Beneath the Surface

Chapter 2

The following day at school was more or less the same—students talking in hushed tones about the latest gossip, teachers trying their best to maintain control, and Lizzie's friends pestering her about what it was like working with the new girl. But Lizzie kept her answers vague, mostly because there wasn't much to tell.

"She's quiet," Lizzie had said when Mia grilled her about the mysterious Y/N. "She doesn't say much. We worked on the project, and that's about it."

"Ugh, that sounds so boring," Mia replied, twirling a strand of her blonde hair. "I bet she's hiding something. Like, she's probably a Russian spy or something. Did you see how fast that car leaves school? She's probably getting picked up by agents."

Lizzie laughed but didn't respond. The idea of Y/N being involved in something as crazy as espionage wasn't that far-fetched, at least given the way she acted. But still, Lizzie had a hard time imagining Y/N as anything other than an unusually guarded girl who had been thrown into a new environment.

As the day wore on, Lizzie couldn't help but think more about Y/N. Despite her friends' ridiculous theories, there was something about Y/N that felt different. It wasn't just the black Escalade or her quiet, almost stoic demeanor. There was something beneath the surface—something Lizzie couldn't quite put her finger on.

When English class finally rolled around, Lizzie took her usual seat, her eyes darting to the back of the room where Y/N sat. She was already there, sitting with her arms crossed, her notebook open but untouched. Y/N didn't glance at anyone, didn't react to the idle chatter filling the room. She just sat there, as if she were waiting for something—or maybe bracing herself for something.

Mr. Lawrence started his lecture on Shakespeare's The Tempest, but Lizzie found it hard to focus. Her mind kept drifting to Y/N, who was now writing something down in her notebook. Lizzie couldn't tell what it was, but Y/N's pen moved quickly, her brow furrowed in concentration. She looked like she was taking notes, but it didn't seem related to the lecture.

When Mr. Lawrence mentioned the project again, Lizzie forced herself to snap back to attention. They would need to choose a scene from one of Shakespeare's plays to analyze and perform, and Lizzie had already been thinking about doing something from Romeo and Juliet. She figured Y/N wouldn't have much of an opinion, given how little she spoke, so it would be an easy choice.

"Alright, everyone, you have the rest of class to meet with your partners and decide on your project direction," Mr. Lawrence said, clapping his hands together.

Lizzie stood up and made her way to the back of the room, sliding into the empty seat next to Y/N. She felt a strange flutter of nerves in her stomach, which surprised her. She wasn't usually nervous around people—especially not people she barely knew. But Y/N had an intensity about her, even when she wasn't saying anything.

"So," Lizzie began, trying to sound casual, "I was thinking we could do a scene from Romeo and Juliet. It's classic, and there are a lot of great lines to analyze."

Y/N looked up from her notebook, her expression unreadable. "Romeo and Juliet?" she repeated, her voice soft but sharp at the same time.

"Yeah, I mean... unless you have a different idea?" Lizzie offered, trying not to sound too eager.

There was a pause as Y/N considered her response. She leaned back in her chair slightly, crossing her arms. "It's predictable," she finally said.

Lizzie blinked. "Predictable?"

"Everyone does Romeo and Juliet," Y/N replied, her gaze steady on Lizzie. "It's obvious."

"Oh." Lizzie hadn't expected Y/N to have such a strong opinion on it. "Well, what do you think we should do, then?"