The next day, Selena isn’t on the bus.

  Emily’s at the back, alone for once, scrolling through her phone. Erin and Paige take a different bus, and Isabella walks since she lives close to school, which leaves Emily without her usual shadow. Without someone beside her, she seems quieter and almost ordinary, like me. The loud, electric energy she usually feeds on isn’t there. After watching her this past year, I’ve started to feel she’s naturally an introvert. But since she’s part of the so-called untouchable in-crowd, she acts eccentric, like she’s trying too hard to match their energy.

  Without Selena, everything feels off-balance. There’s no picture taped to my seat, no whisper waiting to explode into laughter. A few kids still snicker, and a couple of comments float past me. It’s not as bad as it used to be; it doesn’t feel like it’s choking me.

  There are always some gentle, pitying glances. Today, with the targeting against me easing up, they stand out, and I hate them more than the bullying.

  The soft ones.

  The sympathetic ones.

  I can’t take that. Luckily, there aren’t many, but enough that I feel them. Mostly from the quiet kids, the ones who fold into themselves and pretend not to notice anything. The others don’t look sorry at all.

  Which probably means they believe it. They believe that picture and think I’m in a relationship with Emily.

  The whole thing is so ridiculous, I almost want to laugh.

  I started liking Oliver the first time I saw him, and I’ve kept it to myself for a year. He’s a boy. Me dating a girl? That’s never been a question in my mind. Loving one? I’ve never even considered it. What I keep wondering is whether Oliver believes what that sketch shows, not that it matters.

  Lately, his expression has been blank, not angry or sad, just empty, like he’s closed a door and locked it from the inside. The way he interacts with others, especially Selena’s friends, has changed as well, and he seems less open and welcoming.

  Emily isn’t stuck to him the way she usually is. She still hangs near him, still laughs a little too loud at things that aren’t funny, but it feels forced now. It’s like he’s paying less attention. Maybe they fought. Maybe the poster changed things. I can see her laugh fading a little more every day, compared to the first day the drawing went up, when she was thrilled and now fakes it. I know what I have to deal with because of that poster, and I don’t know if she also has to deal with it, even though she’s part of the group who made it, or maybe it was her idea, and she jumped in willingly.

  I’m so lost in my thoughts that I don’t notice we’ve reached school. As I step off the bus, my eyes automatically drift to the entrance where Oliver’s usually with the team, but he isn’t there.

  He’s not in class either.

  Neither is Selena.

  Probably a family occasion or something.

  The whiteboard is clean. For one fragile second, I let myself breathe, but before I can relax, I see a picture on my desk.

  This one is worse.

  I’m in my underwear, positioned to look almost naked, my body angled toward half-naked Emily, my hands on her like I’m pulling her closer. The worst, it looks real enough. One thing I notice is that Emily’s figure is still vague, but it’s becoming clearer with every new picture.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  My fingers tremble, but I rip it off the desk and shove it into my backpack before anyone can make a scene. It’s probably already everywhere anyway, phones, messages, Snapchat, circulating wildly.

  Heat climbs up my neck, but the embarrassment burns away faster this time. What settles underneath it is something harder.

  They think I’ll keep absorbing this, that I’ll shrink, that I’ll break.

  They’re wrong. They have no clue what I’m capable of. I can get back at them in ways they never see coming.

  At lunch, no one corners me. Without Selena running the group, it feels scattered, almost invisible. Then I know how to hit back. Tear the group apart.

  Eye for an eye. They’ve been spreading rumours about me, so it’s time to return the favour. That picture could be the way. Emily isn’t happy with how everything turned out; I can see it on her face. She’s the only one who didn’t laugh when I slipped it into my backpack this morning. She’s my play card, and I have to use her right.

  After school, I hang back, unsure about going home. Mom texted earlier saying she cancelled her shift tonight. She never does that unless something’s wrong, and it’s usually about me. I’m not sure I’m ready for the conversation that’s coming.

  Where else could I go besides home?

  I can’t stay anywhere at school without the bullies nearby.

  My hiding spot doesn’t feel safe anymore. Someone was there yesterday, watching me in the woods where no one could hear me.

  In the end, I chose the familiar risk. But this time, I’m prepared.

  I brought what I need, in case anyone dares to come forward. My hand goes into my backpack, confirming it’s still there.

  As I step outside, I see Oliver near the exit with his bike. Tom jogs over, and they bump fists, laughing. For a second, Oliver’s eyes lift and meet mine. Only for a second. Then he looks away.

  Even though I know I shouldn’t care about his dismissal, I can’t help it. Oddly, part of me still wants to see the desperation he showed that day, standing in the rain outside my house. That felt satisfying.

  Brushing my hair back, I head toward my secret spot. From a safe distance, I turn slightly, and to my satisfaction, his eyes meet mine, caught watching me.

  ******

  The next morning, Selena’s back on the bus.

  Emily isn’t.

  The bus is calm again, but it’s the wrong kind of calm. Whispers move through the rows, serious, and no one pays any attention to me.

  When we pull up to the school, teachers and volunteers are waiting outside, more than usual, guiding students in. Five police cars sit near the entrance, lights off but present.

  The sight ripples through everyone. Something is going on!

  And for the first time in days, I feel something close to relief.

  The attention isn’t on me like I always wanted.

  In the classroom, nobody even notices when I enter. No laughs, no staring. There’s no picture on my desk. Nothing on the whiteboard either.

  The classroom is full of small groups talking in hushed, urgent tones. I’m the only one by myself. Taking my seat, I notice Tom glancing back from a group that includes Oliver, then heading my way.

  “Have you heard about Emily?” he asks quietly.

  My stomach tightens. “What about her?”

  His voice is weak, shaking a little. “She’s missing.” I sit there, mouth slightly open. He goes on, “She didn’t come home last night. Her parents assumed she was at Selena’s. Selena says she showed up at her house after school but left within an hour. No one’s seen her since.”

  Before I can respond, the announcement crackles over the PA. Even the announcer’s voice sounds strained.

  'Attention students and staff. School is closed today due to an ongoing situation. Please stay in your designated areas and wait for instructions from your teachers.'

  Before the announcement finishes, Tom goes back to his friends.

  A few minutes later, my phone vibrates.

  Mom.

  “Something is going on at your school,” she says quickly. Too quickly. “People are talking. There’s a serious matter under investigation. If anyone asks you about a gun, we don’t have one. Do you hear me? We don’t have a gun.”

  My throat goes dry. “What? Why?”

  But she’s already hung up.

  I stare at my screen.

  Something serious? Involving a gun?

  A murder?

  Tom never brought up a murder. That tells me the class doesn’t know. If they did, he’d know, and he must have told me.

  So how does mom know? That’s strange.

  I’m still frozen in place when Mr. Rawn appears at the door. His eyes find me immediately.“I need you to come with me.”

  His voice is calm. His expression isn’t. His usual wide smile, a little of his gums peeking through, the one I count on, is missing.

  All at once, I sense that trouble is on its way.