Ella Sullivan is an 18-year-old high school senior with a sharp wit and a penchant for sarcasm. Her life revolves around her close-knit group of friends and the love for her dog. But her world is thrown into disarray when she encounters Ms. Catherin...
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———༺✵༻——— POV Ella ———༺✵༻———
As the final minutes of Friday afternoon tick away, I sit at my desk in calculus, watching Catherine's hands as she writes a few formulas on the board. The room hums with the quiet anticipation of a weekend just minutes away, but my mind keeps drifting. There's a nagging feeling I haven't been able to shake all week, like something creeping just outside my line of vision.
Finally, the bell rings, breaking my trance. I don't rush out like the others. Instead, I wait, watching as the classroom empties until only Catherine and I remain. She turns, surprised, but her expression softens when she sees me lingering.
"Hey," I murmur, standing and taking a few slow steps toward her. "Are you riding home with me, or meeting me there?"
She lets out a sigh, reaching for the stack of papers on her desk. "I'll have to meet you later. I've got a few things to wrap up here, just some last-minute prep for finals next week." Her voice is warm, but there's a hint of weariness from the week.
I nod, stepping closer to press a quick kiss to her cheek. "Okay. I'll see you later, then."
As I head out, the hallway feels emptier than usual, the fading echoes of the students fading down the corridors. I take a few steps, and that nagging feeling stirs up again, prickling the hairs on the back of my neck. The hall seems deserted, too quiet, and I feel that strange sensation again—someone's eyes on me.
I glance around, searching for anyone, but the hallway is vacant. I swallow, shrugging it off, telling myself I'm just being paranoid again. But before I can take another step, I feel a sudden grip around my arm, tugging me sharply into a nearby classroom.
A squeal escapes my lips before I can contain it, and my heart pounds as I stumble, catching myself against a desk. I spin around, eyes wide, to see Chloe standing just inches away from me. Her face is uncomfortably close, and my stomach twists in a sickening lurch of shock and fear.
"Chloe," I breathe, my voice coming out sharper than I intend. "What... what's your problem?"
She shrugs, but there's a strange gleam in her eyes. She's too close, almost pressed against me, and I can feel the intensity of her presence, a boundary crossing that makes me want to recoil. Her lips curve into a slow, unsettling smile.
"What do you want?" I demand, trying to keep my voice steady, though my pulse is racing.
Her smirk widens, and she leans in closer, her gaze unwavering. "You."
The word hangs in the air, heavy and unmistakable. I freeze, momentarily speechless, my mind racing to make sense of her blunt admission. Before I can respond, she speaks again, her tone condescendingly amused.
"Oh, sweetie, you didn't actually think I liked Mathew, did you? I'm a lesbian..."
A cold clarity cuts through me, and I blink, grappling with the revelation and everything it implies. "Then why did you even bother with him?" I snap, feeling anger rise up to join the fear.
