Chapter 5

Beckett

The next day should feel normal.

That’s what I tell myself.

Same routine.

Same school.

Same people.

Same roles.

Nothing changed.

Except—

It did.

I see her the second I walk into the hallway.

Ella James.

She’s at her locker, head slightly down, like always.

Same oversized clothes.

Same quiet presence.

Same—

Except not.

I slow just slightly.

It’s subtle.

So subtle I almost convince myself I imagined it.

But something about her feels… off.

Not different exactly.

Just—

not the same as yesterday.

Like something shifted under the surface.

“You coming or what?”

Sean’s voice snaps me out of it.

I keep walking.

“Yeah.”

We fall into step with the rest of the guys, noise filling the space around us like it always does.

Easy.

Normal.

Controlled.

That’s how it’s supposed to be.

I don’t look at her again.

I don’t need to.

Except—

I do.

Out of the corner of my eye.

Just enough to catch the way she closes her locker.

The way her shoulders straighten just a little.

The way she takes a breath—

Like she’s bracing.

For what’s coming.

My jaw tightens.

Because I know exactly what’s coming.

I’ve been part of it for years.

“Hey, James!”

Sean.

Of course it’s him again.

The guys start laughing before she even turns.

I keep walking.

I should just keep walking.

That’s what I always do.

Let it happen.

Be part of it.

Don’t think about it.

Don’t make it something it’s not.

“Lose a bet or something?” Sean continues. “Or is this just your everyday look?”

More laughter.

I glance over.

I shouldn’t—

but I do.

Ella doesn’t turn right away.

She just stands there.

Still.

And for a second—

I think she’s going to ignore it.

Like she always does.

Like she should.

But then—

She turns.

Slow.

Controlled.

And looks right at us.

At him.

At me.

That same look from yesterday.

Not loud.

Not dramatic.

But not nothing either.

Something in my chest tightens.

“This again?” she says.

Her voice isn’t shaking.

That’s new.

Sean grins. “Oh, she talks now.”

A couple of the guys laugh harder.

I don’t.

I don’t say anything.

I just stand there.

Watching.

Waiting.

Because part of me—

I don’t even know what part—

is curious what she’s going to do.

“You’re really running out of material,” she says.

There’s a pause.

A beat where no one reacts.

And then—

“Damn,” someone mutters.

Sean’s grin falters for half a second before snapping back. “Careful, James. You’re starting to sound confident.”

“I’m starting to sound bored,” she replies.

That lands.

I see it.

The shift.

Small.

But there.

The guys don’t laugh as quickly this time.

Because she didn’t fold.

She didn’t shrink.

She didn’t—

play her part.

And that—

That messes with everything.

My fingers curl slightly at my side.

Because this?

This isn’t how it’s supposed to go.

She’s supposed to walk away.

Keep her head down.

Make it easy.

Instead—

She’s standing there.

Looking right at us.

At me.

And I don’t like how aware I am of it.

“Alright,” Sean says, stepping forward slightly. “You getting brave now?”

There’s an edge to his voice.

Testing.

Pushing.

Waiting to see if she breaks.

Everyone’s watching now.

Of course they are.

They always are.

Because moments like this?

They turn into something.

And whatever happens next—

Sticks.

I could stop it.

Easily.

One word.

That’s all it would take.

One word and it’s over.

But I don’t.

I don’t move.

I don’t speak.

Because that would mean choosing a side.

And I don’t do that.

Not when it matters.

Not when people are watching.

So I stay exactly where I am.

Right in the middle.

Like I always do.

Ella’s gaze flicks to me for half a second.

Just a second.

But it’s enough.

And I know—

She sees it.

She sees that I’m not stopping it.

That I’m not doing anything.

That I’m exactly who she thinks I am.

Something twists in my chest.

Sharp.

Uncomfortable.

I ignore it.

“You done?” she says finally, looking back at Sean.

Her voice is steady.

Too steady.

“Or do you need a few more tries to make it funny?”

That does it.

A few of the guys laugh—

but it’s different.

Not at her.

Not fully.

And Sean notices.

His expression tightens.

“Whatever,” he mutters. “Not worth it.”

He backs off.

Just like that.

The moment ends.

Just like that.

Ella doesn’t say anything else.

She just turns—

and walks away.

No rush.

No panic.

No looking back.

Like she didn’t just stand there and hold her ground in front of all of us.

Like it didn’t matter.

Like we don’t matter.

I watch her go.

I shouldn’t.

But I do.

Because that feeling?

It’s back.

Stronger now.

That same question I had yesterday.

Only louder.

What changed?

And why do I—

notice it?

“You good?” Sean asks, nudging my shoulder.

I tear my gaze away.

“Yeah.”

“You were quiet.”

“So were you,” I shoot back.

He scoffs. “Please. I let her have that.”

I don’t respond.

Because I know that’s not what happened.

And I think—

He knows it too.

We start walking again, the hallway noise swallowing everything up like it always does.

Like nothing just happened.

Like it never matters.

But it does.

At least—

It does to me.

Even if I won’t say it.

Even if I won’t do anything about it.

Because the truth is—

I could’ve stopped it.

I didn’t.

And for some reason—

That bothers me more than anything else.