The whispers started the moment Lisa stepped into the classroom.
It was subtle at first. The shifting of chairs,Someone leaning close to another student and murmuring something under their breath. Then a soft giggle. She could feel them without even looking up.
Lisa paused at the doorway for half a second, her fingers tightening around the strap of her bag. She forced herself to keep moving, she had to do this.
She had expected this, she knew they won't treat her less.
She had rehearsed this moment over and over in her head during the past few weeks. She had told herself that she would walk in calmly, take her seat, and ignore whatever people said. They would always have an opinion, but none of them mattered at the moment.
Still, standing there now with dozens of eyes slowly turning toward her, it felt harder than she imagined. If they had magic powers to throw her down while she walked. I bet they would.
Her heart began to beat so fast, if the class was quiet, I bet they could hear the sound .
Just walk in girl and say nothing , she told herself.
So she did.
Lisa stepped forward and walked down the aisle between the desks, trying to keep her gaze fixed straight ahead.
The whispers grew louder.
"Is that her?"
"I thought she dropped out for good ."
"No, she was busy being a mother.", someone had replied mockingly
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. My cousin told me."
A small wave of laughter spread across the room.
Lisa's cheeks burned, but she kept walking. She had expected this but hearing it loudly, hits different.
One year.
She had been gone for one year.
And yet it felt like nothing had changed, was a year not enough for them to get over the drama?
"Wow," a girl's voice said loudly from the back of the classroom. "Look who decided to come back."
More laughter followed.
Lisa swallowed and continued toward the empty desk near the window.
As she placed her bag down, someone else spoke.
"Hello, mummy, where's the baby ."
Another student replied, "She's in her backpack ."
The sarcasm in the voice made several people burst into laughter.
Lisa slowly sat down, keeping her head lowered.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she opened her notebook.
The desk felt strangely unfamiliar, as if she no longer belonged there.
"Hey."
Lisa stiffened.
The voice came from the girl sitting two seats away.
Lisa looked up.
The girl leaned back in her chair, studying her with open curiosity.
"You've got guts, coming back here like nothing happened."
Lisa didn't answer.
The girl tilted her head slightly.
"So… tell us something," she said, raising her voice just enough for others to hear. "Where's the baby?"
A few students turned around immediately.
Lisa's throat tightened.
"I'm just curious," the girl continued casually. "Did you bring it to school with you?"
A boy nearby snorted.
"I've told you Maybe it's in her bag."
The room erupted into laughter.
Lisa forced her eyes back to her notebook.
She focused on the blank page in front of her.
Don't react.
That was the only way to survive this.
But the girl wasn't finished.
"Or maybe the father finally showed up," she added with a mocking smile.
Another voice chimed in.
"Yeah right. Guys like that don't stick around."
"Especially when the girl's desperate."
The words landed like small stones against Lisa's chest, you don't know my story like I do, but she was scared to confront anyone, she swallowed it all in.
She felt the familiar tightness in her throat, the sting behind her eyes.
But she refused to cry.
Not here.
Not in front of them.
The classroom door suddenly opened.
The teacher walked in carrying a stack of papers.
The chatter quieted instantly.
Lisa exhaled slowly.
For a moment, she felt safe.
But the whispers returned the moment the lesson began.
Every time she shifted in her seat, she felt someone staring.
Every time she looked up, someone quickly looked away.
The hour passed painfully slowly.
When the bell finally rang, Lisa packed her books quickly.
She just needed to get through the day.
That was all.
Just survive the first day back.
But as she stepped into the hallway, the noise of students filled the air.
Lockers slammed.
Groups of friends gathered and laughed.
Lisa kept her head down as she walked toward the stairs.
Then suddenly, someone stepped in front of her.
She stopped.
Three girls stood there, blocking her path.
The same girl from the classroom stood in the center.
Her arms were folded, and her lips curved into a small smile.
"Well, well," she said. "Leaving already?"
Lisa shifted her bag on her shoulder.
"Please move."
The girl raised an eyebrow.
"Wow," she said. "She talks."
The other girls giggled.
"I'm serious," Lisa said quietly. "I need to go."
Instead of moving, the girl took a step closer.
"You know something?" she said. "People like you shouldn't come back here."
Lisa frowned slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean," the girl said, lowering her voice slightly, "you're a bad example."
The hallway around them had begun to quiet down.
Several students slowed as they walked past, clearly curious about what was happening.
"You made your choices," the girl continued. "Now you have to live with them."
Lisa felt her chest tighten.
"I am," she said softly.
The girl scoffed.
"No, you're not."
She leaned closer.
"You think coming back here will make people forget?"
Lisa said nothing.
"Because we won't," the girl added.
One of her friends suddenly reached out and tugged at Lisa's sleeve.
"Careful," she said mockingly. "You might catch a baby bump or something worse than it ."
The girls burst into laughter again.
Lisa's hands clenched at her sides.
"I didn't come here to fight," she said quietly.
"Oh, we know," the girl replied.
Then she added cruelly,
"You've already done enough."
Before Lisa could respond, a voice suddenly cut through the tension.
"That's enough!."