CHAPTER FOUR: FORGOTTEN MOMENTS
1288 Words
CHAPTER FOUR: FORGOTTEN MOMENTS
The next afternoon, Chloe finally saw it.
An actual clue.
Not a feeling.
Not a hunch.
A clue.
She had been following the transfer students for nearly a week with nothing to show for it.
Then everything changed.
From her position near the science building, she spotted Fenrik, Alaric, and Aelthira standing behind the school.
They weren't alone.
Mrs. Rose was with them.
Chloe frowned.
That didn't make sense.
Mrs. Rose was supposed to be teaching the first-year science class.
Right now.
Chloe checked the time on her phone.
The lesson had started almost twenty minutes ago.
So why was Mrs. Rose standing behind the school talking to the transfer students?
Curiosity immediately won.
She hurried toward the science building.
The first-year laboratory wasn't far away.
When she reached the classroom, she peeked through the window.
And froze.
Mrs. Rose was inside.
Teaching.
Exactly where she was supposed to be.
Chloe stared.
Then stared harder.
No.
That wasn't possible.
She had just seen Mrs. Rose outside.
Hadn't she?
Slowly, she pushed open the classroom door.
Mrs. Rose looked up from her desk.
"Chloe?"
Every eye in the room turned toward her.
Heat rushed to Chloe's face.
"Oh. Um..."
Mrs. Rose smiled.
"Can I help you?"
"No."
Mrs. Rose raised an eyebrow.
"No?"
"I mean yes."
Chloe immediately regretted speaking.
"No. Sorry. I was looking for something."
A few students laughed.
Mrs. Rose smiled patiently.
"Well, whatever it is, I hope you find it."
Embarrassed, Chloe quickly retreated.
The moment the door closed, she leaned against the wall.
What was happening?
She had seen Mrs. Rose.
She knew she had.
Didn't she?
A voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Miss Chloe?"
She looked up.
A first-year student stood nearby holding a stack of books.
Luke.
One of the lab assistants.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Has Mrs. Rose been in class the whole time?"
Luke blinked.
"Of course."
"The whole time?"
"Yes."
He frowned.
"Actually, she was here before everyone else arrived."
Chloe's stomach dropped.
"You're sure?"
Luke nodded.
"Definitely."
That wasn't possible.
Someone couldn't be in two places at once.
Could they?
For the rest of the day, the question refused to leave her mind.
At first it felt like a strange coincidence.
Then it became a concern.
By the time she got home, it had become certainty.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
And somehow the transfer students were involved.
Tomorrow she would tell the others.
They needed to know.
The next morning, Chloe arrived at the Student Council office determined to explain everything.
The weekly meeting passed in a blur.
She barely paid attention.
All she could think about was Mrs. Rose.
The transfer students.
And what she had seen.
Finally the meeting ended.
Her chance.
"Guys—"
Sean looked up.
"What's up?"
Chloe opened her mouth.
Then stopped.
Something felt strange.
She frowned.
What had she wanted to say?
The thought was right there.
Just beyond reach.
Like a word sitting on the tip of her tongue.
"Chloe?"
This time it was Iris.
Concern filled her voice.
"What's wrong?"
Chloe blinked.
What was wrong?
She knew something was wrong.
She was absolutely certain of it.
But for some reason...
She couldn't remember what.
Not a single detail.
A strange unease settled in her chest.
Mrs. Rose.
The transfer students.
There had been something important.
Something impossible.
Something she had wanted to tell them.
And now—
Nothing.
Only a feeling remained.
An uncomfortable feeling that she couldn't shake.
Everyone was staring at her.
Waiting.
Finally, Chloe forced a smile.
"Nothing."
The room remained silent.
Chloe quickly continued.
"What do you guys think about the graduation banner?"
The silence somehow became worse.
Iris slowly turned toward the others.
Sean looked away.
Evie suddenly became very interested in her notebook.
