Back to School
Andrea almost didn't go.
She stood in front of the school gates with her headphones on, staring at the building like it personally offended her.
Her stomach twisted.
She already knew today would be exhausting.
Rumors moved faster than people.
And Luna gave people even more to talk about.
Andrea sighed and finally walked inside.
Immediately—
Eyes on her.
Again.
She hated how used to it she was becoming.
Whispers followed her down the hallway.
"Wasn't she drunk at Luna?"
"I heard she almost fought someone."
"She's actually insane."
Andrea clenched her jaw and kept walking.
Ignore it.
That used to work better.
Now it just made her angrier.
The classroom felt too warm.
Andrea dropped into her seat and rested her head against her hand.
The teacher started talking almost immediately.
"Andrea."
She looked up slowly.
"What."
A few classmates glanced over.
The teacher frowned.
"Watch your tone."
Andrea stared blankly.
"Okay."
The teacher sighed.
"You've been distracted lately."
Andrea laughed quietly.
"Lately?"
A few people snorted.
The teacher's expression hardened.
"If something is affecting your behavior, maybe you should take school more seriously."
That did it.
Andrea sat up immediately.
"I am taking it seriously."
"Your grades say otherwise."
Andrea felt heat rise into her chest.
"Maybe because people here never shut up."
The room went silent.
The teacher looked unimpressed.
"That's not an excuse."
Andrea laughed sharply.
"No, of course not."
"Paisley—"
"No," Andrea interrupted. "Because everyone else can act however they want, but when I do something suddenly it's a problem."
The teacher's face tightened.
"You need to calm down."
Andrea pushed her chair back.
"I am calm."
"You're being disrespectful."
Andrea scoffed loudly.
"Yeah? Maybe respect people first."
The classroom went dead silent.
Someone whispered:
"Oh shit."
The teacher pointed toward the door.
"Outside. Now."
Andrea grabbed her bag aggressively.
"Gladly."
And walked out.
Hard enough that the door slammed behind her.
Andrea paced the hallway angrily.
Her breathing uneven.
Her chest burning.
Everything irritated her lately.
Every stare.
Every whisper.
Every fake smile.
She kicked lightly at the wall in frustration.
"This place is unbelievable."
"You done fighting teachers?"
Samuel's voice.
Andrea turned sharply.
He leaned against the wall nearby, hands in his pockets.
Andrea rolled her eyes.
"Go away."
Samuel smirked faintly.
"That bad, huh?"
Andrea crossed her arms.
"She started it."
Samuel raised an eyebrow.
"She's fifty."
"And annoying."
Samuel chuckled quietly.
Andrea glared at him.
"What's funny?"
"You."
Andrea scoffed.
"Of course."
Samuel walked a little closer.
"You've been angry all week."
Andrea laughed dryly.
"Wow. Observant."
Samuel ignored the sarcasm.
"You're gonna explode at someone eventually."
Andrea looked away.
"Maybe I want to."
Samuel studied her carefully.
"No," he said quietly. "You just want people to stop pushing you."
Andrea froze slightly.
Samuel always did that.
Said things too accurately.
Andrea shook her head.
"You think you know everything about me now."
Samuel shrugged.
"I know enough."
Andrea looked at him again.
"You barely even liked me before."
Samuel smirked slightly.
"You barely liked me yesterday."
Andrea tried not to smile.
Tried.
Failed a little.
Samuel noticed immediately.
"There it is."
Andrea frowned.
"What?"
"You smiled."
Andrea rolled her eyes instantly.
"Don't make it weird."
"Too late."
At the end of the hallway—
Matthew saw them.
Again.
Andrea standing close to Samuel.
Actually smiling.
Matthew's jaw tightened slightly.
Vanessa noticed immediately.
"There you go again."
Matthew looked away.
"What?"
Vanessa crossed her arms.
"You keep looking at her."
Matthew sighed.
"I'm not."
"You are."
Matthew stayed silent.
Vanessa shook her head slowly.
"You didn't care until someone else started caring."
That hit harder than he expected.
Because deep down—
Matthew wasn't sure she was wrong.
Lunch break felt strange again.
Andrea sat with Teresa and Diana while the cafeteria buzzed around them.
Teresa leaned closer immediately.
"You look less dead today."
Andrea blinked.
"…Thanks?"
Diana smiled.
"You actually texted him, didn't you?"
Andrea almost choked on her drink.
"How do you know things?!"
Teresa grinned proudly.
"Because your entire face changes when someone mentions Samuel."
Andrea groaned loudly.
"Oh my god."
Diana laughed.
"It's true."
Andrea buried her face in her hands.
"This is humiliating."
Teresa smirked.
"No. This is development."
Andrea looked up again—
And froze.
Samuel had just walked into the cafeteria.
His eyes immediately found her.
Like they always did now.
Andrea felt her chest tighten slightly.
Samuel nodded once toward her.
Small.
Subtle.
But enough.
Teresa saw it happen.
Then slowly looked back at Andrea with the biggest grin imaginable.
"Oh," she whispered dramatically.
"It's BAD bad."
Andrea wanted to deny it.
Really.
But the problem was—
She didn't think she could anymore.