Whispers In The Hailway

The next morning, I arrived at school earlier than usual. The corridors were mostly empty, the sound of my shoes echoing against the tiled floor. I liked the school when it was quiet. No chatter, no laughter that reminded me of everything I didn’t have. Just silence.

As I walked past the teacher’s lounge, I caught a glimpse of Mr. Daniels inside, pouring himself a cup of coffee. When he noticed me, he smiled—an actual smile, warm and genuine. Not the polite one teachers usually give students.

“Good morning, Clara,” he said, his voice calm.

“Good morning,” I replied softly, my cheeks warming. I wasn’t used to being greeted like that.

A few moments later, Mr. Lewis joined him. His tie was crooked, and Mr. Daniels quickly adjusted it before realizing I was watching. My lips twitched upward, but I kept their secret locked inside.

That day in class, something shifted. Both of them seemed lighter, maybe because they knew I wasn’t going to betray them. Mr. Lewis even cracked a rare joke while writing on the board, and the whole class laughed. I laughed too, though my laughter carried a deeper meaning. I wasn’t just laughing at the joke—I was laughing at the strange, fragile bond that had formed between us.

By lunchtime, the whispers began.

“Did you see how Mr. Lewis smiled at Clara?” a girl at the back of the cafeteria said.

“Yeah, and Mr. Daniels, too. They’re always looking at her,” another added.

My chest tightened. Whispers had sharp edges, and once they started, they spread like wildfire. I kept my head down and nibbled on the single piece of bread I had packed from home. My classmates didn’t know the truth, and I didn’t dare correct them. It wasn’t my secret to tell.

Later that afternoon, as I was leaving class, I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Mr. Lewis. “Walk with us for a bit?” he asked.

I hesitated, then nodded. The three of us walked toward the oak tree—the same place where I had first discovered their secret. The shade stretched over us like a curtain, hiding us from prying eyes.

Mr. Daniels spoke first. “Clara, if the other students start saying things, you don’t need to worry. We’ll handle it.”

I blinked up at him. “But they’ll think I’m… involved.”

“You’re not,” Mr. Lewis said firmly. “And we know that. That’s what matters.”

Something swelled inside me, something I hadn’t felt in so long: protection. These two men, who were already guarding their own hearts from the world, were now shielding mine too.

As I walked home that day, the whispers still clung to my ears. But for the first time, I didn’t feel completely alone in facing them. I had made a silent promise—and now, maybe, they had made one to me as well . I felt sad and depressed

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***