Reckless Charms (New Boy from Juvie)

Edge of Desperation

Cleo sat in the hospital waiting room, her hands trembling as she sobbed quietly. The cold, sterile air seemed to amplify the heaviness in her chest. Her hoodie was damp from the night air, but she barely noticed. Petra's father, a towering figure in a perfectly tailored suit, rushed into the room. His usually composed demeanor broke the moment he laid eyes on his daughter's motionless figure in the ICU bed.

Petra's mother followed close behind, her eyes swollen from crying. She clung to her husband, her sobs filling the room. Cleo's heart sank further watching the scene, her guilt and fear tightening around her like a noose. She wiped away a tear as her own parents arrived, her father gently placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Cleo, it's going to be okay," her mother whispered, though her voice cracked with uncertainty.

The school director soon entered, his face grim but professional. He immediately approached the tycoon and his wife, offering reassurances and promises that the best doctors were attending to Petra. After a few words, he turned to Cleo, softening his tone.

"You've been through a lot tonight, Cleo. Get some rest," he said gently. "We'll talk tomorrow, and we'll get to the bottom of this."

Cleo nodded, barely registering his words. All she could think about was Petra's body crumpled on the ground, the rooftop looming above her like a haunting shadow. She followed her parents out of the hospital, feeling numb, the events of the night playing on a relentless loop in her mind. As they reached the car, her father opened the door, giving her a look of sympathy. She glanced back at the hospital, her heart aching with guilt and fear.

As the car doors closed, she glanced back at the hospital one last time, hoping—praying—Petra would survive. 

The car doors closed, and as they drove away, Cleo couldn't shake the haunting feeling that things were about to get much worse.

The next day at school, the air felt heavy, as if the entire building was holding its breath. Students moved silently through the halls, their usual chatter replaced by quiet murmurs. Cleo walked in, her mind still racing from the night before, haunted by the image of Petra crumpled on the ground. As she made her way into the classroom, her breath caught in her throat.

A presentation was displayed on the smartboard at the front: "The Importance of Mental Health: Preventing Suicide". Cleo's heart pounded in her chest as anger quickly replaced her initial shock.

"This is ridiculous," she muttered under her breath, taking her seat next to Luna. She couldn't keep her eyes off the presentation, the words taunting her. Preventing suicide? Petra was happy. She wasn't...

Luna, cool as ever, glanced sideways at Cleo without saying anything, flipping through her notebook absentmindedly.

"Luna," Cleo hissed, her voice barely contained. "Petra didn't try to kill herself. She was fine—she was happy. This whole thing..." She gestured angrily toward the screen. "It's wrong. Petra wouldn't have done this."

Luna raised an eyebrow, but her expression remained indifferent. "Cleo, it's just a presentation. They're addressing the issue. Schools are supposed to—"

Cleo slammed her hand down on the desk, startling a few nearby students. "No! You don't get it. She wasn't suicidal! I know she wouldn't do something like this."

Luna leaned back in her chair, her demeanor icy. "Maybe you didn't know her as well as you thought." Her voice was calm, but it carried a bite that made Cleo flinch.

"What?" Cleo's eyes widened, disbelief clouding her face. "Are you seriously saying that?"

Luna shrugged, barely hiding a smirk. "The school authorities have already spoken. Why would they lie? And let's face it, Cleo, even in a place like this, people crack under pressure. It's unfortunate, but it happens. No one wants to admit it, but..."