--- Chapter 11: The Morning After
---
Chapter 11: The Morning After
Leah’s alarm buzzed sharply at 6:00 AM, pulling her out of the one hour of restless sleep she had managed. Her room was dim, with the pale morning light creeping through the gaps in her curtains. She groaned, rubbing her temples, the events of the night before replaying in her mind like a film reel. The party, the stranger, the mask—it all felt surreal.
Dragging herself out of bed, she shuffled to the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face to wake herself up. Her reflection in the mirror was a mess—dark circles under her eyes, her hair sticking out in odd angles. "You look like you’ve been hit by a truck," she muttered to herself.
Leah decided to keep it simple. She pulled on a pair of fitted jeans, a plain white tee, and her favorite oversized black hoodie. The hoodie was her shield, something to hide behind, and she paired it with dark sunglasses, hoping to avoid any probing looks.
Just as she was lacing up her sneakers, her phone buzzed. It was Sylvia.
> Sylvia: "Wait for me in front of your house. We're going together today."
Leah sighed but replied with a quick "Okay." She grabbed her bag and headed out. The cool morning air greeted her as she stepped outside. The streets were quiet except for the occasional car passing by. She leaned against the gate, checking her phone while waiting for Sylvia.
When Sylvia arrived, her energy was as high as ever, a stark contrast to Leah’s drained state. She bounded over, her curls bouncing with every step.
“Hey, sleepyhead!” Sylvia teased, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.
Leah groaned. “Not now, Sylvia. I can’t deal with your teasing this early.”
“Oh, come on! You have to tell me everything. Did you meet someone? Wait, don’t tell me—you have secret kids now!” Sylvia laughed, clearly enjoying Leah’s discomfort.
Leah rolled her eyes and walked ahead, muttering under her breath. Sylvia caught up, still chuckling.
---
The school gates loomed ahead, bustling with students. Leah kept her sunglasses on, hoping to blend into the crowd. Sylvia, however, wasn’t letting her off the hook so easily.
“Leah, seriously, you look like you’ve been through a war. What happened last night?” Sylvia asked as they walked through the gates.
“Not here,” Leah said, her voice low.
Sylvia raised an eyebrow but didn’t press further. The bell rang, signaling the start of classes.
---
In the classroom, Leah found it hard to concentrate. The lecturer’s voice was a dull hum in the background, overshadowed by her own thoughts. Sylvia noticed her friend’s distraction and leaned over.
“Hey, you okay?” she whispered.
Leah nodded absently, her eyes fixed on her notebook, though she wasn’t writing anything.
Sylvia frowned. “We’re talking after this,” she said firmly.
---
As soon as classes ended, Leah grabbed Sylvia’s arm and dragged her to the campus café. The café was a cozy spot, with warm lighting and the smell of freshly brewed coffee wafting through the air. They found a corner table, away from the crowd.
Sylvia plopped down and waved at a waiter. “Two cappuccinos, please. And maybe a croissant for her—she looks like she hasn’t eaten in days.”
Leah shot her a look but didn’t argue.
“So,” Sylvia began, leaning forward with a smirk. “Spill. What’s going on? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Leah sighed, running a hand through her hair. “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”
“Nope. Out with it.”
Leah hesitated, then blurted out, “I snuck out last night.”
Sylvia’s eyes widened. “You what? Leah, you? You snuck out?!”
“Keep your voice down!” Leah hissed, glancing around nervously.
Sylvia grinned, clearly enjoying this. “Where did you go? What did you do? Wait—don’t tell me. Leah, you know it’s dangerous. What if something bad happened?”
Leah nodded reluctantly. "Gosh, chill. Okay, nothing bad happened. Just let me explain first."
“Okay, fine. Gist me. What happened? Did you meet someone? Did you kiss someone? Tell me everything!”
Leah shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips despite herself. “It’s not like that. I met someone, but it’s… complicated.”
Sylvia leaned in closer, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. “Complicated how?”
Before Leah could answer, a familiar voice interrupted them.
“Well, well, well. Look who’s hiding in the corner.”
Leah groaned inwardly. It was Vivian, Sylvia’s self-appointed rival, flanked by her usual posse of giggling followers. Vivian sauntered over, her perfectly manicured nails tapping on their table.
“Didn’t think you’d stoop to hanging out in dingy cafés, Sylvia,” Vivian sneered.
Leah straightened up, her gaze unwavering as she shot Vivian a sharp look. “And what’s wrong with this place? You think you’re too good for it?”
Vivian faltered for a moment, her smile faltering. Leah continued, her voice steady and unbothered. “You might want to stop looking down on others just because you’ve got a few more zeros in your bank account.”
Sylvia looked at Leah in surprise, but Vivian’s eyes narrowed, her lips curling into a tight smile.
“You’re really going to talk to me like that?” Vivian sneered, her eyes flicking between Leah and Sylvia.
Leah didn’t back down. “Yeah, I am. You’ve got a problem with it?”
Vivian’s followers giggled, but the tension in the air was palpable. Vivian’s expression shifted from confident to annoyed, but she didn’t say anything more. With a final glance at Leah, she turned on her heel, her followers trailing behind her.
As soon as Vivian was out of earshot, Leah leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. “That was fun.”
Sylvia, still in shock, blinked at her. “You really gave it to her, huh?”
Leah smirked. “She needed to be put in her place.”
---
Their conversation was interrupted again, this time by someone who made Leah’s stomach twist. Jason.
He strolled into the café, his presence commanding attention. Leah stiffened, her heart skipping a beat.
“Great,” she muttered under her breath. “The annoying one is here too.”
Jason spotted them and made his way over, a casual smirk on his face.
“Ladies,” he said, pulling out a chair and sitting down uninvited.
Leah glared at him. “Do you mind?”
“Not at all,” Jason replied smoothly, leaning back in his chair.
Before Leah could retort, Vivian reappeared, her eyes lighting up when she saw Jason.
“Jason! I didn’t know you were here,” she said sweetly, placing a hand on his arm.
Jason gave her a polite smile but didn’t respond.
Leah exchanged a look with Sylvia, who was barely holding back laughter.
“Well, this has been fun,” Leah said, standing up abruptly. “But we have to go.”
Sylvia followed her lead, leaving Jason and Vivian behind. As they walked out, Leah glanced back and saw Jason watching her, a thoughtful expression on his face.
“What’s his deal?” Leah muttered.
Sylvia shrugged. “Who cares? Let’s get out of here.”
---
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