By Friday, the school didn't feel like Roosevelt anymore. It felt like a stage where every actor played the same role: whisperer, judge, witness.
Derrick wasn't even in the building, but his presence clung to the walls like graffiti no one could scrub off. The rumor about his father had broken free of the group chats and spilled into the open. Now it wasn't just quiet speculation—it was gospel.
"His dad was in prison. That's why he's like that."
"Yeah, and I heard it wasn't just prison—it was gangs."
"My uncle swore he saw him on the news once."
Every hallway buzzed with it. Kids who once worshipped Derrick now kept their distance, like his name was poison. Others wore it proudly, bragging they were "on Kane's side," as if picking teams would save them from whatever storm his family dragged in.
The football team suffered worst. Without Derrick, practice looked broken. Plays collapsed, morale tanked, and whispers circled the locker room. Some players cursed his name, calling him dead weight. Others defended him, swearing the team couldn't win without him. Fists nearly flew between them before Coach blew the whistle.
Even teachers weren't immune. They spoke in clipped tones, exchanging glances like the walls themselves were listening. Some treated his absence like a blessing. Others looked nervous, like they knew something we didn't.
And me? I wrote. Pages and pages. Notes, scraps, overheard fragments. But none of it gave me peace. Because beneath the noise, beneath the rumors, one truth rattled louder than all of them:
Derrick Kane wasn't just fighting his own battles anymore. His family's shadow was swallowing Roosevelt High whole.
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That afternoon, the intercom buzzed again. Static. A pause. Then the principal's voice, steady but sharp:
"Attention, students. Effective immediately, Roosevelt High will be adjusting certain protocols regarding extracurricular activities. Further announcements will follow."
No one needed translation. It wasn't about activities. It was about him.
And just like that, the school wasn't just reacting to Derrick Kane anymore. It was rearranging itself around him.
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