Flora rested her chin on her palm, staring absently at the neat lines of notes on her desk. The teacher's voice droned somewhere in the background, but her mind was far away circling the same thoughts over and over.
Unknown message, The late-night call. The silent line.The bracelet that vanished and somehow came back in an anonymous parcel that morning.
Her fingers brushed the little silver star now gleaming on her wrist. A shiver rippled down her spine, unbidden. Who would go that far just to return something so small?
And for a reason she couldn't explain, Shane's face flickered in her mind calm eyes behind glass, that unreadable expression that seemed to look right through her.
Flora's stomach tightened. No… she told herself quickly. That was ridiculous. He couldn't possibly---
Then a faint realization struck her. Shane Anderson.
That name… it wasn't unfamiliar. Where had she heard it before?
She sat up straighter, scanning her memory until it clicked.
Student Union… Vice President.
Of course. That was it.
Her curiosity prickled, replacing the unease for a moment. She couldn't remember ever seeing him around school before, at least not without the glasses and the quiet aura that made him blend into the walls. So how had she never noticed him someone with a position like that?
When the bell rang, Flora gathered her books quickly. Curiosity tugged at her heels like a mischievous cat. She just needed to confirm it maybe her class representative would know for sure.
---
The corridor outside the classroom buzzed with students. She spotted her class rep near the staff room door, balancing a stack of papers.
"Hey," Flora said, stepping closer. "Can I ask you something?"
Her rep looked up, slightly distracted. "What's up?"
"Do you know a student named Shane Anderson? Is he really the vice president of the student union?"
The rep blinked, thinking. "Yeah, that's him. Section C. Keeps to himself, doesn't talk much. Smart guy though teachers say he could top the grade if he wanted to, but he never bothers to write everything down."
Flora's eyes widened slightly. So it's true.
"Thanks," she said softly, about to leave when a familiar voice drifted down the hall.
"Oh? Talking about our vice president?"
Flora turned and there stood Grace, the golden girl of the school, surrounded by her usual circle. Her beauty was polished, her smile perfectly measured, her tone light enough to pass for friendly but there was a glint beneath it that Flora didn't miss.
"Flora," Grace greeted pleasantly. "I didn't expect to see you here. Looking for the student union office?"
Before Flora could reply, one of the girls beside Grace let out a tinkling laugh. "Or maybe she's trying to get close to someone from the union? Wouldn't be the first time, right?"
A few heads turned. The air shifted, soft laughter undercutting Grace's still, composed expression.
Flora felt her chest tighten she could already feel where this was heading.
She drew in a slow breath. "Actually, no," she said evenly. "I was just asking about Shane Anderson. He's the vice president, right? I heard he only writes enough to pass, but if he tried, he could easily be top of the grade."
The corridor went quiet just for a second, the sound of her words lingering in the air.
Grace tilted her head, smile never faltering. "We're all part of the same team, Flora. It's not really nice to sow division among the members, is it?"
Her tone was still sweet, but the implication hit like ice water.
Around her, a few students whispered, exchanging knowing looks.
"Why compare her to him?" someone murmured. "Grace worked hard to earn her position."
"Yeah," another said, "sounds like someone's just trying to start trouble."
Heat crept up Flora's neck. She hadn't meant it that way she hadn't meant anything at all. But before she could stammer a defense, a calm, low voice cut through the whispers like a blade sliding through silk.
---
"She's not wrong."
Everyone turned.
Shane was standing a few steps away, hands in his pockets, the morning light glinting faintly off his glasses.
"If I bothered to write my full answers," he said quietly, his gaze sweeping over the group before landing on Grace, "first place wouldn't be hers."
The corridor froze.
Grace's smile faltered only slightly, but enough for the silence to thicken. A few students exchanged startled looks. Everyone's expression flickered with something uneasy.
Shane didn't elaborate. He didn't need to. He simply shifted his gaze toward Flora, unreadable as if the entire exchange meant nothing to him.
The tension dissolved in his wake leaving awkward murmurs, and Grace forcing a composed laugh.
"Let's not make a big deal out of jokes," she said tightly, gathering her papers. "Come on, everyone."
Flora stood still for a heartbeat, her pulse quick in her ears. She hadn't needed to say another word; somehow, Shane had said it all
Her fingers tightened around her books. She didn't know whether to feel relieved or unsettled. Maybe both.
He walked past them, the faint scent of rain following in his wake. When he reached the corner, he paused just enough for Flora to catch the flicker of a glance he threw her way before disappearing down the hall.
Her heart thudded. Relief, surprise, and something else something deeper tangled inside her chest.
She didn't realize it then, but by mentioning Shane's name in front of everyone, she had unknowingly set something in motion.
Something that would quietly, yet irrevocably, change the rhythm of her school life.
And it all began with one simple name spoken aloud.
Somewhere unseen, behind the glass walls of the corridor, a faint smile lingered one that never reached the eyes.