SEVI'S POV (Continuing):
But before I could keep spying, reality slapped me across the face.
If I stayed any longer and the principal saw me lurking in the hallway like some criminal side character, I was finished.
I straightened up, took one final dramatic breath, and whispered to myself,
"Mission temporarily aborted."
Then I turned and practically ran back toward class.
My shoes squeaked against the floor as I hurried inside just before I could be caught.
I slipped into my seat, breathing a little too hard, trying to act like I hadn't just been conducting a highly unofficial school investigation.
But my brain?
Completely gone.
Totally distracted.
I couldn't focus on a single word the teacher was saying.
Not one.
My pen hovered over my notebook while my mind replayed the scene over and over again.
Theo.
Atasha.
Empty hallway.
Private conversation.
Her laughing.
His serious face.
The tension.
The secrecy.
My eyes slowly widened all over again.
Oh my God.
What were they even talking about?
Was she really the mystery girl?
The one Theo had been secretly involved with?
The one behind all the weirdness?
The one causing all the suspicious drama around school?
I stared blankly at the board, but all I could see was Theo's cold face and Atasha's laugh.
Then, a few minutes later, the classroom door opened.
My head snapped up so fast I almost gave myself whiplash.
Theo walked in.
Late.
I knew it.
I freaking knew it.
I stared at him like he was a suspect in a murder mystery.
He looked completely normal. Calm. Cold. Unbothered.
Which somehow made him look even more suspicious.
What were they talking about?
Why was he late too?
Why did he look like nothing happened?
My eyes narrowed.
Yup. Confirmed.
There was definitely something going on.
I slowly turned around in my seat.
Anna was sitting behind me.
Perfect.
This was urgent.
I quickly grabbed my phone and typed under the desk like my life depended on it.
SEVI:
I JUST SAW THEO WITH ATASHA ALONE IN THE HALLWAY BEFORE CLASS
I hit send.
A second later, Anna checked her phone.
Her eyes widened.
She looked up at me so fast, I almost laughed.
She slapped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from reacting too loudly, then glared at me with wide, accusing eyes like how dare you drop this bomb on me during class?
I gave her a grim nod.
This was real.
She leaned forward slightly and whispered, barely moving her lips.
"Really?"
I nodded once.
Slowly.
Seriously.
Full confirmation mode.
Her eyes widened even more.
I leaned back just a little and whispered, just as quietly,
"I saw them."
Anna stared at me in complete shock.
I turned back toward the front before the teacher noticed us, but I could practically feel her panic radiating from behind me.
And honestly?
Mine wasn't much better.
Because now there was only one thought running through my head:
We need to investigate this immediately.