It wasn't even a break yet, and the hallways were packed. Papers were flying everywhere.
People were yelling and laughing, backpacks tumbling. Lockers slammed. Shoes squeaked.
Someone dropped their books, and I just… stood there. At my locker. Pretending I didn't care.
But my eyes were glued to Jake.
I've known him for ten years. TEN YEARS. And we've never talked. Not really. He's my
neighbor, for crying out loud, and we don't even greet each other.
I've been crushing on him since ninth grade. And now… now I'm about to enter 12th grade. And
I still like him.
Today… today I'm telling him. I have to. I can't keep it inside anymore. My chest feels tight just
thinking about it. What if he laughs? What if he doesn't even notice me? What if… I mess up?
But… I have to try. I have to be honest, even if it kills me.
Jake was leaning against his locker, laughing with his friends. I felt my stomach flip when our
eyes met. Amy noticed.
"Gwen!" she whispered, shaking my arm.
"Stop staring or he'll never notice you.
"
"He's not going anywhere,
" I whispered back. My voice sounded weird even to me. My heart
was hammering so fast I thought he might hear it.
Jake started walking toward us. My chest squeezed. My palms were sweaty. Every step he took
felt like forever. He stopped right by my side.
"Sup,
" he said casually, and my stomach did this weird twisty thing.
I froze.
"Gwen? Are you even listening?" Mr. Ben's voice cut through my thoughts. Half the class was
laughing. I wished the ground would swallow me whole. Another normal day at Roslyn High. My
classmates were unbearable. No friends, except Amy. And then the Queen Trio, who made my
life hell.
But today… Today I was finally going to tell Jake. I had asked him to wait for me after school. I
had to do this. I had to get it off my chest.
After school, I sat in the courtyard. Knees bouncing like crazy. My stomach is twisting into a
thousand knots. My hands were trembling so badly I thought they might give out. I kept staring at the
gate, wishing, praying, begging myself not to chicken out. When he finally showed up… my heart jumped.
"Hi,
" I whispered, clutching my bag like it was a life raft.
He smiled. That smile—soft, easy, everything I'd ever liked about him—made my chest ache.
"You said you had something important to tell me?"
I swallowed hard. My throat felt dry, like sandpaper.
"Yeah… um… I've meant to… to tell
you something for a long time…
" My voice broke. I took a shaky breath.
"I… I like you, Jake. I've
liked you… for years. And I just… I just need you to know. I want us to… maybe… date?"
The words spilled out. My heart pounded. My hands shook. My eyes were wet. I forced myself
to stay, hoping, praying, he wouldn't laugh.
For a second, he just stared. My chest felt like it dropped into my stomach. And then… he
laughed.
"Huh? You… you want us to date?" His laughter bubbled out, and my stomach dropped straight
to my knees.
"Why… why are you laughing?" I whispered, my voice shaking, tears starting to fall.
He waved to his friends behind him. They had been hiding. Laughing. The whole time.
I wanted to disappear. I wanted to scream. I wanted to punch him in the face. But I couldn't. I
was me. Weak. Shy. Small. Powerless.
Tears blurred my vision as I ran. My chest ached. Every step hurt. Every breath burned. I
couldn't stop crying. I couldn't believe this was happening.
Back in class, I hoped everyone had gone. I curled into my desk and cried. My hands shook. My
chest tightened. I felt hollow inside. I felt like screaming into a pillow or smashing my locker. I
hated how small and useless I felt. And then… I heard it. That weird, haunting noise again.
I looked up. Golden light. Glowing. Pulsing. It had a heartbeat. I couldn't stop staring. I
wanted to reach out. I wanted to touch it. But then it… vanished.
I headed home, still crying. Of course, that's when the Trio appeared. Blake. Kira. Lex.
"What do you want?" I whispered, voice trembling.
They smirked like predators. Lex slapped me across both cheeks."For what?" I whispered, shocked.
"You confessed to Jake,
" Blake said, laughing cruelly.
I wanted to scream. I wanted to fight. But fear and anger tangled up inside me. Something
snapped. I slapped Blake.
Then everything went crazy. Hair pulled. Faces slammed. Blows rained down. Blake dunked my
face in the toilet. My head slammed against the wall. I choked on tears and humiliation. I felt
powerless, tiny, crushed. Three against one. I couldn't do anything.
I kept thinking about Amy. If she were here… she'd save me. She always did. But she wasn't.
And I was alone. Completely alone.
Finally, they left, laughing like hyenas. I sat on the floor, shaking, trying to catch my breath,
feeling the wet sting of tears on my cheeks.
I got home, furious and broken. Ignored my mom's calls. She opened my door.
"Gwen, didn't you hear me? You walked right past me. And why do you smell like that?"
"Mom… please… just go!" I snapped.
"Go? Gwen, I'm not leaving until you tell me what's wrong!"
I didn't answer. Couldn't. I ran out of the house, desperate to be alone. Fell in a deserted part of
the park. My knees hit the ground, and I didn't care. I cried like a fool, dirt and grass sticking to my
hands.
The night air was cold, but I didn't care. The wind whipped my hair into my face, stinging my
eyes, and I didn't care. My heart felt like it had been ripped out.
Then I heard it again. That same haunting sound. Closer this time. Louder. And the golden light
appeared once more. Brighter. Closer. Almost alive. It flickered and shimmered, like it was
breathing. My stomach twisted in fear and awe.
I tried to move. Tried to run. My legs felt like jelly. But it was too fast. Too strong. It wrapped
around me like a warm, blinding hug, and then… everything went white.
And then… I was gone.