Jessa

I pasted on a smile so tight it made my cheeks ache.

The hallway was alive with the usual Monday morning chaos — lockers slamming, kids shouting greetings, the thud of sneakers on the linoleum. Normally, I’d keep my head down and try to slip through unnoticed. But today? Today was different.

Today, I refused to let anyone see me crumble.

I’d spent most of the weekend hiding under my blankets, replaying every awful second from Friday night in my head. Noah’s kiss. ...