Chapter Three

A few days had passed, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong with Emily. I saw her at the supermarket recently, and her expression was different, dull, as if the sparkle that usually lit her up had transformed into something darker. There was something in her eyes, a glimmer that wasn't happiness but rather held back tears, on the verge of breaking free. It's strange, I know. We aren't even friends, but I can't help but worry, especially after she had missed several days of school.

—Earth to Jacob, Earth to Jacob. —Axl's voice jolted me from my thoughts as he waved his hand in front of my face, trying to bring me back to reality.

I shook my head, pretending I had just woken from a deep slumber.

—What's up, Axl? —I asked, feigning a yawn to appear tired.

—Don't play dumb. —Axl narrowed his eyes, finally putting his comic book aside—. What’s bothering you?

—I’m just tired, that's all...

The conversation I had with Axl and Anne about Emily echoed in my head. I knew they didn’t like her, and it was no secret that their issue was with her social status. Not that they knew her well, but for them, the word "popular" was enough to label her as superficial or distant. Deep down, I knew they recognized she was different, but that barrier of prejudice still stood firm.

—If you were tired, you'd have dark circles under your eyes, which, by the way... you don’t have. —Anne chimed in without lifting her gaze from her book. Then, suddenly, she turned to me, fixing her eyes on me as if trying to read my soul—. You only stay up late when there are exams, and we're not in exam season.

I hesitated. I didn’t want to confess what was truly on my mind, but I also couldn't keep pretending much longer. So, my wit came to the rescue with an excuse that wasn’t too far from the truth.

—It's just that my mom has to work overtime today, and I have to pick up Sophie from school. That’s going to take away time for me to finish the essay due Friday, so I did a big part of it last night.

—Oh... —Anne sounded convinced and returned to her book. I made it... for now.

—Was there an essay?! —Axl nearly shouted, startled. Can this guy be any more carefree?

Before I could respond, Anne slammed her book down on Axl's head.

—Yes, idiot! And your part is important, don’t you remember? —Anne was furious, and her copy of "Harry Potter" didn’t deserve that treatment.

—Ouch! Diablo' loco! —Axl rubbed his head while letting out a nervous laugh.

—You’re a mess, Axl! —Anne showed no mercy and began to hit him harder this time.

Amid the laughter, I decided to intervene. If Anne kept this up, she was going to kill him.

—Anne, chill out. We don’t want you to kill him before the essay. —I said with a smile, stepping in between them to separate the storm of blows.

Anne huffed but eventually let Axl go, who seized the opportunity to retreat quickly while rubbing his head and ear.

—Thanks, bro. —he whispered, still nursing his head.

—Anytime. —I replied with a slight smile—. But seriously, you need to catch up on the essay. It’s not complicated, but we need everyone to be in sync.

Axl nodded, although he looked like the words were fading from his mind as fast as they came in. Anne, for her part, returned to her book, but I noticed she was stealing glances at me out of the corner of her eye.

—Jacob, if something's bothering you, tell us. —Anne closed her book and looked me straight in the eyes. I knew I couldn’t fool her for much longer.

I hesitated but decided to be honest. Something in her tone made me feel like I might need to get this off my chest.

—It’s... Emily. —I admitted, my voice a little lower—. I feel like something's not right with her.

Axl raised an eyebrow, surprised.

—Emily Green? What could possibly be wrong with her? —he asked incredulously—. She has everything.

—That doesn’t mean she can't be struggling. —Anne interrupted him with a glare that would have stopped anyone in their tracks.

—It's hard to explain. —I continued, running a hand through my hair, nervous—. I saw her at the supermarket the other day, and she looked... sad. Her eyes were dull, as if she was about to cry.

Anne remained silent, as if weighing my words. Finally, she sighed and nodded.

—Maybe you should try talking to her. You have nothing to lose. If you’re so worried, it’s best to find out for yourself.

Axl let out a short laugh.

—Yeah, sure. Just walk up and say, "Hey, I noticed your eyes shine with sadness, is everything okay?" Great strategy, champ.

Anne elbowed him in the ribs, which made him shut up immediately.

—It’s not as ridiculous as it sounds. —Anne said firmly—. Sometimes, people just need someone to care enough to ask.

Those words made me think. Maybe Anne was right. Emily always seemed to have it all, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t dealing with something tough.

—Maybe... I’ll try. —I murmured, more to myself.

Anne gave me a small smile, approving my decision.

—Just don’t be weird about it. —Axl said, though with a grin on his face—. Or you’ll end up looking like a stalker.

—Thanks for the advice, Axl. I’ll keep that in mind.

We fell into silence for a moment, each of us lost in our own thoughts. The atmosphere in the library had shifted, but in a calmer way. I knew that, even though my friends didn’t fully understand why I was so worried about Emily, they supported me. And that, in a way, gave me the courage I needed to take the next step.

I still didn’t know how or when I would talk to her, but I knew I had to try. Something in her gaze told me she needed help, even if she didn't ask for it.