The Girl in the Hoodie is Mine

Dylan’s POV:

I knew what we were doing was wrong, but it was thrilling. These days, nothing really amazed us anymore. Life had become a series of expected moves, where everything and everyone followed a predictable script. But when the hoodie girl came to our school, something shifted. She wasn’t like the other girls who constantly threw themselves at us, craving our attention. She didn’t play the same games or care about who held power on campus. She didn’t pay homage to Amber, the queen of it all, or even to Jason, who everyone seemed to worship.

It was like she didn’t care about any of us at all, and that fascinated me. It was a big blow to our group, especially to Jason and Max. They were used to being the center of everyone’s world, but she treated them as if they were invisible. At first, they shrugged it off, pretending like she didn’t matter, like she was just another outsider to ignore. But I couldn’t do that. Something about her drew me in. I watched her, quietly observing the way she moved through the world, always a little out of sync with everyone else.

She was odd, yes, but not in a way that made me feel sorry for her. It was more like she had created her own universe, one where she didn’t need anyone’s approval. She avoided attention like the plague, always keeping to herself, never making eye contact for longer than necessary. Her black hoodie became a symbol, a way of shutting the world out, and I think that’s what intrigued me the most.

I noticed how she never seemed to seek human companionship. It was as if she had made peace with being alone, and in a place where everyone was desperate to fit in, that was the most unusual thing of all. The more I watched her, the more I realized that she wasn’t like anyone I’d ever met. She didn’t need us, and for some reason, that made me want to know her more. I wanted to break through that wall she’d built around herself, even if I wasn’t entirely sure why. Maybe it was the challenge. Or maybe it was something deeper than that. Either way, I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

When I discovered that the hoodie girl and the waitress at the diner were one and the same, everything clicked. All the little pieces of her odd behavior suddenly made sense. I’d seen the waitress countless times during our late-night hangouts at the diner, but I never paid much attention to her beyond ordering my usual. She treated us like she treated all the other customers—no special treatment, no flirting, just business as usual. She was always professional, efficient, and distant.

She always hid her face under a cap, just like the hoodie girl. I didn’t think much of it at first, but now that I knew they were the same person, it felt obvious. The same energy of wanting to stay out of sight, to blend into the background, was there. It was like she was trying to disappear in plain sight.

Thanks to Jason, I can now talk to her without him or Max raising their eyebrows at me. That reminds me—she actually accepted my offer to take her to the movies. I couldn’t believe it at first, but it’s happening, and today, practice ended late, so we didn’t hang out at the diner like usual. The coach really pushed us hard, and everyone was spent—but not me. The thought of finally talking to Ella, the hoodie girl, brought a whole new energy into me.

I wasn’t really invested in the bet when I only knew her as the waitress, but now that I know the waitress is the hoodie girl I’ve been intrigued by all along? There’s no way I’m missing this date with her. This is my chance, and I’m not letting it slip by.

As I said goodbye to my pals after practice, I headed straight for my car. I had a plan—shower, freshen up, and see if I could catch Ella before she finished her shift. What? A guy’s allowed to try and impress a girl, right?

Max and Jason gave me weird looks when I mentioned I was rushing to see Ella. Jason even asked if I wasn’t too tired and suggested I reschedule the date for another day. But I knew better. Ella’s not like other girls; if I waited or delayed, who knows if she’d agree to go with me again. The thrill of finally talking to her outweighed any exhaustion from practice.

I chuckled, shrugged off their comments, and with a quick "Wish me luck," I jumped into my car and sped off towards my place, feeling more alive than I had all day. This was going to be interesting.

Ella’s POV:

Okay, it’s official—I’m dead tired. I haven’t felt this drained in forever. The girl who once had people to clean for her, wash her things, cook for her, and serve her, was now the one reduced to serving people just to make ends meet. And today, the students really came to prove a point, rubbing it in my face. If my dad found out the state I’ve reduced myself to—working as a waitress, living on my own terms—he’d probably blow a fuse. Knowing him, he’d turn the entire country upside down just to defend me from being treated like some servant.

Huh, if I weren’t so determined to prove myself to my father, to show him I can survive without his help, I wouldn’t be in this pathetic state. God, how I miss my daddy. He always said I reminded him of my mom, especially when I’m being hot-headed. He’d laugh and ask why I had to be like her in the one department that drove him nuts—stubbornness. Apparently, I got my looks from him, but the attitude? All my mom.

Ever since she died, Dad has been so overprotective, to the point where I just couldn’t stand it anymore. He keeps up a cold, tough exterior with everyone else, but deep down, he has this soft spot he only shows to me—his little girl. I miss that. I miss him. But I had to get out from under his shadow, had to prove I’m capable of living my own life.

Finishing my shift, I tugged my hoodie back on, the one thing that gave me comfort and let me hide in plain sight. The relief of not having to hide my secret anymore—thanks to Jason’s big reveal—was oddly freeing. At least now I didn’t have to deal with the paranoia of someone finding out about my double life. But I also knew that meant the worst was probably yet to come.

As I headed home, ready to collapse into bed, I realized how far I’d come from the girl who once had everything handed to her. And despite the exhaustion, despite everything, I wasn’t ready to give up. Not yet.

Walking out of the diner, every muscle in my body screamed for rest. All I could think about was collapsing into bed and shutting out the world. But as I pushed through the doors, there he was—Dylan—leaning casually against a sleek, purple Lamborghini, smiling like he didn’t have a care in the world.

I stopped dead in my tracks. *Damn.* I had completely forgotten about him and the stupid movie I’d agreed to. Of course, with all the chaos and the endless taunting from the students today, that little promise had slipped my mind.

Dylan’s grin widened as soon as he saw me, his eyes lighting up. He looked so relaxed, like he’d been waiting there for hours without a care in the world. And there I was, still wearing my hoodie, hair a mess, utterly drained, and feeling like I’d just survived a war zone. Great.

"Hey, ready to go?" he asked, pushing himself off the car with an easy confidence.

I internally groaned. The last thing I felt like doing was going to a movie. But as I looked at him, with that stupid, easy smile and his excitement practically radiating off him, I couldn’t bring myself to cancel. He hadn’t treated me any differently after the whole hoodie-waitress reveal, and I appreciated that. The last thing I wanted to do was ruin his mood.

"Yeah, about that..." I hesitated, eyeing the ridiculously flashy car behind him. Of course, Dylan would roll up in a Lamborghini. Why not? "I’m a little tired after my shift, but..."

His face fell slightly, but he quickly recovered, forcing a smile. "We don’t have to go if you’re not up for it. I just thought we could hang out, you know? No pressure."

I sighed, feeling bad. Suck it up, Ella. "No, no. Let’s go," I finally said. "I just need a minute to catch my breath."

"Great!" He opened the passenger door for me, and I slipped inside, the plush leather seat almost too comfortable for someone as exhausted as I was.

As he got in and started the engine, I couldn’t help but wonder how this night was going to go.