STRANGERS

THREE

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Harper Kade was sat down by the corner, his back leaning against a bookshelf the teacher had. To everyone's surprise, many minutes had passed and the teacher had not been back yet. Maybe she realized how the door was locked and went for help, or she didn't even bother coming back.

Juliet sits down next to him noticing how he was messaging someone, but kept deleting the message and rewriting it a different way, and repeating the process. His headphones were around his neck, but as he saw Juliet he puts them back on. "Let's get to know each other." He sighs, taking off his headphones and placing them on the ground. "Why?"

"Because it will kill some time, we're stuck here for about an hour more."

"There's nothing you need to know about me, why don't you go try someone else?"

"I'd rather talk to you."

Juliet saw him looking at her, most likely to make sure she wasn't joking with him and was actually serious. "I think you know me well enough."

"You think so? Personally, I thought our short conversations-"

"They were perfect, but I also think you don't need to know about me, you can know the little things."

"I know the different types of music you like and how much you love astronomy. You hate becoming close to people because you think it's better to be distant than to be loved and lose someone. You listen to music because you think it's better than listening to conversations that you don't care about. You rewatch the same shows because you think it's comforting knowing what will happen, and you wish you could have the same experience of you watching it for the first time. You think being mean to others will push them away, and you're scared of others telling you the truth, so you let others know what you want them to know, which isn't the truth." She says all quickly.

"So, you pay attention to every little detail in someone?"

"I pay attention to the poems you write in class and say out loud for a grade. There's a difference."

"Okay Juliet Capulet." Juliet lets out a laugh, and Harper smiles at her.

"Not you as well."

"I couldn't help it. How is it that you know so much? Do you just know a lot about random people?"

Juliet shrugs; "I guess I just pay attention. I think more people should do that. I swear, most people here care more about being friends with someone for looks but don't care about their personality. Which is how I know so much about you, I care about people."

"You share this much with people who you just met or- no wait, that sounds rude. I mean, I guess I like you talking, but I didn't mean you-"

"It's okay. Don't stress about it."

A silence lies between them, watching everyone else having their own conversations.

"You ever just want to get away for a while? Or hate the expectations the teachers put on you because you pass tests? Here, they care more about how well the 'smart' kids do, but they rarely help those who struggle with the material."

"I understand. I've been wanting to tutor people, but they won't let me."

"How come?"

"I'm not sure, but I doubt they'll let me tutor now having detention."

"How'd you get detention?"

"I was distracted and there were people who were passing notes, somehow it landed on my desk and the teacher saw. Thought I was the one passing notes, forced me to read it in front of the class, but when I defended myself it was no use."

"I never understood note passing, we have our phones."

"Just how you passed out the answers?"

"I didn't. I know you most likely don't believe me, but I didn't do it. I had my phone in my locker."

"But it appeared in your bookbag." They both look at each other, having the same thought on how both of them got in trouble for something they didn't do. "Think it has something to do with the website?"

"No."

"It's tomorrow."

"I know."

"You're not worried?"

"Why would I be worried?"

Harper stays quiet, the doors start to move, resulting them in quickly moving back to their original seats. The doors suddenly stop, all of them sharing a look. "Think she's out there?"

"Who else would be out there?" Gabriel says.

Gabriel Taylor is a fun and caring person, but most of the time when he'd speak it'd come out ruder than intended. He never personally knew Atlas as well, but isn't rude to him. Soleil and Gabriel were the close of friends having known each other when they were younger when Garbriel's parents were buying pottery from Soleil's father and had immediately connected. The two bonded over each other's outfits at first and became super close. They were a very well known duo in the school, although Soleil as well hangs out very much with Atlas and Jonathon, Gabriel and Soleil had an unbreakable bond.

They hear a notification noise, making them look at their phones.

A few more hours and all the truths will come out.

crystal speaks ! <33

This chapter isn't as long either- I apologize, as well thank you so much everyone for the support! I appreciate it so much and I hope you are enjoying this story so far!<33