The Girl They Never Saw Coming

Chapter 16 — Closer Than Expected

There are some mornings when you wake up knowing the day is going to be ordinary.

No drama.

No surprises.

No reason to check your phone every thirty seconds.

Just school, classes, lunch, homework, and then home.

That was exactly what I expected when I woke up on Tuesday.

I was wrong.

My alarm went off at 6:30 a.m.

I reached out from underneath my blanket and turned it off.

For another few seconds, I stared at the ceiling.

Then my phone buzzed.

I already knew who it was.

Chloe.

Chloe: Good morning, Miss Future Geography Genius.

I smiled.

Mia: You are awake too early.

Chloe: I have responsibilities.

Mia: Since when?

Chloe: Since I became your long-distance emotional support system.

Mia: I thought you were just my best friend.

Chloe: I can be both.

I laughed quietly.

Mia: School today.

Chloe: Obviously.

Mia: Geography.

Chloe: Even more obviously.

Mia: Please don't remind me.

Chloe: You love geography.

Mia: I love it when there isn't a test coming.

Chloe: You'll do fine.

Mia: I hope.

Chloe: And?

Mia: And what?

Chloe: Trent.

I stared at the screen.

Mia: It's 6:34 in the morning.

Chloe: So?

Mia: Why are you thinking about Trent before breakfast?

Chloe: I'm not. You are.

Mia: Goodbye, Chloe.

Chloe: Have a good day, Mia.

I put my phone down, still smiling.

Then Mom called from downstairs.

"Mia! Breakfast!"

"I'm coming!"

I got out of bed.

---

By the time I came downstairs, Mom had already prepared breakfast.

She looked up from her coffee.

"Good morning."

"Morning."

"How did you sleep?"

"Good."

She looked at me for a moment.

"You're smiling."

I froze.

"No, I'm not."

"You are."

"I was talking to Chloe."

Mom smiled.

"Ah."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Mom."

She laughed.

"Eat your breakfast."

I sat down.

After a few minutes, she asked, "How is school?"

"Good."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Any problems?"

I shook my head.

"Not really."

That was mostly true.

Westbrook still had its rumors, but I wasn't letting them become the center of my life.

I had friends now.

I had good grades.

I had a routine.

And, somehow, I was beginning to feel like I belonged there.

---

Dad dropped me off a little before eight.

"Have a good day."

"I will."

"And remember your geography test."

I sighed.

"I haven't forgotten."

"Good."

He smiled before driving away.

I adjusted my backpack and walked through the school entrance.

Eva was already waiting for me.

"There she is!"

"Morning."

She hugged me.

Andrew stood beside her.

"Why are you smiling?"

"I'm not."

"You are."

"Why is everyone saying that?"

Eva looked at Andrew.

"Because she is."

I rolled my eyes.

"Both of you are annoying."

Sophie and Naomi joined us.

"What's happening?" Sophie asked.

"Apparently, Mia has been smiling all morning," Andrew said.

Naomi looked at me.

"Why?"

"I don't know!"

They all laughed.

I shook my head.

"I regret telling any of you anything."

"Too late," Eva said.

We started walking toward class.

Andrew leaned closer.

"So..."

"So what?"

"How's Trent?"

I stopped walking.

"Why are you asking me that?"

He grinned.

"Interesting reaction."

"There is no reaction."

Eva laughed.

"That's exactly what someone with a reaction would say."

I looked at Sophie.

"Help me."

She shrugged.

"I'm staying out of this."

"Traitor."

Naomi laughed.

"We're just saying you've been talking to him more."

"He's my friend."

Andrew nodded dramatically.

"Of course."

"He is!"

"Nobody said he wasn't."

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"You're enjoying this."

"Very much."

The bell rang.

I pointed at him.

"Saved by the bell."

He laughed.

---

English class was surprisingly easy.

Our teacher introduced a new assignment and paired students together.

When she called my name, I expected to hear one of my friends.

Instead—

"Mia Carter and Trent Davis."

I looked up.

Trent was sitting across the room.

He smiled.

I walked over.

"Looks like we're partners."

"Looks like it."

We sat together.

The assignment was about analyzing a short story and presenting our interpretation to the class.

Trent looked at the page.

"Do you want to start?"

"Sure."

I began explaining my thoughts.

He listened.

Actually listened.

He wasn't checking his phone or staring around the classroom.

He was paying attention.

When I finished, he nodded.

"That makes sense."

"You agree?"

"Yeah."

"Really?"

"Why do you sound surprised?"

"Because most people don't."

He smiled.

"Maybe most people aren't listening."

I looked at him.

There was something different about talking to Trent when nobody else was around.

At school, he was the popular basketball player everyone knew.

But sitting beside me, he was just Trent.

He was funny.

He was easy to talk to.

And surprisingly thoughtful.

We worked through the assignment together.

At one point, he made a joke that made me laugh so loudly that our teacher looked over.

"Something funny, Mia?"

I tried to stop smiling.

"Sorry."

Trent whispered, "Worth it."

I laughed again.

When class ended, he helped me gather the papers.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

We walked out together.

Eva saw us.

She looked at Andrew.

Andrew looked at Sophie.

Sophie looked at Naomi.

Naomi smiled.

I noticed.

"What?"

"Nothing," Eva said.

"Why are all of you looking at me like that?"

Andrew shook his head.

"We're not."

"You definitely are."

He smiled.

"Maybe we're just happy you're making friends."

I looked at Trent.

Then back at them.

"He's my friend."

Eva smiled.

"Nobody said otherwise."

---

At lunch, we sat together as usual.

Trent was at another table with some of the basketball players.

I didn't think much of it.

Until he looked over.

Our eyes met.

He smiled.

I smiled back.

Then I looked away.

