Katelyn’s POV

When I arrived at work the next morning, I could feel the tension in the air before I even reached my desk.

People avoided meeting my gaze, and the girl who usually sat beside me suddenly gathered her things and moved to another seat as soon as I sat down.

The message was clear: I was being shunned.

At first, I tried to ignore it, focusing on my computer screen and pretending not to notice the whispers behind me. But it was impossible to tune out completely.

I heard snickers ...