Trouble in a so-called paradise

~CHAPTER TWO~

.....

The moment the words left my mouth, the silence that followed felt deafening. "It was them, sir," I had said, pointing at Charles and Ania. My heart raced, pounding so loud I thought the whole class could hear it.

A small part of me wished I could take it all back, but it was too late. The air in the room grew tense, and I could almost feel the judgment in the stares of my classmates—especially Levi's. What was he thinking? Did he see me as a traitor now? I couldn't tell, but the way his eyes narrowed made my stomach twist with guilt.

Even Charles and Ania, who had been so kind to me, wouldn’t meet my gaze. I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of my decision crash down on me. Had I made a huge mistake?

~~~~

Looking back now, I remember the immediate eruption of whispers and comments the moment Mr. Grinne left the room to talk to Ania's mother.

The insults and judgmental stares were all aimed at me, and my heart raced as fast as a cat being chased by a dog. I lowered my gaze, rubbing my sweaty palms against my skirt, hoping somehow the feeling would fade.

I kept my head down, focusing on the fabric’s tiny creases, but my thoughts were a scattered mess. How did I end up in this situation?

I could avoid their stares, but I couldn’t escape the sharpness in their words. “I didn’t expect that from her.” “Ania’s going to get in trouble because of her. What a fake.”

Of all people, the last person I expected to hear from was Tristan. The moment his voice hit my ears, my body stiffened. “Bro, why did you have to snitch like that?” he said.

I raised my head to meet his eyes. His body was turned towards me, his face just inches away. He stared at me with narrowed eyes—the same ones that used to glow when he laughed at his stupid jokes. It was the first time he’d ever looked at me like that.

I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but before I could find the words, a chill ran down my spine as I heard Levi’s voice cut through the tension. “Why couldn't you just keep quiet?”

He spoke loudly, grabbing the entire class’s attention.

My head snapped toward him. I knew he was talking to me, voicing the same question I’d been asking myself for the past five minutes.

“Not snitching isn’t that hard, you know,” he said, his gaze locking onto mine from across the room.

Almost immediately, one of the girls beside him chimed in, “That’s because she’s the teacher’s pet.”

A flush crept up my cheeks. Was that really how they saw me? A mix of anger and embarrassment swirled within me, and I could feel my heart racing. How could they not see that I was just trying to do the right thing?

The rest of the class erupted in laughter, their voices a chorus of agreement. Levi’s deep chuckle cut through the noise, and he leaned back in his chair, a smirk plastered on his face. “You’re right! Her and Sir have been getting way too close for a teacher and a student.”

The laughter intensified, and my stomach churned. I felt the weight of their eyes on me, the whispers growing louder. It stung, but I fought to keep my composure.

I glanced down at Charles and Ania, now sitting quietly on the floor, and through the chaos swirling around me, I took a deep breath and finally said the words I had dreaded since this whole thing began.

“Ania, Charles… I—I’m so sorry for what I did. I really never meant for this to happen.” My voice trembled as the words left my mouth, heavy with guilt. I didn’t expect much from them—after all, it was my fault they were in this position. But to my surprise, almost immediately, they both looked up at me... and smiled.

I didn’t know how to react. Their smiles were unexpected, but the laughter that followed left me speechless.

Ania erupted into giggles. “I told you to stop talking, but you didn’t listen!” she said, her laughter contagious.

Charles joined in, snorting between laughs. “You should’ve seen how scared you looked when Sir told us to kneel!”

“It was all because of you!” Ania teased, her eyes sparkling as she turned to me, her face brighter than ever, her beauty somehow magnified in the moment.

“Laura, you really don’t have to worry,” she said with a warm smile. “It was our fault—we’re the ones who triggered Sir’s temper, not you.” She laughed, and Charles chimed in, “Yeah, Laura, don’t stress about it. If anyone should be apologizing, it’s us.”

Relief washed over me, but it was mixed with a strange sense of guilt. How could they be so forgiving? I had been the one to put them in that position, yet here they were, laughing it off like it was nothing. I wanted to laugh with them, but the weight of Levi's earlier words still clung to me.

I glanced over at the rest of the class. Some of them were still whispering, smirking like they were in on some private joke. And then, there was Levi—leaning back in his chair, arms crossed, his eyes locked on me with that same smug grin.

But there was one person I hadn’t dared to glance at this entire time. Someone whose reaction mattered more than anyone else’s. I didn’t know if she’d joined in the laughter, silently watched, or felt any remorse seeing me humiliated like this. The uncertainty gnawed at me.

I forced myself to look at her—Misha. My old friend.

