Mikey's footsteps echoed down the nearly empty school hallway as he made his way toward first period. The noise of students chatting and laughing drifted from nearby, but it felt distant, like he was wrapped in a haze. His mind was somewhere else—back in that dark, dusty warehouse with Gregor, the files that spilled secrets he never expected, and the messages threatening his every move. And then there was Lila, who'd stumbled right into it all, no longer just a friend but someone he had to protect from a danger he hadn't even fully understood himself yet.
He'd tried to push the memories away, but they kept creeping back, especially the look on Lila's face when she overheard them. She'd seemed hurt, scared even, like she didn't recognize him. And how could she? He barely recognized himself these days.
Why did she have to find out like this? he thought bitterly. If he had been more careful, maybe he could have kept her out of it. But then again, his life didn't exactly allow for "careful" anymore.
He walked slower than usual, feeling the weight of everything settle in his chest. There was a time when school felt normal, like a break from everything else he was dealing with. Now, though, it was just another reminder of what he was hiding and how much he'd risked by bringing his friends into it—even if unintentionally.
Lost in thought, he hardly noticed the other students filing past him, until he felt a hand clap him on the shoulder.
"Hey, Mikey!" It was Jake, his voice loud and cheerful, pulling Mikey out of his spiral. "You're zoning out again, man. Earth to Mikey!"
He forced a laugh, trying to act like everything was fine. "Yeah, sorry. Guess I was just… thinking about stuff."
"What kind of stuff?" Jake grinned. "You've been pretty weird lately, you know that?"
Before he could answer, Sarah joined them, noticing his distracted expression immediately. "Are you okay? You seem… off. And I'm not the only one who's noticed." She nodded in Lila's direction, where she was standing by her locker, head down and focused on something in her hands, looking like she'd rather be anywhere else.
Mikey felt a pang in his chest. The truth was, he didn't know if they were "okay." Lila had seen too much, heard too much—and all he could give her in return were more secrets.
"Oh…uh, we're fine," he said, trying to wave it off. But it didn't sound very convincing, even to his own ears.
Sarah raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? She hasn't been herself either, and you're acting all… weird."
Mikey could feel Jake and Sarah watching him, waiting for an explanation. He struggled to come up with something that sounded normal, but nothing he could say would make sense. Yeah, we're fine. Just accidentally dragged her into a dangerous situation with a group of criminals. That wouldn't go over well, he thought wryly.
"Guess we've just been busy," he mumbled, trying to shrug it off. "Midterms and stuff."
It was a weak excuse, but luckily Jake seemed to buy it. He slapped Mikey's shoulder again. "Well, don't let it get you down! You two are always on the same wavelength. She'll come around."
Mikey nodded, wishing he could believe that.
The morning dragged on, each class blending into the next. Mikey caught himself glancing at Lila whenever they crossed paths, but she barely looked in his direction. It was as if he didn't exist to her anymore, and that stung more than he cared to admit. He missed her laugh, her sarcastic remarks, the way she'd call him out whenever he got too serious. He missed the friend he'd somehow managed to push away without even trying.
Finally, lunch rolled around, and Mikey spotted Jake, Sarah, and Ryan sitting at their usual table. Lila wasn't there, though. He scanned the cafeteria until he saw her at the far end, sitting alone, focused on her phone.
"Hey, where's Lila?" he asked, already knowing the answer but hoping his friends might fill in the blanks.
Jake shrugged. "She's been kinda distant lately. Maybe she's just got stuff on her mind?"
"Or maybe she's mad at you," Sarah chimed in, giving him a pointed look. "I don't know what happened between you two, but she's been acting off ever since."
"Yeah," Mikey mumbled, barely touching his food. He didn't know how to fix this, how to make her see that he wasn't the enemy. But explaining everything was out of the question, especially with eyes and ears everywhere. And that text—the one warning him to "stop before it's too late"—only added to the pressure.
Mikey's gaze drifted across the room, back to where Lila sat. He couldn't just leave things as they were, with this silence hanging between them. But for now, all he could do was watch her from a distance, hoping she'd give him a second chance to explain.
As lunch ended, he caught up to her in the hallway, taking a deep breath before speaking. "Lila, wait."
She turned, her expression unreadable, her eyes guarded. It was like there was a wall between them that he didn't know how to break.
"What?" she asked, her tone cold.
Mikey hesitated, feeling the words slip from his grasp. "Are… are we okay?"
She gave him a long, hard look before sighing. "I don't know, Mikey. I just… I don't know who you are anymore."
And with that, she walked away, leaving him standing there, feeling more alone than ever.