The operation

VIOLET

“Cheers!!!”

The cheerleading team squealed in unison, their voices filling the air with excitement. They clinked their water bottles together, laughing as they hugged each other. A smile crept onto my lips as I watched them, their energy infectious.

The sound of their laughter echoed as I took a step back, distancing myself further. The gym lights felt too bright, and the noise seemed too loud, like the world around me had turned up the volume while I stayed on mute. I tugged at the sleeves of my jacket, pulling them over my hands, feeling the familiar weight of isolation settle in.

The past few weeks had been… strange. No, I was strange. Ever since I got back, everything felt off-kilter, like I was walking through a fog that never quite lifted. Physically, I was healed. The bruises had faded, and the scrapes were barely visible now, but mentally? That was a different story. I wasn’t sure if I would ever be the same.

I turned on my heel, planning to sneak out of the gym unnoticed when I felt a sudden tap on my shoulder.

“Violet?”

I spun around to see Ashley standing there, her eyes wide with concern. She had that mix of worry and relief plastered on her face, the one she always got when she finally tracked me down after I’d been avoiding everyone. Again.

“I’ve been looking for you everywhere,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest, her brows knitting together in frustration. “You’ve been acting so ghosty after your recovery, it’s like you’re avoiding me or something.”

I forced a smile. “I’m not avoiding you, Ash. I’ve just... been busy.”

She raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. “Busy doing what? Staring off into space?” She stepped closer, her voice softening. “Come on, Vi. Talk to me. What’s going on with you?”

I looked away, suddenly feeling small under her gaze.

“I’m fine,” I said quietly, my voice betraying the truth. “I just… I need some time.”

“Time?” she said, clearly unconvinced. “Vi, it’s been weeks. Everyone’s worried about you. I’m worried about you.”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “I know, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make everyone worry. I just—”

Before I could finish, Ashley stepped closer and grabbed my hands, forcing me to meet her eyes. “Look, I get it. What happened was terrifying. But you don’t have to deal with this on your own. We’re all here for you, I’m here for you.”

Her words hit me harder than I expected, and for a moment, I felt the weight of everything I’d been holding pressed down on me. The kidnapping, the helplessness, the lingering fear that something—someone—was still out there, waiting for me. It was suffocating, and I had no idea how to let it go.

“I know,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

Ashley’s eyes softened, and she pulled me into a tight hug. “You don’t have to hide from me, Vi. You never have to hide from me.”

Maybe she was right. Maybe I didn’t have to carry this alone.

After a few moments, she pulled back, her hands still resting on my shoulders. “Come on, let’s get out of here. We’ll grab some ice cream or something. Just like old times.”

I managed a small smile. “That sounds nice. Ice cream therapy always works”

Ashley beamed, looping her arm through mine. “Good and trust me, we are not talking about anything serious. Just ice cream, gossip, and bad reality TV.”

I laughed softly, and for the first time in what felt like forever, it wasn’t forced. Maybe things weren’t perfect, but for now, this was enough.

"Where’s Luke?" I asked, glancing around.

Ashley rolled her eyes in exasperation. "That bore is probably sulking in the library, like usual. I swear, his company is the definition of dull. He’s only fun when he’s around you. It’s like he hangs out with me just to get closer to you."

I laughed softly, nudging her shoulder. "Or maybe he just prefers his books over you”

"Ouch! That’s mean” she said, pretending to be offended, though her lips twitched into a grin. "But whatever. Forget about Luke for now. Let’s go get some ice cream."

With that, we headed off toward our favorite ice cream spot. Once we got there, we quickly scanned the menu and ordered our usual: one chocolate cone for me, vanilla with rainbow sprinkles for her. We grabbed a seat by the window, the sun filtering in through the glass and warming the small café.

As we settled in, Ashley twirled her spoon in her cup, her gaze drifting toward me again. “You really scared me, you know? When you were…gone.”

I paused. “I’m sorry I put you through that.”

“Don’t apologize. Just... don’t shut me out again, okay?” Her voice softened, and for once, the usual playful glint in her eyes was absent.

“I won’t,” I promised.

