Roxie came back to school on Tuesday wearing Briarwick red, white sneakers, and the face of someone who had absolutely not spent the last week suspended.

Which was a lie.

Obviously.

Karen walked beside her in an oversized Ravens jersey, black shorts, and a grin so smug it could have gotten its own detention.

"You look way too happy," Roxie said.

"I am happy."

"You look like we won something."

Karen adjusted the strap of her bag. "We did."

"Don’t make it too obvious. And it’s not that big."

Karen grinned as they walked toward the building. "We survived suspension and Bianca lost hair. That is a victory Briarwick will remember forever."

Roxie gave her a look.

Karen only smiled wider.

The front hallway was already loud when they walked in. Homecoming posters covered the walls. Red and black streamers sagged from the ceiling like student council had been attacked by a craft store.

Normal school chaos.

Except it felt different the second Roxie walked in.

People looked.

Before, people looked at her with envy. Admiration. Occasional jealousy from girls who acted like pretending not to care was attractive.

Now they looked at her like they were trying to decide if she was dangerous.

There was more space around her when she walked. More caution. More people suddenly interested in their lockers when she turned her head.

Roxie hated how much she liked it.

A junior near the lockers leaned close to her friend and whispered behind her hand. Her friend’s eyes flicked to Roxie’s hair, then Karen’s face, then back to Roxie like she was checking for evidence.

Karen turned her head slowly.

The girl looked away so fast her ponytail slapped her own cheek.

"See?" Karen said. "Peaceful."

"That is not peaceful. That’s fear."

"Same hallway result."

Roxie almost laughed.

Then a sophomore stepped directly into their path with the confidence of someone whose parents paid too much tuition for her to understand consequences.

"Wait," the girl said, eyes bright. "Is it true you actually pulled out a chunk of Bianca’s hair?"

The hallway near them dropped by half a volume.

Roxie stopped walking.

She looked the girl over from head to toe. Perfect curls. Glossy lips. Jersey knotted at the waist like she had spent forty minutes making it look accidental.

The sophomore almost backed down.

Almost.

"I mean," the girl added quickly, "I’m just asking because everybody said—"

"Everybody said what?" Karen asked.

The girl swallowed.

"You’re very brave," Roxie said.

The girl blinked. "Thanks?"

"That wasn’t a compliment." Roxie looked around.

People immediately looked away.

Roxie nodded toward them. "I think it would do you good to be more like them."

Karen made a small sound beside her.

Roxie stepped around the girl. "I like you," she added, then winked. "But tell everybody to stop being weird. If I wanted them updated on Bianca’s scalp, I’d make a slideshow."

Someone behind them choked.

Karen leaned closer as they kept walking. "That was beautiful."

"Thank you."

They made it three more steps before Angela appeared from the side hallway like she had been waiting there all morning.

She looked normal again.

Cream cardigan. Little skirt. Knee-high boots. Hair down and glossy. Gold hoops. Soft pink lip gloss.

Roxie let out a breath she did not realize she had been holding.

Angela’s whole face crumpled.

"Oh my God," Angela said, and hugged Roxie hard enough to make her stumble.

Then she grabbed Karen too.

Karen pushed at her shoulder. "What are you? A leech?"

Angela pulled back with a pout. "Don’t joke. I missed you. This place was disgusting without you."

"It was one week," Roxie said.

"It felt longer. Kendall was stressed. Coach Miller was extra. Everyone kept asking me things like I was your press secretary."

"You would be terrible at that."

"I know. I kept smiling and saying, ’That sounds like a you problem.’"

Karen pointed at her. "Growth."

Angela linked her arms through Roxie’s and Karen’s. "You’re a legend now. Bianca apparently has a reputation."

Roxie could feel the hallway watching their little trio move past the lockers. Angela in the middle now, back in her normal clothes, chin up like she had not spent last week hiding under layers.

Students moved out of their way.

Not dramatically. Just enough.

Roxie noticed anyway.

Her phone buzzed in her hand.

She looked down before she could stop herself.

Zac: That’s what you wore?

Roxie stared at the message.

Karen immediately leaned in.

Roxie yanked the phone closer to her chest. "Personal space."

Karen’s eyes sharpened. "You’re still texting him?"

Angela shoved Karen lightly. "Let her."

Roxie turned the phone away and typed with one thumb.

Roxie: It’s jersey day. Try to use context clues.

The reply came fast.

Zac: Should’ve worn mine.

Roxie: You would need to give me one first.

Three dots appeared.

Disappeared.

Appeared again.

Roxie hated him.

She hated the way her face heated in the middle of the hallway like she was not surrounded by people who were one bored second away from making her their morning entertainment.

Zac: I tried. You said I was annoying.

Roxie bit the inside of her cheek.

Roxie: You are.

Zac: Still should’ve worn mine.

She looked up before she could smile.

Bad choice.

Zac Prescott stood near the end of the hall with Dylan and Mason, wearing his Ravens jersey over a white long-sleeve shirt. His bag hung off one shoulder. His hair was still damp, like he had showered late or rolled out of bed blessed by whatever stupid football god protected boys who never had to try.

And he was looking right at her.

Roxie locked her phone and shoved it into her bag.

Karen followed her gaze. "Oh, he’s bold today."

Angela’s mouth parted a little. "He looks like he wants to pull you into a classroom. It’s a bit gross." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"He looks like Zac," Roxie said.

Across the hall, Mason said something to Zac and shoved his shoulder.

Zac did not look away.

Roxie lifted her chin first.

His mouth curved.

Small. Stupid. Dangerous.

The bell rang, loud enough to break whatever weird thing had stretched across the hallway.

People started moving again. Lockers slammed. Someone yelled about being late. A teacher near the office clapped twice and told everyone to get to class before she started writing names down.

Angela tugged Roxie’s arm. "Come on. We have Chemistry. Those eye-fucking sessions can wait."

Roxie rolled her eyes, but she let Angela pull her down the hall.

She could still feel people watching.

Could still feel Zac watching.

Last week, the school had talked about her like she was a problem.

This week, they stepped out of her way.

Roxie hated that the difference felt good.