The Girl They Never Saw Coming

Chapter 9 — Saturday Plans

Saturday.

For the first time all week, I woke up without an alarm.

No rushing.

No school uniform.

No checking my schedule.

No worrying about getting lost in the hallway.

And, most importantly, no Westbrook High.

I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling for a few seconds before smiling.

Finally.

A day without school.

I reached for my phone and checked the time.

10:14 a.m.

I smiled.

That was the latest I'd slept since moving to Georgia.

I rolled over and pulled the blanket over my head.

I wasn't getting up.

At least, not yet.

A few minutes later, I heard my mother's voice from downstairs.

"Mia!"

I closed my eyes.

Here we go.

"Mia, breakfast!"

"I'm coming!"

I got out of bed and made my way downstairs.

My mother was already in the kitchen, dressed casually for the weekend.

My father was sitting at the table, reading something on his phone.

He looked up when I walked in.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty."

I dropped into the chair beside him.

"Don't start."

He laughed.

My mother placed a plate in front of me.

"You slept late."

"I know."

"You needed it."

I smiled.

"Exactly."

My mother sat across from me.

"So, any plans today?"

I shook my head.

"Not really."

Before she could say anything else, my phone buzzed.

I picked it up.

A notification from Ava.

I opened it.

*Ava: Are you awake?*

I smiled.

*Mia: Unfortunately.*

Three dots appeared almost immediately.

*Ava: Good. Can you come over today?*

I frowned.

*Mia: Why?*

*Ava: My mom is having a little get-together later. Nothing serious. Just family friends and some people from around the neighborhood.*

Another message appeared.

*Ava: Please come.*

I smiled.

*Mia: What time?*

*Ava: Around two.*

I thought about it.

Then typed:

*Mia: Okay. I'll come.*

Ava replied almost instantly.

*Ava: YES.*

Then another message.

*Ava: Wear something cute.*

I laughed.

*Mia: Why?*

*Ava: Because we're making TikToks.*

I stared at the screen.

Then laughed.

My father looked at me.

"What?"

"Nothing."

My mother smiled.

"Who are you texting?"

"Ava."

"The friend from school?"

"Yeah."

"What did she want?"

"She invited me over."

My mother nodded.

"That's fine."

I looked at her.

"Really?"

"Of course."

My father smiled.

"Just don't come home too late."

"I won't."

My phone buzzed again.

This time, it was Chloe.

*Chloe: Good morning, stranger.*

I smiled.

*Mia: It's ten in the morning.*

*Chloe: Exactly. I've been awake for hours.*

*Mia: That's unfortunate.*

*Chloe: Rude.*

I laughed.

*Mia: I'm going to Ava's house today.*

There was a pause.

*Chloe: Ohhh.*

*Mia: What?*

*Chloe: Nothing.*

*Mia: Chloe.*

*Chloe: I'm just happy you're making friends.*

I smiled.

*Mia: Me too.*

*Chloe: Is she nice?*

*Mia: Yeah. She's actually really fun.*

*Chloe: Good. Just don't replace me.*

I laughed.

*Mia: Never.*

*Chloe: Good.*

I locked my phone.

For some reason, that conversation made me smile.

Chloe had been my best friend for years.

Distance hadn't changed that.

But Ava was becoming important too.

It was strange having two different worlds.

London and Georgia.

Chloe and Ava.

My old life and my new one.

I wasn't sure how to balance them yet.

Maybe I didn't have to.

Maybe I could simply let both exist.

---

By one-thirty, I was ready.

I checked myself in the mirror one last time before heading downstairs.

My mother looked up when I entered the living room.

"Have fun."

"I will."

"Text me when you get there."

"I will."

My father looked over from the couch.

"Need a ride?"

"I think Ava's house is close enough. I can get there with the address."

"I'll drive you."

I smiled.

"Thanks."

A few minutes later, we were on the road.

My phone buzzed.

*Ava: Where are you?*

*Mia: Almost there.*

*Ava: Hurry.*

*Mia: I'm coming.*

When we pulled up outside Ava's house, I immediately noticed several cars parked along the street.

I looked at my father.

"She said it was a little party."

He laughed.

"Apparently her definition of little is different from yours."

