The Mask We Wear [Book 1]

Chapter 7

Chapter 7: The Dark Turn

Monday morning arrived, and Stella felt a heavy dread as she walked into her classroom. The weekend had been rough, leaving her drained, and the painful memories stuck with her.

She moved on autopilot, barely noticing her surroundings, until her teacher’s voice broke through her fog.

“We have a long quiz today,” the teacher announced, her tone firm.

Stella’s stomach twisted. "A quiz? Today?"

She hadn’t known about it. Panic started building, and her mind went blank, the words on the paper turning into a mess she couldn’t understand.

Her fingers felt numb, and that strange, unreal feeling started to creep in, making everything around her seem distant.

In her mind, Aria and Grace were already trying to reach her.

“Stella, stay with me,” Aria’s voice was steady and calm. “Take a deep breath. Just start with what you know, okay?”

Grace’s presence felt warm and comforting. “It’s okay if you can’t finish everything,” she said softly. “We’re here. Just take it one question at a time.”

But Stella couldn’t focus; every word on the quiz seemed to move and blur. Her mind was filled with memories of her father’s anger, blocking her ability to think clearly.

Her mind felt empty, like a blank slate, with nothing she could use.

Eve’s frustration was there, a sharper edge to her thoughts. “You can’t let them see you like this, Stella. They’ll think you’re weak. Just write something down.”

“I… I don’t know what to write,” Stella replied in her mind, panic rising in her chest. “My mind… it’s empty.”

Elle tried to comfort her, her voice soft and gentle. “It’s okay, Stella. It’s just a quiz. We’ll get through this.”

But time slipped away, each second bringing her closer to failure. Finally, the teacher said, “Time’s up. Please hand in your papers.”

Stella’s paper was mostly blank, with only a few scribbles that didn’t make much sense.

Her cheeks burned as she handed it in, feeling exposed and embarrassed. She could feel her classmates’ eyes on her, and her heart pounded painfully.

The teacher looked at Stella’s paper and frowned, calling her to the front of the class. “Stella, I expected more from you. This is the lowest score in the whole class. What happened? Did you even try?”

Each word felt like a sting, full of disappointment. Stella opened her mouth to explain, but the teacher shook her head.

“If you don’t put in the effort, you won’t get anywhere. You need to take responsibility for your work. This isn’t acceptable.”

Stella felt tears well up, her vision blurring. A few classmates giggled, and she heard whispered comments around her.

“Guess she’s not so smart after all,” someone murmured.

“I thought she was top of the class. This is hilarious,” another voice laughed.

The whispers got louder, like little needles poking at her. But then, Delilah stood up, her voice sharp and strong.

“Do you all think this is funny? Do any of you know what Stella’s been going through?” she snapped. “Maybe if you actually paid attention, you’d realize she’s been struggling.”

The room went silent, Delilah’s words hanging in the air. A few students looked away, avoiding her stare.

Still standing at the front, Stella felt her heart break, like it was falling apart. She wanted to disappear.