Monday mornings always felt heavier than other days.
But this one felt different.
Andrea could feel it the moment she stepped through the school gates.
People were looking at her.
Not in the quiet whispering way from before.
This time the looks were more curious.
More direct.
Andrea adjusted her backpack and kept walking.
Just ignore it.
That was always the plan.
She pushed open the classroom door.
Conversation inside stopped for a moment.
Then it continued again.
But now she knew.
Something had spread.
Andrea slid into her seat near the back of the room and pulled her phone out, pretending she didn't notice anything.
Teresa sent her a message.
Teresa:
How bad is it?
Andrea glanced around the room.
Two girls near the window were whispering.
A guy in the front row glanced back at her and smirked.
Andrea:
Bad.
Another message appeared immediately.
Diana:
What happened?
Andrea typed quickly.
Andrea:
I think people know about the party.
Before she could send anything else—
A voice behind her said quietly,
"Nice party."
Andrea turned around.
Samuel sat two desks behind her, leaning back in his chair like he had been there the whole time.
Andrea rolled her eyes.
"Don't start."
Samuel smirked slightly.
"I'm not."
Andrea turned back around.
"Good."
Samuel watched her for a moment.
Then he added casually,
"People are talking though."
Andrea froze.
"About what?"
Samuel shrugged.
"Bathroom."
Andrea closed her eyes slowly.
Of course.
"Great," she muttered.
Samuel didn't laugh.
Instead he said quietly,
"You shouldn't care."
Andrea turned back around.
"That's easy for you to say."
Samuel leaned his elbow on the desk.
"People always talk."
Andrea stared at him.
"You're the one who started rumors last time."
Samuel's smirk faded slightly.
"Yeah."
Andrea blinked.
"…Yeah?"
Samuel shrugged again.
"I was being an idiot."
Andrea wasn't expecting that.
She stared at him for a second.
Samuel noticed.
"What?"
"You just admitted something."
Samuel scoffed.
"Don't get used to it."
Andrea turned forward again just as the classroom door opened.
More students walked in.
And then—
Matthew.
Andrea's chest tightened automatically.
He entered with Vanessa beside him, but something looked different.
They weren't holding hands.
Vanessa looked annoyed.
Matthew looked… tired.
They walked past Andrea's desk without noticing she was watching.
But then something caught her attention.
Vanessa stopped near the front.
Her voice wasn't loud.
But Andrea could hear enough.
"You're acting weird," Vanessa said quietly.
"I'm not," Matthew replied.
"You are."
Matthew sighed.
"Can we not do this here?"
Vanessa crossed her arms.
"Then explain it later."
Andrea quickly looked away before they could notice she was listening.
Her stomach twisted slightly.
Across the room, Samuel had noticed too.
He leaned forward slightly.
"Well," he murmured.
Andrea glanced back at him.
"What?"
Samuel nodded toward the front of the room.
"Looks like your kiss had side effects."
Andrea felt heat rush to her face.
"Shut up."
Samuel smirked again.
"I'm just observing."
Andrea turned back around and opened her notebook.
But she couldn't focus.
Not on the teacher.
Not on the lesson.
Her thoughts kept drifting.
Matthew.
Vanessa.
The argument.
And the party.
Everything felt like it had shifted slightly.
Like something invisible had changed between everyone.
Andrea didn't know if that was good or bad.
But she knew one thing.
The calm after the party was officially over.