Teddy Bear Love

Chapter IX - Genuine Concern?

Lucy

Miranda grabbed my arm and pulled me into the girl's bathroom. The look on her face was one of concern—as if something bad had happened. "What's wrong?" I asked while bracing her shoulders. She put her index finger to her lips, hushing me. She moved out of my grasp to check the stalls and then peeked her head outside the bathroom door.

She blew out a sigh of relief while turning back to me, "Girl, what did you do?"

I blinked, taken aback. "Me?"

"Uh duh," she said, her head moving in a circular motion.

I shrugged helplessly. "Nothing?" I offered, unsure of what she was getting at.

Miranda put her hands on her hips, giving me a knowing look. "Vivianne is talking about you."

My stomach dropped, the sense of dread already building. "Is that... bad?"

Her chocolate-brown eyes narrowed as she leaned in. "I've been friends with her for years, and not once has she talked about me as much as she's talking about you. She said she needs to find you ASAP. Something about Theodore. You've been hanging out with him?"

"Well, uh—he was helping me study, but that's only because he's obligated to."

Miranda's jaw dropped, disbelief written all over her face. "Girl, no. Theodore doesn't 'just help' people. He's not obligated to do anything. How are you already in the 'in group' less than a month after arriving?"

I swallowed, hesitant to tell her that I lived in the same house as Vivianne. If Vivianne hadn't mentioned it, maybe she didn't want people knowing. "I don't know," I muttered. "It's nothing. He's just been nice."

Miranda scoffed. "Well, good for you, but watch your back. Theodore is a sensitive topic for her, and I'm pretty sure she's about to interrogate you."

A nervous sweat broke out on my palms. "I don't know what she could possibly ask me. He's just been kind."

Miranda gave me a half-smile, one that said she didn't believe me at all. "Sweet girl," she said, shaking her head.

"I should get going," I said, feeling the pressure build. "It's almost lunch... we're supposed to study."

Her eyes widened. "Lunch? Like, regular study dates?"

I waved my hands frantically. "No! Not dates! Just—studying, that's all!" My cheeks flushed hot, the embarrassment hitting hard.

Miranda tilted her head, giving me a knowing grin. "Vivianne's going to eat you alive. Theodore is her territory. You better have a good story ready."

The weight of her words settled in, and the thought of hiding out in the bathroom was more tempting than ever. My courage dwindled. "I'm sure she'll be understanding," I said weakly.

Miranda gave me a pat on the head, teasing me. "I'll keep my fingers crossed."

We left the bathroom, going our separate ways, but as I made my way through the halls, I could feel it—the whispers, the glances. It was like the air had thickened around me, pulling tighter with every step. The weight of it grew heavier until I saw her.

Vivianne.

She stood at the end of the hallway, her gaze fixed on me, hazel eyes intense and unwavering. The whispers quieted around us, the hall suddenly still as she began to walk toward me, each step purposeful.

"Lucy," she said, her voice slicing through the tension in the air like a blade.

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry. "Vivianne."