The hallway went quiet before Yesu even stepped in.
Not completely, just enough.
Conversations dipped. Laughter thinned out. Eyes shifted, so too quickly, others not at all.
Yesu walked past them like she didn't notice.
"That's her."
"CCD took her, right?"
"I heard she died."
"She's not even scratched."
"Yes, she is, look at her face."
"She shouldn't be walking."
The voices followed her, low and careless. Not ant for her to hear.
Or maybe they were.
Yesu adjusted the strap of her backpack and kept moving.
Sa walls. Sa cracked tiles. Sa sll of chalk and heat. Sa plain green and white uniforms.
Nothing had changed.
Only the way people looked at her.
A hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her aside.
"Yesu, what the hell happened to you?"
Millie.
Her grip was tight. Her eyes scanned Yesu's face, her arms, the barely hidden bandages.
"You didn't co to school yesterday. Then people said you got into an accident, then CCD showed up…"
"I'm fine."
Millie blinked. "That's it?"
"Yes."
Millie stared at her, searching for sothing…panic, fear, anything.
"You don't look fine."
"I am."
A pause.
Millie exhaled slowly, like she was trying not to snap.
"You don't look like soone who almost died."
Yesu shrugged.
"Then I guess I didn't."
That didn't help.
Millie let go of her wrist but didn't move away.
"Sothing's off," she said quietly.
"Yeah. Everyone keeps staring."
"Not that…" Millie muttered, but Yesu was already walking. She rushed to catch up with her.
"I ant you."
"I know you're worried but I'm perfectly fine. I even got to see Jessica Freeman."
Millie gasped.
"You what?"
Jessica Freeman. The face of Null News. The closest thing Zero districts had to a celebrity.
"Oh my gosh. Please tell you got an autograph."
"I didn't get to et her actually."
Millie groaned in disappointnt.
"What a waste."
Then she sighed sadly.
"Wait… the accident didn't even make the news. So how did you…"
Yesu stopped suddenly.
"Hey Millie, can I crash at your place tonight?"
Millie frowned but nodded slowly. "Yeah… sure."
***
In class, Yesu kept hearing whispers all around.
Their instructor had to bang a cane on the desk multiple tis in irritation. The class would remain quiet for a few minutes, then the noise would gradually build up again.
Yesu found herself glancing at the last row often. The girl she had t at the gym was absent.
***
Lunch was worse.
Students whispered as they passed by her table. Staring like she had grown a second head.
Yesu watched the proceedings, wondering if she should have taken another day off from school. She had a valid reason to know anyway.
"Told you it's her, the accident girl." A voice ca from behind.
"She died and ca back." Another voice ca.
"She's being transferred."
"She's not a Zero."
Yesu paused mid-bite.
She turned slightly in her seat.
"Say that again."
Three girls at the table behind her stiffened.
For a mont, it looked like she might
stand up.
Then she sighed.
"You can say whatever you want, just don't do it like I'm not sitting right here. It's annoying."
Silence.
She went back to her food.
A beat passed.
"How creepy.."
"Yeah, sothing's definitely wrong with her."
The girls stood and left with their trays.
***
"Kaelitha." Principal Reeds exclaid as Yesu stepped into his office.
"Never thought I would be so glad to see
you."
"Wish I could say the sa about your office, sir."
"Hmm…" Reeds was looking her over.
"You sent for , sir?"
"We got a call from Null News. They want an interview with you."
Yesu blinked. "Why?"
"Doesn't matter. I expect they'll contact you soon."
His tone dropped.
"You will say nothing."
Yesu stared straight at him.
"Why not?"
Reeds gave a thin smile.
"You're our student. We protect the privacy of our school."
"It didn't happen on school grounds."
Reeds leaned back on his chair.
"Just do as you're told. I'm cancelling all your pending punishnts."
Yesu stood and went over to the door.
"Tell sothing…" Reeds called out suddenly.
Yesu paused at the door.
"How did an ordinary Zero class student like you survive that accident? I heard it was really sothing."
Yesu forced a smile.
"I have good survival instincts."
***
Yesu walked down the hallway on her way from Principal Reed's office.
The hallway was empty as classes were ongoing.
"Such a stinker" she said to herself "Because he's got an office or what?"
"Yeah. Zero principals ain't worth shit." a voice said nearby.
The senior from the gym.
He leaned against the wall, chewing a matchstick like he had nowhere else to be.
Yesu didn't stop.
"Never knew you lived in the Housing Unit," he said.
"Never thought you'd be talking to CCD officers either"
"Oh, yesterday? It wasn't much."
Yesu made a move forward without sparing a second glance. The senior blocked her path.
"You must think you're special."
"Not really."
"Doesn't seem like it. So people are already asking about you."
Yesu gave a faint smile.
"Tell them I said hi. Kunjunni."
And she walked away.
He chuckled. "She knows my na."
***
The Nurse's office was still, before the door opened and Yesu ca in.
"Hello?" She called out.
The Nurse's desk was vacant.
"Miss Wilson?"
She caught sight of wood-stained cotton swabs in the waste basket.
The beds were segregated by light curtains.
There was a movent behind one of the curtains, soone on the bed was hurriedly putting on a shirt.
Yesu took a few steps forward.
"Excuse , I…"
The person rushed out.
"Miss Wilson isn't here."
It was the girl from the last row. She looked ruffled.
A pause.
"Oh", Yesu said "I wanted to…"
Her eyes scanned the girl.
"Are you okay? You weren't in class."
The girl smiled sourly. "Soone noticed?"
There were a few spots of blood on her shirt.
Yesu turned serious.
"Did the guys do this?"
The girl held Yesu's gaze. "And so what if they did?"
Her eyes hardened.
"What are you going to do about it?"
User Comments
0 comments from readers