HIDDEN REFLECTIONS

SIX

CHAPTER SIX

I woke up with an excruciating headache, which persisted throughout most of the morning. It was a constant struggle to filter out the voices around me, as each one seemed to intensify my headache further. Even the voices of my professors added to the discomfort I was experiencing during my first classes.

It's lunchtime now and Pansy is making sure to update me on everything that happened when I left yesterday. I had not missed much: Theodore had gotten into a heated altercation with someone, Draco had kissed someone else's girlfriend, and Pansy had thrown a shot of tequila in Lorenzo's face.

As Pansy continues narrating the events of the night before, my phone suddenly buzzes and vibrates. I furrow my brows and retrieve my phone, only to find unexpected notifications from Snapchat. Confusion washes over me as I question when and how I ended up with a Snapchat account. I don't remember ever making one.

Observing my perplexed expression, Pansy intervenes, eager to clarify the situation. ❝Oh, don't you remember? We created that account for you together yesterday after having a few shots.❞

Notifications from Snapchat flood my lock screen.  I read some of them, realizing that the guys are sending pictures back and forth in a group chat that I must have been added to by Pansy.

I rub my eyes and open the app, yawning. A frown creases my face once again as I see the seemingly never-ending list of friends on Snapchat. I can't help but wonder how I know half of these people who have added me.

Feeling a bit detached from the current situation, I let out a sigh and open up Instagram, a platform I only use occasionally. I scroll through my feed. I have a handful of pictures uploaded on my account. There's a nostalgic photo of my brother and me from our childhood, as well as a few more recent pictures from my solo trip to Paris during the summer. I slowly notice that I have garnered a following from several individuals whom I've never interacted with before. It only adds to the sense of disconnect I already feel in that moment.

❝This is crazy,❞ I mumble, my fingers instinctively reaching up to push my hair back from my face.

Pansy holds up her phone and quickly takes a photo of us. She looks at it before deciding to post it somewhere. ❝It's fun,❞ she corrects me with a smile.

I start tapping, diligently following back as many people as possible until I get tired of it. A grimace forms on my face when I notice that Theodore, along with the rest of the guys and Pansy, has started following me.

As I scroll through my feed, I notice that I have been tagged in numerous photos from the night before. Some of them are posted on Pansy's story, while others are on her feed. Astoria has also included me in one of her posts, as well as other people I have never spoken to before. There's even a photo of me and Mattheo, posted by the school's self-proclaimed gossip portal.

An exhale of breath escapes my lips as I lock my phone, feeling overwhelmed by the constant notifications and the change in my social status. Groaning, I drop my head to the table and close my eyes, wishing for a moment of respite. All I want is for the world to disappear, just for a little while.

❝Is she finally dead?❞ Theodore's voice suddenly asks, and my heart starts to sink toward my stomach. I instantly recognize the obnoxious tone and feel a surge of dread wash over me. I take a deep breath, mustering all my self-control to avoid getting pulled into a conversation with him.