CRYSTAL POV
I walked out of the classroom with my head down, the strap of my bag cutting into my shoulder. The hallway was filled with students. It was the usual midday rush; students could be heard laughing, shoving each other playfully, and whispering about the sudden change in leadership.
Elena's name kept ringing in my mind. Why her of all people? I heard people say she's the secretary. How was she promoted so fast?
My mind drifted back to Donald's words, replaying them in a way that made my chest feel tight and heavy. "I thought you were stronger than this." The sentence still stung worse than anything Tara had ever thrown at me, because it came from him, the one person who had been gentle with me, the one who had listened without demanding I explain every broken piece of m
