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Chapter 14: You're Just Like Me
The Headmaster turned to the security team as the students—some drugged, others just confused—rushed toward the barn. Word had spread fast. The barn doors creaked open, and the thick smell of earth and something more pungent filled the air.
Inside: rows of hard drugs and psychedelic mushrooms stacked neatly like crops in a bizarre garden.
Priea stood frozen. Her lips trembled. She couldn't form words.
The Headmaster's face turned from confusion to disbelief to anger. She turned slowly toward Priea, who was still trying to process what she was seeing. "Miss James," the Headmaster said, voice low, "you're coming with us."
From Stephen's window, she and Hannah burst into muffled laughter.
"One down," Hannah whispered, her breath fogging up the glass.
Stephen turned to her. "One to go."
Cut to Stephen's room: dim lights, cozy corners, the faint hum of music playing from a tiny speaker. Stephen was in pajamas, lying on her bed and stroking her pet lizard's back. Hannah stood by the window, sipping from a water bottle and pacing slowly.
"Do you feel amazing?" Hannah asked suddenly, turning with a sly grin.
Stephen smiled gently. "Incredible," she said, not even needing to think about it.
"I know it's bad," Stephen continued, "but watching them escort Priea... was like, one of the best days of my life."
Hannah chuckled, dropping into a beanbag by the bed. "Yeah. The gleeful energy really leapt out."
They shared a look. A quiet understanding. Then Stephen said, "Thank you."
Hannah tilted her head. "For what?"
"For letting me in." Stephen looked around. "Your house—it's really comfortable. It's cozy."
"Cozy is just a nice way of saying 'small,'" Hannah muttered, her eyes flicking to the ceiling.
"No, I really didn't mean it like that," Stephen said, sitting up. "I like it here. It feels safe."
Hannah let out a long sigh. "I used to be terrified of Tara and the others finding out this is where I lived. Is that twisted? They were my best friends."
Stephen looked at her gently. "No. Your instincts were right."
Hannah stood up, brushing imaginary lint off her pants. "Speaking of, I think I'm ready."
Stephen blinked. "Ready?"
"To see those texts."
Stephen nodded slowly, lifting her laptop. "Okay. Come over here."
Hannah crawled onto the bed, the mattress dipping under her weight. They sat side by side, knees brushing. Stephen placed her lizard back in its tank and opened her laptop.
The screen glowed against their faces in the dark room.
Stephen clicked into the chat logs. Pages of conversations. Names, dates, screenshots. Hannah's expression didn't move.
Stephen scrolled slowly. "He was cheating with half the girls at Sara's High," she whispered. "There are messages going back years. Every clique... every circle."
She turned to Hannah. "Are you okay?"
A tear rolled silently down Hannah's cheek. "Yeah. No. I mean... I guess I always knew."
She crawled back to the other side of the bed, wrapping herself in the blanket like armor. "NK is a lying garbage rat, so no surprise he was a cheater too."
Stephen watched her quietly. "If we expose him, everyone will know he did this to you."
"Good," Hannah said firmly. "He'll look even worse. We should do it on Valentine's Day. Really go for the drama."
Stephen moved beside her again, lying down. "You don't have to be brave with me."
Hannah's voice cracked. "This sucks."
Stephen reached over and squeezed her hand. "It's allowed to suck."
"Yeah... fine." Hannah scoffed. Then softer: "It really sucks."
She covered her face with the blanket but peeked out through a tiny opening. "Do you think I'll feel better?"
Stephen looked at her, her voice low and tender. "What do you mean?"
"I'm just so angry all the time," Hannah whispered. "There's this knot in my chest. NK made it worse, but it's always been there. Tighter. Stronger. I feel like it's choking me. I just want to feel... normal again."
Stephen's eyes welled with tears. "Sometimes, it just hurts to exist," she said. "I know what that feels like."
Hannah turned to her. "You do?"
Stephen nodded. "Yeah."
"Come here," Stephen whispered.
Hannah laid her head on Stephen's chest, and Stephen ran her fingers through her hair gently, slowly, like she was smoothing away the pain.
"I like you, Stephen," Hannah whispered.
"You're just like me."
Stephen looked at her. "Yeah. I am."
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