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—𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 ___________ ౨ৎ ___________
HANNA'S voice echoed through the bustling school hallway, a curious frown etched on her forehead. She scanned the sea of faces, each one a potential source of the answer she sought. "Why didn't Brooke go with us?" she repeated, this time louder, hoping to catch the attention of anyone who might know. The question hung in the air like a forgotten book report deadline, a subtle reminder of something amiss.
Spencer, ever the reliable one, shrugged her shoulders as she flipped through her textbook, trying to keep her voice casual. "I'm not sure," she said, her eyes avoiding Hanna's gaze, "she wanted to walk, I guess."
Aria's eyes searched the hallway, and when she spotted Brooklyn, she pointed her out, "There she is." But something was off. Brooklyn's usual air of confidence was replaced by a slumped posture and a furtive gait, as if she were trying to make herself invisible. She looked like a ghost of her former self, haunted by some unseen specter. The other girls followed Aria's gaze and watched as Brooklyn ignored them, her eyes fixed on the floor as she continued to walk away.
"That was rude," Hanna exclaimed, her voice echoing the same bewilderment reflected on the others' faces.
Aria stepped closer, her eyes narrowing with concern. "She looked so -"
"Guilty," Spencer cut in, her voice barely a whisper. She couldn't shake the image of Brooklyn's face from her mind. It was as if the weight of the world had settled on her shoulders, and she was carrying it around the school hallways like a heavy backpack filled with secrets.
Emily's eyes widened with understanding. "Maybe something went wrong at the interrogation," she suggested, her voice filled with concern. "You know how Wilden loves to bother us."
౨ৎ
BROOKLYN was about to head out when Noel stopped by her locker. He leaned against the metal frame with the ease of someone who had nothing to hide, his eyes meeting hers with a casual curiosity. "Hi," he said.
Her heart skipped a beat. "Hey, do you need anything?" she asked, her voice a forced whisper, hoping to keep the conversation brief.
"Just wondering if you want to go out," Noel said, his voice casual, as if he wasn't aware of the turmoil he was about to stir.
When he noticed the book falling out of her locker, Noel's smile disappeared.
"What's that?" he asked, pointing at the scrap of paper that had fluttered to the ground.
