Nina stepped into the school building with a weight she hadn't realized she'd been carrying for the past week.
After what felt like an endless, chaotic vacation—filled with awkward family dinners, fake dates, and a social media disaster she didn't even mean to start—returning to the mundane routine of classes felt almost like a blessing.
Almost.
As soon as she entered the hallway near her classroom, the hum of voices became unmistakably loud.
People were chatting with unusual energy, huddled in groups, whispering excitedly and checking their phones. Something was up.
Nina tried to pretend she didn't notice.
She made a beeline for her desk near the window, trying to keep her head down while subtly inching closer to one of the chattier groups.
Her Patron, ever unhelpful and far too amused, clicked his tongue.
[You're trying too hard. Just ask them what's going on.]
"I can't just barge in and ask. That's not how school dynamics work."
She muttered under her breath.
