The Weight of You (and Me)

07

JOSHUA'S UNEXPECTED MOVE

〰・♡・〰

The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting a sterile glow on Keera's clenched jaw. Two days. That's all that stood between Joshua's family and potential deportation, and her heart ached with a tangled mess of emotions.

The memory of the video flickered across her mind, a cruel reminder of his betrayal. Yet, the raw fear in his eyes that day after school, the desperation in his voice – it tugged at a sliver of empathy buried deep within her.

The bell shrilled, jolting her out of her thoughts. Lunch. A battlefield where alliances were forged and shattered with the speed of a cafeteria rumor. Glancing around, Keera scanned for a familiar mop of dark hair, but Iñigo was nowhere to be seen.

A pang of disappointment stabbed at her. Had their bookstore adventure been a fleeting escape, a moment of connection overshadowed by the drama of Agora High?

Suddenly, a text message buzzed on her phone. It was Iñigo.

"Stuck in detention. Care to join me for escape later? The library has a fascinating first edition of 'Pride and Prejudice' with Mr. Darcy's brooding face practically leaping off the page ;)"

A smile tugged at Keera's lips. Mr. Darcy? Detention? This boy was full of surprises. She tapped a quick reply.

"Intrigued. A detention break sounds like an adventure. See you after."

With a newfound lightness in her step, Keera headed towards the park, the weight of Joshua's text message a constant presence in her pocket. Finding a familiar swing set, she waited; her mind a whirlwind of possibilities.

Would Joshua show? Was this another elaborate scheme, or a genuine attempt to fix the mess he'd created?

A rustle in the bushes sent a jolt of adrenaline through her. Joshua emerged, his face etched with nervous anticipation.

"Keera," he started, his voice barely a whisper. "Thanks for coming."

Keera crossed her arms defensively. "Alright, Joshua. Talk. What's this 'idea' of yours?"

He hesitated, then took a deep breath. "Sarah isn't as squeaky clean as she portrays herself. She has secrets, Keera. Big ones."

Keera's brow furrowed. Secrets? That could be a game-changer. "What kind of secrets?"

Joshua reached into his backpack, pulling out a crumpled flash drive. "Proof. Proof of her father's shady business dealings. He's been embezzling money from the school for years."

Keera's breath caught in her throat. Embezzlement? The principal would have a heart attack. This could be the key to dismantling Sarah's reign of terror.

"How did you get this?" she demanded, her voice a mixture of disbelief and cautious hope.

"My dad works as a janitor at the school," Joshua explained, his voice regaining a sliver of its usual swagger. "He stumbled upon some incriminating documents. Blackmailed Sarah into keeping quiet with them."

A flicker of understanding dawned on Keera. So that's why Sarah targeted him. To silence a potential threat.

"But why tell me now?" she pressed, suspicion lingering in her voice.

Joshua met her gaze, his eyes pleading. "Because you deserve to know the truth, Keera. And because... I need your help."

He explained his plan, a risky but potentially game-changing scheme that involved exposing Sarah's father's embezzlement and using it as leverage to get her to retract the video and forget the blackmail photo.