The girls who once dismissed him looked uneasy, unsure what to make of the transformation. A few teachers exchanged surprised glances. Shirley wasn’t confused or jealous, just overwhelmingly relieved. He looked healthy. Present. Steady. Like someone who hadn’t just survived the last two weeks but somehow grown through them.
She started to step back toward her date, but paused when the elegant woman whispered something else to Richard. He nodded again, smiled faintly, and turned toward Shirley. Not toward Amber. Not toward Chase. Not toward the crowd buzzing with speculation. Toward her.