Few days later...

"Our presentation is perfect!" Bella said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She had stayed up late the night before, fine-tuning their slides, double-checking their sources, making sure every detail was in place.

Karl nodded, scrolling through the final version on his laptop. His dark eyes moved over the text, the diagrams, the carefully formatted citations. Seeing the depth of her knowledge and the precision of her research, he felt something close to awe.

"You’re right," he said, closing his laptop. "It’s perfect."

Mira smiled, pushing her glasses up. She had been quiet during the planning, letting Bella take the lead. But she had watched. She had noticed. Bella didn’t need them. She could have done this presentation alone, and it would have been just as good, maybe better.

Karl turned to Bella. "We’re going to get a perfect score because of you."

Bella’s cheeks flushed. "That’s not true. You both helped."

Karl shook his head. "We helped a little. You did the rest."

Mira nodded. "He’s right. You’re really good at this, Bella."

Bella smiled, happy and embarrassed at the same time.

Karl stood up from his seat, stretching his arms above his head. "Let’s go get a treat. Something sweet to celebrate."

Bella laughed. "It’s not even graded yet."

"So?" Karl shrugged. "We’re celebrating early."

Mira stood too, gathering her things. The three of them walked toward the door, chatting about where to go, the campus café, the bakery down the street, the place with the really good milkshakes.

"Mira."

Krystal’s voice cut through their conversation.

Mira stopped and turned.

Krystal was standing near the door, her arms crossed, her expression unreadable. Her dark hair was perfect, her makeup flawless, her clothes expensive. She looked like she belonged on a magazine cover, not in a college hallway.

"Can I talk to you?" Krystal asked.

Mira hesitated. "I was just about to—"

Krystal’s voice was smooth, pleasant. "It’ll be quick. And then I’ll grab you some lunch."

Mira looked at Bella, then at Karl. Her smile was apologetic.

Bella waved her off. "Go ahead. We’ll wait."

Mira nodded and walked over to Krystal. They spoke in low voices, too quiet for Bella to hear.

Karl’s jaw tightened.

"Let’s go," he said, grabbing Bella’s arm. He pulled her out of the classroom, down the hallway, around the corner.

Bella pulled back slightly. "Karl—"

"She’s not coming," he said, his voice tight. "She never comes."

Bella didn’t argue.

They walked in silence, leaving Mira behind.

⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹

Meanwhile, Krystal pulled Mira somewhere quiet, an old storeroom at the end of the hallway, dusty and forgotten, where no one ever came. The door creaked shut behind them, and the fluorescent light flickered overhead.

Then Krystal started crying.

Her shoulders shook, her face crumpled, and tears streamed down her cheeks, smudging her perfect eyeliner. She looked nothing like the confident, polished girl who always had everything under control.

"Mira," she sobbed, her voice cracking. "Mira, my mom’s illness flared up again. I have to take care of her. I have to be at the hospital every night. I can’t do this anymore."

She threw her arms around Mira, hugging her tightly, her body trembling against her.

Mira felt her pain. She had seen Krystal’s mother before. Pale, thin and weak. She had heard about the treatments, the surgeries, the endless cycle of hope and disappointment. Krystal never talked about it. She pretended everything was fine. But now the mask had cracked.

Mira patted her back gently. "It’s okay, Krystal. I’ll help you."

Krystal pulled back, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Mira, please. I can’t fail this class. If I fail, my mom will be so sad. She’s already worried about me. I can’t add to her stress."

Mira shook her head. "You won’t fail. I’ll help you study. We can go over the material together—"

Krystal grabbed Mira’s hands. "It’s not just studying. No one wants me in their group. I’ve asked everyone. They all said no. I’m left out, Mira. I’m alone."

Mira’s heart ached. She had seen how people looked at Krystal. They admired her, envied her, but they didn’t want to work with her. She was too competitive, too demanding, too much.

Krystal continued, her voice desperate. "I haven’t done any research. I don’t have any slides. I don’t have any notes. I’ve been at the hospital every night, and during the day I’m so tired I can barely think."

Mira frowned. "You should have told me sooner."

Krystal’s voice dropped. "I was ashamed. I didn’t want anyone to know."

Mira looked at her, really looked. Krystal was always so perfect. Her makeup was always flawless, her clothes were always expensive, her smile was always confident. But now, without the mask, Mira could see the dark circles under her eyes, the pallor of her skin, the way her hands trembled.

Mira sighed. "But what can I do? The presentation is in two days."

Krystal’s voice was small. "My mom’s surgery is in three days. I’ll be at the hospital overnight again tonight, and tomorrow, and the day after. I don’t have time. I can’t—"

She started crying again.

Mira didn’t know what to say. She was born into a loving household, with parents who supported her, who had never been sick a day in their lives. She couldn’t imagine what Krystal was going through.

"So what should I do?" Mira asked helplessly.

Krystal looked up, her eyes red, her cheeks wet. "We have to register our groups tomorrow. The deadline is noon."

Mira nodded slowly.

Krystal took a shaky breath. "Maybe you could register me with your group. You, me, and Karl. And Bella could do the presentation alone."

Mira’s eyes widened. Her mouth fell open. "What?"

Krystal grabbed Mira’s hands tighter. "Bella is super smart. Everyone knows that. She’s from a rich family. She probably has tutors. She can handle it. But I can’t do this alone, Mira. Please."

Mira pulled her hands back, taking a step away. "No. No, I can’t do that. Bella worked really hard. She did most of the research. It’s not fair to—"

"Why not?"

The voice came from behind her.

Mira spun around.

Noah was standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame, his arms crossed. His expression was serious, more serious than Mira had ever seen him. His dark eyes moved from Krystal’s tear-streaked face to Mira’s shocked one.

Noah. When did he get here? How long had he been listening?

He pushed off the doorframe and walked toward them. "I heard everything. Mira, Krystal’s situation isn’t good. You should help her."

Mira’s heart pounded. "Noah, you don’t understand—"

Noah held up a hand. "I understand perfectly." He stopped beside Krystal, placing a hand on her shoulder. She leaned into him, still crying. "If I were in your class, I would help her. I would put her in my group. I would make sure she passed."

Mira looked at him, at the serious expression on his face, the concerned furrow of his brow. She had never seen him like this. He was always smiling, always joking, always flirting. But now he looked different. Kind and protective.

Mira’s voice came out weak. "But Bella worked hard."