Back at the Start (02)

Belle stiffens, her whole body going rigid as if she’s been struck. For a moment, she doesn’t say anything, just stares at the ground, her fingers clutching her phone so tightly you think she might break it. You can see the conflict play out across her face - the urge to keep this secret buried, to not let anyone else in on this part of her pain. You almost expect her to shut down, to brush you off with a dismissive, "It doesn’t matter," or "None of your business."

But then she lets out a slow, shuddering breath. Her eyes dart to yours, searching, wary, before she glances away again. Her voice is quiet, almost swallowed by the ambient sounds of the parking lot, but you catch every word. "It’s… it’s Quinn Bennington."

Belle’s eyes flick to yours, and you see a flicker of vulnerability, the barest crack in her tough exterior. "Yeah," she says, the word clipped, almost like she’s regretting telling you. "But it doesn’t matter. He doesn’t know. I didn’t tell him. What’s the point, right? He’s just… He’s just Quinn." Her voice breaks a little, and she huffs out a bitter laugh, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. "Thought it’d be easier if I didn’t drag him into it. I mean, it’s not like he’d care. He’s got his whole life ahead of him, and… I just didn’t want to ruin it, you know?"

Why do you know she made the right choice about Quinn, Jules? Even though it hurts to admit it.

"I didn’t… I didn’t see him over the summer," she says finally, her voice tight, like she’s fighting to keep it steady. She turns her head, looking away from you, her gaze fixed on a crack in the pavement. "I mean, I couldn’t exactly be around, you know? Not when…" She trails off, her hand absentmindedly hovering near her stomach, the memory of her pregnancy still lingering just beneath the surface.

Belle lets out a small, bitter laugh, more like a scoff. "I avoided him. Avoided everyone. Wasn’t like I could hide it forever, and he…" She swallows, her throat working against the lump you can tell is forming. "He’s different? Good for him. I wouldn’t know. Spent the whole summer hiding out, trying to keep my head down and not let anyone see what was happening to me."

She hugs her knees closer to her chest, her eyes flicking back down to her phone, the photos hidden away again, but you can tell she’s still thinking about it - about him, about all of it. And you can’t help but feel the weight of her loneliness, the way she’s been navigating all this in the shadows, away from the eyes of everyone who might have cared. "Bell's about to ring," she says finally. "Are you skipping your next class, too?"

She takes a big inhale of her vape and stuffs it in her purse, then stands up. "Yeah, art doesn't suck. Just.. don't make it weird with Quinn, okay? He's clueless about all this dren and I want to keep it that way." She offers you a hand up.

Belle flinches when you loop your arm in hers, she quickly plays it off with a laugh and lets you pull her into a brighter orbit.

When you reach class, you see Bentley sitting at his spot at your table. Belle normally sits at table D. How do you finagle getting her to sit by you instead of Bentley?

Bentley glances over at Rosalia, then back to you. "I guess... but tell me one cool thing about Rosalia Vasquez that I can use to spark a conversation with her. I've literally never spoken to her before."

What's the rumor about Rosalia that you've heard?

Bentley glances over at Rosalia as he chews on the inside of his cheek for a moment. Nods. "That works. Thanks. Have fun with your girl-chat." He grabs his backpack and moves out so Belle can sit.

Belle grabs Bent's vacated seat and seems much happier here with you. "Hey, I think we're going to be painting today. You paint, right? I heard you have some pieces."

She shakes her head, "I wish. I mean, I draw and stuff, but nothing... good. I've got an auntie who's really good, though. Spent hours in her studio, been to a few of her gallery shows. It's a whole world."

Belle's mouth quirks slightly, like she maybe suspects this was a setup. But she pushes it aside and answers, "She lives in her studio - it's in Brookside*. We could stop by there this weekend, probably."

"Hey class," Ms. Grasela says in a clear voice above the din of conversation between classmates. "Today, we're doing something exciting and new, but it might be a little scary for some of you. That's okay! We're going to push through it together." She pauses when some kids groan with dread. "To improve your drawing skills, you must draw every day! We're going to do a quick-timed live sketch together today. I'm giving everyone five minutes. Draw whatever you want. If you need a prompt to get those juices flowing... the prompt is water." She pulls out a small art pad and a charcoal pencil. "Supplies are up here if you need them. We're starting in two minutes!"

Several kids head for the front to get supplies. What do you do?

"Uhm... charcoal would be good," she says as she pulls a pad out of her small backpack. "Thanks."