It's a new school week, and the anger from yesterday still burns in my chest like acid. I can barely focus on anything else except finding Gabriel. The conversation with Mom keeps replaying in my head – her confession about Gabriel's father, the way she looked when she said she might consider his proposal. The thought makes my stomach churn.

I walk through the campus with my bag slung over my shoulder, but it feels heavier today. Everything feels heavier. The weight of secrets, lies, and a ...