I woke up that morning with one thing on my mind, Joan. The question about Jeile had been burning in my chest since last night, nagging at me with every breath. If anyone could give me answers, it was definitely going to be Joan.
The moment I stepped into the classroom, my eyes scanned every corner, searching for her familiar face. I had pictured her sitting there with her books neatly stacked, maybe giving me that easy smile she always wore whenever she caught me staring too hard at the board. But her seat was empty.
I told myself she was just running late. People got delayed all the time. So I waited. Five minutes. Ten minutes. Still no sign of her. By the time the teacher walked in and started the lesson, chalk scratching loudly against the board, I knew she wasn’t coming.
My heart s
