Maya tried to walk faster toward the school gate.
She needed to leave.
Now.
But footsteps followed behind her.
"Hey."
Her heart skipped.
She knew that voice.
Ethan Blake.
Maya stopped slowly but didn't turn around.
"Wait," he said.
Reluctantly, she faced him.
Ethan stood there with his backpack slung over one shoulder, looking at her curiously.
"Why did you look at me like that earlier?" he asked.
Maya blinked. "Like what?"
"In the hallway," he said. "You looked… scared."
She forced a small laugh.
"You're imagining things."
Ethan stepped closer.
Too close.
Maya instinctively stepped back.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"You're avoiding me."
"I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
For a moment they simply stared at each other.
Then Ethan said something unexpected.
"Did you see something?"
Maya felt the blood drain from her face.
How could he possibly know?
Without answering, she quickly turned and walked away.
But one thought kept echoing in her mind.
If Ethan suspected something…
Everything could fall apart.