 👀

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Monday hit like a slap.

The weekend peace? Gone. The second Bill and I stepped onto campus, the noise hit us — louder than usual. Whispers, laughter, and people staring like something was about to go down.

"What's with the circus?" Bill asked, eyebrow raised.

"No clue," I said — but I was already scanning the crowd, trying to figure it out.

It didn't take long.

The MIA Girls stood by the fountain, looking… off. Usually, they were all perfectly in sync — hair flipped the same way, matching energy like they shared a brain. But today?

Three of them stood in their usual spot. The fourth? Missing.

"Uh-oh," Bill muttered, clocking it, too. "Somebody's getting voted off the island."

I grinned. "And I live for elimination day."

But my eyes flicked away from them when I spotted Nate across the courtyard — laughing with Ethan and Tim like nothing was wrong. Like he hadn't looked ready to spill his guts in his kitchen two days ago.

And then there was Bill — already heading over to join them, his face lighting up the way it always did when Nate was around.

My stomach twisted. I told myself it was the leftover nerves from all the Pink Savage heat. It wasn't.

But before I could follow, my phone buzzed again — another notification from my blog.

New Comment:

Word is Layla's out — but no one's saying why. Bet the claws come out soon. 💀

I glanced back at the group, my brain already working overtime. Looks like it was going to be a very interesting Monday.

"Uhmm, Bill," I called as I shoved my phone back into my bag, trying to sound casual — and failing miserably. "Something happened the other day at Nate's house."

Bill barely looked up from his phone, already halfway across the courtyard toward Nate and the guys. "What?" he asked distractedly.

I quickened my steps to catch up with him. "I don't know… it was weird. We were in the kitchen, and Nate—he was about to tell me something. Something serious."

That got his attention. Bill stopped in his tracks, turning to face me with a raised eyebrow. "Serious like what?"

I shrugged, but my stomach flipped just thinking about it. "I don't know. He got all quiet and nervous—like, not Nate nervous, you know? Then Tim barged in and ruined everything, and Nate just brushed it off like it was nothing."

Bill's eyes narrowed slightly. "And you think it was…?"

I sighed. "I don't know what I think. But whatever it was, it felt… big."

Bill stared at me for a beat, then shook his head with a teasing grin. "Maybe he was about to confess his undying love for you."

My face went hot, and I punched his arm. "Shut up."

"I'm just saying!" Bill laughed, dodging me. But his teasing faded quickly, his eyes flicking toward where Nate stood — laughing at something Ethan said, his smile bright and easy. The same one he'd worn when he avoided me all weekend.

Bill looked back at me, his face suddenly more serious. "Do you… want it to be that?"

The question knocked the air out of me. I opened my mouth, but no words came out. Because the truth was… I didn't know. And that was the most dangerous part.

But before I could answer, Nate spotted us and waved us over. "Hey! Are you two gonna stand there whispering all day, or are you actually joining the party?"

Bill grinned, the awkwardness between us disappearing in a flash. "We're coming!" He tugged my arm, and just like that, the conversation was over.

But the questions? The questions are just getting started.

"Speaking of parties, guess who we're celebrating this weekend?" Nate said, his eyes gleaming as he looked around at all of us.

We all stared back, waiting.

"That's right!" Nate grinned. "It's Tim's birthday party tonight — and someone's definitely gonna puke."

"Not me!" Tim shot back, already grinning like he was ready for the chaos. "But I can't promise the same for you, Nate."

The group burst into laughter, and I felt myself relaxing into the easy vibe. For a second, I forgot about the weirdness with Nate and the weight of the secret I knew he was keeping.

"Where's the party happening?" Bill asked, draping an arm over my shoulder.

"My place, obviously," Tim said proudly. "My parents are out of town for the weekend — perfect timing."

Nate whistled low. "Unsupervised? Dangerous."

"Fun," Bill corrected, grinning. "It's gonna be insane."

I stayed quiet, my mind still half on Nate — on the way he kept sneaking glances at Bill when he thought no one was looking. And I didn't miss the way Nate's whole face lit up whenever Bill laughed.

Yeah. Things were definitely getting… messy.

"Billie, you in?" Tim's voice broke through my thoughts.

I blinked. "What?"

"The party," Tim said like it was obvious. "You coming, or what?"

"Yeah," I said quickly, trying to play it cool. "Wouldn't miss it."

But I already knew tonight wasn't going to be just any party. Not with everything that was brewing under the surface. And not with the secret I was starting to think

I wasn't the only one keeping.