CHAPTER 11*** SUNDAY AFTERNOON ***Lila's footsteps rang on the sidewalk as she walked home from Mia's house. The weight of her handbag appeared little in comparison to the burden of her heart. Mia's illness had taken its toll on them both, and the prospect of her returning to school on Monday brought little comfort.As she approached the crossroads, the sound of a familiar engine sent shivers down her spine. Caleb's car sat still at the stop sign, its chrome glittering in the fading sunlight. Yuria's smug grin met her from the passenger window, and Lila battled the temptation to avoid her gaze."Well, if it isn't the mute freak," Yuria sneered, her voice tinged with disgust.Lila gulped hard and tightened her jaw in mute contempt. She tried to move her feet faster, but Caleb's tyres squealed on the asphalt, causing the car to accelerate forward and obstruct her way."Going somewhere?" Caleb teased, his gaze focused behind the tinted windscreen.Lila's heart pounded in her chest, and

CHAPTER 13*** MONDAY MORNING ***Willow Creek High School's hallways pulsed with familiar energy as students flooded through the doors, their laughing and talk echoing off the lockers like a discordant symphony. For Lila Emerson, the cacophony was a sharp reminder of the daily challenge she faced, with her silence a clear target for derision and torment.As she moved through the crowded corridor, her shoulders slumped instinctively, prepared for the usual barrage of jeers and curses. But tonight, a new undercurrent of excitement surged through the crowd, with whispers and furtive glances pointing to the latest drama occurring in their midst.Lila's attention instantly turned to her best friend, Mia, a lone beacon of hope in the turbulent sea of high school politics. Mia smiled tightly, her eyes darkened with a wary look that spoke plenty.Before Lila could ask any additional questions, the corridor was silent, a perceptible shift in the atmosphere that sent shivers down her spine. Sh

CHAPTER 15The huge wood door slammed shut behind the final straggling student, leaving Mrs. Wilkins alone in the deafening silence of her classroom. She slumped into the ancient chair behind her desk, her shoulders sagging under the weight of her frustration.Miranda Prescott’s cutting critique still rang in her ears, a stinging condemnation of not only Fitzgerald's beloved work, but also Mrs. Wilkins' own authority as an educator. The girl's daring disobedience had struck at the heart of everything she held dear, including respect, decorum, and the sanctity of the literary canon.Mrs. Wilkins sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, hoping to relieve the searing pain behind her eyes. In her twenty-five years of teaching, she had encountered a fair number of arrogant students, each certain of their own infallible wisdom and superiority.But Miranda was different from the ordinary teenage rabble-rouser. It wasn't just her sharp intelligence or her utter contempt for convention; it w

CHAPTER 17"Very well, then," she said, her voice ringing with a rare note of satisfaction. "Let's see if any of you can match Miss Emerson's incisive analysis."A murmur echoed down the rows of desks, the pupils bending forward in rapt attention, their eyes gleaming with the excitement of the challenge."Next question," Mrs. Wilkins said, her chalk striking against the blackboard in decisive strokes. "Analyse the significance of the valley of ashes and its symbolic representation within the broader context of the novel."A beat of silence ensued, with the students exchanging apprehensive glances as they searched their minds for an appropriate response. Caleb's eyes raised as he locked an intense stare on Lila from the back of the classroom.Mia's hand shot into the air as she saw the change in the dynamic, she looked angry and determined. But before she could say anything, Caleb leaned forward, his lips curving into a sneer as he directed his mocking whisper at the target of his hatr

CHAPTER 19Caleb's POVThe final bell rang through the halls, signaling the end ofthe day. Caleb swung his bag over his shoulder and approached Miranda's locker. His proposed girlfriend was always slow to pack up, allowing him to capture her attention before they left school together. As he turned the corner, Miranda appeared in front of him, her blonde hair flowing down her back and those big lips curled up in a flirty smile directed at him. Caleb felt his body react instantly, with desire stirring deep in his gut. "Hey babe," Miranda said softly as he approached her locker, one arm wrapped around his neck. "About time you showed up."Caleb grinned wolfishly and wrapped an arm around her waist, bringing her flush against him. "Just being tormented by the notion of you all, period. "You know how crazy you drive me, babe."He dipped his head, seizing her lips in a hot kiss that had them both breathing rapidly when they parted. Miranda's green eyes were dark with want as she suggesti