The Girl They Never Saw Coming

Chapter 7 — Whispers

"Mia, you're going to be late."

I heard my mother's voice from downstairs.

I opened one eye and stared at the ceiling.

For a few seconds, I forgot where I was.

Then I remembered.

Georgia.

Westbrook High.

A new school.

A new life.

I reached for my phone on the nightstand.

7:02 a.m.

I sat up immediately.

"Coming!"

I jumped out of bed and hurried into the bathroom.

By the time I came downstairs, my mother was already sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee beside her. She was dressed for work, her laptop bag resting against the chair.

My father was standing near the kitchen counter, checking his phone.

My mother looked at me.

"Good morning."

"Morning."

She glanced at the clock.

"You're cutting it close."

"I know."

My father smiled.

"First week and you're already mastering the art of being late."

"I am not late."

"Not yet."

I sat down at the table.

My mother pushed a plate toward me.

"Eat."

I looked at the food.

"I'm not really hungry."

She immediately looked up.

"Mia."

"I'm fine."

"You said that yesterday."

"I was fine yesterday too."

My father pulled out the chair beside me and sat down.

"Just eat a little."

I sighed.

I knew that tone.

It meant they weren't going to let it go.

I picked up my fork.

"Happy?"

"Very," my mother said.

I took a few bites.

She watched me for a moment before speaking.

"How was school yesterday?"

"Good."

"Just good?"

I smiled.

"Okay. It was actually good."

My father looked interested.

"Making friends?"

"Yeah."

"Anyone you really like?"

I thought about Ava.

Then Sophie.

Then Chloe, who was still miles away in London but somehow managed to feel close every time she texted me.

"Yeah."

My mother smiled.

"That's good."

She checked the time.

"I have to go."

She stood and picked up her bag.

"Have a good day."

"You too."

She kissed the top of my head before leaving.

My father looked at me.

"I'll drive you."

"Okay."

I finished my breakfast and grabbed my bag.

As we walked toward the front door, my phone vibrated.

I looked down.

Chloe.

I smiled immediately.

I opened the message.

*Chloe: Good morning. Please tell me you're awake.*

I laughed.

I typed back.

*Mia: Unfortunately.*

A second message appeared.

*Chloe: Good. I was about to call your mother.*

*Mia: Traitor.*

*Chloe: How's my favorite London girl surviving Georgia?*

I smiled.

*Mia: Better than expected.*

*Chloe: Really?*

*Mia: Yeah. I have friends now.*

There was a short pause.

Then:

*Chloe: Look at you.*

I laughed.

*Mia: Don't make it emotional.*

*Chloe: Too late.*

I slipped my phone into my pocket.

My father opened the car door.

"Ready?"

"Yeah."

As we drove away from the house, I looked through the window.

Georgia still didn't look like London.

But it was starting to feel less unfamiliar.

My father glanced at me.

"You seem happier."

"I think I am."

"Good."

He smiled.

"Give it time."

I nodded.

I didn't know how much I needed to hear that.

When we reached Westbrook, my father pulled up near the entrance.

"Have a good day."

"I will."

"Call if you need anything."

"I know."

I stepped out.

"Love you."

"Love you too."

The car pulled away.

I adjusted my bag and walked toward the entrance.

I had barely made it through the doors when I noticed it.

The whispers.

Again.

Two girls standing near the staircase looked at me.

One leaned toward the other.

They whispered.

Then they looked at me.

I kept walking.

Another group passed me.

One of the girls glanced over her shoulder.

I heard my name.

"Mia."

I stopped for half a second.

Then continued walking.

Maybe I was becoming paranoid.

Maybe people weren't actually talking about me.

But then Ava appeared.

She took one look at my face.

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

She frowned.

"Why do you look like that?"

"People keep whispering."

Ava looked around.

Then back at me.

"They've been doing that."

"Why?"

She shrugged.

"You know why."

I sighed.

"Because of Trent?"

"Partly."

I looked at her.

"Partly?"

Ava lowered her voice.

"People noticed you."

"That doesn't explain anything."

"It does here."

We started walking.

I looked around.

Students were everywhere.

Some ignored me.

Others looked.

A few whispered.

I hated how quickly I had become aware of it.

Ava nudged my arm.

"Don't worry about them."

"I'm trying."

"Good."

We reached our classroom.

I sat down and opened my notebook.

A few minutes later, my phone vibrated.

I checked it under the desk.

*Chloe: How's school?*

I smiled.

*Mia: Weird.*

*Chloe: Weird how?*

*Mia: People keep talking about me.*

*Chloe: Why?*

*Mia: I don't know. I think because I'm new.*

Chloe replied almost immediately.

*Chloe: Or because you're impossible to ignore.*

I smiled.

*Mia: You're biased.*

*Chloe: I'm your best friend. I'm allowed.*

I put my phone away as the teacher walked in.

For the next hour, I focused on class.

But during the break, the whispers started again.

This time, I heard more.

"That's her."

"The one Trent was talking to."

"She's new."

"She's from London."

"She's actually really pretty."

I kept my eyes forward.

I didn't know whether to laugh or be annoyed.

When I reached my locker, I saw Iris standing nearby.

She was talking to two girls.

One of them noticed me.

She whispered something to Iris.

Iris turned.

Our eyes met.

She didn't smile this time.

She simply watched me.

Then she said something to the girls beside her.

They looked at me.

I opened my locker.

Ava stood beside me.

"Don't mind them."

"I'm not."

"You're thinking about it."

"Maybe."

Ava smiled.

"You'll get used to it."

"I hope so."

Across the hallway, Iris continued talking to her friends.

I couldn't hear what they were saying.

But I could tell the conversation was about me.

I closed my locker.

"Let's go."

Ava followed.

At lunch, the whispers were even louder.

I sat with Ava and Sophie.

I tried to focus on our conversation.

Sophie was telling us about a teacher who had accidentally called her by the wrong name three times.

I laughed.

Then someone walked past our table.

"That's the girl."

I stopped laughing.

Ava looked at me.

"Ignore it."

I nodded.

But my stomach tightened.

I didn't understand why everyone suddenly cared about me.

I hadn't done anything.

I hadn't asked for attention.

I hadn't tried to take anyone's place.

I was simply trying to survive my first week.

Then I saw Iris.

She was sitting across the cafeteria with her usual group.

She wasn't whispering.

She wasn't laughing.

She was simply watching.

Our eyes met.

This time, she looked away first.

My phone vibrated.

Chloe again.

*Chloe: You okay?*

I stared at the message for a moment.

Then I typed:

*Mia: Yeah. Just a weird day.*

*Chloe: Want to talk about it?*

I smiled.

*Mia: Later.*

*Chloe: I'm here whenever.*

I locked my phone.

Ava looked at me.

"Chloe?"

"Yeah."

"What did she say?"

"That she's there if I need her."

Ava smiled.

"She's a good friend."

"She is."

I looked around the cafeteria.

The whispers continued.

But this time, I didn't let them control me.

Maybe people were curious.

Maybe they were judging me.

Maybe they were simply bored.

Whatever the reason, I couldn't spend every minute worrying about what strangers thought.

I had come to Georgia because my mother's job had changed our lives.

I had left behind people I loved.

I had walked into a completely unfamiliar school.

And somehow, I had already found people who cared about me.

That had to mean something.

I looked at Ava.

"Let's go."

"Where?"

"Class."

She smiled.

"Now that's the Mia I know."

We stood up.

As we walked away, I glanced back one last time.

Iris was still watching me.

And this time, I knew for certain.

The whispers weren't going to disappear.

They were only getting started.