Two lives.

21. Voices louder than actions

May 21th
11:15 AM

I was sitting in the school bathroom, perched on the edge of the sink, swinging my legs slightly as I debated whether to head back to class or keep hiding out. The quiet hum of the lights above made the space feel strangely isolating, which I didn't mind at the moment.

The door creaked open, breaking the silence. I glanced up to see Summer stroll in, her perfectly styled hair bouncing with every step. She caught sight of me almost immediately.

At first, I wasn't going to say anything. I didn't have any personal beef with her, but the way she'd been acting around Ekko lately had definitely started to get on my nerves. Still, I forced myself to stay calm, taking a deep breath.

"Oh, hey," she said, her tone dripping with fake sweetness as she looked me up and down.

"Hi," I replied, keeping my tone friendly, though my smile felt a little forced.

"What are you doing in here?" she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly as she leaned against the counter and crossed her arms.

I shrugged, keeping my eyes on my phone. "Hiding from class, I guess," I said, scrolling aimlessly to avoid further conversation.

"The bathroom's a pretty weird place to hide," Summer shot back, her voice casual as she leaned toward the mirror and dabbed at her mascara.

"Yeah, I guess," I replied with a small laugh, trying to keep things light.

She capped her mascara and turned toward me, her expression suddenly serious. "So, what's your deal with Ekko?"

That caught me off guard. I glanced up, locking eyes with her. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I've noticed you two hanging out," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. Her tone sharpened, like a warning. "I don't know what your deal is, but don't try anything. I've had my eyes on him longer than you've even been here."

For a moment, I just stared at her, processing the audacity. Then, I blinked, setting my phone down on the counter. "I'm not 'trying' anything. Ekko and I are just friends."

Summer tilted her head, her lips curving into a skeptical smirk. "Friends? Sure. That's what they all say until they're not."

I stood up straight, meeting her gaze evenly. "Look, I don't know what kind of competition you think this is, but I'm not playing. Ekko can make his own choices, and I'm not about to explain myself to you."

Her smirk faded, replaced by a cold glare. "Just stay out of my way," she said flatly. "You don't belong here." She said before she walked out of the bathroom.

I couldn't lie—her words stung more than I wanted to admit. I tried to remind myself that, at the end of the day, I had people who cared about me. But that didn't stop my mind from spiraling. Why did I always care so much about the opinions of people who didn't even matter to me? Did Summer really think I was annoying? Worse—did Ekko?

My stomach twisted at the thought. What if he only hung out with me because he felt bad? I liked Ekko. His energy, his vibe—it was magnetic. But now I couldn't help but wonder if I'd misread everything. What if I was just some clueless extra who had wedged myself into his life and his drama without an invitation?

I felt my chest tighten as the thoughts built up, one after another, like a tidal wave I couldn't stop. I needed to get out of there, to clear my head. Without thinking, I pushed open the bathroom door and walked toward the gym.

The echoes of sneakers squeaking on polished wood and distant chatter greeted me as I slipped through the gym. It was busy enough to move unnoticed, weaving through the crowd of students until I reached the exit doors on the far side.