Chapter 8

Jacqueline

I looked up immediately. “Mom.”

She hurried over and crouched in front of me.

The moment she saw the bandages on my hands, her face filled with worry. “What happened?”

“I’m okay.”

She gently cupped my face. “Sweetheart.”

Her eyes drifted to the broken glasses resting on the nurse’s desk.

“…Oh.”

For a moment, she said nothing. Then she let out a quiet sigh.

“It’s completely damaged “

A guilty smile tugged at my lips.

Mom laughed softly despite herself. “Come here.”

She pulled me into a careful hug. “I’m just glad you’re alright.”

Mrs. Bennett stepped forward. “She had a fall in class, and unfortunately, a fight broke out afterward.”

Mom’s eyes widened. “A fight?”

“Yes,” Mrs. Bennett said. “Two students got into a physical altercation after Jacqueline fell. I’ve already handled the situation, and the students involved have been dealt with.”

Mom thanked both Mrs. Bennett and the nurse before picking up my backpack.

“Come on.” She slipped an arm around my shoulders. “Let’s get you home.”

I nodded.

As we walked toward the parking lot, I couldn’t stop thinking about one thing.

Tomorrow. How was I supposed to face Ethan Walker…

Hours later…

The final bell echoed through Westbridge Academy.

One by one, students poured out of the building, laughing, climbing into cars, or heading toward practice.

Claire, however, walked in the opposite direction.

A folded detention slip rested tightly in her hand.

She stopped outside Room 214.

DETENTION

She pushed the door open.

The nearly empty classroom was silent.

A teacher sat at the front, grading papers without looking up.

“Take a seat.”

Claire did.

A few seconds later…The door opened again.

Alma walked in.

Claire eyes followed her as she settled gracefully on her sit “This isn’t over.”

Alma slowly turned her head toward her. “You really think I’m scared of you?”

Claire gave a humorless laugh. “You should be.”

The teacher dropped his pen onto the desk. “Ladies.”

Claire rolled her eyes and looked away.

For the next twenty minutes, the only sounds in the room were the scratching of pens and the occasional turning of a page. Neither girl spoke again, but the tension between them was impossible to miss.

Then Alma’s phone buzzed.

She glanced at the screen before quickly turning it face down.

Claire noticed. “Problem right?”

Alma ignored her.

Claire smiled. “Thought so.”

Alma’s eyes snapped toward her. “Do you ever shut up?”

“Not when people deserve it.”

The teacher looked up. “Miss Reynolds.”

Claire immediately raised both hands. “I’m quiet.”

Alma muttered something under her breath.

“What was that?” Claire asked.

“Will you mind your business, mouse?”

“And who are you calling a mouse.”

Alma laughed and fling her hair to the back “you Ofcourse…”

The teacher sighed. “I’m beginning to regret agreeing to supervise detention.”

A small laugh escaped Alma before she could stop it.

Even Claire almost smiled.

———————————————————-

Meanwhile, at home…

I sat on the edge of my bed with my old glasses case resting in my lap.

It was empty.

I opened it anyway.

Maybe I was hoping the broken pieces would somehow magically fix themselves.

They didn’t.

I sighed and placed the case on my desk.

Without my glasses, my room looked strangely unfamiliar. Everything beyond a few feet was soft and blurry, including the posters on my wall and the books lined across my shelf.

Mom had promised we would go to the optometrist first thing in the morning.

Which meant I would miss school tomorrow

—

I was scrolling through TikTok when phone buzzed.

Claire.

I answered immediately

Claire: You alive?

I smiled.

Me: Barely.

The reply came almost immediately.

Claire: Good. Because I have news.

I frowned.

Me: What news?

Three dots appeared.

Disappeared. Appeared again. Then—

Claire: I hate Alma.

I laughed despite myself.

Me: That’s not news.

Claire: Fine. Real news.

I waited.

Claire: Ethan asked where you were.

My smile disappeared.

I stared at the screen.

Me: What?

Claire: yeah.. After school

Me: Why?

Claire: Obviously because you weren’t in class.

I swallowed.

My fingers hovered over the keyboard.

Me: What did you tell him?

Claire: That you went home.

A pause.

Then another message.

Claire: He asked if you were okay.

I read that sentence three times.

“He asked if I was okay…”

I dropped my phone onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.

There was no reason for my heart to beat that fast.

It was a simple question. People asked if someone was okay all the time.

That didn’t mean anything.

Probably.

My phone buzzed again.

Claire: Jacqueline?

I grabbed it.

Me: Yeah?

Claire: Are you breathing?

I rolled my eyes.

Me: Unfortunately.

Claire: You’re freaking out, aren’t you?

I didn’t answer.

Claire: Thought so.

I threw the phone onto my pillow. “This is ridiculous.”

A knock sounded on my bedroom door. “Jacky?”

I quickly sat up. “Yeah?”

Mom opened the door halfway. “Ready to go?”

I looked at her. “Where?”

“The eye doctor.”

My stomach dropped. “Now?”

“Yes. I managed to get an appointment.”

I glanced at the clock. “But it’s already late.”

“And?”

I hesitated. “Nothing.”

Mom smiled. “Grab your jacket.”

—-

By the time Mom and I got back home that night, I was exhausted.

The whole day had been too much. The fall, the broken glasses, the embarrassment, the fight, and then spending hours getting everything sorted out had completely drained me.

Mom made sure I ate something before sending me upstairs.

“Get some rest,” she said as I climbed the stairs.

“I will.”

“And don’t stay up all night on that laptop.”

I paused halfway up the stairs. “I won’t.”

Mom gave me the look.

I smiled innocently. “I promise.”

She shook her head. “Good night, Jacky.”

“Good night, Mom.”

I went into my room and closed the door behind me.

For a few seconds, I simply stood there.

My room was quiet.

I changed into my usual nightwear—loose pajama pants and shirt—before sitting at my desk.

I should have gone to bed

Mom had already warned me not to stay up late on my laptop.

I sighed. “I promised Mom I wouldn’t stay up tonight.”

I reached for the laptop anyway. “Just one minute.”

I opened the folder.

The first picture appeared, and a smile immediately found its way onto my face. “Oh, come on…”

I scrolled down.

Another picture. Then another.

I rested my chin on my hand. “Okay, just one more.”

I knew I was lying.

I kept going through the pictures, then opened the notes I’d saved about him; The little things I’d noticed about him over the years.

I shook my head, smiling. “I really need to stop.”

But I didn’t.

A few more minutes passed.

My eyes started getting heavy.

I yawned and finally leaned back in my chair. “Okay. That’s enough.”

I didn’t close the laptop. I was too tired to bother. I simply left it open on the desk, got up, and climbed into bed.

I pulled the blanket over myself and turned onto my side.

Within minutes, I was asleep.

—

I wasn’t sure what woke me.

At first, I thought it was a dream.

A faint sound came from somewhere in my room.

I shifted beneath the blanket.

Another small sound.

My eyes opened slowly.