I hadn't even heard her walk in. That's how lost I was in the moment.
"Is that Merlina?" Adriana's voice was cold, it cut through the silence like a shard of glass.
My heart jerked.
I froze in place, hand still on the trackpad, Merlina's face glowing back at me from the screen. The smile in the photo suddenly felt like an accusation.
Slowly, I fully turned around.
Adriana stood close by, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the laptop like it had just confirmed a suspicion she didn't know she had. Her expression wasn't angry. It was worse—quiet disappointment. Like she was still trying to figure out if she had a right to be mad.
I could've lied, said I was just scrolling aimlessly, or that I'd clicked something by accident.
But I didn't. Because somehow, that would've made it worse. More obvious.
What excuse could ever sound right when you're caught staring at another girl's Instagram?
Especially when the girl is Merlina.
