THE CONFRONTATION

Ellie’s POV

By the time second period rolls around, my brain feels like someone left it on low battery

and my patience is at one percent

Mrs. Calloway’s voice hums in the background like a broken fan

Carter’s sitting two rows over, pretending to read, but mostly just waiting for his next performance

Because that’s what he does best—make a scene

and I, unfortunately, am his favorite stage

I tell myself to focus

to keep my head down, to just survive the day without being publicly humiliated for breathing wrong

but when the teacher asks for volunteers to read, I already know my luck’s expired

“Ellie,” Mrs. Calloway says, like she’s tossing me into a pit for entertainment

“Why don’t you take the next paragraph?”

Of course

I open my mouth to start reading

but before I even finish the first line, Carter’s voice cuts in

mocking, lazy, too loud

“Could you speak up? We can’t all hear your mumbling.”

Laughter ripples through the room

thin and sharp

I freeze for half a second too long, and that’