Chapter 4 Un-Expected Allies

The Accounting class buzzed with pre-class chatter as Zola and Lily slid into their usual seats near the back. Ms. Julia hadn't arrived yet, giving them a rare moment of unsupervised mischief.

Lily, with a perfectly timed eyebrow wiggle, mimed writing in an imaginary ledger before dramatically slamming it shut and clutching her chest. Zola snorted, covering her mouth as she whispered, "If debits don't equal credits, do we even exist?"

Lily gasped in mock horror. "Zola! That's dark for 9 a.m."

They dissolved into quiet giggles...the kind that made their shoulders shake and tears prick at their eyes. Across the room, Jessica and her clique rolled theirs, but Zola didn't care. These were her moments, the ones that made school bearable.

Then the door swung open.

Ms. Julia marched in, her sensible heels clicking like a metronome. The class fell silent... except for Jessica, who kept whispering to her friends, flipping her hair with a scoff.

Ms. Julia (dryly): "Jessica. Since you're so eager to share, why don't you solve Problem 3 on the board?"

Jessica froze. The room tensed.

Jessica: "Uh... which one's Problem 3?"

A few snickers erupted. Ms. Julia pointed to the whiteboard, where a balance sheet problem glared in bold marker. Jessica trudged up, snatched the dry-erase pen, and... stalled. Her confident smirk faltered as she stared at the numbers.

Zola bit her lip. She knew the answer, it was basic asset-liability reconciliation but speaking up meant drawing attention. Yet watching Jessica flounder felt... wrong.

Before she could overthink it, Zola raised her hand.

Ms. Julia: "Yes, Zola?"

Zola: "The unadjusted trial balance is off by $2,300. It's because the depreciation expense wasn't recorded."

A beat of silence. Ms. Julia's stern face softened.

Ms. Julia: "Correct. That's how you pay attention, Ms. Carter." She shot Jessica a pointed look. "Sit down. Quietly."

Jessica slunk back to her seat, face burning. But as she passed Zola's desk, she muttered, "Thanks."

After Class: A Truce and a Note

Zola was stuffing her textbook into her bag when Jessica blocked her path. Lily stiffened beside her, ready to deflect another barb but Jessica just crossed her arms.

Jessica: "Look, I... I owe you an apology. You didn't have to help me back there."

Zola (blinking): "Oh. Um. You're welcome?"

Jessica huffed, but it lacked her usual venom. "I've been a jerk. Sorry." She thrust out her hand.

Zola hesitated, then shook it. Lily gaped like she'd just witnessed a solar eclipse.

The Locker Surprise

Zola spun her locker combination, still processing Jessica's apology, when a neon sticky note fluttered into view:

"Zola,

Saw what you did in Accounting. You're kinda amazing.

Date this Saturday? Coffee at Brew Haven?

Kevin"

Lily, peering over her shoulder, shrieked. "OH. MY. GOD. HE ASKED YOU OUT!"

Zola peeled the note off like it was radioactive. "Lily. Breathe."

Lily: "NO. This is Kevin Matthews. Do you know how many girls..."

Zola: "...would say yes? Probably all of them. But I'm not one of them."

Lily groaned. "You're impossible."

Zola's Stand

Zola spotted Kevin lounging near the football field with his teammates, laughing as he tossed a Gatorade bottle into the air.

She marched over.

Kevin (grinning): "Zola! You got my..."

Zola: "Can we talk? Privately?"

His friends erupted in ooohs. Kevin waved them off and followed her to the bleachers.

Zola (firm but kind): "Kevin, I'm flattered, really. But I'm not looking for a relationship. I need to focus on school, and... well, we're just very different people."

Kevin (frowning): "Wait, but..."

Zola: "You'll find someone else, someone who'll actually enjoy your football stories. Good luck at your game."

And before he could protest, she walked away, spine straight.

Lily, who had eavesdropped from a bush, sprinted after her.

Lily: "I can't believe you rejected Kevin Matthews to his face."

Zola (smirking): "Believe it"

Diary Entry: February 28th (Evening)

"Dear Diary,

Today was... unexpected. I helped Jessica of all people in Accounting. And she apologised. Maybe the apocalypse is coming.

Then Kevin asked me out. Via locker note. (Classy.) I said no. Lily might disown me, but I'd rather be alone than with someone who doesn't get me.

P.S. That creepy 'shadow that looms' note is still bothering me. I hid my diary under my mattress. Just in case.

Yours always,

Zola"

She knelt to pray..."Thank You Lord for today. For courage. For quiet victories. Please keep the shadows away tonight."...then buried her diary under a stack of textbooks on the side of the bed.

Zola had just turned off her bedside lamp when a soft knock sounded at her door.

Mom (gently): "Zola? Still awake?"

Zola (pulling her blanket up): "Yeah, Mom. Come in."

The door creaked open, revealing her mother in her favorite worn-out cardigan, her reading glasses perched on her head like a makeshift headband. She carried a faint scent of chamomile tea, her nightly ritual.

Mom (leaning against the door frame): "Just wanted to check on you before bed. Big test tomorrow?"

Zola (shaking her head): "No, just the usual. But I finished my Accounting homework early, so I'm good."

Mom (smiling): "My little overachiever. You definitely did not get that from me." She chuckled, stepping closer to smooth Zola's already perfectly tucked blanket. "You ready for work tomorrow?"

Zola worked part-time at Page Turners, the cozy bookstore downtown. She loved the quiet hum of the place, the smell of old paper, and...though she'd never admit it out loud...the occasional chance to see him, her quiet coworker who always seemed to be reading the same fantasy novels she loved.

Zola (grinning): "Yeah. Mr. Clarke said we're getting a new shipment of classics in. Might even let me organise the display."

Mom (mock gasp): "The display? That's big-time stuff, sweetheart." She ruffled Zola's hair, earning an exaggerated groan. "Just promise me you won't stay up all night reading again. I found three books under your pillow last week."

Zola (innocently): "I have no idea how those got there."

Mom (raising an eyebrow): "Mhm. And I suppose the bookmark at chapter twelve just magically appeared too?"

Zola laughed, and for a moment, the weight of school, Kevin's note, and even that strange diary message faded into the background.

Mom (softly): "You doing okay, though? Really?"

Zola hesitated. She could tell her about Jessica's apology, about Kevin, about the whisper of unease she couldn't shake. But tonight felt too peaceful to ruin.

Zola: "Yeah. Just... thinking. But good thinking."

Her mom studied her for a second, then nodded. "Alright. But if those thoughts get too loud, you know where to find me." She pressed a kiss to Zola's forehead. "Sweet dreams, my love."

Zola: "Night, Mom."

As the door clicked shut, Zola exhaled, sinking deeper into her pillows. The house settled around her...the faint hum of the refrigerator, the distant creak of her mom's desk chair as she worked late. Familiar. Safe.