Andrew noticed.

Of course he noticed.

He leaned toward me.

"Interesting."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Andrew."

"I'm eating."

Eva laughed.

"Leave her alone."

"Thank you."

Andrew lifted his hands.

"I'm innocent."

"You've never been innocent a day in your life," Sophie said.

Everyone laughed.

I smiled.

For once, lunch felt normal.

No arguments.

No confrontation.

No one making a scene.

Just friends talking.

It was exactly what I'd wanted when I first arrived at Westbrook.

---

After lunch, we had geography.

Our teacher walked into the classroom carrying a stack of papers.

"Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon."

She placed the papers on her desk.

"Your assessment is Friday."

The class groaned.

I sat up straighter.

Friday.

That was only three days away.

The teacher continued.

"This will be one of your more important assessments this term, so I expect everyone to prepare."

I wrote it down immediately.

Geography mattered to me.

It had always been one of the subjects I enjoyed most.

I liked understanding places.

Climate.

People.

Landforms.

The way everything connected.

I wanted to do well.

Not because I needed to prove something to anyone.

Because I genuinely cared.

After class, Eva caught up with me.

"You're studying tonight, aren't you?"

"Definitely."

"You're obsessed."

"Maybe."

Andrew joined us.

"Don't worry. I'll distract her."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I want to pass."

He laughed.

"Fine."

---

When school ended, we walked toward the parking lot.

I noticed Trent standing near the gym with a basketball in his hands.

He saw me.

"Mia."

I stopped.

Eva and the others continued walking.

"We'll wait for you."

I looked at her.

She winked.

I shook my head.

Trent walked over.

"How was your day?"

"Good."

"How's the geography preparation?"

I smiled.

"How did you know I was studying?"

"You told me yesterday."

I blinked.

"You remembered?"

"Yeah."

"Wow."

He smiled.

"What?"

"Nothing."

He looked at me for a moment.

Then he said, "You really like geography."

"I do."

"Why?"

I thought about it.

"I like understanding how things fit together."

He nodded.

"That's actually pretty cool."

"Thanks."

He bounced the basketball once.

"Do you ever watch basketball?"

"Sometimes."

"Sometimes?"

"Don't judge me."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"I'm really not."

I laughed.

He smiled.

Then someone called his name from the gym.

He turned.

"I should go."

"Okay."

He started walking away.

Then he turned back.

"See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

He smiled.

"Good."

I watched him walk away.

I didn't know why, but I felt strangely happy.

---

When I got home, I immediately started studying.

I spent nearly two hours reviewing geography.

By the time I finished, my brain felt exhausted.

I reached for my phone.

There were several messages.

The group chat was active.

Eva: Party preparations have officially started.

Sophie: I'm already thinking about what to wear.

Naomi: Same.

Andrew: I'm thinking about food.

Eva: Nobody is surprised.

Andrew: Food is important.

Mia: What are we actually doing at this party?

Sophie: Having fun.

Mia: That's vague.

Naomi: Because we don't know yet.

I laughed.

Then Chloe messaged me privately.

Chloe: So...

Mia: No.

Chloe: I haven't even asked anything.

Mia: I know you.

Chloe: How was your day?

Mia: Good.

Chloe: Trent?

Mia: Chloe.

Chloe: What?

Mia: Stop.

Chloe: You like him.

Mia: I don't know.

Chloe: There it is again.

Mia: What?

Chloe: "I don't know."

Mia: Because I don't know.

Chloe: Okay.

Mia: Okay.

Chloe: But do you enjoy talking to him?

I paused.

Mia: Yes.

Chloe: Do you enjoy being around him?

I paused again.

Mia: Yes.

Chloe: Does he make you laugh?

Mia: Sometimes.

Chloe: Mia.

Mia: What?

Chloe: You're proving my point.

I smiled.

Mia: Maybe I just like him as a friend.

Chloe: Maybe.

Mia: Exactly.

Chloe: I'm not arguing.

Mia: Good.

Chloe: But I still think something is happening.

I shook my head.

Mia: Goodnight, Chloe.

Chloe: Goodnight, future Mrs. Basketball.

Mia: CHLOE.

She didn't respond.

I laughed.

---

The next day at school, preparations for the party had become the main topic of conversation.

Posters appeared around the hallways.

The student council had started decorating the common areas.

Everyone seemed excited.

Even teachers were talking about it.

At lunch, Andrew came to our table holding a flyer.

"Look."

Eva took it.

"The party starts at seven."

Sophie leaned closer.

"And ends at eleven."

Naomi smiled.

"This is going to be fun."

I looked at the flyer.

For some reason, I suddenly felt nervous.

Maybe because I knew Trent would be there.

Maybe because Iris would be there too.

Or maybe because I was beginning to realize that something between Trent and me was changing.

Not quickly.

Not dramatically.

Just little things.

The conversations.

The smiles.

The way he remembered things I said.

The way I noticed when he entered a room.

I didn't know what it meant.

And I wasn't ready to give it a name.

Not yet.

---

After school, I was walking toward the exit when I heard footsteps behind me.

"Mia."

I turned.

Trent.

"Hey."

"Hey."

He walked beside me.

"Are you busy?"

"No. Why?"

"I wanted to ask you something."

"What?"

He looked slightly nervous.

That surprised me.

Trent Davis didn't usually look nervous.

He glanced toward the parking lot, then back at me.

"Are you going to the party on Friday?"

I smiled.

"I think so."

He nodded.

"Good."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

He smiled.

"I'll see you there, then."

And before I could ask anything else, he walked away.

I stood there for a moment.

Why did he look so relieved?

I didn't know.

But as I walked toward the parking lot, one thought stayed in my mind.

Something was changing.

And somehow, I had a feeling the party was going to be where everything became clearer.