The Weight of You (and Me)

19

SAVING IÑIGO FROM THE MEDIA FRENZY

〰・♡・〰

Lunchtime buzzed with the usual chatter, but beneath the surface, a different kind of energy crackled. Keera scanned the cafeteria, her eyes searching for Iñigo. He was usually glued to Ethan's side, but today, Ethan was surrounded by their usual jock crowd, loud guffaws erupting every few seconds. Iñigo, however, sat alone at a corner table, hunched over a book, a picture of isolation amidst the cacophony.

Keera grabbed her tray and marched towards him, her heart pounding a nervous rhythm against her ribs. As she neared, she noticed a crumpled piece of paper lying next to him, the word "Polluter" scrawled across it in bold red marker. Fury ignited in her chest.

"Hey," she said, her voice firm as she placed her tray on the table.

Iñigo looked up, a flicker of surprise followed quickly by a resigned sigh. "Keera, what are you doing?"

"Sharing my lunch," she said, a defiant edge to her voice. She slid her tray closer to his, the aroma of her homemade pasta salad filling the air.

Iñigo hesitated for a moment, then a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Thanks. I could use the company."

He shoved the crumpled note to the side, and Keera snatched it up, her anger rising again. "Who did this?" she demanded, her gaze scanning the room.

Iñigo shrugged, avoiding her eyes. "Just some jerks. Doesn't matter."

Keera wasn't convinced. "It does matter," she said, her voice low and firm. "They're trying to intimidate you, make you feel alone."

"Well, they're succeeding," Iñigo muttered, his voice laced with a hint of bitterness.

"You're not alone," Keera said, her gaze locking with his. "You have me, you have your mom, you have David. And besides, they can't take away the fact that you did the right thing."

Iñigo remained silent for a moment, then he reached across the table and took a bite of her pasta salad. "Thanks, Keera," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "For everything."

The afternoon classes dragged by, filled with stolen glances and nervous silences. Keera longed to reach out to Iñigo again, to offer him more support than just a shared lunch. But the fear of rejection held her back.

Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Keera gathered her things, a sense of helplessness washing over her. As she turned to leave, she bumped into David, his usual cheerful demeanor replaced by a worried frown.

"Hey, have you seen Iñigo?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

"He left a few minutes ago," Keera replied, a knot forming in her stomach.

"Alone?" David asked, his brow furrowing. "He looked pretty down at lunch."

Keera bit her lip, torn between loyalty and the urge to confide in her friend. "Yeah," she admitted, "but I think he'll be alright."

David studied her for a moment, his eyes filled with a question she couldn't quite decipher. "Are you sure? Because if you need help talking to him..."

He didn't get to finish his sentence. A loud commotion erupted at the school entrance, a swarm of reporters shoving microphones at a familiar figure. Iñigo stood there, his face pale and overwhelmed, security guards struggling to hold back the tide.

"This is about the LeeCorp scandal, isn't it?" a reporter shouted, his voice hoarse. "Mr. Lee, do you have any comment on the environmental accusations?"