Chapter 10: The Past With Teeth
By Monday morning, Liam Bennett had officially become a subject of whispers.
Evelyn didn’t need to try hard to hear them—they followed him like shadows, clinging to corners and hallway clusters like gossip always does in high school.
“Transferred from St. Elwick after some kind of fight.”
“I heard he put someone in the hospital.”
“Some rich kid messed with him and never came back to school.”
“No parents, right? Just a brother who went missing?”
“He’s dangerous. Quiet guys like that always snap.”
Evelyn listened. She didn’t react.
But inside, a small knot of unease began to form.
Because some of the rumors sounded almost too specific. Like someone wanted them to be believed.
At lunch, Clara slid into the seat across from her, tray in hand and eyes sharp.
“You’ve been spending a lot of time with Liam Bennett.”
Evelyn arched a brow. “Observing me now?”
“I’m your best friend. It’s literally in the job description.”
Evelyn stabbed at her salad. “He’s my partner for Lit. That’s all.”
Clara leaned in. “Evie. There’s talk.”
“There’s always talk.”
“I’m serious.” Her voice dropped. “A girl at St. Elwick filed a complaint about him last year. Said he got into a fight defending his brother. And then the brother disappeared.”
Evelyn paused. “Disappeared?”
“No one knows what happened. And Liam doesn’t talk about it. To anyone.”
Evelyn looked across the cafeteria. Liam was sitting alone, earbuds in, sketching something in his notebook.
He didn’t look dangerous.
He looked... lonely.
And maybe that was worse.
That afternoon in the library, their usual project check-in felt different.
Liam was quieter than usual. Guarded, even by his standards. He kept his head down, scribbling edits on their script. Evelyn watched him for a moment.
“Can I ask you something?” she said softly.
He didn’t look up. “You can try.”
“Is it true you got in a fight at St. Elwick?”
He paused.
Then shut his notebook with a quiet thud.
“I figured the rumors would catch up eventually,” he muttered.
Evelyn’s voice was cautious. “So it’s true?”
He met her gaze then. His eyes weren’t angry—they were tired. Haunted.
“I didn’t start it. But I ended it.”
“What happened to your brother?”
Liam’s jaw clenched. “Too much.”
He stood up. “Thanks for the session. I’ll edit the rest tonight.”
Before she could say anything else, he was gone.
That night, Evelyn couldn’t sleep.
She kept seeing his eyes—how raw they looked, how far away.
And the worst part? She couldn’t stop herself from wanting to know more.
Because in a world where everyone wore masks, Liam’s wounds were real. He didn’t hide behind charm or cruelty.
He hid behind silence.
And that made him dangerous in a different way.
Because it made her want to understand him.
And that was how it had started with Nathaniel once, too.
The next day, Evelyn cornered Jules before Lit Club started.
“Tell me what you know about Liam.”
Jules blinked. “Whoa. You planning to write his biography?”
“I just want the truth.”
Jules sighed. “Look, I don’t know much. He doesn’t talk. But I heard he nearly got expelled after fighting a senior at Elwick. Some entitled rich jerk who was harassing his brother.”
“And the brother?”
“Gone. Like, vanished. Family won’t talk about it. Police said he ran away.”
Evelyn frowned. “That’s it?”
“There’s more, but it’s all rumor. Some say Liam took the blame for something worse. Others think he knows what happened but won’t tell.”
“Do you think he’s dangerous?”
Jules studied her. “I think he’s hurt. And when hurt people feel cornered... yeah, sometimes they lash out.”
Evelyn was quiet.
Because she’d lashed out before, too.
That evening, she found Liam on the rooftop—his usual post-Lit Club hideout.
“You always sneak up here?” she asked.
He didn’t flinch. Just looked at her sideways. “Didn’t know I had a schedule.”
“I asked around,” she said, walking to the edge beside him.
“Dangerous game.”
“So are secrets.”
Liam didn’t reply.
“I don’t think you’re dangerous,” she said quietly.
He didn’t move.
“But I do think you’re holding something that’s tearing you up inside.”
Silence.
Then—
“My brother trusted the wrong people,” Liam said. “And I couldn’t save him from it. That’s what you really want to know, right?”
Evelyn swallowed. “I just wanted the truth.”
He looked at her finally, something soft and sharp in his voice.
“You don’t want the truth, Evelyn. You want to feel safe with it. That’s not the same thing.”
Her breath caught.
Because he was right.
And because she wasn’t sure she felt safe with anyone anymore—even herself.