Chapter Twenty-Four – Shattered Yn hadn’t been to school in three days. She thought staying away would give her space to breathe, to feel less like she was drowning. But the truth was, the silence at home felt heavier than the noise at school. On Friday afternoon, she finally went back — not because she wanted to, but because her mom insisted. The moment she stepped through the doors, she knew something was wrong. The whispers were louder than usual, the stares sharper. People weren’t just looking at her — they were looking past her, like she was already a ghost. It wasn’t until she reached her locker that she saw it. A printed photo taped to the metal, big enough for everyone walking by to notice. It was Malachi and Lila — kissing in the middle of the gym, surrounded by the cheer team. The caption scrawled across the bottom read: She never stood a chance. Yn’s chest tightened so hard it hurt. She ripped the photo down, but it didn’t matter — she could still hear the laughter, still see the image burned into her mind. As she walked away, she passed Malachi himself. He didn’t stop her. He didn’t even look guilty. He just smiled faintly, like he knew exactly what she’d seen. That smile broke something in her. She made it to the bathroom before the tears came, gripping the edge of the sink as her reflection blurred. She’d told herself she was done caring, that she’d walked away from all of it — but seeing him with Lila, so public, so deliberate, felt like someone had ripped open every wound she’d tried to seal. It wasn’t just losing him. It was realizing he’d never been on her side to begin with. When she finally left the bathroom, her face was pale, her eyes red. She didn’t care who saw. She walked straight out of the building, ignoring the calls from behind her. This time, she wasn’t just leaving practice. She was leaving everything. And deep down, she knew — she might never come back.
