Noah

By third period, Ridgeville High felt like the whole school had taken a shot of gasoline and chased it with gossip.

Everyone was talking about Daniel.

“He got expelled—”

“He punched a cop—”

“He got recruited by a cult—”

Stupid. Ridiculous. Loud.

I slammed my locker shut a little too hard, and it rattled.

Jackson grabbed a textbook and gave me a side-eye. “Bro. Locker abuse won’t bring him back from the dead.”

I snorted. “Feels like it ...