We fell into a comfortable silence after that, spooning our ice cream without much conversation. My gaze drifted toward the window, where students passed by
Then, through the bustling crowd, I saw him—Ryan.

He was walking past, his blonde hair damp from the light drizzle outside. A jolt of something—something I couldn’t name—ran through me, and I quickly flicked my gaze away, my heart skipping an uncomfortable beat.

Since I’d been discharged from the hospital, things between Ryan and me had returned to an awkward silence. He insisted on driving me to school and taking me home every day, no matter how much I tried to protest. But beyond that, the distance between us felt suffocating. We barely spoke, and when we did, the words were always surface-level, guarded,.

"So, care to explain what's going on between you two?" Ashley asked,her eyebrows cocked

I blinked, pretending not to understand. “Uh, who?”
Her eyebrows shot up, skepticism practically dripping from her voice. “Don’t play dumb, Vi. You know exactly who I’m talking about.”

I let out a nervous laugh, hoping to brush it off. “I really don’t.”

Ashley narrowed her eyes, leaning in closer as if she could force the truth out of me with just her stare. “Ryan. You and Ryan.”

My heart skipped a beat, but I tried to keep my cool. How could I explain something I didn’t even understand myself? “It’s nothing, Ash. It’s always been that way.”

She gave me a look that screamed disbelief. “Maybe. But since you’ve been gone… things have changed.”

I raised an eyebrow, more out of curiosity than anything else. “What do you mean?”

Ashley leaned in so close I could smell the faint traces of her perfume. “I’ve been watching, Vi. And let me tell you, I’m almost certain Ryan Jenkins likes you.”

I stared at her, blinking slowly. It was probably the dumbest thing I’d heard in weeks. “What?”

She crossed her arms, giving me the look she always did when she thought I was being thick-headed. “You heard me. I’m not joking.”

I reached out and touched her forehead dramatically. “I’m just making sure you’re not running a fever or something.”

Ashley swatted my hand away with an eye roll. “I’m serious, Vi. After you got kidnapped, he practically lost it. The way he acted, the way he’s been since you came back… I’m telling you, there’s more to it.”

I scoffed, shaking my head. “Ryan’s just… concerned. He’s my stepbrother. That’s all this is. Don’t read too much into it.”

But Ashley wasn’t backing down. She leaned forward, her voice lowering as if she was sharing the world's biggest secret. “Vi, I know guys. I’ve studied their emotions—Ryan’s feelings for you aren’t just about ‘protecting’ you.”

“Please,” I said, crossing my arms. “Ryan could have any girl he wants. It’s absurd to think he’d have feelings for me.”

Ashley’s lips curled into a mischievous grin, the kind that made me instantly wary. “Fine. Since you’re so convinced, how about we test it?”

I frowned, already sensing where this was headed. “Test it? What are you talking about?”

She sat up straighter, clearly thrilled by the direction the conversation had taken. “I call it Operation: Taming Ryan Jenkins.”

I groaned, tossing my empty ice cream cup into the nearby trash can. “No, Ash. Whatever you’re planning, I’m not interested.”

“Oh, but you are,” she said, her voice practically sing-song. She reached into her bag and pulled out a pen and a small notepad, scribbling something down. “Here’s the plan. We’ll make a list of things you’ll do around him to see how he reacts.”

I stared at her, my arms crossed tightly over my chest. “Things like what?”

Ashley’s grin widened, a wicked glint in her eyes. “We’ll make you irresistible.”

I almost choked on the air I was breathing.

“Irresistible? No. Absolutely not. He’s my stepbrother, Ash. And I’m definitely not his type.”

Ashley waved off my protest like it was irrelevant. “You don’t know his type.”

“I do know! He’s into girls like Evelyn. Tall, blonde, the queen of the cheer squad. I’m nothing like her.”

“Men don’t always know what they want,” Ashley said confidently. “Trust me.”

I shook my head, standing firm. “I’m not going along with this. It’s ridiculous.”

An hour later, I found myself staring down at a hastily written list as Ashley explained Phase One of Operation :Taming Ryan Jenkins.

“We’ll start in two days,” she said. “You’ll thank me later.”

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. This was going to be a disaster.