Tessa Keene was a sweetheart through and through- pure-hearted, kind, and incapable of cruelty. She didn't have much, but she had Robby, and that was all she needed. He was her rock, her safe place, the one person she could always count on. But when...
Tessa dreaded the upcoming school day, but when it finally came, it stretched on—slow and uneventful. She kept her focus on her work, trying to catch up in class and block out the distractions. But no matter how hard she tried, the weight in her chest wouldn't lift.
Everywhere she went, she felt the ripple effects of the cafeteria incident.
Every morning, the intercom crackled to life with its usual announcements, only now with an added message—some empty reminder about kindness and inclusion. As if a scripted speech on bullying awareness would magically fix everything.
As if that would help her.
Overnight, bright-colored posters had been slapped onto the walls—Speak Up! Stand Against Bullying! You Are Not Alone!—but the words rang hollow. They weren't for her; they were for the school. A way to make it look like they cared.
Teachers watched her now, their gazes flickering in her direction more often than before. Not obviously, not enough for most people to notice, but she felt it. The way their gazes lingered an extra second in the hallways, the way their smiles felt a little too forced. They didn't know what to say to her—so they tiptoed around her like she was fragile, breakable.
Tessa kept to herself, burying her focus in assignments, letting the hours blur together. The only thing keeping her going was the thought of seeing Anthony at lunch—and the relief of finally going home.
When the lunch bell rang, Tessa found herself frozen outside the cafeteria doors. The memory of yesterday clawed at her, replaying in her head. Her fingers curled into fists at her sides as she swallowed hard.
"Hey."
She flinched at the voice, turning to see Anthony approaching.
He grinned at her, easy and familiar, like nothing had changed. Like she hadn't spent the whole day feeling like she didn't belong.
"You hungry?" he asked, his tone light, though his eyes searched hers like he could tell something was wrong. "I think my mom packed us turkey wraps."
Tessa hesitated—she could brush it off, make an excuse, insist she wasn't hungry.
But then Anthony nudged her, his easy smile breaking through the fog in her head. "Come on, I saved you a seat."
Before she could second-guess herself, she followed him inside.
The cafeteria was loud, chaotic, the hum of conversation and clatter of trays filling the space. Tessa focused on Anthony's back as he led her to his usual table.
She barely noticed the way his friends stiffened as they approached.
"Hey, everyone," Anthony said as he slid into his seat. "This is Tessa. T, that's Marcus, Josh, and Garrett."
Tessa gave a small wave.
She didn't catch the way Anthony's gaze sharpened as he looked at his friends, a silent warning in his eyes. She didn't notice how their smiles were just a little too tight.
To her, it was just a normal lunch.
She unwrapped her wrap, keeping her focus on Anthony as he steered the conversation, his voice easy and familiar. The food was comforting, grounding, and for the first time all day, she felt okay.
Then, just as quickly, the moment slipped away.
"I'll be right back," Anthony said, nudging her shoulder lightly before heading toward the bathroom.
She nodded, watching him go.
As soon as Anthony disappeared, the mood at the table changed. The chatter dulled, laughter fading into something more calculated. Tessa felt it before she saw it—the way the boys shifted their focus, their attention locking onto her.
Marcus leaned in, elbows propped on the table. "Do Anthony a favor," he said casually, "and stop clinging to him."
Tessa blinked. "What?"
Josh snickered under his breath. Garrett shot Marcus an amused glance, like this was all part of some unspoken game.
Her fingers curled into her lap as she frowned. "Anthony wants me to sit here."
Marcus arched a brow, tilting his head slightly. "Oh yeah?"
She held his gaze. "Yeah."
The boys exchanged a quick glance before they chuckled. It wasn't loud, but it was pointed—like they knew something she didn't. A knot tightened in Tessa's stomach and her fingers curled into fists beneath the table.
"What's so funny?" she asked, keeping her voice steady, but something cold was creeping into her chest, pressing down.
Marcus shrugged, his tone almost pitying. "Anthony told us the only reason he talks to you is because his parents told him to."
The words landed hard, like a slap across her face. Tessa's breath caught in her throat.
"It's actually kind of pathetic you thought he wanted to be your friend."
The noise of the cafeteria seemed to fade into a muffled blur, the weight of his words drowning everything else out. Tessa stared at them, searching their faces for some kind of tell—a hesitation, a crack in their amusement. But all she found was certainty.
She wanted to tell them they were wrong. That Anthony was her friend. That they didn't know what they were talking about.
But suddenly, she wasn't sure anymore.
Her fingers trembled as she grabbed her backpack, pushing herself up from the table. She didn't speak, didn't spare a glance back.
Her vision blurred, the edges of the room fading as she hurried through the cafeteria doors.
The distance between Tessa and Anthony grew slowly.
At first, Anthony assumed she was just missing Robby. It made sense—her brother was still missing, and things at school had been tough. So when she started pulling away, skipping lunch, giving short answers, he let it slide.
She just needed space.
But as the days went on, the distance only grew. She hardly spoke to him anymore. Whenever he asked if she wanted to hang out, she came up with excuses—claiming she had a meeting with a teacher or too much homework to do.
It stung Anthony more than he let on—but he believed she'd open up once she started feeling better. He just hoped it wouldn't take much longer.
Tessa never told him the truth. How could she? She didn't want him to pity her or feel obligated to be her friend. So, she stayed quiet, the sting of their words eating away at her in silence. She thought that by distancing herself, the pain might fade, but instead, it only grew.
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authors note!
Okay but seriously why are middle schoolers so mean??
