I turned and walked out, not looking back. I had to breathe. I had to be anywhere but there. My mind was a storm of confusion and disbelief. The world around me felt distant, as if I were watching everything happen through a fogged window.
As I was walking, I thought about it, maybe Claire was right. Maybe they were all right. A peasant like me could never belong among those with power and privilege. I had been foolish. Too foolish
I found myself walking to the school, climbing the rooftop, and just standing there. Questions flooded my mind as I stared into the distance, had I ever truly lived my life to the fullest? Had I ever been more than just a number, a nuisance? The weight of everything pressed don on me, and I felt ready to sacrifice it all.
Then came footsteps. Slow, steady.... familiar. My heart paused. There was no need to turn. I knew those steps and to who they belonged.
But just as this thought settled, I felt sudden shove, sharp and cold against my back.
It was her. Claire
So this was how my life would end? Was I truly this helpless? Dying at the hands of the person I had trusted most? Or was it the person I loathed most? I couldn't remember anymore. The time when I'd loved her had lasted so much longer than when I'd despised her.
Through the rushing wind, I saw her lips moving, forming the words: "Goodbye, Student 91."