Echoes Of Betrayal

Chapter 1 (Marianne)

Jody Robinson, I thought. The girl everyone admires—not just for her looks, but for her kindness, grace, and athletic talent. With her striking black hair and captivating blue eyes, it's no wonder so many boys at school are drawn to her. Yet, she never seemed to be at the forefront of the popular cliques.

In junior year, that title belonged to Sasha Bangs. To this day, no one knows why she left the school, and truthfully, few seem to care. Sasha was notorious for her ruthless behaviour; many described her as pure evil. She thrived on bullying others and belittling her peers, instilling fear in everyone around her. Even the teachers and the principal turned a blind eye to her antics, intimidated by the financial influence her father wielded over the school.

"Hey, did you guys catch the news this morning?" a guy with dirty blond hair asked as he approached the popular clique's usual hangout, which, of course, was centred around Jody's table.

"Yeah, nearly ten people have lost their lives this week," a redhead girl said, her voice edged with concern.
"Two more this morning," Rubin added, her expression serious.

"Honestly, I'm scared," Jody admitted, running a hand through her hair. She seemed so angelic, and it was a pity.

"Don't worry; I'll protect you," Jake, the guy with brown hair, proclaimed, puffing out his chest with faux bravado.

"Stop playing! You can't even protect yourself from a dog," Juan teased, jabbing Jake's shoulder playfully. Laughter erupted in the circle, the tension easing for a moment. Juan is the funny one, though she often found herself second in the pecking order of popularity. Rubin Ai had just transferred this term and quickly climbed to the number three spot, prompting some jealousy among the others who saw her as a replacement.

"So, Jody, how's your knee?" asked Christeane, a girl with thin black glasses. Not many people likes her, but she tried to engage with the group.

"It's getting better, I guess," Jody replied, pushing her table forward to examine her bandaged knee.

"Thank God that boy got kicked off the team," Jake said, a smile creeping onto his face.

"Mhm, how could he do that on purpose?" Toni chimed in.

"No, Toni, it's just because he's better at football than Jake is," Juan shot back, and the group burst into laughter.

"Now I just feel like you genuinely hate me," Jake said, placing a hand on Juan's shoulder, only to have her push it away.

"Ouch! That looks bad," Rubin remarked, reaching out to touch Jody's knee, but Jody quickly grabbed her wrist.

"It hurts, don't you know?" she retorted, releasing Rubin's hand.

"Oh, sorry! I forgot," Rubin said, her face falling slightly. She always tried her best to get along with Jody, and it was clear she felt the sting of rejection.

The conversation continued, but I began to feel tired. I grabbed my earpiece, plugged it into my phone, and played 'Love Songs' by Kaash Paige—one of my favourites. Pulling out my sketch pad, I placed it on my table and began drawing the group, capturing their lively energy from my seat near the back.

As the bell rang, I made my way to the lunch hall. I line up to pay for my food—Popcorn chicken with French fries—before texting Dina to meet me at our usual table.

Approaching the table, I spotted Dina, absorbed in her phone. She looked up and smiled brightly when she saw me. Her blonde hair and striking green eyes made her stand out; she was the only one in school with that unique combination.

"Hey, Dina!" I waved, and she waved back, her smile warm.

"Hi, Mari!" she greeted as I sat down and placed my tray on the table.