HAUNTED || chris sturniolo

𝟎𝟐𝟑. something wasn't right

CHAPTER 023 -
╰┈➤ ' something wasn't right ' ♡₊˚ 🦢・₊✧
「 real life 」

─ real life ᰔᩚ

THE CROWDED HALLWAY BUZZED WITH THE USUAL MID-MORNING CHAOS, lockers slamming shut, rushed footsteps echoing against the tile floor, and voices overlapping in a tangled mess of laughter, gossip, and complaints about upcoming tests. adriana moved through the crowd with cecelia walking beside her, both clutching textbooks against their chests as they navigated toward their next class.

cecelia, usually the one to fill any silence with chatter, was unusually quiet. her face was paler than usual, her lips pressed into a thin line, and her fingers kept fidgeting with the edge of her sweater sleeve.

"cecelia, seriously," adriana said, her voice low but firm. "you've been acting weird since this morning. what happened?"

cecelia flinched slightly at the question, like she'd been caught off guard. "what? nothing happened. i'm fine."

"you're not fine." adriana's sharp gaze locked onto her friend's pale face. "you're twitchy, you keep zoning out, and you look like you saw a ghost."

cecelia's lips parted slightly, but no words came out. her gaze flicked away from adriana's and instead settled on the scuffed floor tiles as they walked.

"it's nothing, adri. i promise." her voice was soft, but there was an edge to it, like she was trying to convince herself just as much as she was trying to convince adriana.

"you can't lie to me, cecelia," adriana pressed, her voice softening slightly as they stopped in front of their classroom door. "if something's wrong, just... tell me. you're worrying me."

cecelia hesitated, her fingers clutching tighter at the sleeve of her sweater before she forced a weak smile onto her face. "it's not worth worrying about, okay? just drop it. please."

the pleading in her tone made adriana back off, though the knot of concern in her chest didn't ease. she nodded slowly, stepping aside to let cecelia walk into the classroom first.

the hum of classroom chatter filled the space as the teacher scribbled instructions onto the whiteboard. adriana sat at her desk, her chin propped on her hand as she stared blankly at the textbook in front of her. cecelia sat one row ahead, her head tilted downward as she scribbled aimlessly in her notebook, though adriana doubted she was actually paying attention to whatever was being discussed.

every so often, adriana's gaze flicked up to her friend. cecelia's posture was rigid, her shoulders tense, and she'd occasionally glance toward the classroom door, her eyes clouded with something that looked a lot like worry.

what happened this morning? the question circled adriana's mind like a vulture, picking at every stray thought until it was impossible to focus.

the bell rang, jolting adriana out of her daze. she gathered her books, sliding them into her bag before catching up with cecelia, who was already halfway out the door.

"hey, wait up," adriana called, quickening her pace.

cecelia paused near the lockers, her arms folded tightly across her chest. adriana stopped beside her, studying her face for any clues, but cecelia avoided eye contact entirely.

"okay, are we really gonna pretend you're fine all day?" adriana said softly, keeping her voice low to avoid anyone overhearing. "because you're not fine, cecelia. you've barely said two words to me all morning, and you look like you're about to pass out."

cecelia let out a shaky breath, finally meeting adriana's gaze for a brief moment before looking away again. "it's... it's not something you need to worry about, okay? just trust me on this."

"but i am worried," adriana insisted. "you're my best friend. if something's wrong, i want to help."

for a moment, cecelia's resolve seemed to waver. her lips parted slightly like she was about to say something, but then she stopped herself. instead, she shook her head. "it's nothing. seriously, adri. drop it."

before adriana could argue further, cecelia turned on her heel and walked away, disappearing into the crowded hallway.

lunch came, but the tension between adriana and cecelia lingered. they sat together at their usual spot in the cafeteria, the noise of a hundred conversations filling the air around them.

cecelia picked at her salad, barely eating, while adriana's sandwich sat half-eaten on her tray. the silence between them felt heavy, thick with unspoken words and unanswered questions.

"are you meeting up with zayn later?" adriana asked casually, trying to lighten the mood.

cecelia glanced up, her face softening slightly. "yeah. he asked me to hang out after school."

"you two have been hanging out a lot lately," adriana said with a teasing smirk, though her voice was still laced with concern.

cecelia's cheeks flushed slightly, and for a brief moment, she looked like her usual self again. "he's easy to talk to, i guess."

"you guess?" adriana raised a brow.

"okay, fine, he is easy to talk to," cecelia admitted, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "he's... nice. and funny. it's been good spending time with him."

adriana's smile softened at the sight of her friend finally relaxing, even if only for a moment. "good. i'm glad, cecelia."

for a little while, the conversation shifted to lighter topics, teachers they couldn't stand, plans for the weekend, and whether or not they'd actually pass their upcoming exams. but even through the laughter and the smiles, adriana couldn't shake the feeling that something still wasn't right.

every so often, cecelia would drift off mid-sentence, her gaze flicking toward the cafeteria entrance, her shoulders tensing ever so slightly. whatever had happened earlier, whoever she had spoken to, it was still lingering in the back of her mind, pulling her attention away.

by the end of the day, adriana felt drained. the unanswered questions, the lingering tension, it all weighed on her as she walked beside cecelia toward the parking lot.

"you sure you're okay?" adriana asked one last time as they reached their cars.

cecelia hesitated, her hand on the car door handle. "yeah. i'll be fine, adri. i promise."

"okay..." adriana said softly, though the knot in her chest tightened again. "text me later, okay?"

"i will," cecelia said with a small smile before slipping into her car and pulling away.

adriana stood by her own car for a long moment, her gaze lingering on the spot where cecelia had just been. something wasn't right, she could feel it.

but whatever it was, cecelia clearly wasn't ready to share. and that left adriana with nothing but her swirling thoughts and a gnawing sense of unease.

evie speaks
just a quick filler