CHAPTER 3 : SEEN AT LAST
1127 Words
Having spent two years being homeschooled, something in the air was different when Bee came back to Greenwich International High.
Not softer. No more friendly. Just heavier. Each step she made appeared to resonate with reminders of that night.
Everyone was aware. Mia’s party. The game. The chuckling that followed her back, clung to her even after she left. Bee knew people talked. She knew her reputation escaped from voices that never showed concern in the past.
As a result, walking through the school gates, she felt a tightness in her chest.
She braced herself.
The whispers.
The chuckles.
The fingers pointing.
Except—it wasn’t what she had prepared for in her head.
People were whispering, indeed, except not the ones she thought would come. These gave a different impression: soft-spoken, intrigued, practically impressed.
“Who’s that?”
“She’s new, right?”
“Wait—she’s actually so fine.”
Bee blinked. She kept moving. In her mind, nothing was different. She still wore her glasses. Still felt like the same old Bee, the one who’d run gasping from a party.
So why was everyone looking at her that way?
Her fingers tightened a little on her bag as she walked further down the hall, eyes forward, keeping her pace even. Don’t overthink it. Get to class. Just keep walking.
The hallway shifted, just a ripple.
People made space.
Eva appeared.
Perfect, as always. Calm. Out of reach.
But—something felt off this time.
Her smile looked wrong.
Her eyes scanned Bee, top to bottom, slow and precise—like she was trying to figure out a problem she didn’t want to solve.
“I think I know you,” Eva said, narrowing her eyes a bit.
Bee’s heart jumped.
Everything in her screamed, Yes. You do. You know exactly who I am.
The girl from the party.
The one you laughed at.
The one you let them tear apart.
But out loud? Bee stayed quiet, just looked back at Eva, calm, with the tiniest puzzled smile.
That threw Eva off.
She stuttered for a split second.
Then her face snapped back, perfect again, with a forced little laugh.
“Oh—sorry, my mistake,” Eva purred. “You must be new.”
All around them, the whispers shifted again.
“Wait… she’s prettier than Eva.”
“No, for real, look at her.”
“Eva’s got nothing on her…”
The voices weren’t as quiet as people thought.
Eva heard every word.
Bee stayed cool, but not Eva.
Something stony settled in Eva’s eyes, something sharp.
A warning.
For the first time in ages, Eva wasn’t queen of the hallway.
You could see she hated it.
She straightened, stepped a little closer to Bee, her voice turning so sweet it stung.
“Well, since you’re new,” she purred, head tilted, “let me show you around. Wouldn’t want you getting lost your first day.”
Her words dripped honey, but Bee knew better.
She’d heard that venom before.
She’d felt it.
Not this time.
Bee didn’t bother answering. She just walked right past Eva.
Steady. Calm.
Like Eva was invisible.
The hallway stilled.
And then—
“Did she just ignore Eva?”
“No way…”
“She actually did…”
A shift, so subtle.
Respect.
Not loud, but real.
Eva stayed put, smile stretched too tight, then spun away, pretending not to care.
But inside, she was already scheming.
—
Bee kept going, heart pounding—not scared.
Something else.
Something stronger.
She didn’t look back.
That’s when she saw Mia.
Mia was staring. Not smiling. Not saying a word.
Just searching Bee’s face. Trying to make sense of it.
Bee slowed a step.
Mia stepped closer.
Still staring, eyes flicking over Bee, measuring, guessing.
Then she saw it—
The little birthmark near Bee’s jaw. Faint but there.
Mia’s eyes grew wide.
“Oh my god…” she whispered.
She crept closer, almost like she couldn't believe it.
“Bee?”
Bee gave a tiny nod.
Mia froze, then suddenly everything changed in her face.
“Bee, oh my god—you look so different,” she burst. “You look… you look so beautiful.”
Bee let out a little laugh.
Soft. Brushing it off.
“Stop,” she teased. “You’re kidding.”
“I’m not,” Mia said, words tripping over excitement. “Seriously. You’re… wow.”
Bee shook her head, still half-smiling, waving it away.
But inside, something softened.
Not pride exactly.
Just a quiet kind of peace.
She didn’t argue.
Didn’t brush it off again.
She let it settle.
“Come on,” Bee said, shifting her bag. “We’re going to be late.”
They headed to class together.
—
The moment Bee stepped inside, the teacher paused.
“Ah, you must be the new student,” she smiled. “Class, this is Bee Conningwood.”
Silence.
Then—
“What?”
“That’s Bee?”
“No way…”
Heads spun around. Whispers burst loose.
No one mentioned the party.
No one.
They were too busy staring, trying to make sense of her.
“How did she change like that?”
“Is that seriously the same person?”
“She looks so different…”
Bee walked to her seat, steady. She didn’t flinch. Let them gawp.
For once, it didn't own her.
—
By the time the bell rang, the tension muted—but the attention just shifted gears.
It followed.
From the hall, into the next hour, through lunch.
—
The cafeteria hummed, same as ever.
Mia and Bee grabbed their trays, weaving through the crowd.
“That was wild,” Mia whispered. “Nobody brought up the party. They’re just—shocked.”
Bee shrugged. “Let them.”
Mia leaned in.
“Also… there’s something you should know.”
Bee looked over.
“Yeah?”
Mia’s voice dropped.
“Floyd and Eva have been dating for two years.”
Bee paused. Just a blink.
Then walked on.
“Oh,” she said.
Nothing. No c***k. Not even a shrug.
And then she spotted him.
Floyd.
By a crowded table, holding a lunch tray—no, Eva’s lunch.
He turned and saw her.
Time snapped shut.
His grip slackened.
The tray crashed on the floor.
Gasps. Laughter. Chaos.
Floyd didn’t move.
He just stared.
Because he knew.
He recognized Bee.
The girl he once watched.
The girl he ignored.
Lost.
Realized too late.
But Bee?
She looked at him for one heartbeat.
Then she looked away.
Like he didn’t matter.
Like whatever was there was gone.
And she didn’t look back.
She just walked past him.
Sat down.
And started eating.
Like none of it ever mattered.
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