Chapter 161: The Hallway Felt Like a Funeral
The Monday After
Monday didn’t feel like Monday. It didn’t even feel like school.
The halls were quieter, almost hollow, like the walls themselves were mourning. Every footstep echoed too loud. Nobody was laughing. Nobody was rushing to class.
And then I saw it.
Liam’s locker.
The door was covered in flowers, taped-up notes, and folded cards. Some people had scrawled messages across the metal.
We love you, Liam🕯️. The world was better with your smile in it😭. Heaven just got its brightest smile🕊️. Forever the heart of Glass Circle❤️.
Someone had drawn a smiley face with angel wings. Another card had his senior photo printed on it with Rest Easy, Senior Everhart.
It hit me right in the chest.
Because Liam wasn’t the guy people forgot.
He was the one everyone liked. The smiley face of the group. The "adorableone." The kind of boy who made high school feel less heavy just by being in it. Now the whole hallway looked like a funeral. A memorial trapped inside four beige walls and a row of lockers.
I stood there longer than I meant to, staring until my throat burned.
I overheard two girls walking past me.
"Can you believe he’s gone?" one whispered.
The other one shook her head, wiping her eyes. "It’s so unfair. He was literally the sweetest."
The whole place just felt... wrong.
Less people even showed up to school today. The ones who did kept their heads down, whispering in low voices. Even the teachers looked exhausted, like they weren’t sure how to teach through this.
Marcus ignored me completely when I waved to him.
June came late. She slipped into the classroom with her head down, hoodie pulled low, eyes red like she hadn’t slept. She didn’t even glance at me as she sat two rows back. It was like she wanted to disappear into the chair.
And Dominic...
He hadn’t replied to a single call. Not a single text. My notifications were still blue ticks hanging unanswered.
I kept checking my phone under the desk, waiting, hoping.....nothing.
I tried telling myself he needed space. That grief wasn’t something you text through. But every minute that passed, my chest got tighter.
What if he’s not okay? What if he’s doing something reckless? What if I lost him too?
When the bell rang for break, the hallways didn’t feel like they usually did. No shouting, no laughter bouncing off lockers. Just whispers, heads close together, everyone passing around the same story with different versions.
Did you hear what happened?
They said it was murder.
No, I heard it was just the coma catching up.
The hospital got sued, right?
It made my skin crawl. Liam wasn’t a rumor. He wasn’t gossip. He was gone.
I shut my locker and leaned toward June. "Girl, you look wrecked. What happened during the weekend? Are you still sad about Marcus’ words? I know he’s ignoring us."
June just nodded, avoiding my eyes.
"June, what’s wrong?" I reached for her hand, squeezing them. "Please. Talk to me."
She dragged her hoddie cap tighter to cover her face . "It’s nothing serious. I’m just sad."
"Why?" I asked softly.
She sighed and forced a tiny shrug. "I’ll be fine." Then her gaze drifted down the hall. "The school feels so silent today. It’s just... so sad. Liam really passed."
I knew she was trying to change the subject, but I let her. My chest still felt heavy. "Yeah. None of his friends came today, they’re really mourning him. You should’ve seen how they cried."
June pulled out her phone, handing it to me. "Look."
It was the school’s website. Liam’s picture filled the screen. Big smile, eyes lit up like always. The headline made my chest cave in:
"In Loving Memory of Liam Everhart (2005–2025)"
The article called him "a beacon of kindness," "the type of student who always cheered people up," and "a once in a generation smile."
I blinked fast, trying to clear my eyes. "God... he was only twenty. His parents...." My voice cracked. "He’s their only kid. I don’t even know how they’re surviving this."
I shoved the phone back gently and rubbed my chest. "Dom hasn’t replied to my calls or texts. He hasn’t said a word since it happened."
"Please go see him after school," June said, finally glancing at me.
"I will. I was there when Liam passed, June. It broke him. I’ve never seen him like that."
She wiped her nose. I tried to lighten my voice even though it still hurt to talk. "And, uh... crazy thing? Ian’s actually being nice now. Like, for real."
That got her attention. She blinked, looking up at me. "What do you mean? What happened with Ian? Is he here?"
I touched her forehead gently. "June, are you okay? I only said... he’s becoming nice. He covered for me twice now. I think he knows about me and Dominic. Maybe Dom told him.
Her face shifted...like guilt pressed down on her. She sighed. "Dominic didn’t tell Ian. Ian and I... we found out about you guys on our own."
"What?" My eyes widened. "Since when?"
"That day we went to the rink," she whispered. "We saw you and Dominic. All huggy and kissy under the rain."
I froze. "Wait... what? You’ve known since then?"
"Yeah." Her voice cracked. Her fingers wouldn’t stop tugging at her hoodie strings, pulling them looser and tighter. "Ash... I have to tell you something. But please...don’t judge me. Don’t hate me. And don’t tell Marcus."
It felt wrong to be talking like this while grief was still in the air. But June’s hands were trembling. Whatever it was, she needed me now.
My chest tightened. "What is it, Juney? You know I’d never...."
Her hands shook in mine. Her eyes were teary when she said it.
"I made out with Ian."
I literally gasped. My jaw dropped as I just... stared at her.
June. My June. Sweet, chaotic, Juney. Made out with Ian?!!
I didn’t know if I should laugh, cry, or just hug her until she stopped looking like the world was ending.
Is that why she’s been sad all weekend?
And then...God help me, I burst out laughing.
A few kids down the hall whipped their heads around, glaring at me like, Really? You’re laughing? On grief day? One girl actually shushed me.
June smacked my shoulder hard. "Ash! It’s not funny. I’m in pain here!"
Which only made me snort harder, until I had to bite down on my lip.
Her eyes were watery and wild. "I’m serious. Also... I’m heartbroken, Ash. I saw Ren kissing his girlfriend at his party and I....God I cried like an idiot. Then Ian found me, and he was... actually nice. Like, human nice. He helped me. And then he..." she swallowed hard. "He told me he liked me. And then... he kissed me."
She said it all in one breath, too fast for my brain to keep up.
I just stared at her.
"Say something," she begged. "Please."
I opened my mouth. Nothing came out. I was actually speechless.
"I don’t know what to say, Juney," I finally whispered, rubbing the back of my head. "I’m just... surprised. I thought you hated him."
"I do!" she blurted. "I still do. I don’t know, Ash. The worst part is... I didn’t push him away. I kissed him back."
She lowered her voice, like it was too dangerous to say out loud. "And the worst part? I liked it. Like....I actually enjoyed it. Does that make me a horrible person?