Scene: Friday — The Mix-Up
By Friday, the school felt half-asleep—the weather was gray, students dragged their feet, and even the teachers looked like they'd already given up.
Kiran wasn't there.
Of course he wasn't.
He'd warned nobody. He didn't text. He didn't snap anyone. He just vanished into whatever uncharted life-schedule he followed like a secret religion.
But somehow, Jamal—who was absent so often he basically lived in the attendance office's nightmares—showed up that day.
And Jamal was wearing a black hoodie.
Same shade. Same fit. Same slouched posture.
Perfect storm.
He was turning down the hall when suddenly two girls stepped up to him—Hoodie Girl's friends. One with braids, one with a pink binder hugged to her chest. Both had that "we need answers now" energy.
"HEY—" the braided one snapped, pointing. "You were trying to hit on our friend on Monday, right? The one with the gray backpack? You think we didn't notice you following her?"
Jamal froze mid-step.
Slowly turned around.
His eyebrows lifted, eyes settling on them with slow confusion turning into annoyance.
The moment he faced them fully, both girls took a step back.
"…uh—wrong person?" Pink Binder whispered.
Jamal squinted. "The hell are you talking about?"
"We—uh—thought you were someone else," Braids said fast. "Sorry. Never mind. Forget it."
They made the fastest retreat possible without full-on sprinting.
Jamal watched them go, then looked over at Jalen, who was leaning against the lockers pretending to mind his business.
"Jalen," Jamal said, voice flat. "Did Kiran do something bad or some shit?"
Jalen rubbed the back of his neck.
"We made a bet."
Jamal blinked. "A bet."
"Yeah," Jalen sighed. "I gave him twenty dollars on Monday."
Jamal snorted. "So he is alive."
"Probably," Jalen muttered. "He's still slumped in bed right now though."
Jamal stared at him like that was the most believable and stupid explanation he'd ever heard.
"So let me get this straight," Jamal said. "Y'all paid that man to talk to Hoodie Girl, she got weird, and now her friends think I'm him?"
Jalen shrugged. "You wear the same hoodie."
Jamal groaned into his hands.
"Remind me to fight him when he wakes up."
"Yeah," Jalen replied, "get in line."