The hallway buzzed like a hive. Lockers slammed, voices overlapped, sneakers squeaked against the tile. Venus kept her head down, weaving through the crowd, guitar pick necklace clutched between her fingers like a shield.
She hated this part of the day. The hallway wasn't just noise—it was judgment, unspoken and heavy. Every glance felt like a spotlight, every whisper twisted into something about her.
The worst part was knowing her instincts weren't wrong.
"Hey, isn't that the new girl?" The voice wasn't quiet. It never was.
Venus's stomach tightened as she caught a flash of smirks from a cluster of girls by the lockers. They looked her up and down like she was something they'd found on the bottom of their shoes.
"I heard she hangs around Mason Trueblood."
"Of course she does. Probably thinks she's special."
Venus pushed past them before she could hear the rest, but their laughter followed, clinging like smoke.
By the time she reached class, her pulse was hammering. She dropped into her seat, hands clenched, trying to drown out the noise with the rhythm of her pen tapping against the desk. Music usually helped, but right now, the static in her head was louder than any chord she could play.
At lunch, it got worse. She carried her tray toward her usual corner table, only to feel the weight of dozens of eyes. Whispers hissed through the cafeteria like sparks on dry grass.
Trueblood. New girl. Band.
The words blurred together, but the meaning was clear: she was no longer invisible. And not in a good way.
She set her tray down, appetite gone, her shoulders tightening against the pressure. She could feel Mason's name wrapping around her like barbed wire, making it harder to breathe.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. A text from Eli: u ok?
Venus exhaled slowly. He always seemed to know. She forced a reply—fine, eat your sandwich—but the knot in her chest didn't loosen.
For the rest of the day, the noise of the hallway clung to her. Every laugh felt like it was about her, every stare like it was digging under her skin. By the time the final bell rang, she wanted nothing more than to disappear.
But when she passed Mason in the hallway, leaning against the lockers with that same easy grin, something strange happened. The noise dimmed, just a little.
Not enough to make her forget. But enough to make her wonder if maybe, just maybe, she didn't have to drown alone.
"Tell me, where do I belong in a sick sad world?" —
Paramore
YOU ARE READING
Strings and Shadows
RomanceWhen Venus Miller moves to a new school in downtown LA, all she wants is to keep her guitar close and stay under the radar. But then she meets Mason Trueblood-the charismatic, talented musician who makes her world louder, brighter, and more complica...
