The morning felt colder than usual, even though the sun was spilling its light across the school courtyard. Sarah Williams walked through the gates with her head held low, the whispers around her like tiny daggers aimed straight at her heart.
Somewhere behind her, she heard Naomi Hayes muttering to a group of girls, their giggles sharp and cruel. Naomi's voice carried just enough for Sarah to catch one sentence:
"She still thinks John's some kind of hero. Pathetic."
Sarah's grip tightened on her books. She didn't want to believe Naomi. She didn't want to believe any of them. But the rumors had been spreading like wildfire John meeting secretly with someone after school, John hiding things from her, John being… involved in something shady.
When she entered the hallway, she caught sight of him leaning against a locker. His usual easy smile wasn't there; instead, he looked distracted, almost worried. Their eyes met for a split second, and Sarah's heart stuttered. She opened her mouth to say something, but he turned away quickly, as if he hadn't seen her at all.
That stung more than she expected.
By lunchtime, the tension had wrapped itself around her like a suffocating cloak. The cafeteria buzzed with chatter, but all she could focus on was the table across the room where John sat, speaking in low tones to a tall, unfamiliar boy. Every time she looked over, the boy's eyes darted to her, as though she were the topic of their conversation.
Her best friend, Carly nudged her. "Sarah, you've barely touched your food."
"I'm not hungry."
Carly hesitated, then whispered, "There's something you should know. About John."
Sarah froze.
Carly continued, "I overheard two teachers in the staff room yesterday. They mentioned his name… and something about a disciplinary meeting."
Sarah's pulse quickened. "A meeting? For what?"
Carly shook her head. "I don't know. But whatever it is, it's serious."
As the lunch bell rang, Sarah gathered her things with trembling hands. She didn't want to jump to conclusions, but the puzzle pieces were stacking in her mind each one making John look less like the boy she thought she knew.
When she stepped into the hallway, she found herself face-to-face with him. For a heartbeat, neither of them spoke.
Finally, John said quietly, "We need to talk. After school. Alone."
Sarah nodded slowly, but in her mind, the words We need to talk sounded less like an invitation and more like the opening to a storm she wasn't sure she could weather.