The Ruined Bride of Velvet Nights by Brick Moving Ant

Chapter 15

Transferring to AP classes senior year was basically asking for side eye from the other students.

On my first day, Mrs. Bennett went out of her way to introduce me properly: “Phoebe Johnson is a member of our state academic decathlon team who brought home national gold last year. Kind of a big deal.”

“She wasn’t in AP before due to scheduling conflicts, but her test scores are off the charts. Don’t let the new kid status fool you–she’ll probably end up tutoring half of you before midterms.”

The AP class had no academic deadweight, and I watched their initial skepticism transform into grudging respect

“Sid Loxley also just transferred in. There’s an empty seat next to him. You’re both decathlon nerds, so maybe you can keep each other sharp.”

My eyes widened in surprise.

Sid sat in the back row by the window, looking effortlessly put–together, offering me a genuine smile. “Saved you a seat,” he said quietly.

Having my former underclassman suddenly become my peer felt unexpectedly disorienting.

“We’re in the same grade now… you don’t have to be so formal with me.”

Sid looked at me thoughtfully, something unreadable in his expression.

morning light caught his profile as he smiled–a moment

it is, then.”

this weird little stutter that caught me completely

quickly turned away, suddenly

AP Calculus and Stanford essays are

41.0%

hapter is

is just background

no one at school was giving me the whispers and

to have evaporated from the collective

school’s Discord server. I quickly found why in a

author had openly identified himself:

straight about what happened with Phoebe Johnson. She came to school with a

her high fever, she accidentally entered the wrong bathroom and collapsed alone in a stall, requiring medical intervention. She was

the hospital

about this situation needs to understand that online harassment and defamation have actual legal consequences. The

redacted hospital report from that

only the diagnosis of

dehydration.