Felix rubbed the back of his neck.
For a brief moment, Chloe felt as though she had missed part of a conversation.
Something passed between them.
A look she couldn't quite understand.
Then it was gone.
Felix broke the silence first.
"Chloe."
"Yeah?"
"We approved the banner a month ago."
"Oh."
Right.
That was true.
A nervous laugh escaped her.
"I completely forgot."
Nobody looked convinced.
Chloe laughed again.
"You know. Graduation planning. Final exams. Stress."
Still nobody spoke.
Finally Evie nodded.
"Right."
The conversation moved on.
But Chloe couldn't shake the feeling in her chest.
Something had happened.
Something important.
And somehow...
She had forgotten it.
Later that afternoon, while the others headed toward lunch, Chloe changed direction.
"Where are you going?" Sean called.
She didn't stop walking.
"Just checking something."
Because even if she couldn't remember what she had forgotten...
One thought refused to leave her mind.
Mrs. Rose.
For some reason, she couldn't stop thinking about Mrs. Rose.
Chloe hurried down the hallway.
The faster she walked, the more certain she became that she needed answers.
She couldn't explain why.
She couldn't even remember exactly what she had forgotten.
But something about Mrs. Rose wouldn't leave her alone.
"Miss Chloe."
Chloe nearly jumped.
She turned to find Mr. Andrews standing a few feet away.
The mathematics teacher adjusted his glasses and frowned.
"Why are you running through the halls at such speed?"
Chloe immediately straightened.
"Sorry, Mr. Andrews."
"As Vice President of the Student Council, you should know better."
"I know."
His frown deepened.
"And yet here we are."
Chloe resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
Mr. Andrews had always been like this.
A stickler for rules.
A man who believed every minute should be spent studying.
Most students considered him the least fun teacher in the school.
Not a bad teacher.
Just a strict one.
Before yesterday, Chloe wouldn't have thought twice about him.
But after everything that had happened...
After seeing Mrs. Rose in two places at once...
After forgetting something she knew had been important...
Even Mr. Andrews suddenly seemed suspicious.
Which was ridiculous.
Probably.
"I'll be more careful from now on," Chloe said.
His expression softened slightly.
"Good."
A brief silence settled between them.
Then Mr. Andrews stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Is everything alright, Chloe?"
Something about the question made her hesitate.
"Yes."
His hand remained on her shoulder.
Longer than necessary.
Much longer.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Mr. Andrews simply stared into her eyes.
His expression unreadable.
Chloe shifted uncomfortably.
The hallway suddenly felt too quiet.
Too still.
Then—
She heard something.
A whisper.
Faint.
Almost impossible to make out.
It sounded like words.
Strange words.
Words she didn't understand.
The sound seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.
Her thoughts began to blur.
The edges of the hallway softened.
Her eyelids felt heavy.
Very heavy.
"Chloe."
The voice cut through the fog instantly.
Mr. Andrews' hand disappeared from her shoulder.
Chloe blinked.
Mrs. Rose stood at the end of the corridor.
A stack of papers rested against one arm.
"There you are."
Her smile was warm.
"I've been expecting you."
For the briefest moment, something flashed across Mr. Andrews' face.
Annoyance.
Gone so quickly Chloe almost thought she imagined it.
He adjusted his glasses.
"Well then."
His usual expression returned.
"Don't forget what I told you."
Chloe nodded automatically.
Even though she couldn't remember what he had told her.
"Good."
Mr. Andrews turned and walked away.
His footsteps echoed down the empty corridor.
Mrs. Rose waited until he disappeared around the corner.
Then she smiled at Chloe.
"Shall we?"
Chloe stared at her.
A strange feeling settled in her chest.
For some reason...
It felt as though Mrs. Rose had just saved her from something.
She simply didn't know what.
Yet.
Without another word, Mrs. Rose turned toward her office.
And Chloe followed.
- Writer
