37

Sitting in English class, Alice barely heard a word of the lesson. Her mind was a storm of half-formed thoughts, and her focus had drifted far from the literary analysis of the day. Instead, she discreetly pulled her art notes from her bag and laid them over her English textbook. Her pen flew across the page as she scribbled furiously, her handwriting growing messier with each sentence.

The goal was simple: finish the written portion of her art project by today—the deadline. Well, technically, it had been this morning, but she was determined to claw back some semblance of control.

Her heart skipped as Miss Henbury’s voice cut through her focus.

“Alice?”

Alice snapped her head up, her face heating as though caught committing a crime. “Yes?”

The teacher’s expression was neutral, but her tone carried authority. “Mr. Yates wants to see you. He’s waiting in room 23A.”

“Oh,” Alice murmured, her stomach tightening. Was this about her late project? Had word already reached the head of the art department? She swallowed hard, nodding quickly before shoving her notes back into her bag.

The short walk to room 23A stretched endlessly, her mind conjuring up worst-case scenarios. They’re going to kick me off the course. I’ll have to retake the year. My parents will kill me.

When she entered the room, Mr. Yates greeted her with a tired but kind smile, his hands folded on the desk in front of him.

“Come in, Alice,” he said, gesturing to the chair opposite.

She sat down, gripping the edges of her seat as he leaned forward slightly.

“I had a visit from a good friend of yours,” he began gently, his words landing like small bombs in Alice’s chest. “A friend who’s concerned that you might be falling behind on your work due to personal… issues.”

Alice blinked, the realization dawning. Joseph.

Mr. Yates continued, “I want you to know that we’re here to support you. If anything’s happening at home or in your personal life that’s impacting your studies, you don’t have to face it alone. Your work up to now has been exceptional, and I’d hate to see you stumble when you’re so close to achieving something great.”

Alice’s throat tightened. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to hug him for his kindness or curl into a ball from the weight of guilt.

“The school also has an excellent counselor if you feel it might help,” Mr. Yates added, his tone gentle but firm.

Alice nodded stiffly. “Thank you,” she murmured, her voice barely audible. “Erm… what about my project? It’s… almost finished.”

“In light of the circumstances, I’m granting you a one-week extension,” Mr. Yates said, his gaze steady and reassuring.

Alice tried to mask her confusion. Circumstances? She forced a polite smile, thanked him again, and left the room.

Since there were only five minutes left of English, Alice decided to skip the tail end of the lesson and head to the canteen early. She welcomed the quiet before the rush of students turned the place into a noisy madhouse.

As she made her way to the sandwich counter, she spotted Joseph at the till, his familiar grin breaking through the fog of her thoughts. Without hesitation, she rushed over and threw herself into his arms.

“Oof,” Joseph said, staggering back a step before wrapping her in a warm hug. “Well, hello to you too.”

“I’m so sorry,” Alice mumbled into his chest. “I’ve been a total dickhead. Can you forgive me?”

Joseph chuckled, giving her an extra squeeze. “Already forgiven. I was being a hypersensitive diva anyway.”

Alice pulled back, smiling despite herself. “What did you say to Mr. Yates?”

“Oh, that.” Joseph winced, rubbing the back of his neck. “I might have spun a little yarn about your parents getting divorced.”

Alice’s eyes widened. “Joseph! That’s so—” She paused, her indignation fading into amusement. “Well, it’s sort of true. Just… ten years late.”

“Exactly,” Joseph said with a dramatic flourish. “It’s not a lie; it’s a creative interpretation of the truth. Besides, I figured the real reason you’ve been distracted wouldn’t go over so well.”

Alice burst out laughing, the tension in her chest finally releasing. It felt good to have him back in her corner.

“Thank you,” she said earnestly. “For buying me some time. I swear you’ll never have to do this for me again.”

“I know you’ll get your act together,” Joseph said with a smile, throwing an arm around her shoulders as they headed to a table.

Lunch turned into a full-blown social event as Ed and Carla joined them at their favorite spot—the sofa table.

Carla beamed at Alice. “Ed showed me some of your work. I can’t believe how talented you are!”

“She really can’t,” Ed teased, nudging Carla. “She’s, like, obsessed with you.”

Carla turned bright red, swatting at Ed’s arm. “I’m not obsessed! I just think she’s amazing.”

Alice laughed, warmth flooding her cheeks. “Thanks, but honestly, I don’t see what’s so great about my stuff.”

“That’s because you’re not looking at it with my eyes,” Carla said, grabbing a napkin and drawing a wonky sheep.

The sheep was so hilariously deformed—its body a misshapen blob with stick legs—that Alice couldn’t help but laugh. Soon, everyone at the table was doodling ridiculous animals, their laughter growing louder and more infectious with every scribble.

For the first time in weeks, Alice felt completely at ease.

The good mood carried her through the rest of the day, even making her textiles lesson bearable. Her nemesis was out sick, leaving the room blissfully free of snide comments and glares. By the time Alice walked home, her chest felt light, and she found herself humming under her breath.

The bubble burst the moment she stepped through the front door.

“Hey,” Jamie called from the sofa, his feet propped up on the coffee table.

“Hey,” Alice replied, dropping her bag by the stairs. “Not out with your friends?”

“Nah,” Jamie said, rolling his eyes. “Zoe and Reece are at the movies, and Adam’s on a date tonight.”

The words stopped Alice in her tracks. “He is?”

Jamie nodded, not looking up. “Yeah, some girl from beauty college. He’s been into her for ages.”

Alice’s heart sank, a sick, hollow feeling spreading through her chest. “Oh,” she managed weakly.

“Yeah, apparently he was stringing along some other poor schmuck until this girl finally showed interest.” Jamie grinned. “Aren’t I just the little matchmaker?”

Alice felt the blood drain from her face. He can’t mean…

“Are you okay?” Jamie frowned. “You look ill.”

“I… I’m fine,” Alice stammered, backing toward the stairs. “Just… tired. I think I’ll lie down.”

In the safety of her room, Alice turned her music up to full blast, drowning out the world. Hot tears spilled down her cheeks as she collapsed onto her bed, burying her face in her pillow.

“Why am I so stupid?” she whispered between sobs.

The ache in her chest felt unbearable, each beat of her heart hammering home the bitter truth: she’d let herself hope, and now she was paying the price.