(System App) Flirt.EXE

Saved File 1

The bell rang exactly three seconds after Lyra decided she was never speaking to another human being again.

Not because she hated people. People were just... exhausting. They were too loud, too confident, and terrifyingly good at eye contact. Meanwhile, Lyra Vale had once apologized to a mannequin because she thought it was a real person.

Which was exactly why she kept her head down while navigating the shark tank of the crowded school hallway. Hoodie up despite the morning heat, earbuds in despite no music playing—it was her ultimate defense mechanism. If nobody talked to her, she couldn't embarrass herself.

 Simple.

Unfortunately, the universe hated simplicity.

"Lyra!"

She froze. Nope. Absolutely not. Not today.

She slowly turned around, immediately regretting her entire existence. Mia Torres stood a few feet away holding two iced coffees. With her dark hair tied in a messy ponytail and her school blazer sleeves rolled up, she looked illegally pretty for eight in the morning.

The worst part? Mia was smiling. Directly at her.

Lyra's brain instantly blue-screened. "Y-Yeah?"

Great start. Incredible. Give this girl a Nobel Prize in conversation.

Mia walked closer, her smile widening. "You left your sketchbook in art class yesterday."

"Oh."

"Oh"?? That was the response she went with?!

Mia held out the book, and as Lyra reached for it, their fingers brushed for a fraction of a second. Lyra nearly ascended spiritually right then and there.

"You draw really well, by the way," Mia said casually.

Warning alarms exploded inside Lyra's head. Pretty girl compliment detected. System overload imminent.

"No I don't."

Mia blinked. Lyra blinked back. Why would she say that?!

Mia laughed softly, a sound that made Lyra's chest tighten. "You literally do."
"I mean—not literally. I mean obviously literally because they're drawings, but—"

Abort mission. Abort mission immediately.

In a panic, Lyra snatched the sketchbook too quickly. Her knuckles clipped the bottom of one of the plastic cups, and time slowed down. One of the iced coffees slipped from Mia's hand, tumbling through the air before splashing directly onto Lyra's chest.

Cold, sticky caramel latte saturated her favorite oversized hoodie.

Complete, agonizing silence descended on their corner of the hallway. A guy at a nearby locker whispered a low, "Damn."

Lyra stared down at her soaked clothes. Mia looked utterly horrified. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry—"

"It's okay," Lyra squeaked. It was not okay. "It's fine. I was actually too dry anyway."

What did that even mean? Too dry?!

Mia bit her lower lip, clearly trying not to laugh, which somehow made the humiliation ten times worse. "I can buy you another hoodie," she offered.

"No thanks. I'll just disappear forever."

Lyra turned on her heel to make a dramatic exit and walked directly into a wall.

Not metaphorically. An actual, solid, concrete wall.

A loud, hollow THUNK echoed through the hallway. Someone gasped. Someone else let out a loud snort. Lyra covered her face instantly, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her whole. Death. She wanted death immediately.