Chapter 2 Chapter Two

That lands hard. Mum looks hurt. Vesco looks disappointed. For a second, just a second, I feel something twist in my chest but I push it down.

I pick up my fork again, and suddenly I’m not hungry anymore. This whole thing feels suffocating.

“I’m going to be late,” I say abruptly, standing up.

“Freya, you’ve barely eaten!”

“I’m not hungry.”

“That’s not healthy.”

“I’ll survive,” I mutter, grabbing my bag.

Mum stands up slightly. “Wait. Vesco can drive you and Xen to school.”

I pause at the door. Yeah. That’s definitely not happening.

“I’ll pass,” I say without turning around.

“It won't be long!.”

“I said I’ll pass.”

My hand grips the door handle.

“Freya,” Mum calls, her voice softer now,almost pleading. “At least let him…”

“I’ll walk."

I open the door before she can finish. The cool morning air hits my face, and honestly? It feels better than that entire room.

The moment I step outside, I pull out my phone.

(Where are you?) I text Lois.

The reply comes almost immediately.

(At the usual spot. Hurry before I leave you 😒)

I smile a little. Lois is the only person who can threaten me and still sound cute.

I start walking, my mood still slightly sour, but lighter now. When I turn the corner, I see her.

She's leaning against the gate like she’s been waiting forever, even though it’s probably been two minutes.

“Finally,” she says the moment she sees me. “I was about to replace you with a better best friend.”

“Good luck finding one,” I reply. “They don’t make people this amazing twice.”

She laughs, pulling me into a quick hug. And just like that, something in me settles. Lois has always been like that. She's warm and real.

With her, I don’t feel invisible. I don’t feel like I have to compete with anyone. I don’t feel like I’m lacking something. I’m just me. And somehow, that’s enough.

“Why do you look like you fought your pillow this morning?” she asks, eyeing me.

“I did. It lost,” I say.

“Liar. Your face says otherwise.”

I roll my eyes, but I’m smiling now.

We start walking toward school together, talking about random things. Teachers, assignments and gossip I pretend not to care about but secretly do. For a while, everything feels normal.

Evermont High comes into view, standing tall in front of us. Students are already gathering, laughter and noise filling the air.

“Alright,” Lois says as we reach the entrance, “I have double science this morning, so I’m disappearing.”

“Lucky you,” I mutter.

She nudges me. “You love your art class, don’t lie.”

I shrug. “That’s different.”

She smiles. “See you later?”

“Obviously. You’re stuck with me.”

“Unfortunately,” she says dramatically, then waves and heads off.

I watch her go for a second before turning in the opposite direction. The art wing is quieter. It's like it exists in its own little world away from everything else. I like it here. Art and books. Those are the only things that make sense to me.

Instead of going straight to class, I head toward the library.

My second safe place.

The moment I step inside, the familiar calm wraps around me. Bookshelves and soft lighting together with that quiet smell of books.

“Freya,” a voice calls gently.

I look up and smile.

“Good morning, ma’am.”

The librarian, Mrs. Delaine adjusts her glasses, already smiling at me like she’s been expecting me.

“You’re early again.”

“I like it better before it gets noisy,” I say.

She nods like she understands completely. And she does.

I walk between the shelves, my fingers brushing lightly over the spines of books.

I pick a few books. Some fiction, one art book I’ve been meaning to read and bring them to the desk.

Mrs. Delaine barely even checks them.

“You’ll bring them back,” she says simply.

“I always do.”

She smiles and hands them to me.

“Enjoy them.”

I hug the books lightly to my chest.

“I will.”

I walk through the hallways. I need to drop my books and prepare for the first morning class and that's when I see him.

The only guy that makes my heart flutter. Funny enough, being his girl is like a daydream because a girl like me, can never win his heart. I can never be one of his girls. He's the school's golden boy, and every girl's dream.

Nathan Blake.

Nathan and his friends are leaning against my locker like they own it. My day was going too smoothly.

They’re painfully loud. One of them is laughing like a broken engine. Another is slapping the locker door like it personally offended him. And right in the middle of it all is Nathan. His arms are crossed, he's looking bored but still very much enjoying the show.

I slow down.

My heart already starts acting stupid.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

I clutch my books tighter against my chest like they might protect me. They won’t. They never do.

“Um… excuse me,” I say.

My voice comes out small. I'm nervous. Nobody moves.

One of the guys glances at me, then nudges the other. “Yo, she’s talking to you.”

Another snorts. “Nah, I think she’s talking to the locker.”

They laugh.

I swallow. “Can you… please move?”

There's silence for a second. Then boom, laughter again. It's louder this time.

“Please move,” one of them repeats in a high-pitched voice, mocking me. “Aww, she said please.”

My fingers tighten around my books. My palms are getting sweaty. My face feels hot. Why is this so hard? It’s just a locker. My locker.

Nathan finally moves.

For a second, I think he’s actually going to help. Instead, he pushes himself off the locker slowly, like he’s doing me a huge favor. He looks at me and I instantly regret existing.

His eyes flick down to the books in my arms then back to my face. He lets out a quiet scoff.

“Nice books, pretty.”