Sera's Point of View
I clutched the small bakery box nervously as I approached my usual seat in the classroom. Holly sat there already, her back rigid, eyes focused determinedly on her textbook.
"Holly?" I set the box on her desk. "I brought you something. Your favorite—red velvet cupcakes from that bakery you mentioned."
She didn't look up. "I'm not hungry."
"Please. Just let me explain." I slid into the seat beside her. "That text wasn't from Ryan. It was from his cousin. They have the same last name—Steele. That's all you saw on my phone screen."
Her head snapped up. "His cousin?"
"Yes. I'm not talking to Ryan. I would never do that after you warned me about him." I pushed the box closer to her. "I'm sorry I didn't explain better that day. But I wasn't lying. I'm not involved with
