Chapter 3

The students around us turned to stare, their whispers buzzing nonstop. Those weird looks felt like needles stabbing into me. I shrank with embarrassment and hurt, my eyes instantly filling with tears.

Noah had come back from the office. When he saw what was happening, his face went ghostly pale. He rushed over, pulled me behind him, and growled at his mom, "Don't take it out on her. If you've got a problem, come at me."

His mom was shaking with anger. "What? Noah, look at yourself! You're letting some random girl drag your grades down and mess with your…