I smiled.

"Maybe."

He stopped at the curb.

"Have fun."

"I will."

I got out of the car.

Before I could even knock, the door opened.

Ava stood there.

"You came!"

I laughed.

"You invited me."

"I know. I'm just excited."

She grabbed my hand and pulled me inside.

The house was already full of people.

Music played softly in the background.

There were snacks on the kitchen counter and people talking in the living room.

Ava led me upstairs.

"Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"My room."

She opened the door.

Her room was exactly what I expected.

Pictures on the walls.

Clothes hanging over a chair.

A small ring light in the corner.

And a phone tripod already set up.

I stared at it.

"You were serious about the TikToks."

"Very serious."

I laughed.

She picked up her phone.

"We need to make at least three."

"Three?"

"Maybe five."

"Absolutely not."

"Four."

"No."

"Three."

I sighed.

"Fine."

Ava smiled.

"That's my girl."

We spent the next hour making ridiculous videos.

The first one was a complete disaster.

I forgot the steps halfway through.

Ava fell onto her bed laughing.

"You're terrible!"

"You didn't teach me properly!"

"I did!"

"You moved too fast!"

She replayed the video.

We both burst out laughing.

"Delete it," I said.

"Never."

"Ava!"

"It's staying."

"Delete it."

"Okay, okay."

She deleted it.

Then we tried again.

The second video actually turned out well.

We watched it twice.

I smiled.

"Okay. That wasn't bad."

Ava looked at me.

"See?"

"I still blame you for the first one."

She laughed.

After that, we stopped filming and sat on the floor with snacks between us.

For the first time all week, I wasn't thinking about Westbrook.

I wasn't thinking about the whispers.

I wasn't thinking about Iris.

I wasn't thinking about Trent.

I was just having fun.

Ava opened a bag of chips.

"So..."

I looked at her.

"Why do I feel like you're about to ask me something?"

She smiled.

"Trent."

I groaned.

"Again?"

"You knew this was coming."

"I really didn't."

"Do you like him?"

I reached for a chip.

"I barely know him."

"That's not a no."

"It's also not a yes."

Ava laughed.

"Fair."

I looked at her.

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Do you like anyone?"

She immediately shook her head.

"No."

I raised an eyebrow.

"That was fast."

"Because it's true."

"Okay."

She smiled.

"Let's talk about something else."

I laughed.

"Fine."

We continued talking about school.

Teachers.

Classes.

People we had met.

The cafeteria.

Everything.

Eventually, Ava looked at me.

"Can I ask you something serious?"

"Sure."

"Are you happy here?"

The question caught me off guard.

I looked down at my hands.

"I think I am."

"You think?"

"It's still new."

"Yeah."

"I miss London."

She nodded.

"I know."

"I miss Chloe."

"That makes sense."

"But..."

I smiled.

"I'm starting to like it here."

Ava smiled back.

"Good."

My phone buzzed.

I looked at the screen.

Chloe.

*Ava better be treating you well.*

I laughed.

I showed Ava the message.

She smiled.

"Tell her I'm taking good care of you."

I typed:

*Mia: She says she's taking good care of me.*

Chloe replied:

*Chloe: Good. Tell her she has competition.*

I laughed.

Ava looked at me.

"What did she say?"

"She says you have competition."

Ava laughed.

"Tell her I'm not scared."

I typed it.

A few seconds later:

*Chloe: I like her already.*

I smiled.

For some reason, that made me happy.

Maybe this was what starting over looked like.

Not forgetting where you came from.

Not replacing the people you loved.

Just making room for new people too.

Outside the bedroom, I could hear Ava's mother laughing with the guests downstairs.

Music played softly.

The afternoon sunlight came through the window.

For once, everything felt simple.

I looked at Ava.

"Thanks for inviting me."

She smiled.

"Anytime."

I smiled back.

And for the first time since leaving London, I didn't feel like the new girl.

I felt like Mia.

Just Mia.

A girl hanging out with her friend on a Saturday afternoon.

I didn't know that Monday would bring a completely different atmosphere to Westbrook High.

I didn't know that the whispers from Friday hadn't disappeared.

They had simply gone quiet for the weekend.

And sometimes, silence was only the beginning.