Chapter 4 Smoke and secrets

The fire alarm screamed through the halls of Brookshire High.

Students flooded the corridors, rushing toward the exits in a wave of panic and confusion. Teachers shouted instructions while the smell of smoke slowly spread through the building.

Naomi's heart raced.

"The science lab," she said breathlessly.

Ethan was already moving.

"Come on."

They followed the crowd toward the emergency exit, but halfway down the hallway Naomi noticed something strange.

Everyone was running away from the science wing.

Except one person.

A student in a dark hoodie was moving quickly in the opposite direction, disappearing down the back staircase.

Naomi slowed.

"Did you see that?"

Ethan glanced over his shoulder.

"See what?"

"That student-"

But the person had already vanished.

"Never mind," Naomi said quietly.

Something about the moment made her uneasy.

Outside, students gathered on the football field while teachers counted attendance. Smoke drifted from one of the science lab windows, though it didn't look like a massive fire.

More like something small that had gone wrong.

The principal stood near the front steps speaking into a walkie-talkie.

Naomi wrapped her arms around herself.

"What kind of school has explosions on a Wednesday afternoon?"

Ethan gave a faint smile.

"You get used to Brookshire."

"I'm starting to think that's not comforting."

Sirens sounded in the distance as a fire truck approached the campus.

Students murmured around them.

Some excited.

Some worried.

Others already recording videos for social media.

Naomi scanned the crowd automatically.

Then she noticed Victoria standing with a group of students near the bleachers.

Their eyes met.

Victoria's gaze was cold.

But there was something else there too.

Satisfaction.

Naomi's stomach tightened.

"That girl seriously hates me," she muttered.

Ethan followed her gaze.

"Victoria hates losing control."

"Apparently she also enjoys accusing innocent people."

Ethan didn't respond immediately.

Instead he looked thoughtful.

"Something about today feels strange."

Naomi raised an eyebrow.

"You mean besides explosions and false accusations?"

Ethan glanced toward the science building.

"Too many things are happening at once."

Naomi was about to ask what he meant when a teacher called their grade forward for attendance.

After the fire department inspected the lab and confirmed the situation was under control, students were dismissed early.

But Naomi couldn't stop thinking about what she had seen.

The hoodie.

Running toward the lab.

And Victoria's strange smile.

Later that evening, Naomi walked slowly through the quiet streets near her house.

Her parents were still at work, which meant the house would be empty when she got home.

Normally she liked the quiet.

Tonight, her mind was too busy.

She kept replaying Ethan's words.

"I've been looking for you for three years."

Three years.

That meant the bookstore.

The memory was faint, but it was there.

A rainy afternoon.

A stranger sitting across from her at a small table near the window.

But she couldn't remember his face clearly.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard footsteps behind her.

Naomi turned.

Ethan stood a few steps away.

She blinked in surprise.

"Are you following me?"

He shook his head.

"I live two streets over."

Naomi folded her arms.

"Convenient."

Ethan studied her expression.

"You've been thinking about something."

"The bookstore," she said immediately.

His eyes softened slightly.

"You remember?"

"Barely."

They began walking slowly down the sidewalk.

The evening sky was turning deep purple as streetlights flickered on.

"I remember it was raining," Naomi said. "And I was reading near the window."

Ethan nodded.

"You dropped your notebook."

Naomi frowned slightly.

"And someone picked it up."

"Me."

She stopped walking.

"That was you?"

Ethan leaned against a nearby fence.

"You were writing short stories."

Naomi's eyes widened.

"You read them?"

"You left the page open."

Naomi groaned softly.

"That's embarrassing."

"They were good."

She looked at him skeptically.

"You're just saying that."

"No."

Ethan's voice was quiet but sincere.

"They were about courage."

Naomi felt oddly self-conscious.

"You remember that?"

"I remember everything about that day."

Something about the way he said it made her heart skip.

"Why?" she asked softly.

Ethan hesitated.

Then he said something unexpected.

"Because you helped me."

Naomi blinked.

"I did?"

"You probably don't remember."

He looked toward the street for a moment before continuing.

"I was having a bad day."

Naomi waited quietly.

"You told me something," Ethan said.

"What?"

Ethan looked back at her.

"You said people who feel lost usually find their path by helping someone else."

Naomi felt a strange warmth in her chest.

"That sounds like something I'd say."

Ethan smiled faintly.

"It helped."

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

The silence wasn't uncomfortable.

Just thoughtful.

Then Naomi tilted her head slightly.

"So you kept a picture of me... because of one conversation?"

Ethan hesitated.

"Not just that."

Naomi raised an eyebrow.

"What else?"

But before Ethan could answer-

A loud engine roared down the street.

A black car sped past them.

Too fast.

Naomi barely had time to step back as it rushed by.

The car suddenly slowed.

Then stopped at the corner ahead.

Naomi frowned.

"That's weird."

Ethan's expression had suddenly turned serious.

"Stay here."

"What?"

But Ethan was already walking quickly toward the car.

The passenger window rolled down slightly.

Someone inside said something Naomi couldn't hear.

Ethan's posture stiffened.

Then the car suddenly drove away again.

Ethan returned a moment later.

Naomi studied his face.

"What was that about?"

"Nothing."

"That didn't look like nothing."

Ethan ran a hand through his hair.

"Just someone asking for directions."

Naomi didn't believe him.

Not even a little.

But before she could question him further, her phone buzzed.

A message notification appeared.

From an unknown number.

Naomi opened it.

And her blood ran cold.

The message contained a photo.

A picture of her locker at school.

And written across it in red marker were three words:

"Stay Away From Ethan."

Naomi slowly lifted her eyes to Ethan.

"Something is seriously wrong," she whispered.

Ethan looked at the phone.

And for the first time since she met him-

He looked genuinely worried.