Got You
The next morning, Claire lingered at her locker. Her heart pounded as she unfolded the paper Tasya had dropped yesterday.It was worse than before.
A threat — sharper, crueler. Warning her to "stay away if you know what's good for you."
Claire's hands shook.Enough was enough. Instead of running to the bathroom to cry like before, she walked straight to the office. To the discipline counselor — Mr. Mooren.
Twenty minutes later, Claire sat stiffly in the small office, the threatening note on the table between them. Mr. Mooren folded his hands and smiled kindly.
"Claire, we've reviewed the security footage," he said carefully.
Her breath caught.
"You're not in trouble," he reassured. "But we did identify the person responsible."
Claire's hands tightened into fists in her lap.
"Who?" she whispered.
Mr. Mooren sighed.
"It's a student named Tasya."
Claire's mind reeled.
Tasya?
It didn't make sense at first — but then flashes of memory hit her. The way Tasya always looked away when they passed each other. How she'd be close when Claire found out that they were talking behind her near the health care room. Of course.
Mr. Mooren continued, "Tasya has admitted to it. She's facing disciplinary action now. You're safe, Claire."
Safe.
The word echoed in her ears, but she still felt shaken to the core.
"Why… why would she do this to me?" Claire's voice cracked.
Mr. Mooren hesitated. "Sometimes people act out because of loyalties… or because they're pressured. I don't think it's really about you, Claire. It's about old wounds that others refuse to let heal."
Claire looked down, her chest tight.
Maybe this was about the past — about what she'd done to Diana years ago. Even if she had changed, some people just couldn't forget.
When she left the office, the sun outside felt too bright, too loud.She took a deep breath.
Tasya is caught. It's over. Still, deep down, Claire knew some scars didn't disappear overnight.Across the courtyard, hidden by a corner, Sam watched her walk away — relief washing over him. He shot a quick text to Randy.
Sam: It's done. She knows now.
Randy: Good. Let's keep it that way. She doesn't need to know everything else.
Sam pocketed his phone and smiled slightly.
Protecting Claire, even from the shadows, was enough for now.
That night, Claire lay in bed staring at the ceiling.
Even with Tasya caught, she couldn't shake the tightness in her chest.
Why did it have to go this far?
She thought about Diana. About the water she threw in her face years ago. At the time, it felt like nothing. A stupid, mean prank.
But now…
Claire bit her lip hard to stop the tears. Maybe this was the cost of her past mistakes.
She turned on her side and hugged her pillow.
Tasya did this for Diana… but what about me? Who was looking out for me?
Somewhere deep inside, Claire had a nagging feeling. Things didn't just magically resolve like this. Someone had helped — someone was pulling strings behind the scenes.
But who?
________________________________________
Meanwhile, at Randy's house, the dining room was dimly lit. Randy stood by the window, phone in hand, looking at the message from Sam.
His father, Mr. Smith, stepped into the room, loosening his tie.
"You look like you've been pacing for hours," Mr. Smith said.
Randy turned. "It's done. Tasya confessed. Claire knows now."
Mr. Randall poured himself a glass of water.
"And she still doesn't know you helped?"
Randy shook his head. "She thinks it's all the school's work. Sam and I kept everything quiet."
He let out a slow breath. "She doesn't need to know. I just… I wanted her safe."
His father watched him quietly, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"You've got your mother's heart, you know that?"
Randy blinked, surprised at the sudden softness in his father's voice.
Mr. Randall stepped closer, patting his shoulder.
"You did good, son. Now let things rest. You protected her. That's enough."
Randy nodded, but deep down he knew — it wasn't enough. Not yet. Not until Claire could smile without looking over her shoulder. Not until she was truly free from the weight of the past.
Tasya stood awkwardly by the school garden, her head lowered, hands twisting nervously. Claire stood a few steps away, arms crossed, her expression unreadable.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Only the soft rustle of the leaves filled the silence.
Finally, Tasya took a deep breath.
"Claire… I—I just want to say I'm sorry."
Claire's eyes narrowed slightly. "Sorry? For what exactly, Tasya?"
Tasya's voice wavered. "For everything. The threats, the note in your locker… the book thing in the library… All of it."
She swallowed hard. "It was me. I did it. But… I only did it because Diana told me to. She—she said I had to. I owe her money, and I thought if I helped her, she'd let it go."
Claire clenched her jaw. "So you thought ruining my life was the way to pay her
Tasya stood there, her eyes pleading as Claire's back was turned. She hesitated, then took a step forward.
"Claire… please," she whispered, her voice fragile. "I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I just want you to know I'm really sorry. I wasn't thinking straight. I was afraid of Diana. She... she had a hold on me. And I shouldn't have let her push me into hurting you."
Claire paused, her shoulders stiff, her mind racing. Part of her wanted to just walk away, to close this chapter and pretend it never happened. But another part, a small, tender part, reminded her that forgiveness wasn't just about the other person — it was for her, too.
She turned slowly, her eyes meeting Tasya's once again. There was something different in her gaze now, no longer as sharp or as bitter as before. She took a deep breath.
"I'm still angry," Claire said softly, her voice calm but firm. "What you did, it messed with my life. It hurt me. And it hurt the people I care about."
Tasya's face crumpled, her guilt evident. "I know. And I hate myself for it. I wish I could undo it. But all I can do now is say sorry… and mean it."
Claire was silent for a moment, the weight of everything pressing on her chest. She thought of the notes, the fear, the feeling of being trapped. She thought of her friends, Sam, and Randy, who had helped her through all of it without her even knowing.
"I don't know if I can ever forget this," Claire said, her voice barely above a whisper. "But... I can forgive you."
Tasya's eyes widened, the relief flooding her face. "You mean it?"
Claire nodded, her expression softening. "Yeah, I do. But don't think this means everything's okay. It's gonna take time. You can't just erase what happened. But I'll try. For my peace of mind."
Tasya's shoulders slumped, the tension lifting from her as she let out a shaky breath. "Thank you, Claire. You don't know how much this means to me."
Claire met her gaze one last time, her tone resolute. "Just make sure you don't let anyone control you like that again. Diana, anyone. You deserve better than that."
Tasya nodded quickly, wiping a tear from her cheek. "I will. I promise."
And with that, Claire gave her a small nod before turning away, walking back toward the path that led to the school gates. She didn't look back.
But in her heart, something lighter had shifted. It wasn't closure, not exactly. But it was a step toward peace — for both of them.