Choose

P3 - Chapter Twenty-three

November 1st, 2020:

Just as Umber said, the bell rung, echoing off the walls of the hallway. I felt my palms start to get sweaty. Kids flooded into the hallway and Umber grinned at me.

Break up with Qibli now, explain to him later. Right?

"You are horrible," I informed Umber, who merely chuckled.

"Duly noted," he said calmly. He backed away into the shadows. "I'll be close. Make it quick."

"Moon." Qibli came around the corridor a moment later, his eyes searching for me. His gaze finally landed on me and he made his way over.

With Turtle, Kinkajou, and Winter all right behind him.

Fantastic.

"Moon, how was–" he reached out to me but I pulled way before our hands could touch. He slightly frowned, furrowing his eyebrows. "Moon? Are you alright?"

"We need to break up," I blurted, knowing if I didn't force myself to do it now, I would never have the strength to.

"What?" Qibli asked, a little dumbfounded.

"Huh?" Kinkajou cried. "Wait, why?"

"Moon," Turtle's calm voice said, catching my attention. "Moon, what's going on?"

"Nothing," I said. Just play along, Turtle. Umber's watching. "Nothing's going on." I turned back to Qibli. "I'm breaking up with you."

Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry. Don't let Qibli see that you don't actually want this.

I'll explain everything to you later, Qibli. Please forgive me.

"Moon, did I–" Qibli tried to reach for my hands again, his voice quieter this time, but I just pulled away even more, fighting off tears.

I could tell Qibli's mind was whirling around with questions, wondering what he did wrong. Winter was staring at me with slightly wide eyes, not having said a word.

"OK, Moon, let's go," Turtle said, probably catching on to what was happening, but Qibli was too heartbroken to realize. Qibli's hand dropped to his sides as he stared at me.

Something in his expression flashed: why?

Turtle led me away from all of the watching students, draping an arm protectively over my shoulders. He led me to our hiding spot–the library.

The second we walked in, I burst into tears.

My hands flew up to my face to cover my eyes. I couldn't let Turtle see how not-okay I was. He sat me down on one of the library's sofas and sat down beside me.

He reached up and tugged at one of my hands on my face, and I let them both drop onto my thighs. He looked at me straight in the eye and put on a warm smile.

I sniffled as I sent him a pained one back.

"It was Umber, wasn't it?" Turtle asked gently. He continued when I didn't say anything. "I saw him just standing there. He was smiling in that creepy way he does."

I stared at the floor, not answering.

"He threatened to tell the whole school, didn't he?" Turtle went on. He paused. "You're not... actually going to break up with him, right?"

"Obviously not," I murmured. "I would rather have the whole school know than to lose Qibli. But I need to do this for now. You know, to come up with some other idea to get Umber to leave me alone. For good."