The Silence of a Shark

Chapter X - Oliver

"Wait, back up. Taylor's hitting on my boyfriend?" Her face had turned pale, her voice rising with anger.

"Well yeah. Do you not allow that? Speaking of, why are you asking me out if—"

"Why the f**k did you keep this from me?!" She shoved me back, her face a mask of betrayal before she sprinted off down the stairs.

In the aftermath, things spiraled quickly. By the time I reached the bottom of the stairs, Sophie had already made enemies with Taylor.

"-Trying to f**k my boyfriend?!," she screamed, her voice loud and clear.

"Not like you wanted him. I hear you want- " She looks up at me from the bottom of the stairs

"Seems you already got him on a leash." Her eyes shift back down to Sophie, "Can you like, not be a hoe?"

Once the words left her lips, a slap closed them shut again. Taylor's face went pale, shocked by Sophie's reaction. But Sophie wasn't done. She lunged at Taylor, shoving her hard against the lockers. The sound echoed down the hallway.

"Take it back!" Sophie screamed, grabbing a fistful of Taylor's hair and pulling. "TAKE IT BACK!"

Taylor cried out in pain, trying to push Sophie away, "admit it- you're just a stuck-up bitch who thinks she can- "

Her head slams against the locker again.

"ą̵̔̔p̵̬͔̊ó̷͓͕͝l̶̰̽o̷͖̕g̶͔̙̋͑ǐ̶̱̉z̷̨͗ë̸̬͎̊"

.

.

.

It was late evening, and the school halls were eerily quiet, a stark contrast to the chaos. The usual bustle of students had faded away, leaving behind an almost oppressive silence. The dim lights cast long shadows on the beige walls, and the random patterns of black dots on the ceiling tiles seemed to form a constellation of disarray.

The lockers, normally vibrant with signs of teenage life—stickers, dents, and scribbles—now stood solemn and cold. The occasional sound of a janitor's mop echoed faintly, but otherwise, the hallway was still. I found myself drawn to the aftermath, unable to fully process the events that had unfolded.

Sophie was sitting against a locker, her body slumped in defeat. Her fists were clenched, still streaked with blood, and her clothes were smeared with it too. She was crying, her tears cutting paths through the grime on her face. The harsh fluorescent light above flickered slightly, casting an intermittent glow on her, highlighting her in this desolate setting.

I stood at a distance, taking in every detail. The cracked tiles beneath her feet, the faint smell of cleaning supplies, the oppressive stillness of the air—it all seemed surreal. Sophie's sobs were the only sound, raw and unfiltered, echoing off the walls and adding to the melancholy atmosphere.

Her once vibrant eyes were now dull and red-rimmed, her makeup smeared from the tears and the struggle. Her hair was disheveled, sticking out at odd angles where it had been pulled. The blood on her knuckles and clothes was a stark reminder of the violence that had erupted.

I wanted to say something, anything, but nothing happened. But what am I supposed to do?

 I took a step closer, my shoes making a soft sound against the tiles. She looked up, her eyes meeting mine for a brief moment before she looked away, her body shaking with silent sobs.

"Are you okay?"

It was a stupid question, and I knew it. She clearly wasn't okay. But what else was there to say? She didn't respond, just kept her gaze fixed on the floor, her tears falling steadily.

Her silent tears stretched on, heavy and suffocating. I looked away uncomfortably, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. "I'm sorry," I said finally, the words feeling inadequate. "I never meant for any of this to happen."

Sophie let out a bitter laugh, a sound that was more of a sob. "None of this would have happened if you'd just kept your damn mouth shut, Oliver," she said, her voice breaking. "Everything's ruined."

I turned to face her again, the guilt settling over me like a heavy blanket. This was my fault. I had set off the chain of events that led to this moment, this broken version of Sophie sitting in front of me.

"I'm sorry," I repeated, my voice barely a whisper.

She sat there, didn't acknowledge my words. Her sobs continued, each one a knife twisting in my chest. The weight of my actions pressed down on me, suffocating in its intensity.

"Oliver"

The sudden sound of my name caught me off guard.

"Do you realize why you're alone?"

Ah. You aren't real.

"You don't deserve to be happy."

Says who?

"Oliver."

My eyes flutter open to see Eve hovering above me, a knowing smile on her face. "Got a minute?"

The bells already ringing, telling us the day has ended. Has it really been that boring of a class? I suppose the mind does funny things when you're this bored.

"What do you want." I ask. Clearly expecting another request.

"When was the last time you went on a date?"