She sat at the back, her expression unreadable. For a split second, our eyes met, and something flickered between us—something heavy and unspoken. But before I could make sense of it, she looked away, leaving me wondering whether I’d seen pity or indifference.

Misha and I used to have a complicated friendship. But now, it felt like everything had changed, as if our bond had quietly dissolved. In fact, it seemed like we were never really friends at all. Maybe I wasn’t even a blip on her radar anymore. The thought stung more than Levi’s insults or the class’s laughter. What hurt the most was not knowing where I stood with her anymore.

Before I could process the moment any further, Mr. Grinne entered the classroom and cleared his throat, instantly snapping everyone back to order. “Alright, enough,” he said sternly. “Settle down, everyone.”

And just like that, the class obeyed without a word. He didn’t mention anything about Charles and Ania, who quietly slipped back into their seats as if nothing had happened. The lesson resumed, and everything returned to normal—at least, on the surface.

------

After school, I met up with my best friends, Sasha and Charlotte, near their classroom. The three of us walked together to our sacred spot—the bench tucked away in front of the quiet Grade 3 classrooms. It felt like our little hideaway, always empty and peaceful, the perfect refuge from the day's chaos.

As we strolled, laughter bubbled between us, each of us eager to share how our day had unfolded. The sweet scent of blooming flowers drifted through the air, mingling with the faint sound of children playing nearby. When it was my turn to speak, I couldn’t hold back. I detailed every moment of the incident that had turned my day upside down, baring my thoughts and feelings to Sasha and Charlotte.

Having known each other since we were toddlers at Gilbert International School, our bond felt unbreakable. With each word, I felt the weight of the day lifting, comforted by their understanding smiles and knowing nods. I knew I could confide in them completely; they understood me in a way no one else did.

I had friends, just not in my class, which made my behavior shift dramatically depending on who I was with. In class, surrounded by those scary people, I felt like I had to keep my guard up. But with Sasha and Charlotte, it was a different story entirely. Those moments we spent together—whether at break or, more often, after school—were the highlights of my day.

“Then all of a sudden, I see Ania’s mother pass by the window,” I recounted, my voice lowering as I mimicked the shocked expressions I’d seen on everyone’s faces. “It was like the universe conspired against me!”

Sasha and Charlotte exchanged amused glances, and I could feel the warmth of their laughter wrapping around me like a cozy blanket.

“Seriously, though, I thought I was going to melt into the floor!” I continued, the memories still fresh in my mind. The more I talked, the more the weight of the day’s embarrassment began to lift, replaced by the joy of sharing my experiences with my best friends.

-----

Once we arrived, Sasha tossed her bag onto the bench and pulled out her water bottle. “Nah, but seriously, Laura—why did you snitch?” she asked, raising an eyebrow as she took a long sip.

I slumped onto the bench and covered my face with my hands. “I already told you! It just happened, okay?” I groaned, the weight of the day pressing down on me.

Sasha wiped her mouth and leaned back. “You know Levi’s gonna be a bigger pain now, right? Worse than he already is.”

“I know—”

Charlotte cut in before I could finish. “I never understood why you even like that guy.” Her voice was casual, but her question hit me hard, catching me off guard.

I hesitated, unsure of how to respond, the words swirling in my head but refusing to form. What could I say that didn’t sound ridiculous?

“Oh yeah,” Sasha said, her eyes narrowing slightly. “I almost forgot about that. But honestly, Laura, do you still like him?”

I paused, taken aback by her directness. Their questions hung in the air, heavy with expectation. Could I really say I liked him after everything Levi had said?

The truth was, I didn’t know anymore. The way he’d treated me recently made it hard to hold onto any feelings I might have had. I shifted uncomfortably on the bench, searching for the right words. “I—I don’t know,” I finally admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Ah no, Laura. The guy basically implied that you were in a relationship with Mr. Grinne! I personally wouldn’t take that,” Sasha continued, shaking her head. “But I also wouldn’t have snitched; I’d just keep quiet.” She stood up, stretching her legs.

I looked up at her from my seat. “I mean, he’s smart—”

I stopped mid-sentence as they both stared at me like I’d lost my mind. Then suddenly, they erupted into laughter.

“No, Laura! It doesn’t matter if he’s the top of the class or whatever. He’s a total d**k; he bullies you! Do I really need to say more?” Sasha said, her laughter punctuating her disbelief.

It wasn’t like I liked him just because he was smart. I knew that wasn’t even a factor in my reasoning. Honestly, I didn’t understand why I liked him at all. Just like with the incident today, I never really knew why I did what I did; it just… happened.