There are a hundred things Blake Walker would rather do on a Friday afternoon than stand in the center of Lincoln Heights Academy's courtyard, but "blending in" stopped being an option the moment Tyler handed him that stupid, heart-shaped sign.
"Dude, you gotta do it! C'mon—everyone's watching!" Tyler's grin was wide enough to split his face. Next to him, the rest of their group was already pulling out phones, hungry for content. Blake eyed the sign, then the crowd, then the girl at the fountain.
Elizabeth Sterling. Platinum blonde, crisp uniform, surrounded by admirers but alone on her throne. The Ice Queen. A living meme. And, apparently, the target of today's school-wide dare.
"Relax, it's not like she'll say yes," Tyler whispered, nudging Blake forward. "Worst case? You get roasted on Savannah's stream for a day. Best case? You become a legend."
Blake should've walked away. He should've crumpled the sign and vanished into the crowd. But something in the air—peer pressure, boredom, the faint hope of shocking the entire school—made him take the bait. Besides, nobody expected the quiet kid to actually pull it off.
Savannah Lee, phone in hand, had her front row seat ready. "Alright, Blake, you're live with #SavLee! Show us what you got!"
He sighed, squared his shoulders, and strode forward. The crowd parted. Whispers raced through the courtyard, phone cameras snapping to attention. Elizabeth glanced over, eyebrow arched with practiced indifference.
Blake stopped two steps away, the sign—embarrassingly glittery—held up between them. He didn't kneel. Didn't stammer. Just looked her straight in the eyes.
"Elizabeth Sterling," he said, tone deadpan, "will you marry me? I promise to only slightly ruin your reputation."
A stunned silence. Tyler's laughter died in his throat. Even Savannah's usually non-stop commentary cut out. The Ice Queen regarded him for a long, excruciating moment.
Then, to everyone's horror—and secret delight—Elizabeth reached out, took the sign, and held it up.
"I accept," she said, voice cool and clear, gaze never leaving his. "Try not to embarrass me, fiancé."
The courtyard detonated. Shouts, shrieks, camera flashes. Someone dropped their boba. Emily, across the crowd, looked like she might actually explode. Ashley, student council blazer gleaming, was already storming over, ready to protest.
But all Blake could hear was the sudden, merciless buzz of his phone:CONGRATULATIONS!#IceQueenEngagedDid that just happen?!
He turned, searching for an escape, only to find Elizabeth suddenly at his side, her whisper meant for his ears alone:
"Keep up, Blake. You started this."
He wasn't sure if it was a threat, a challenge, or something much worse. All he knew was this:Lincoln Heights would never be the same.