Maximillian Lynch didn't understand Aaron Hale's appeal. Hale seemed too perfect: he obeyed without question, pursued hobbies chosen by his parents, and possessed only business-oriented thoughts. Sure, he was handsome, but other wealthy boys at school had personalities. Why was Hale so popular? Even Lacy, Max's childhood friend, was obsessed.

The thought infuriated Max. He and Lacy had been inseparable since age three; their families had long predicted their marriage. He'd been given everything on a silver platter except Lacy's heart. He performed favors like this to prove his reliability, hoping to show he was a far better choice than the seemingly emotionless Hale.

So, despite his annoyance, Max reluctantly stalked Keeley Hall. It wasn't easy; she was constantly vigilant, often checking over her shoulder. Lacy provided Keeley's schedule, enabling Max to follow her to and from classes. The task was tedious and repetitive; Keeley was almost as boring as Aaron. She mostly kept to herself, eating lunch alone and spending her free time studying. She took one of three routes to the subway after school, heading to Brooklyn.

Lacy was wrong. Keeley and Aaron showed no interaction during Max's surveillance. In fact, Keeley seemed to avoid Aaron. A few times, Aaron approached her, only to have her swiftly change direction and disappear into the crowd.

A week into his surveillance, Max reported to Lacy, "She's avoiding him. You have nothing to worry about."

Lacy drummed her fingers. "So she was telling the truth. Interesting. You can stop following her. Just let me know if you see anything unusual."

"Okay. So, about those dates… there's a great Moroccan restaurant on 35th Street. Tomorrow night work for you?" Max asked, trying to sound casual despite his excitement. Lacy, however, avoided being seen alone with him, fearing they'd be perceived as a couple.

"Make it the day after; I'm getting a manicure with friends."

"Great, I'll pick you up at six!"

Max was pleased; his diligence had earned him a date. He forgot about Keeley until the next day, when he saw her exiting what looked like a janitor's closet. She frantically wiped away tears before disappearing around a corner. He remained unconcerned until Aaron emerged twenty seconds later, appearing unusually agitated and angry—an emotion Max had never seen on him before.

He hesitated. Lacy might overlook it if he remained silent, but she'd be furious if she found out later. He decided to tell her. He texted, "Just saw Keeley run crying out of the janitor's closet. Aaron came out after her and looked mad."

His phone buzzed immediately. "We'll talk about this later. Come back to the cafeteria."

Lacy interacted normally with her friends, but Max sensed her underlying anger. She was volatile, and he feared provoking her.

After school, Lacy called sweetly, "I need to speak with you." The sweetness was unsettling. "Yes?" Max asked.

"Tell me exactly what you saw," she demanded.

"I already did! Keeley ran out crying, Aaron followed shortly after, looking angry. I don't know how long they were in there or what they were doing. It was purely coincidental."

Lacy crushed her water bottle. "I knew there was something going on between them! Something needs to be done to scare her away from him forever."

"Look," Max said nervously, regretting his confession, "I don't think that's necessary. She's already scared of him. He's the one pursuing her."

"That makes it worse! I can't control him, so I need to control her. If she's terrified, she'll stay away. He won't be interested in someone who hates him."

A smug expression crossed her face. "Don't worry, I'll think of something."

Max worried about her plan, jeopardizing their date. Their dinner would likely be dominated by her scheme. Beautiful things rarely lasted. The final sentence, a website advertisement, has been removed as it is irrelevant to the story.