A Friend
227 Words
The streets of Edinburgh were already busy by the time Selene left the house.
People passed her in small groups, their conversations blending into a distant hum. Laughter rose here and there, light and effortless in a way that felt foreign to her.
Selene kept her gaze forward.
As she reached the school gates, she hesitated briefly before stepping inside.
“I just need to get through the day,” she told herself quietly.
The hallway was filled with noise—lockers slamming, voices overlapping, footsteps echoing. Selene moved through it all without speaking, her presence barely noticed.
When she entered her classroom, she made her way to her usual seat by the window.
“Hey.”
Selene looked up, slightly startled.
A girl stood beside her desk, offering a small, uncertain smile.
“You’re Selene, right?” the girl asked.
Selene nodded. “Yes.”
“I’m Lila,” she said. “We’re in the same literature class. I don’t think we’ve ever actually talked.”
Selene hesitated. “I think so.”
Lila shifted her weight slightly, glancing at her before speaking again. “I hope this isn’t weird, but… are you okay?”
Selene blinked. “What do you mean?”
“You just…” Lila paused, searching for the right words. “You looked really upset yesterday. I noticed when class ended.”
- Writer
