Brooke wouldn’t speak to me the next day. She hadn’t responded to my texts or DMs the night before, so I guess I’d kind of expected this, but it was still another level of horrific to have her look me in the eyes coldly and then move her gaze right past me.

I was used to being alone at school, but not while there were other kids here. This morning, while I floated awkwardly waiting for the bell, pretending to busy myself at my locker or walking with purpose like I had somewhere to be, it felt like everybody was staring at me.

Then, around the time I doubled back and started retracing my steps, still walking with purpose, I realized everybody was staring at me. As I passed Marie, she opened her mouth like she was going to say something, then closed it and looked away. A group of girls whispered among themselves, and I definitely heard my name, and all of them looked up as I passed with all the subtlety of a viral TikTok.

I slowed my pace and stared around the hall, my neck prickling with the stares. How could it be that so many people knew Brooke and I had blown up the day before? More importantly, how could it be that so many people cared?

Then a girl I only barely, barely knew approached me. I only recognized her because of her impeccable taste in hijabs, which she always coordinated with her eye shadow. But I couldn’t have pulled her name out of a hat with a single slip in it.

“Hey, can I talk to you for a second?” she asked.

All eyes were on us. A hit new Broadway show, starring me and brilliantly pigmented eye shadow girl. There was nothing bizarre about this whatsoever.

We walked a few steps down the hall until we were away from the main hub. Even then we didn’t exactly have much privacy, so we angled toward the wall and spoke in whispers.

“So, what’s … how can I help you?” I finished haltingly.

“I wanted to ask you to please keep my letter quiet,” she said. “I thought it was confidential when I sent it, and it’s really, really important it stays between us.”

And finally, I realized what was going on.

Pins and needles flooded my body, and the world seemed to desaturate. “How did you know about that?” I asked, thinly.

But I knew the answer, didn’t I?

“Oh. Everyone knows. I figured you’d … Sorry.”

Somehow, I managed to stay upright, and semi-steady. “Okay, I see. Um. Right. I don’t know who you are, and I don’t know what letter you mean in particular, but I haven’t told anyone anything. It’s totally confidential.”

Oh, the skepticism on her face. “Really? Because I heard—”