THE QUESTION
900 Words
Mia
She knew the name.
Mia was almost certain of it.
Abby's reaction had lasted barely a second, but it had been enough.
The widened eyes.
The sudden silence.
The way her fingers had tightened around her sleeve.
And then the lie.
“No.”
Mia stared at her.
Abby avoided her gaze.
“Are you sure?” Mia asked.
Abby finally looked up.
“Why wouldn't I be?”
“I don't know.”
Mia shrugged.
“You just seemed…”
She stopped.
“Seemed what?”
“Surprised.”
Abby gave a small laugh.
“I'm not surprised.”
“You looked surprised.”
“I didn't.”
“You did.”
Abby stared at her for a moment.
Then she looked away again.
“Mia, I said I don't know anyone named Harper Smith.”
There was something about the way she said it.
Too careful.
Too controlled.
Mia nodded slowly.
“Okay.”
She didn't believe her.
But she didn't say that.
Not yet.
---
The room slowly returned to normal.
Valerie started talking about an assignment they had been given.
Paige complained about having to wake up early the next morning.
Abby stayed quiet.
Mia tried to focus on anything except her.
She couldn't.
Her mind kept returning to the yearbook.
HARPER SMITH.
The photograph.
The short write-up.
There had been something familiar about the face.
She just couldn't figure out what.
Mia reached for her phone.
She opened her notes app and typed two words.
Harper Smith.
She stared at them.
Then added:
Westbridge Academy.
She didn't know what she was looking for.
Maybe answers.
Maybe proof that she wasn't imagining things.
She locked her phone when Abby suddenly spoke.
“You should stop asking about her.”
Mia looked up.
The room had gone quiet again.
“What?”
Abby kept her eyes on her phone.
“I said you should stop asking about Harper.”
Mia's heart skipped.
“You said you don't know her.”
Abby didn't answer.
Mia sat up straighter.
“Then why should I stop asking?”
Abby finally looked at her.
For the first time, there was something almost pleading in her eyes.
“Because some things aren't worth digging into.”
Mia frowned.
“That's not an answer.”
“It doesn't have to be.”
Abby stood up.
“I'm just warning you.”
She walked past Mia toward the bathroom.
Mia watched her disappear behind the door.
A few seconds later, she heard the lock click.
Valerie slowly turned toward Mia.
“What was that about?”
Mia shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Paige raised an eyebrow.
“You definitely know something.”
“I don't.”
Valerie stared at her.
Mia sighed.
“Okay. Maybe I know something.”
Paige sat up.
“Tell us.”
Mia glanced toward the bathroom.
“Not here.”
---
Later that night, everyone was asleep.
Or at least, Mia thought they were.
She lay beneath her blanket, staring at the ceiling.
Her phone rested beside her.
She picked it up again.
The note was still there.
Harper Smith.
Mia opened the search bar.
Her thumb hovered over the keyboard.
Then she stopped.
She didn't want to search the internet.
Not yet.
There was something else she wanted to check first.
The yearbook.
She remembered the page.
The photograph.
The small article beneath it.
There had been something written there that she hadn't fully read.
She had closed the book too quickly.
Mia sat up.
She looked across the room.
Valerie was asleep.
Paige was asleep.
The bathroom door was open.
Abby's bed was empty.
Mia's eyes narrowed.
She quietly got out of bed.
She walked toward the window.
Abby was standing outside in the corridor.
Alone.
Mia stayed where she was.
She couldn't hear what Abby was saying, but Abby had her phone pressed against her ear.
Then she heard one sentence.
“I told you she was going to find out eventually.”
Mia froze.
Abby turned slightly.
Mia quickly stepped back from the window.
Her heart started beating faster.
Who was she talking to?
And what did she mean by find out?
Mia waited.
A few seconds later, Abby walked back into the room.
Mia immediately climbed into bed and closed her eyes.
She heard Abby's footsteps.
The soft creak of the mattress.
Silence.
Mia opened her eyes again.
She stared into the darkness.
Something was definitely wrong.
And somehow, Harper was at the center of it.
---
The next morning, Mia woke before her alarm.
She reached for her phone.
A notification appeared.
Unknown Number.
Mia frowned.
She opened it.
There was only one message.
You should leave Harper alone.
Mia stared at the screen.
Her stomach tightened.
She looked around the room.
Everyone was still asleep.
She read the message again.
Then another message appeared.
You don't know what you're looking for.
Mia's fingers went cold.
She quickly sat up.
Who had sent this?
How did they know she was looking for Harper?
She checked the number.
Unknown.
No profile picture.
Nothing.
Mia stared at the screen for several seconds before locking her phone.
She didn't tell Valerie.
She didn't tell Paige.
And she definitely didn't tell Abby.
Not yet.
Because now she had another question.
If nobody knew she had found Harper's name in the yearbook…
Who knew?
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD