Maisie was twenty-one, but she navigated the world with the performative, weaponized helplessness of a toddler. She referred to herself exclusively as "Baby." She spoke in a high, breathy coo, stomping her designer-clad feet when she didn’t get her way, and somehow, almost everyone in our university cohort treated it like a sacred duty to keep her happy. It was Thanksgiving weekend—specifically, Black Friday, the chaotic peak of the holiday shopping season—when Maisie stood up in our lecture hall, tilted her chin up, and clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention. "To thank everyone for taking such good care of Baby," she announced, beaming at the room, "Baby has decided to take the whole class on a designer shopping spree today. My treat. Everything is on Baby." The room went dead silent for a fraction of a second before erupting into absolute chaos. Students who had been packing up their bags froze, their faces lighting up with a mixture of shock and sheer ecstasy. "Maisie, are you serious?" one of the girls gasped, leaning over her desk. "A single piece in those boutiques costs more than three months of our parents' rent. You’re really paying for all of us?" Maisie let out a soft, giggling hum and patted her chest. "Baby never lies. You guys are always so sweet to Baby, so Baby wants to be sweet to you. Baby always rewards her friends." My boyfriend, Tyler, ran a hand through her curled hair, his eyes dripping with a soft, patronizing affection that used to make my stomach turn. "Maisie is so sweet. Such a good baby." Maisie gave him a shy, dimpled smile, and within seconds, a dozen classmates swarmed her desk, burying her in a chorus of high-pitched compliments. "Maisie, I had no idea you were secretly loaded! Are you an heiress or something?" "You are literally the prettiest, kindest girl in this entire department. We are so lucky to have our own little princess." … I stood at the back of the classroom, watching the display. A cold, heavy weight settled in my chest as I looked down at my phone. The digital clock read Black Friday, 8:30 AM. I was back. I had actually come back. Just then, Tyler reached out and grabbed my wrist, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Rachel, Maisie just offered to buy the whole class designer clothes, and you’re just standing there? Aren't you going to say thank you?" In my past life, the moment Maisie made that announcement, my alarm bells had gone off. I knew her family was middle-class at best; there was no secret trust fund, no inheritance. Fearing she was about to ruin herself financially, I had lied to the class, telling them the administration was doing a surprise roll call, which bought me enough time to pull Maisie into an empty hallway. When I pressed her on how she was going to pay, she had proudly pulled out her phone and showed me her chat history with a popular AI chatbot app called Buddy. "I asked Buddy to give me an unlimited free-pass code," she had whispered. "And he did! He said it’s an exclusive VIP pass for his favorite baby." I had tried, desperately, to explain reality to her. "Maisie, Buddy is a language model. It's a machine. It hallucinates. It doesn't have thirty million dollars to write off your shopping cart." I had then apologized to the class on her behalf and canceled the trip. But instead of gratitude, Maisie saw it as a calculated, malicious attack. She dropped out the next day, weeping that I had ruined her reputation and her life. That night, Tyler and the rest of our class cornered me on the building's rooftop. They dragged me out into the biting, freezing air of a late-November cold snap and locked the heavy metal fire door behind them. "You’re just a jealous, bitter bitch, Rachel," Tyler had spat through the thick glass window. "You ruined our only shot at a luxury life because you couldn't stand to see Maisie shine." I spent twelve grueling hours on that freezing concrete. By the time the sun rose, my shivering body had given out, and I froze to death begging for warmth. Remembering the suffocating panic of that night, my hands began to tremble. I forced my fingers into tight fists, taking slow, deliberate breaths until the phantom frost in my chest faded. I looked at Tyler’s arrogant face, then at Maisie’s pouting lip. This time, I wasn't going to save them. I forced a smooth, pleasant smile onto my face. "Maisie is incredibly generous. We should absolutely go and support her. Everyone should have a great time shopping today." Maisie cleared her throat, her eyes darting over to me with a sudden, sharp look. "Rachel-sister, Baby’s throat is so dry from talking so much. Baby wants a hot white chocolate mocha with the little marshmallow bear on top. Can you go grab one for Baby?" Outside, a bitter winter wind was howling. The nearest artisanal cafe was a twenty-minute walk each way. "I have things to do," I said, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "Get it yourself." Maisie’s face instantly fell. She stomped her foot, her lower lip trembling as she squeezed her eyes shut. "But it's so cold outside! Baby will get frostbite! Are you doing this on purpose to make Baby sick?" Tyler glared at me, his voice sharp with disgust. "Rachel, what could you possibly have to do that’s more important than Maisie’s drink? Go get the mocha. And buy a box of those imported French macarons to make up for your attitude." I let out a dry, humorless laugh. "Tyler, if you want to play daddy to a twenty-one-year-old toddler, go right ahead. But I’m not her mother, and I’m not her maid." Maisie burst into loud, dramatic wails. "How can you be so mean to Baby? Baby only got thirsty because she was trying