The halls of Black Ridge High buzzed with chatter, the mundane hum of lockers slamming, shoes shuffling, and voices merging into an indistinguishable backdrop. But for Selene, it felt like the world was turning on a different axis. The weight of Caleb’s kiss still lingered, grounding her, but the ghosts of Lila’s words haunted her every step.
Lunch was a war zone. Whispers and sideways glances made Selene feel like a target painted bright red, the pack’s simmering animosity toward her radiating like heat off a fire. Her friends were already used to the undercurrent of tension around her, but it felt impossible to shake. Lila’s latest snub had been a slap across her heart.
During chemistry, Lila had purposefully bumped into Selene, hard enough to send her water bottle crashing to the floo
