tragic

4-theo - liar

the school

My gaze tracks Noah's limping figure as he passes by, his arms and legs marred by fresh cuts and bruises. My surprise is evident, my mouth hanging slightly ajar as I take in the sight of his injuries. A surge of anger courses through me, the idea of confronting him about what happened tugging at my thoughts. But those intentions dissolve when I notice Alex and Isaac giving me looks. "What's up?" I retort, my question slicing through the air as I turn to face them."Did you seriously not hear us?" Their puzzlement as they exchange glances confuses me further. "No?" I rack my brain, trying to figure out what they're talking about, but my mind draws a blank. "We asked what you were talking about. You said 'what the fuck' while looking at that guy," Isaac adds with a jeering tone, igniting my urge to punch him square in his smug face."Did you guys do that to him?" I question, eyes locked on Alex and then Isaac. "What?" Alex responds in disbelief, while Isaac seems genuinely puzzled. "Look," I gesture toward Noah, who's retrieving books from his locker, revealing more of his injuries as his hoodie lifts. "No, we haven't laid a hand on him in weeks. We're not dumb enough to get suspended over him," Isaac chimes in. I scrutinize their expressions, concluding that they're probably telling the truth. If they're innocent, then Noah must have lied to me... but why? The question lingers as I see Noah disappearing from his locker."Just ask him during first period," I mentally instruct myself as I shut my locker, bid farewell to my 'friends,' and head to my first class, nerves dancing within me. 'You've got this, just ask him,' I encourage myself."Hey," I greet as I settle into the seat next to Noah. "Hey," he responds without turning. I reposition myself to face him, feeling a mix of anxiety and determination. "Can I ask you something?" I say, prompting his attention. "S-sure?" He stammers, his hands tensing. "I'll get straight to it. What happened to you?" I observe his face closely, searching for any reaction. All I get is his hands clasping and his eyes slightly widening. "Nothing. Why don't you ask Alex and Isaac?" His lie slips easily from his lips."Noah, I know you're not telling the truth. Please, just let me in. I can help, I promise. Please, tell me," I implore, meeting his gaze. He turns to me, our eyes locking for a moment before he shifts his focus away and remains still for the rest of the class.After school, I watch as Noah exits through the main entrance. "Hey, are you coming?" Chris or whatever his name is asks as he passes me on his way to the locker room. "No, tell the coach I'm feeling sick or something," I reply, then dash to my truck parked near the main entrance. I'm not stalking; I'm just... curious. I follow Noah to his house, wondering if Alex's claim was false. The place seems normal, but who knows? Maybe his dad's behind this. My thoughts are consumed by Noah during the drive home, and before I realize it, I'm stepping into my house and heading for the shower.During dinner, I'm lost in silence, haunted by a single question: 'What is Noah hiding?'*Thank you for reading Chapter 4! Apologies if the chapters seem short.*