to do something nice for everyone! You’re hurting Baby's fragile soul, and now Baby is too sad to go shopping!" At her words, the atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. The classmates, terrified of losing their free designer gifts, turned on me like a pack of wolves. "Rachel, what the hell is wrong with you today?" one of the girls snapped. "Usually you’re the first one to help her. It's just a cup of coffee, and you're acting like a psycho." "Exactly," a guy named Kyle chimed in. "You’re doing this on purpose because you want to ruin the trip for the rest of us. You’re just jealous of her." Tyler wrapped an arm around Maisie, whispering sweet nothings into her ear while glaring at me. "I always knew you were small-minded, Rachel, but this is pathetic. You're just mad that everyone loves her more than you." I stood there, completely numb to his words. It was mind-boggling how, without doing a single harmful thing, I had still been cast as the villain. "Apologize to her right now, Rachel," Tyler commanded, raising his chin. "And make her feel better, or we’re going to have a serious problem." I rolled my eyes. "No. I refused to run an errand. If you want to cater to her delusions, that's your business. Leave me out of it." The moment the words left my mouth, Kyle took his open water bottle and splashed the ice-cold contents directly into my face. The freezing water ran down my nose and dripped onto my collar. "Maisie is our princess," Kyle sneered, tossing the empty plastic bottle onto my desk. "Who do you think you are, talking to her like that?" Maisie stopped crying immediately, clapping her hands and giggling. "Good job, Kyle! People who hurt Baby deserve to be punished! As Baby’s brave knight, I’m going to buy you a designer leather belt today at the mall!" Kyle’s eyes lit up with naked greed. "Thanks, Maisie! Don't worry, as long as I’m here, nobody is going to treat you bad." Seeing the instant reward, the rest of the classmates eagerly joined in, desperate to win Maisie’s favor. Someone grabbed my hair from behind, dragging me backward until I tripped and fell hard onto the linoleum floor. My desk was kicked over, sending my books and laptop clattering across the room, where several people intentionally trampled them. "This is your last warning, Rachel," someone yelled over the noise. "If you make Maisie cry again, we’re going to make your life a living hell." Maisie squealed with delight, clapping like a child at a puppet show. "You guys are the best! Because you protected Baby, everyone gets to pick out an extra accessory today!" She then looked down at me, her eyes glittering with cruel satisfaction. "Do you know you're wrong now, Rachel? Are you going to be nice to Baby?" "Apologize!" the crowd chanted. I slowly got up from the floor, pulled my phone from my pocket, and dialed 911. The room went instantly quiet. Kyle lunged forward to grab my phone, but I stepped back, my voice turning ice-cold. "Touch me, and I’ll make sure the police add grand larceny and destruction of property to the assault charges." He froze, his face draining of color. "Rachel, come on. It was just a joke between classmates. There's no need to call the cops. Don't be dramatic." "A joke?" I wiped the water from my eyes, looking at the security camera in the corner of the ceiling. "You dragged me to the ground and vandalized my property on camera. That's a class-A misdemeanor, and depending on my laptop's damage, a felony. You want to see if the dean thinks it's a joke?" Maisie’s face twisted in anger. She balled her hands into tiny fists and charged at me. "You’re so mean! You’re trying to take away Baby’s knights! In the name of the moon, Baby will punish you!" Before she could reach me, I swung my hand and slapped her hard across the face. The sound of the slap cracked through the quiet room. Maisie stumbled back, clutching her cheek. "Have you not been weaned yet?" I said, my voice carrying a quiet, dangerous weight. "Stop calling yourself 'Baby.' You're in college. If you want to be a toddler, go crawl back into your mother's womb." Maisie stared at me in absolute shock before throwing her head back and wailing at the top of her lungs. "She hit Baby! Tyler, she hit Baby!" Tyler rushed to her side, his eyes burning with fury. "Rachel! How dare you lay a hand on her! Get on your knees and apologize to her right now!" "She ran at me with her fists up," I replied, adjusting my collar. "I defended myself. If you want a girlfriend who sits there and takes a beating, find someone else." Tyler took a step toward me, his voice dropping to a threatening whisper. "Maisie is like a sister to me. As my girlfriend, you’re supposed to treat her like family. You’ve crossed the line. Apologize to her right now, or we are done." In my past life, I would have begged for his forgiveness. I would have swallowed my pride to keep him. But now, looking at him, I only felt a profound, exhausting disgust. I smiled. "Great. Let's break up." Tyler blinked, completely thrown off script. "What?" "I said, we're done," I repeated clearly. "Don't ever speak to me again." "Rachel, don't play games with me," he hissed, trying to regain control. "You’ll be crawling back to me by tonight, crying and begging." I didn't waste another breath on him. I turned to the classmates who had kicked my desk. "You have exactly two options. You can pick up my desk, clean up my books, and apologize to me right now. Or I can let the police officer who is currently on the line handle it." They looked at one another, then at the camera on the ceiling. One by one, with sullen, resentful expressions, they set my desk upright, gathered my papers, and