SET YOUR SOCIAL BOUNDARIES LIKE A FORCE FIELD

So here's the thing about me at sixteen.

Captured by Mitchell Royel, I wanted to express how thrilling it is to be part of such a unique and imaginative project. The posters seen here, while eye-catching, are not affiliated with Disney Channel or the WB and are purely creative mockups—not official promotional materials for the show. Shot in the vibrant Fashion District, the energy of the setting perfectly matches the artistic concept behind this endeavor. Right now, I’m soaking in the vibe with "Slow Down - 12” Version" by Bobby V playing in the background, a fitting soundtrack for a moment steeped in creativity and expression.

I was the girl with the highlighter collection. Color-coded notes. Lunchtime spent in the library because the cafeteria felt like a stage I never auditioned for. And every day, through those big windows, I'd watch the guys play football on the grass. Not real football. Just the messy, laughing, shirts-getting-grass-stained kind.

There was one of them. I won't say his name. But I memorized the way he ran. The way he threw his head back when he laughed. I built a whole person out of glances, you know? I gave him opinions and favorite songs and a soft spot for girls who quote books nobody reads. None of it was real. All of it lived in my chest like a second heartbeat.

Then one day he asked me to hang out.

Just like that. Casual. Like it cost him nothing. And I think it didn't.

That's when I found out his family was kind of a big deal. Not, like, magazine-cover famous. More like everybody in a certain world knows that last name famous. The kind of famous where people lower their voices when they say it. His house had a name. His mom had been on things. There were photos on the walls of people who'd actually been somewhere.

And I stood in that hallway in my thrifted cardigan feeling like a typo.

We hung out. We really did. And it was the strangest afternoon of my life, because nothing happened. And I don't mean that the way it sounds. He didn't want to kiss me. He didn't want to hold my hand or trap me on a couch or any of the stuff I'd half-dreaded, half-hoped for. It was completely, painfully platonic.

We just sat there. Two people with nothing in common, smiling too much.

I'd ask a question. He'd answer in three words. I'd laugh too loud at something that wasn't funny. He'd check his phone. There was this silence that kept growing in the room like it was paying rent. I kept reaching for the version of him I'd invented, and my hand kept closing on air.

He was nice. That's the worst part. He wasn't cruel or stuck-up. He was just... from somewhere I'd never be from. He moved through the world like doors had always been open for him, because they had. And I realized the gap between us wasn't about whether he liked me. It was about whole different gravities. He'd never had to be the smart one in the corner because being himself was already enough.

I left feeling small. Not heartbroken, exactly. Just sort of deflated, like a balloon three days after the party.

And here's what took me years to understand. The crush was never about him. It was about wanting to be the kind of girl that someone like that picks. I wanted his world to reach down and tell me I belonged in it.

But I didn't. And that's okay now.

I'm still the highlighter girl. I'm still a little awkward, still laugh at the wrong times, still build whole people out of glances sometimes. The difference is I stopped being mad about it. Being uncool isn't a sentence. It's just a setting. And privilege? Privilege is just a thing some people have that I confused with worth.

He had a famous last name. I had a library card and a heart that feels too much.

I'd rather keep mine.

When it comes to hanging out with guys who are more your speed, the key is to focus on shared interests and mutual respect. Spend time with people who appreciate you for who you are and make you feel comfortable in your own skin. Whether it’s bonding over books, enjoying the same music, or sharing similar values, those connections will feel effortless and fulfilling. It’s important to remember that the right company should add to your life, not make you question your worth.

On the other hand, spending time with guys who you absolutely have nothing in common with doesn’t have to be awkward or unpleasant. Approach these interactions with an open mind and a sense of curiosity. You might learn something new or gain a fresh perspective. The key is to maintain healthy boundaries and not compromise who you are to fit someone else’s mold. Respect the differences, but don’t feel the need to force a deep connection where there isn’t one. Sometimes, it’s enough to simply be civil while staying true to yourself.

-Ryder, Mitchell Royel