Mira had never done anything particularly remarkable at Eastgate High, at least not by school standards. She didn't lead clubs. She didn't play sports. She didn't chase grades. Her most notable achievement, until now, had been painting a mural behind the arts block and even that got her a detention for "unauthorized creativity."
But now? She was the girl dating Ethan Lee.
Which was ridiculous, since she definitely wasn't.
Still, it didn't stop people from whispering every time she walked past, or leaning across their tables in the cafeteria to ask if she and "Mr. President" had pet names for each other.
She nearly choked on her sandwich when someone asked that.
"Why would we have pet names?" she asked flatly.
"'E-Mira' has a nice ring to it," a junior offered helpfully.
"I'm allergic to cute," she muttered, grabbing her tray and stalking off to the far end of the room where her best friend, Jia, was waiting with a wide grin and zero shame.
"People are obsessed with you two," Jia said, scrolling through her phone. "Did you see the group chat? There's fan art. Fan art, Mira!"
Mira groaned and dropped her bag onto the seat. "Let me guess: I'm kissing Ethan in it, aren't I?"
"One of them, yeah. But in another one, he's braiding your hair while you paint."
"...That's oddly specific."
"I'm just saying, people are invested. Maybe you should play into it a little. It could be fun."
"Fun?" Mira blinked. "Jia, the only fun I want right now is in my sketchbook. Not whatever weird romantic AU people have decided we're starring in."
---
Meanwhile, across the school in the student council room, Ethan was also not having a good time.
"Man, you are getting roasted out there," Ryan said, feet up on the desk like the rebel he was. "Someone just posted a poll asking who wears the pants in your relationship."
"There is no relationship," Ethan said for the hundredth time. "It's a misunderstanding. A rumor. It will die out."
Ryan grinned. "Yeah? 'Cause you and Mira were trending in the Eastgate Memes IG page this morning. Hashtag Mirathan is at 1,700 likes."
Ethan groaned and rubbed his temples.
"She's not even my type."
"Ouch. Cold."
"I didn't mean it like that. She's just… chaotic. And loud. And allergic to structure."
"And pretty?" Ryan offered, wiggling his eyebrows.
Ethan didn't answer. Which, unfortunately, said a lot.
---
When the intercom crackled to life during lunch, Mira had already started to dread it.
"Mira Tan. Ethan Lee. Principal's office. Now."
Every eye in the cafeteria turned toward her.
She looked down at her tray. "Do you think if I crawl under the table and army-roll out of here, anyone would notice?"
"Only everyone," Jia said, grinning.
Mira sighed and stood up. "May as well go get my public scolding."
---
Principal Han wasn't angry, but she was tired. Like someone who had seen too many teenage dramas and wasn't in the mood for another one.
"I don't care if you're dating, not dating, or starring in a Netflix adaptation of a fake dating YA novel," she said, folding her hands neatly. "What I do care about is the distraction this has caused. You both have responsibilities in this school. This… sideshow, needs to stop."
Mira crossed her arms. "You mean we need to stop it."
The principal arched an eyebrow. "Unless you'd like the yearbook to be renamed Mirathan High, then yes."
Ethan gave a small, formal nod. "We'll clarify things tomorrow morning."
Mira glanced at him. "We will?"
"It's the logical thing to do."
"Logical," she repeated, like the word had a bad taste. "Sure. Because logic is what started this mess."
---
Outside the office, silence stretched between them.
They walked slowly through the corridor, the building echoing with voices and footsteps that all seemed to follow them.
"I'm surprised you agreed," Ethan said finally.
"To what?"
"The announcement."
"I didn't agree. You just decided. I was still processing."
"Then why didn't you argue?"
Mira shot him a side glance. "Because I'm too tired, Ethan. I'm tired of people whispering. Tired of seeing my face in badly drawn anime edits. Tired of people asking me what your favorite coffee is like I'm your barista-slash-wife."
He paused. "It's black, no sugar."
"Oh my God, I do not care."
A pause. Then… a faint, reluctant smirk tugged at his mouth. "You sure?"
She glared at him. "Don't."
"Don't what?"
"Don't smile like that. You're enjoying this."
He didn't deny it.
They reached the courtyard. Mira stopped walking and turned to face him.
"For the record," she said, quieter now, "I don't want to be part of your image. I don't want to be the girl who tamed the golden boy. I just want to graduate and get out of here with my sanity and maybe a portfolio."
"I don't want to be in this rumor either," Ethan replied. "You think I enjoy people printing our names on fake wedding invitations?"
"Someone did that?"
He pulled out a folded sheet of glossy paper from his folder. Sure enough a fake RSVP card to the "Mirathan Wedding 2025."
Mira stared, then burst out laughing. "Okay, that's kind of iconic."
"Glad you think so."
They stood there for a moment, two students with nothing in common but a shared chaos they couldn't escape.
"I'll meet you in homeroom tomorrow," Ethan said eventually, tucking the fake invitation back into his folder like it personally offended him.
"Right. To crush teenage dreams with the truth," Mira said dryly. "Can't wait."
---
But that night, alone in her room, Mira found herself staring at her phone.
One of the fan accounts had posted a candid picture someone took in the courtyard.
She was laughing. Ethan was looking at her, mid-smirk.
The caption read:
Don't tell me this isn't real. Look at the way he looks at her
Mira locked her phone and tossed it under her pillow.
"Idiots," she muttered.
But her heart skipped a beat anyway..
To be continued..