I walk into class, right on Bella’s heels. We are indeed late. Not good. My eyes are glued to the paper stuck to the bottom of her shoe. ‘I should probably get that.’ Before I even knew it, she was being sent to the office. Probably for the best. I was chosen as her faithful and trustworthy escort. As I pull my hoodie over my head, getting ready to offer it to her, I take the chance to trap the paper with my own shoe so that it releases from her foot as she walks away. 

My voice is quiet and gentle as I speak up, holding my hoodie out to her, “Hey.” She looks up, and even now she’s adorable. For a moment, I freeze, I would do anything to bring her smile back. “How about we go to the bathrooms to clean up before we head over to the office?” She nods as she looks at me with her lip trembling, holding onto the hoodie, unable to hold back their tears any longer. I don’t know how long we stand there in the middle of the hallway, just hugging. 

Bella’s a lot calmer after going to freshen up. She looks cute wearing my clothes. The calm evaporates the moment we enter the office. As we wait for them to call our parents, to decide our fate, we sit side by side on the couch with her leg bouncing up and down aggressively. “My Mum is going to actually murder me!” she groans with her hands covering her face. "Promise me you'll find the body, Day?"

I laugh quietly. Bella is staring at the floor, somehow even more nervous, which sends a slight panic through me. I grab her hands, pulling them away from her face. “Don’t worry! It’ll all turn out fine. There’ll be some new drama, and by the end of the week everyone will have completely forgotten about... this.” I let go of her hands to gesture towards the state she’s in, as I smile awkwardly. She nods at me, failing to hide how utterly unconvinced she was. Though, for a moment I could see a smile that immediately dropped the moment Bella’s mother walked into the room.

Bella’s mother, still in their work clothes, looking assertive and domineering as they always do. We turn and watch as they stand completely still for what feels like an eternity, giving us a hawk-like piercing stare, before blinking. “Come on. We’re going.” They do a sharp one-eighty and make their way outside, heels clacking loudly against the floor. 

“Later,” Bella mouths on the way out, smiling apologetically.

--

Lunch break rolls around, finally. The first thing on my mind is to eat and call Bella. Seeing as the best place to avoid teachers catching you on your phone was usually the bathrooms, that’s where I head over to immediately after finishing lunch. I sit in the stall of an empty bathroom, biting my thumbnail in anticipation, and begin speaking as soon as she picks up, “Bella, my dearest, do tell. What grim fate beseeches you?” 

A playful smile grows on my face as Bella dramatically responds in kind, “My beloved flower! Whatever that fate might be, your presence makes any punishment bearable.” My heart races whenever we pretend like this. Pretend. I push the feelings down.

We talk for a while, my smile beginning to hurt my face. I bit my lip, trying to get my expression back to neutral. Maybe drama classes got to our heads sometimes. Either way, I was glad to hear them laughing. At that thought of their smile, I can feel the grin breaking across my own face again. Bella flops onto her bed with a loud, dramatic sigh. “Starting tomorrow, I’ll be grounded for the next month. And doing a lot of chores.” 

“Oh, hell.” 

Bella hummed her agreement. 

“Actually, I’m fine with it. It feels better not having to be all anxious and scared for the worst.” 

I think for a moment. “Do you want me to come over to your house? Keep you company?” 

She shakes her head. “Nah, it’s ok. I don’t want you to miss out on all the quality learning. For real though, don’t worry about me, Daisy.” 

Before I have the chance to respond, the bell rings and the sound of teachers herding students out of the hallway gives me the cue that I need to go. Bella speaks up when I don’t respond, “Come by after school. I’ll catch you then.” 

“See you then.” Maybe I nodded too enthusiastically because my head spins a little. I press power on my phone and return to the classroom. 

The teacher drones on as usual, and I’ve tuned out while blankly staring at the textbook in front of me. I’m dragged out of my thoughts by a series of loud thumps coming from above me. Seeing as the teacher has stopped talking and the other students are looking in the same direction as me, it seems like I’m not the only one who hears it.