Secrets

Chapter 4 - Two Problems

Mia raised an eyebrow, her suspicions deepening. "Is that so?"

Eliza finally looked at her, her smile tight but her eyes steady.

"Yeah, sorry, M. It won't happen again." She shrugged, picking up her fork and stabbing at her salad.

Mia watched her for a moment, her mind whirring. She could tell when Eliza was lying—there were always little tells. The flicker in her eyes, the slightly too-wide smile, the way her laugh sounded just a bit off.

But Mia let it go for now, leaning back in her seat. She poked at her food in silence for a moment, mentally preparing to bring up her next topic.

"So, what was the emergency?" Mia asked casually, her eyes trained on Eliza.

Eliza choked mid-bite, her fork clattering against her plate.

"Wh—what?" she stuttered, her wide eyes betraying a flicker of panic.

Mia leaned on her elbow, a small smile tugging at her lips. "The emergency you had to take care of yesterday. What was it?"

Eliza forced a laugh, waving her hand dismissively. "Oh, nothing, really. Just a false alarm. Don't worry about it."

She's hiding something.

Mia's suspicion deepened, but she decided to let it slide—for now. She stood, gathering her tray to toss her uneaten food.

As she approached the garbage can, she became aware of someone stepping up beside her.

Startled, she turned just in time to see Alex and Matt, each grabbing one of her hands.

"Hey—" Mia barely had time to react before they were leading her across the cafeteria. They guided her to a table, gently but firmly, and sat her down.

Mia blinked, completely bewildered. She glanced around, spotting Eliza still at their old table, her face a mask of something unreadable—an odd mix of concern and frustration.

"What's going on?" Mia asked, her voice shaky.

Matt placed a small pile of snacks in front of her, his usual playful smirk in place. He slid into the seat beside her, while Alex sat across from them, peeling an orange with meticulous focus.

"You didn't eat your lunch," Matt said matter-of-factly. He didn't wait for her response, instead turning to Alex.

"So, what exactly did you do here yesterday?"

Alex shrugged, popping a slice of orange into his mouth.

"Made a good impression," he said with a grin, tossing a glance at Mia when she hesitantly grabbed the juice box.

"Good impression, my ass," Matt muttered, raising an eyebrow. "Did you flirt with half the school or something?"

Alex chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "It's called being polite, Matt. You should try it sometime."

"Right, because I'm not polite," Matt scoffed, rolling his eyes.

Their banter flowed effortlessly, their contrasting personalities on full display. Alex was calm and charming, his words smooth and measured, while Matt was sharp-tongued and direct, with a mischievous edge.

Mia found herself zoning out, their voices fading into background noise as the weight of her surroundings pressed in.

The stares.

She could feel them from every corner of the cafeteria. Whispers buzzed in the air like static, each one adding another layer to the suffocating pressure building in her chest.