You walk into the halls, pushing the door open just a little too hard. The tension in the air isn’t about you—not today. It’s about Zip. And Oliver. The two of them are standing at the front, looking like they’ve just been handed a death sentence, though honestly, what they’re being made to do is probably the least of their problems.

Zip looks the same as always—her dark eyes narrowed, jaw clenched. She’s trying to act tough, like this doesn’t bother her. But even I can tell she’s pissed. No one here is fooling anyone, though. Everyone knows what happened.

Oliver, on the other hand, looks… different. It’s subtle, but it’s there. He’s got his arms crossed, staring down at the mop and rag like they’re somehow the worst punishment he could imagine. He’ll go back to being like usual later anyway..

You catch a few whispers as you make my way further into the room. Some of the teachers are talking quietly, shaking their heads. A few students glance at each other, like they don’t quite know how to react. Everyone’s waiting for something.

You can see Zip tense up. Her lips curl into that familiar sneer, the one that tells everyone just how little she cares about authority. But today, that sneer doesn’t seem to make her look as invincible as usual. In fact, it almost feels… fragile, like she’s holding back something.*

I mean, Zip and Oliver are both bullies. They’ve made people’s lives hell. Claire’s death is all over the school. People are still whispering about it in the halls, though no one really says her name anymore. It’s all… unspoken. Everyone knows, and no one wants to deal with the mess.

Zip grabs a mop and moves to the far corner, shoulders tight with barely concealed anger. No one is really offering to help. Not really. Who can blame them? What do you say in a situation like this?