One Temptation

Planning Trip (Chapter 25)

The school was eerily quiet when I walked through the doors that morning.

It wasn't just the usual quiet before the bell rang, it was a noticeable hush that seemed to hang in the air, heavier than usual.

Maybe it was because it was Friday, or maybe it was the absence of some key people that were a cause of drama.

I hadn't seen or heard about West and Jaxon since Monday. After that study session with me and West, I hadn't seen him since.

Both of the guy's including a couple others had gotten suspended after the fight for the week. I didn't know this until I walked into school on Tuesday feeling like something was off.

It was the missing presence of the two guy's making my life difficult, though one had seemed to completely ruin a part of me, and the other one just loved annoying me every chance he got.

I walked through the corridors with a mix of curiosity and unease. I walked by a bunch of people, hearing the most ridiculous rumours about what had happened.

I'd heard whispers about suspensions, but nothing solid.

Zora was missing too, which left a notable gap in the usual chaos.

It almost felt weird. A day with no drama and headaches, in fact a whole week. I had gotten so used to always having West annoying the fuck out of me with our usual interactions, that having him not there was weird in a way.

West and I had been making some progress in not killing each other, and now with him missing, it felt like an awkward pause in what had become an interesting part of my daily life.

As I made my way to my locker, I ran into Lia, "Everything seems so weird without them, kinda." 

She nodded, "It's like its a completely different school."

We exchanged a few more words before we split to go to separate classes.

Throughout the morning, I couldn't shake the feeling of something being out of place. My thoughts kept drifting back to West. He was one of the few people who had managed to keep me on the edge, and now, with him gone, I felt strange.

It wasn't just that I missed his presence, it was that something about his absence made the entire school day feel off.

By the time lunch rolled around, the hallways were bustling again. The usual groups were missing, and the chatter was quieter.

Lia, Cole, Jake, and Em gathered around our usual table.

"I haven't seen Kaleb or Jaxon in days," Em said, trying to keep her tone light. "It's unsettling."

"Agreed" Jake replied. "It's just odd, with them and Zora all gone."

"I'm not mad at all to be honest," Lia put up her hands, "A straight forward week, something that hasn't happened in a while."

The conversation shifted as lunch went on.

That's when the cafeteria doors swung open, and in walked a group of the stereotypical popular guys, girls draped around them like accessories.

Leading the pack was Ryan, the guy who hosted every Ray's Roo party and was known for throwing the wildest ones.

He stood out with his golden-retriever energy — all smiles, confidence, and charm.

Though not quite at West's level.

I mentally scolded myself at the thought of West again.

Get that creature out of my head.