The afternoon light was fading, casting long shadows across the cluttered art room. We’d been trapped for almost two hours, and what had started as awkward small talk had evolved into the kind of honest conversation that usually only happened at 3 AM or during emergencies.
“Can I ask you something?” Nick said, adjusting his position on the uncomfortable chair.
“Shoot.”
“Do you ever get tired of being what everyone expects you to be?”
The question hit deeper than I’d anticipated. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, everyone at this school has decided who you are based on whatever information serves their narrative. First you were the scholarship student who didn’t belong, then you were the mysterious heiress with secrets, now you’re the girl in the scandal photos.” Nick’s brown eyes were seri
