Silence swept through our classroom as Raven and I sat rooted to our seats—the kind of silence that roared in your ears. My fingers trembled slightly over my notebook, but I didn’t move. Neither did she.
Then, a tear slipped down her cheek.
My gaze snapped to her, stunned.
She didn’t even try to wipe it. It fell, then another, until they began to stream freely, soaking into the sleeves of her uniform. I shifted closer, my heartbeat thudding in my ears. What we had seen was enough to shake anyone—but Raven crying like this? That was something else. Something deeper.
“Raven?” I whispered, careful not to startle her. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”
She turned to me slowly, her lips trembling so badly it took her a second to form a word.
“I... I told him not to do it. I told him not