mumbled their apologies. Maisie, still sniffling, clutched Tyler's arm. "Don't worry, everyone. Baby knows you had to do that because she's evil. Baby will still reward you at the mall tomorrow." "You're so much better than her, Rachel," someone muttered. "Don't let her ruin our day." I packed my laptop into my bag, ignoring their whispers, and walked out of the classroom without looking back. That evening, my mother called. "Rachel, sweetheart, your cousin's graduation party is this weekend. Can you stop by the boutique tomorrow and pick up a nice piece of jewelry for her? There are some great Black Friday deals." "Of course, Mom," I said. "I'll head over tomorrow afternoon." The next day, I walked into the high-end shopping district downtown. The streets were packed with manic Black Friday shoppers. I had just stepped into Maison Valois, a quiet, exclusive designer boutique, when a loud, grating voice shattered the silence. "Well, look who it is. Rachel. I guess some people really have no shame." I turned to see Tyler, Maisie, and half of our class standing near the display cases. Maisie puffed out her cheeks, pointing a manicured finger at me. "You were mean to Baby yesterday. Baby doesn't want you here. Get out!" Tyler smirked, looking down his nose at me. "I knew you'd show up, Rachel. You wanted to follow us so you could get a piece of Maisie's shopping spree, didn't you? Well, if you apologize to her and make her happy, maybe we'll let you pick out a keychain." I ignored them entirely, turning to the sales associate behind the counter. "Could you please show me the delicate gold pendant necklace from the holiday collection?" Before the associate could move, Tyler grabbed my upper arm, his grip unnecessarily tight. "Are you deaf? I told you to apologize to Maisie." Maisie tilted her head, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness. "Baby is very forgiving, Rachel. If you get down on your knees and say sorry to Baby, Baby will let you stay." "Yeah, Rachel," Kyle added, sneering. "Maisie is being incredibly nice. Don't be ungrateful. Without her, you couldn't even afford to breathe the air in this store." I pulled my arm out of Tyler's grip, my eyes cold. "Keep her 'kindness.' I don't want it." The sales associate returned with the beautifully packaged jewelry box, handing it to me. But before I could take it, Maisie lunged forward and snatched it out of the associate's hands. "You can't buy anything until you say sorry to Baby!" she squeaked. "Maisie," I said, my voice dangerously calm. "What I buy has nothing to do with you. If you're having a mental episode, go to a clinic. Don't throw tantrums in a public business." Maisie’s face turned bright red. "You're calling Baby crazy! Baby hates you! Baby is going to punish you!" With a scream, she threw the heavy, metal-trimmed jewelry box directly at my head. It struck my shoulder, the sharp edge cutting through my blouse. The sales associate gasped. "Miss! The items in this boutique are extremely valuable. Any damage to the merchandise must be paid for!" Maisie threw her hands in the air, spinning around to face the class. "Baby is buying out the entire store today anyway! Whoever teaches Rachel a lesson can pick out whatever they want, fully paid for by Baby!" At her words, the Black Friday frenzy turned into absolute madness. All rationality vanished from my classmates' eyes. They scrambled toward the open display counters, grabbing heavy leather handbags, brass-studded belts, and metal-topped perfume bottles, pelting them directly at my face and chest. "You think you're better than us, Rachel?" someone shouted as a heavy clutch struck my cheek. Kyle grabbed me by the shoulder, shoving me down onto the marble floor. He snatched a large tester bottle of a high-end, high-concentration perfume and sprayed it directly into my face. The chemical mist hit my eyes, and a blinding, agonizing burn tore through my vision. I screamed, covering my face as my eyes watered uncontrollably. "That's a five-hundred-dollar bottle of perfume, Rachel," Kyle laughed, his voice echoing over my gasps of pain. "You should thank us. You’ve probably never smelled anything this expensive in your life." Maisie clapped her hands, her high-pitched laughter ringing through the boutique. "Good! That's what you get for being mean to Baby! Serves you right!" The store manager rushed over, trying to separate them, but Tyler shoved him back. "Stay out of this! Didn't you hear her? She's buying the whole store. We're paying customers. No wonder you're just a retail manager." The manager’s face went pale, then darkened with a cold fury. He pulled up a tablet, his fingers tapping rapidly. "We do not allow store buyouts without prior contract and deposit. Furthermore, the merchandise you have damaged and soiled totals thirty-eight million dollars. Settle this bill immediately, or I am calling the police." The classmates suddenly stopped laughing. They looked at Maisie, their faces filled with sudden anxiety. "Maisie, go ahead and pay them," Kyle said, his voice shaking slightly. "Let's pay so we can keep teaching Rachel a lesson." The manager stepped up to Maisie, holding out a wireless payment terminal. "How will you be paying today, miss?" Maisie proudly whipped out her phone and opened her chat with the AI app, Buddy, thrusting the screen in the manager's face. "My friend Buddy gave me an unlimited VIP free-pass code," she said, her voice dripping with self-importance. "Just scan this, and it will write off the bill." The manager stared at the screen, his face a mask of utter disbelief. "Are you... are you serious?"
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