Chapter 52

VANESSA

The moment I stepped into class, I sensed something was off with the atmosphere and the way my classmates looked at me.

Excitement. Curiosity. Gloating. Disdain.

I stopped abruptly at the entrance, instinctively pulling back.

The first two, I could understand and even welcomed, but the last two?

What the hell was that about?

My gaze swept across the room, and with each glance, my irritation deepened.

Unable to stand being kept in the dark a second longer, I shot a look at Hannah and Paige—my friends, or rather, my minions—and gestured for them to follow me outside.

In the empty classroom next door, I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes at the duo standing in front of me, “Why were they looking at me like that?”

Hannah and Paige exchanged a nervous glance, fueling my frustration.

“Spill it,” I snapped.

They flinched, but still hesitated, testing the limits of my patience.

Especially with those looks—the