Chapter 2 - Whispers in the Hallway
Monday morning at Austin Middle School arrived with a crisp autumn chill and an atmosphere thick with post-Halloween gossip. As I walked through the double front doors, the usual chatter buzzed around the lockers, but my eyes immediately zeroed in on the center of the main corridor. Ava was standing by the trophy case, surrounded by a group of seventh-grade girls who were openly admiring the silver stitching on the cuffs of my purple witch dress.
She had worn it to school. Not content with just taking it for the party, she had decided to claim it as her daily wardrobe.
“Seriously, Ava, where did your mom get this for you?” asked a girl named Jessica, running her fingers over the dark violet tulle. “My mom said custom-looking stuff like this costs a fortune at the boutique downtown.”
Ava tossed her hair, a smug little smile playing on her lips. “Oh, you know, my parents know people. It’s imported, basically.”
My fists clenched inside the pockets of my hoodie. Chloe, Madison, and Paige appeared beside me out of nowhere, their expressions murderous. Chloe let out a sharp, incredulous breath through her nose.
“Imported?” Chloe muttered loudly enough for half the hallway to hear. “Right. Imported straight from Lily’s closet after her stepmother bullied her into handing it over.”
Ava’s head snapped around. Her smile faltered for a fraction of a second before hardening into a defensive glare. She whispered something to Jessica, pushing through the small crowd and marching directly toward us. The surrounding students quieted down, sensing drama.
“What’s your problem, Chloe?” Ava demanded, crossing her arms—right over the satin belt I had ironed myself.
“My problem?” Chloe stepped forward, towering over Ava by half an inch. “My problem is a thief wearing my best friend’s clothes in broad daylight. Everyone here knows Lily saved up for two months to buy that dress. You didn't buy it, Ava. You stole it with parental permission.”
“I didn't steal anything!” Ava’s voice cracked slightly, her face flushing red. “Mom said sharing is caring! Lily has plenty of other clothes, and I needed it more because my costume got ruined!”
“Your costume had a bent plastic whisker!” Madison shouted from behind Chloe. “You could have fixed it with tape! You just wanted Lily’s stuff because you’re lazy and spoiled!”
A crowd had fully formed now, murmuring and pointing. Teachers were notoriously slow to patrol this specific corner before the first bell, leaving us entirely exposed to the social arena. Ava looked around frantically, realizing she was losing control of the narrative. Tears welled up in her eyes—the weaponized tears of someone accustomed to playing the victim whenever her selfishness was exposed.
“You guys are just mean,” Ava whimpered, her voice trembling for maximum dramatic effect. “Lily turns everyone against me at home, and now you’re doing it at school. I hate you!”
She spun around and fled down the hallway toward the girls' restroom, abandoning her adoring audience. The group of girls who had been complimenting her seconds ago looked at us awkwardly, whispering amongst themselves before drifting away.
Chloe turned to me, her eyes full of fierce loyalty. “Are you okay, Lily? Do you want to go to the principal’s office? We can tell Mr. Henderson that she literally stole your property.”
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I shook my head slowly, staring down the empty corridor where Ava had disappeared. A strange, cold calmness had settled over me. Reporting her to the principal wouldn't work. Karen would just come down to the school, spin some sob story about sibling dynamics, and Dad would back her up, claiming I was blowing a petty household dispute out of proportion. School authorities couldn't adjudicate who legally owned a piece of clothing when my own father refused to acknowledge my receipts.
“No,” I said quietly, adjusting the strap of my backpack. “Reporting her won’t fix anything. But she’s going to learn that actions have consequences. And so is my dad.”
