Chapter 17
The midday sun filtered through the cafeteria’s tall windows, casting light across long tables already crowded with students. The air buzzed with chatter, the clatter of trays, and the rustle of crumpled sandwich wrappers—another ordinary school day for most.
Lena slid into a seat beside Ally and Peter at their usual table tucked near the far corner of the cafeteria. She winced slightly as her sore knee bumped against the metal bench, trying to mask it with a smile.
“Hey, you’re late,” Ally said, eyeing her tray as Lena set it down.
“Don’t tell me Mr. Draven kept you again,” Peter added, biting into an apple.
Lena gave a small shrug. “He just wanted to make sure I was okay.”
Ally leaned in, lowering her voice. “Well, you don’t look okay. Are you limping?”
“I tripped yeste
