Popular by Association

The city's humid air hit Delancey Cruz like a wet towel the second the terminal doors slid open, completely ruining the glorious artificial chill of the plane. She dragged her overpacked suitcase across the curb, headphones clamped around her neck like a collar. Before she could even plant her sneakers firmly on the ground, a whirlwind of designer perfume, clinking bracelets, and manicured nails slammed into her.

"Delancey! My baby girl!" Her mother squeezed her with the force of an aggressive python. "It has been so long. Just look at you, you are all grown up!"

Delancey laughed nervously, her ribs practically groaning under the sudden maternal affection. She awkwardly wrapped her arms around her mother’s waist, the familiar scent anchoring her after a grueling flight. "I missed you too, Mom."

Delancey pulled back, braced for the inevitable. She fully expected a lecture on her oversized, aggressively plain dark hoodie or a sigh over her completely unstyled, messy hair.

Instead, her mother just smiled softly. "We really have a lot to catch up on, sweetie."

Snatching one of the heavier bags before Delancey could object, her mother led the way toward the parking garage.

Once they were settled in the car with the AC blasting, reality kicked in. Her mother navigated the chaotic traffic, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel before breaking the silence.

"Your brother is going to be so excited to see you after five years," her mother said, beaming through the rearview mirror.

Delancey adjusted the silver chain of her necklace. "Oh, really?"

"Oh, absolutely. Maverick made the varsity basketball team this year. He’s quite popular with the girls now. You won't even recognize him."

Delancey swallowed a groan. The West Ridge High basketball team wasn't a group of athletes; they were a toxic collective of arrogant, self-absorbed clones with over-the-top egos who treated the hallways like a personal runway. The fact that her own brother was running with them sent a ripple of cynical unease through her. Then again, remembering how quiet Maverick used to be, she was glad he’d finally found a circle of friends.

She forced a flat smile. "Of course. That's great for him."

The rest of the drive was awkward, quiet, and strangely peaceful. Five years of living with their father had built an invisible wall between them. They loved each other, sure, but they didn't actually know each other anymore. Childhood familiarity had been replaced by the cautious politeness of strangers.

Finally, the car pulled up in front of a standard two-story suburban house. As they popped the trunk to haul out the luggage, her mother immediately flooded the air with rapid-fire neighborhood updates—who moved, who divorced, and which local shops went under.

Delancey reached for a heavy stack of textbooks, but the deep, obnoxious rumble of a sports car cut her mother off.

Delancey froze. A sleek, expensive vehicle pulled up directly in front of the neighboring house.

Her heart skipped a violent beat.

It was Adrian.

Her childhood crush, and naturally, one of West Ridge High’s top basketball players. She had pined over him for as long as she could remember, and seeing him now made her want the earth to open up and swallow her whole. Adrian had mutated into someone terrifyingly hot and sharp. She, conversely, was still the exact same nerdy, unbothered Delancey with thick eyeglasses and zero style.

Shrugging off the sudden wave of self-consciousness, she grabbed her bag and marched inside. It wasn't like a guy like Adrian would ever notice someone like her anyway. They’d been neighbors for ages and hadn't even exchanged a proper, normal greeting.

The moment Delancey’s bedroom door clicked shut inside, the car doors slammed outside. Adrian and his friends stepped onto the driveway. One of the guys squinted toward the porch.

"Hey, isn't that the nerd girl from next door?"

A tall, dark-skinned guy with a silver nose piercing grinned. "Yeah, that's Maverick's sister, right? D*mn. She looks low-key hotter than the last time anyone saw her."

Adrian leaned against the hood, a slow smirk spreading across his face. "Yeah, she does. It wouldn't hurt to go over and say hello, right?"

The first friend laughed, shoving Adrian's shoulder. "Whoa. Don't tell me the great Adrian is crushing on a neighborhood nerd."

Before Adrian could answer, the front gate clicked open. Maverick stepped onto the pavement, his expression firm. "Yo, chill out. My sister is completely off-limits. Find a different direction."

The guys raised their hands in mock surrender, laughing it off. "Yes, we're cool, man."

Maverick turned to head back inside, but Adrian called out. "Hey, where are you going? We need to leave. Coach wants us early to help with the party stuff tonight."

Maverick didn't look up from his phone screen. "Just checking in on my sister. I'll be back out soon."

Adrian nodded. "Okay, no problem. Don't be long."

Inside, Delancey was holding up a bright pink top by the wardrobe when her door swung open. Maverick leaned casually against the frame.

"Well, look who's finally back," Maverick teased, a smug grin plastered on his face. "If it isn't my baby sister."

Delancey scoffed, tossing the top into the closet. "Well, look who it is. If it isn't my hot-shot, basketball-playing big brother."

"I sense a massive amount of jealousy, Del."

"Jealous of the fact that you're actively becoming a total douche? No, thank you."

