Hailey's pov
The bell rang, sharp and unforgiving, snapping the room back to order. Chairs scraped. Books opened. Mr. Woods cleared his throat and returned to the board as if nothing had happened, as if I hadn’t just walked out and back in with my entire world tilted.
I sat down slowly, my bag heavier than before, my hands unsteady as I slid it under the desk. My chest felt tight, like I was breathing through cloth. I stared at the blank page of my notebook, willing the lines to make sense.
They didn’t.
The whispers started almost immediately.
They weren’t loud. They didn’t need to be. They crept from desk to desk, low and deliberate, meant to reach my ears without giving anyone away. I heard my name. I heard laughter swallowed too late. I heard the sharp intake of breath that always
