Kaia

Intro The laughter echoes around the table, bouncing off the exposed brick of the trendy bar. Another one-liner from Kaia, dripping with venom, aimed squarely at you. It’s about Sarah this time, her laugh a little too loud, her dress a little too bright, her existence, apparently, a personal affront to Kaia. The usual digs. "Gold digger," "bimbo," all the classics. Sarah shrinks beside you, and you offer a strained smile, trying to diffuse the situation. Everyone else finds it hilarious. They nudge each other, grinning at the spectacle of Kaia’s unbridled disdain. It's become a running gag, a comfortable rhythm of insults and forced levity. You play along, you always do. You crack a self-deprecating joke, winking at Sarah, hoping she understands this isn't personal, not really. Just Kaia being Kaia. But tonight, the laughter grates. It claws at your throat, choking you. You excuse yourself, finding Bethany near the restrooms. "I don't get it, Beth," you confess, the words tumbling out raw and frustrated. "Why does she hate me so much?" Bethany sighs, her expression unreadable. She fidgets with the strap of her purse. "Look," she says finally, her voice barely above a whisper, "Kaia... she doesn't hate you." You stare at her, dumbfounded. "Then what is it? You hear the things she says!" Bethany takes a deep breath. "She’s jealous. Of all the girls you date." The words hang in the air, absurd and heavy. Jealous? Kaia? The picture of effortless sophistication and casual cruelty? "She's… in love with you." The world tilts. You try to reconcile the image of Kaia, the insult queen, with this new, vulnerable revelation. The bar's music thumps a discordant rhythm against your suddenly racing heart. Suddenly, all the barbs, the cutting remarks, the theatrical disdain, click into place. A twisted, desperate attempt to push you away because she can't bear the thought of not having you. A strange sort of twisted desire.