UNTIL THE SEMESTER ENDS

LITTLE THINGS

Mia

Saturday morning came way too quickly.

I opened my eyes to the sound of Valerie groaning.

“My feet are finished.”

I turned my head toward her. “You’re awake?”

“Unfortunately.”

Paige laughed from her bed. “You’re the one who danced all night.”

“I was enjoying myself.”

“You were dancing like you were being paid.”

Valerie sat up. “I have no regrets.”

I laughed.

The room looked like a small disaster. Clothes were scattered across chairs, someone's shoes were under my bed, and empty snack wrappers covered the table.

Freshers’ Night had definitely been worth it.

I reached for my phone and checked the pictures from last night. There were so many. Some were actually good. Others were just Valerie making ridiculous faces.

I stopped at one picture of the four of us.

We were standing together, all smiling.

For some reason, I stared at it longer than the others.

A few days ago, I barely knew these girls. Now, waking up to their voices somehow felt normal.

“Why are you smiling?” Paige asked.

I looked up. “I’m not.”

“You are.”

“I was looking at the picture.”

Valerie leaned over. “Show me.”

I turned the phone toward her.

She smiled. “Okay, that’s cute.”

“Very cute,” Paige agreed.

Abby looked over from her bed. “Can I see?”

I handed her the phone.

She looked at the picture and smiled.

“You guys look happy.”

“We were,” Valerie said.

Then she looked at me. “Especially Mia.”

I frowned. “I was not.”

“You were laughing the whole night.”

“Because you were embarrassing yourself.”

“Still counts.”

I shook my head.

The conversation moved on, and I let myself relax.

But while they talked, my eyes drifted toward Abby.

For just a second, I remembered the photograph from the night before.

The way she had looked at it.

The way she’d immediately denied knowing anyone in it.

I wondered who those students were.

And why Abby had looked so uncomfortable.

I almost asked.

Then I decided against it.

Maybe it wasn’t my business.

Still, the question stayed with me.

Monday arrived before I was ready for it.

By the time Valerie and I reached our classroom, I already wanted the day to be over.

“Why do Mondays exist?” she asked.

“Because the world hates students.”

She laughed.

We took our seats.

A few minutes later, Noah walked in.

His eyes found me almost immediately.

I looked away.

Unfortunately, he had already seen me.

“Morning, Room 96.”

I looked at him. “Don’t you have another nickname?”

“No.”

“You’ve had several days to think of one.”

“I like this one.”

“Of course you do.”

He smiled and took his seat.

Our teacher walked in before the conversation could continue.

Class started.

About halfway through the lesson, the teacher reminded us about the assignment we’d been given.

“Those working in pairs should have your work ready by Wednesday.”

I glanced at Noah.

He looked at me.

“Tomorrow?” he whispered.

I nodded.

“Library?”

“Sure.”

He turned back to the board.

It was strange.

Working with Noah wasn’t as annoying as I’d expected.

Actually, it was becoming... easy.

I wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing.

At lunch, the four of us sat together.

Valerie was telling us about something that had happened in class.

“And then she looked at me like I was the problem.”

Paige laughed. “You probably were.”

“I was not!”

Abby smiled.

I picked up my drink.

“I’m starting to think you enjoy arguing.”

“I don’t argue.”

Paige stared at her. “You literally argued with me this morning about your shoes.”

“That was a discussion.”

We all laughed.

For a while, everything felt normal.

Then one of the students at the next table mentioned Freshers’ Night.

“Did you guys hear about the old game they played last night?”

Paige looked over. “Which one?”

“The one where they pick students from different years.”

“Oh, that?”

He nodded. “My sister told me they’ve been doing it for years.”

Abby suddenly stopped eating.

It was so quick that I almost missed it.

Almost.

The student continued talking.

“Apparently they used to do it near the old assembly hall before they moved everything.”

Abby’s hand tightened around her spoon.

“The old assembly hall?”

Everyone looked at her.

She seemed to realize she’d spoken too quickly.

“Yeah,” she said, quieter. “I’ve heard of it.”

Valerie shrugged. “Isn’t that building closed?”

“I think so,” Paige said.

The student laughed. “Nobody goes there anymore. Apparently it’s creepy.”

Abby’s expression changed.

Only for a second.

Then she looked down.

The conversation moved on.

But I couldn’t.

I looked at Abby.

She was staring at her food.

“Are you okay?” I asked quietly.

She looked at me.

“Yeah.”

“You sure?”

She nodded. “I’m fine.”

There was something about the way she said it.

Too quick.

Too certain.

I didn’t say anything else.

But something about her answer bothered me.

After classes, I was packing my books when Noah stopped beside my desk.

“You still coming tomorrow?”

I looked up. “For the assignment?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“Good.”

He picked up his bag.

Then he looked at me.

“You’ve been quiet.”

I frowned. “I’m always quiet.”

“Not like this.”

I didn’t know what to say to that.

“I’m fine.”

He studied my face for a second.

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

He nodded slowly.

“Okay.”

He walked away.

I watched him leave.

Maybe I was becoming too easy to read.

That wasn’t good.

By the time I got back to the hostel, Valerie was already there.

She was sitting on her bed, scrolling through her phone.

“Guess what?”

I dropped my bag.

“What?”

“We have to choose a club.”

I stared at her.

“Already?”

She nodded. “The notice was posted this afternoon.”

Paige looked up.

“I’ve already chosen mine.”

Valerie gasped. “You didn’t wait for us?”

“I know what I want.”

“What?”

“Literary club.”

Valerie looked at me.

“Mia, you’re joining too.”

I laughed. “Why me?”

“Because you like writing.”

“How do you know that?”

“You told me.”

“I don’t remember telling you.”

“You did.”

I thought about it.

Maybe I had.

“What are you joining?”

Valerie smiled.

“Drama.”

Paige shook her head.

“Of course.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means you’re dramatic.”

Valerie looked offended.

“I am expressive.”

Abby laughed.

“What about you?”

Valerie turned to her.

Abby shrugged.

“I haven’t decided.”

“You should join something.”

“Maybe.”

We continued talking about the clubs for a while.

For once, the strange feeling from lunch disappeared.

Or at least, I thought it did.

That night, I was looking through my notebook when something slipped out from between the pages.

A small piece of folded paper.

I frowned.

I didn’t remember putting anything there.

I opened it.

There was only one sentence written on it.

Some things are better left forgotten.

I stared at the words.

My stomach tightened.

I looked around the room.

Valerie was brushing her hair.

Paige was lying on her bed, watching something on her phone.

Abby was sitting quietly at her desk.

Nobody seemed to be paying attention to me.

I looked back at the note.

Maybe someone was joking.

Maybe it had nothing to do with me.

But then why had it been inside my notebook?

I folded it quickly and slipped it into my pocket.

I looked across the room at Abby.

She was still facing the mirror.

Then her eyes met mine through the reflection.

For a second, neither of us moved.

She looked away first.

My heartbeat quickened.

I glanced down at the note in my pocket.

I had never told anyone about the photograph.

I hadn’t asked Abby about it.

So why did I suddenly feel like the note was connected to her?

I tried to dismiss the thought.

Maybe I was imagining things.

But the more I thought about the past few days, the more little things began to connect.

The photograph.

Abby’s reaction.

The old assembly hall.

The sudden silence.

And now the note.

Maybe it was all a coincidence.

I wanted to believe that.

But for the first time since arriving at Westbridge, I had the uncomfortable feeling that someone knew I was paying attention.

And I had no idea who was watching.

Or what they wanted me to forget.