ARIA
By the time Jenna and I made it back to class, the noise in the hallway had settled into a dull background hum. I still felt uncomfortable — the coffee incident was replaying in my mind like a broken recording I couldn’t turn off. My dress was mostly dry, but the faint smell of coffee clung to me, a reminder of how the morning had gone wrong.
Jenna walked quietly beside me, clutching her books against her chest. She hadn’t said much since we left the cafeteria. Maybe she didn’t know what to say, or maybe she could tell I didn’t want to talk. I was grateful for the silence either way. The last thing I wanted was pity.
When we stepped into the classroom, the usual chatter of students filled the air. Desks were half full, and the faint scent of chalk hung in the air. Everything looked
