HOW TO MAKE DIAMONDS

FOUR

The next morning brought with it the kind of dread that made her want to stay in bed all day. But she pushed through it, pulling on her usual armor of baggy clothes before heading out. She arrived at school early, hoping to avoid any unwanted encounters, particularly with Kyle. She wasn't in the mood for another confrontation, especially not before the day had even begun.

The cafeteria was nearly empty when she walked in. She claimed her usual spot in the corner, taking out her sketchbook as she always did. The familiar motion of pencil on paper helped ground her, helped push the previous day's events to the back of her mind. But just as she started to lose herself in the lines, a shadow fell across the table.

She glanced up, recognizing the figure immediately. It was Maya—her aunt and, unfortunately for Jade, the art teacher. Maya had always known when to show up and when to back off, but today, she seemed determined to breach the gap.

"Mind if I sit?" she asked, her voice casual, as if this was just another one of their routine interactions.

Jade hesitated. While she trusted her more than most people here, this was different. "It's a free country," she muttered, focusing back on her sketchbook.

Her aunt took the seat across from her, setting down a thermos and a stack of papers. She didn't speak right away, just watched Jade's hands move with the pencil. Jade hated how observant she was—how Maya always seemed to notice the things she wanted to hide.

"You're putting a lot of tension into that line," the art teacher remarked softly after a moment, nodding toward the sketch. "Trying to work something out on the page?"

Jade's eyes flicked up, wary. "No. Just drawing."

Maya hummed thoughtfully, taking a sip from her thermos. "Fair enough," she replied, her tone neutral. "I just thought I'd check in. You seemed... tense this morning."

"I'm fine," she replied flatly, not wanting to go down this path. Not here. Not now.

Maya raised her hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay. No therapy sessions during school hours, I get it." She leaned back, studying her niece with a mix of concern and understanding. "Just remember, I'm here if you need me."

Jade's pencil stilled on the page. She knew Maya meant well, but it felt like everyone was trying to push her into places she wasn't ready to go. Even her aunt, who usually gave her the freedom to just be, was inching closer than she liked.

Maya paused for a moment, watching Jade carefully. "Listen," she began, her voice steady but gentle, "I know you're not looking to make new friends here. But those boys—Kyle and Carter—they're trying to welcome you in their own way. They're getting out of their comfort zone to do it."

Jade's jaw tightened, her gaze still fixed on her sketchbook. "I didn't ask for that."

"I know," she replied calmly. "But they're not exactly doing it for themselves. Believe it or not, they've had their own fair share of tough moments."

The girl glanced up, skepticism written all over her face. "What, like being popular is so hard?"

Maya sighed, shaking her head. "You only see what you want to see, Jade. They've been through things you might not know about, things that changed them. They're not perfect, but they're trying to meet you halfway. Maybe you could try a little too."

Jade didn't respond, her eyes flicking back down to her drawing. Maya let the silence hang for a moment, giving her the space to absorb what she'd said.

"Just... consider it," Maya added, her voice softening. "You don't have to let them in, but try not to shut them out completely. Not everyone is out to get you."