Maverick laughed, stepping forward to pull her into a genuine, warm hug. Delancey squeezed him back, the familiar comfort of her brother making her return feel real.

They pulled apart, and Maverick’s tone leveled. "How is Dad doing anyway?"

Delancey shrugged, her voice turning completely flat. "Well, that's that. Dad is okay."

Maverick blinked, incredulous. "What? You've been living under the same roof with him for five whole years and all you can say is he's 'okay'?"

"Yeah. It's not like I was always around him. He rarely stays home because of his insane work schedule."

Maverick rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh. No sh*t."

Sensing the heavy mood, Delancey dropped into an exaggerated, whiny baby voice. "Since my amazing big brother is around, why don't you be useful and help me unpack all of my stuff?"

Maverick winced. "I'd love to, Del, but I have major plans with the boys. Massive party tonight."

Delancey’s eyes narrowed behind her glasses. "A party? On a school week? Mom‘s absolutely not going to allow that."

Maverick gave her a sly wink. "Well, that's only if she finds out."

Delancey opened her mouth to scold him, but their mother's sharp voice cut through the hallway.

"Find out about what, exactly?"

Maverick froze, his posture stiffening. He turned around, letting out a nervous, forced laugh. "Um... we were just talking about how I have a really important study session at a friend's place tonight. A very serious study session." He shot a desperate, pleading look at Delancey. Help me right now or I am dead.

Her mother’s strict expression instantly softened. "Oh! Well, since it's a study session, Delancey should definitely accompany you. That way she can get used to the academic environment earlier."

Maverick’s face dropped into pure horror.

Delancey caught his eye, sending a clear internal message: Maverick, you owe me your life for this.

"No, Mom, it's fine," Delancey spoke up smoothly, breaking the tension. "He can go ahead. I’d prefer to use the time to finish unpacking and get organized."

Their mother nodded. "Okay, fine. But Maverick, don't go to those dangerous places down by the old district. You know the government explicitly banned gatherings there."

Maverick exhaled a visible sigh of relief. "I know, Mom, trust me. I only went to that side of town once."

"Even so, that place is dangerous. I don't want you near it."

Maverick walked up, wrapping his arms around her and planting a quick kiss on her cheek. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

"Okay, no problem. Just be back before nine o'clock sharp."

"You got it," Maverick said, flashing Delancey a deeply grateful look before vanishing out the front door.

Their mother turned her attention back to Delancey. "I'm going downstairs to start preparing dinner now."

Delancey smiled, grabbing another stack of clothes. "Okay, Mom. I'll be down in a bit. I just need to finish unpacking this last bag."

Her mother paused in the doorway, her hands resting on the frame. The warm atmosphere shifted into that measured, careful tone she used whenever she wanted to play guidance counselor.

"You know, Delancey, this is your final year. It’s your last chance before college to really expand your horizons. I want you to make use of this opportunity to be more social."

Delancey kept her back turned, aligning hangers in her wardrobe. "I'm fine, Mom."

"I know you're a bright girl, sweetie. Your grades have never been the problem," her mother continued, stepping into the room. "But you need to get out of your comfort zone. Interact with different people, build a network, make connections. You can't spend your entire senior year hiding behind textbooks and headphones."

Delancey exhaled a quiet breath through her nose and turned around, adjusting her eyeglasses. "Mom, I’m perfectly okay being the way I am. I don't need a massive crowd of friends. Besides, I have Elowen already. One chaotic best friend is more than enough for my social quota."

Her mother hummed, a small nod acknowledging the point. "Hmm, makes sense. Elowen is a good girl, even if she is a bit of a whirlwind. But anyway, yes, your focus should always be on your academics first. Just... think about what I said."

With a final, lingering look, her mother walked out, closing the door softly behind her.

Delancey stood frozen in the center of the quiet room, the silence suddenly heavy. She looked at her open suitcase, but the motivation to finish unpacking was entirely gone.

Her phone buzzed violently in her pocket.

Pulling it out, she stared at a text from an unknown number.

“Welcome back to the neighborhood, Cruz. Nice hoodie. Good to know some things never change.”

The text from the unknown number sat on Delancey’s lock screen all morning, staring back at her like an unsolved equation.

Unknown: Welcome back to the neighborhood, Cruz. Nice hoodie. Good to know some things never change.

Delancey sat at the kitchen island, systematically dissecting a plate of eggs and toast while her mind spun in circles. She grieved over the message, her thumb hovering over the screen as she re-read the words for the twentieth time. “Who could have possibly sent it? How did an unknown number even get my current contact information the exact day I landed?“ Her mind instantly flashed back to the sleek sports car parked next door and the effortless, dangerous smile on Adrian's face, but she quickly shook the thought away. “No way.”

She was just about to take her final bite of breakfast when her mother pushed a fresh cup of coffee across the counter, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Now, Delancey, remember what we talked about yesterday," h