Chapter 84: Going Back

We rode up to school together on Frankie's bike. As predicted, the moment we rolled up, all eyes were on us. "Don't look at them," Frankie told me, his voice steady as ever.

"It feels weird coming to school together again," I admitted, the weight of everyone's stares pressing down on me.

"I like it," he said, his tone casual. He wrapped an arm around me as we walked into the school together. As we made our way through the hallways, the whispers began to fly, rising like smoke in the air.

"That kid's actually walking with him?"

"There's a real gangster in the school."

"Seriously, that's amazing."

"Shut up, what if he hears you?"