It started with a list. A simple, harmless list.
At least, that’s what Maddie Bennett told herself as she tore the final page from her notebook and slipped it into her backpack. It wasn’t meant for anyone to see—just a way for her to make sense of her own feelings. But high school had a way of turning secrets into scandals, and Maddie’s life was about to become a whole lot more complicated.
The Beginning
Maddie Bennett was the kind of girl who blended into the background at Ridgeview High. She wasn’t invisible—people knew her as the girl who always had her nose in a book, the reliable partner for group projects, the friendly but quiet girl next door. And she liked it that way.
But Maddie had a secret. She had a crush—a list of crushes, to be exact. Five names, scrawled on a page that she updated every few months. It wasn’t like she planned to act on them; the list was more like a diary entry. Writing their names down made her feelings feel real but manageable.
At the top of the list was Ryan Carter, her childhood best friend who had grown up into a lacrosse-playing heartthrob. Next came Lucas Rivera, the brooding artist who sat two rows behind her in history. Then there was Ethan Blake, the star quarterback who somehow always remembered her name, and Zoe Price, the effortlessly cool girl who could pull off ripped jeans and a leather jacket like she walked out of a movie. Rounding out the list was Jake Nolan, the new kid with the mysterious past and the kind of smile that could make her forget her own name.
It was just for her. Nobody else would ever know.
Until they did.
The Fallout
It happened on a Monday morning, the kind of day where everything already felt a little off. Maddie was at her locker when she noticed the whispers. People glancing her way, smirking, laughing. Her stomach sank.
Then she saw it: a picture of her list, printed out and taped to the main bulletin board. Every name circled in red ink. At the bottom, someone had scrawled in bold letters: Who will Maddie Bennett love next?
Her heart stopped. She snatched the paper down, her cheeks burning. How had this happened? She’d been so careful. Her list was always hidden in her room—how could anyone have found it?
The day only got worse. Everywhere she went, people were talking about her. Ryan looked at her with wide, startled eyes as she passed him in the hallway. Lucas smirked at her from his usual spot on the bleachers. Ethan gave her a sympathetic smile. Zoe raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. And Jake—Jake didn’t look at her at all.
Confrontations
By lunchtime, Maddie was ready to crawl into a hole and disappear forever. But fate, or maybe just her terrible luck, had other plans.
“Hey, Maddie!” Ryan called, jogging to catch up with her. She froze. “So, uh… is it true?”
She blinked at him. “What?”
“Your list,” he said, scratching the back of his neck. “You… like me?”
Her mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. She wanted to explain, to tell him it wasn’t supposed to be public, but the words stuck in her throat.
“I mean, it’s cool if you do,” he continued, his voice a little too casual. “We’ve known each other forever, right? I just… didn’t know you felt that way.”
Before she could respond, Lucas appeared, leaning lazily against a nearby locker. “Looks like Maddie’s got options,” he drawled, his dark eyes glinting with amusement. “Care to explain how I ended up on that little list of yours?”
Maddie wanted the ground to swallow her whole. “It’s not… it’s not what you think.”
“Oh, I think it’s exactly what it looks like,” Lucas said, smirking.
Ethan walked by, raising a hand in greeting. “Don’t worry, Maddie,” he called. “Happens to the best of us.”
And then Zoe, leaning on the cafeteria doorframe, added her two cents. “I’m flattered, Bennett. Really. But I’m more of a spontaneous vibe girl. Lists are a bit… organized.”
Maddie turned on her heel and fled.
The Unexpected Twist
Later that day, Maddie found herself in the library, her sanctuary. She needed to think. Someone had to have stolen the list from her room—but who? And why? As she sat there, Jake Nolan slid into the chair across from her.
“I didn’t peg you as the dramatic type,” he said, his voice low. His messy hair fell into his eyes, but he didn’t bother pushing it back.
“I didn’t peg you as the type to care,” she shot back, a little sharper than she intended.
He raised an eyebrow. “Touché. But I do care about how my name ended up in the middle of this circus.”
“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen,” Maddie said, her voice cracking. “Someone found my list and… and posted it. I don’t know who.”
Jake studied her for a long moment. “You didn’t hear this from me,” he said finally, leaning in, “but your best friend might not be as trustworthy as you think.”
Maddie stared at him. “Ryan? He wouldn’t…”
Jake shrugged. “Maybe not on purpose. But I saw him with a copy of that list a few days ago. Looked like he’d been showing it around.”
Her stomach churned. Ryan was her oldest friend. He would never—
Would he?
The Confrontation
That evening, Maddie marched to Ryan’s house, the crumpled remains of the bulletin board paper in her hand. He opened the door, his usual easygoing smile fading when he saw her expression.
“Mads? What’s wrong?”
She shoved the paper at him. “This. Did you do this?”
Ryan’s eyes widened. “What? No! Why would I—”
“Jake said he saw you with my list,” she interrupted, her voice trembling. “How did you even get it?”
Ryan hesitated, guilt flickering across his face. “Okay, yeah, I saw it,” he admitted. “You left your backpack open when you came over last week. It fell out, and I… I looked. But I didn’t mean for it to get out. I swear.”
Maddie’s heart sank. “Then how did it end up on the bulletin board?”
“I… might’ve told Ethan about it,” Ryan said, wincing. “But only because he asked why I seemed weird around you! I didn’t think he’d—”
“You didn’t think,” she snapped. “Ryan, that was private! How could you?”
The Redemption
In the days that followed, Maddie avoided everyone. She couldn’t face Ryan, or Ethan, or anyone else whose name had been on her list. But one afternoon, as she sat on the bleachers behind the school, Jake found her again.
“Still hiding?” he asked, sitting beside her.
“Not hiding,” she muttered. “Thinking.”
“Thinking about how you’re gonna forgive your dumbass best friend?” he guessed.
She sighed. “I don’t know if I can.”
Jake was quiet for a moment. Then he said, “You should. He messed up, yeah, but he’s still your friend. And friends are worth forgiving.”
Maddie glanced at him. “Why do you care?”
Jake shrugged. “Because I know what it’s like to lose someone over a mistake. And because… maybe I don’t want to see you hurting.”
Her breath caught. There it was—the thing she hadn’t wanted to admit. Jake Nolan, with his rough edges and quiet kindness, was so much more than just a name on her list.
“Thanks,” she said softly.
The Final Twist
At prom a few weeks later, Maddie braced herself for more awkward encounters. But to her surprise, Jake showed up at her door, a nervous smile on his face.
“I figured you might need a date,” he said.
As they danced under the twinkling lights, Maddie realized that her list had been a silly idea—but it had led her to something real. And as Jake twirled her around the dance floor, she thought that maybe, just maybe, the chaos had been worth it.
The End