Zara slung her backpack over one shoulder, her hazel eyes darting across the bustling high school hallway. The familiar sounds of chatter, slamming lockers, and sneakers squeaking on tile floors were a jarring contrast to the silence of the strange man's gaze outside her dad's store just days ago.
She had told herself it was nothing—a customer, maybe, or just a curious passerby. But the way he lingered, his sharp eyes locking with hers for a second too long, left her unsettled.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket.
Mia: "Move your butt, girl! Mr. K is already marking tardies!"
Zara sighed, quickening her steps toward the chem lab. The last thing she needed was another lecture from Mr. K.
As she slid into her seat beside Mia, the latter gave her a look of mock exasperation. "Late again? Honestly, what do you even do in the mornings?"
"Think about how I don't want to come here," Zara replied, managing a weak smile.
"Seriously, though," Mia said, leaning closer, "you've been out of it lately. What's going on?"
"Nothing," Zara lied. She didn't want to drag Mia into whatever mess her family seemed to be caught up in.
Class droned on, and Zara found herself staring at the same equation for what felt like an eternity. Her thoughts flickered back to the journal she'd found in her mom's room. She hadn't opened it yet, but the leather-bound book felt heavy with secrets she wasn't sure she wanted to uncover.
Flashback: 17 Years Ago
The Lagos sun blazed overhead, but Clara barely noticed the heat as she weaved through the crowd. Her chest burned from running, and the satchel she clutched to her chest felt heavier with every step.
"Clara, stop!" Greg's voice rang out behind her, sharp and desperate.
She glanced back, her heart hammering. Greg was close, too close.
Her foot caught on a loose cobblestone, and she stumbled into an alleyway, pressing her back against the cool stone wall. Her breath came in short, panicked gasps.
Moments later, Greg appeared at the alley's mouth, his expression unreadable. "You don't know what you're doing," he said, stepping closer.
"I know enough," Clara shot back, her voice trembling.
Greg's gaze softened for a moment, then hardened again. "If you keep this up, you'll drag everyone you love down with you. Is that what you want?"
Clara gripped the satchel tighter. "I don't trust you, Greg. Not anymore."
Present Day
Zara leaned against her locker, her eyes scanning the sea of students flooding the hallway. Jake was standing by the vending machine, his blonde hair catching the fluorescent light just right.
She hesitated, chewing her lip. They weren't really friends—not yet. But there was something about the way he smiled at her in class or checked in when she seemed off that made her feel...seen.
Before she could decide whether to approach him, Jake looked up and caught her gaze. He grinned and started walking toward her.
"Hey," he said, his green eyes warm. "You doing okay? You seemed a little distracted in Chem."
"Yeah, I'm fine," Zara said quickly, stuffing her hands into her jacket pockets.
Jake tilted his head, studying her. "You sure? 'Cause I'm pretty good at reading people, and you don't exactly scream 'fine.'"
Zara's lips twitched into a reluctant smile. "I guess I've just got a lot on my mind."
Jake nodded, leaning against the locker beside hers. "Well, if you ever need to talk, I'm here. No judgment."
"Thanks," Zara said softly.
As Jake walked away, Mia appeared at Zara's side, her eyebrows raised. "Ooooh, what was that?"
"What was what?" Zara asked, feigning ignorance.
"That!" Mia gestured dramatically in Jake's direction. "The whole 'I'm here if you need to talk' thing. He's so into you."
Zara rolled her eyes, though her cheeks flushed. "You're imagining things."
"Sure, sure," Mia said with a smirk. "But when he asks you out, I expect full details."
Zara laughed, but her thoughts were already wandering back to the journal hidden under her bed and the man outside her father's store. Was it all connected? Or was she just looking for patterns where there were none?
She didn't have answers, but she couldn't shake the feeling that her life wasn't as normal as it seemed