NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS

Dust and old bindings hung in the air over the library's back tables—sunlight thin through the windows, homeroom still a few minutes out. Val had claimed his usual spot with Ashley and Liz again, the same corner they'd kept since he'd transferred back. Saturday's D-rank run still weighed his arms and legs; here the talk rolled easy anyway—who said what in which class, a rumor about a teacher, nothing that needed an answer from him. Ashley's golden hair caught what light there was; Liz laughed and leaned in when the bit landed. He mostly listened.

Footfalls cut across the floor. Karen came through the aisle between stacks with Sel and Emily at her sides—same grade as him, moving like the row was theirs. They hadn't spoken to him in weeks unless scoring a point. Val felt them before he looked up and kept his eyes on his notebook until the pass was almost on top of their table.

Sel's voice dropped on the way by. "Val, hanging out with younger girls now? How gross." Not a shout; pitched for their corner and anyone close enough to smirk along. Ashley and Liz sat grade nine. He sat grade ten. His ears burned anyway.

Val kept his seat. He shut his eyes for a beat and let the sting thin. His shoulders stayed low; he didn't give them a reaction to take with them.

Ashley's chair jumped back. The smile she'd worn all morning vanished. "Who he hangs out with is none of your business. Why do you care anyway?" Her voice came out sharp—not the teasing lilt she usually aimed his way. Liz didn't speak, but she sat straighter beside Ashley. Val opened his eyes and watched Ashley hold the table while he stayed seated.

Karen's eyebrows jumped. Sel looked at the floor. None of them had an answer ready. They picked up their pace toward the main doors, Emily and Sel flanking Karen until the aisle swallowed them.

Ashley blew out a hard breath once they were gone. "What a bunch of rude people." She was still watching the doors, not his face. The library sank back into morning quiet. Nobody at the next table had looked up.

Talk warmed again—lighter now, the ordinary rhythm of three people who'd known each other since primary school. Val stayed quiet on the surface, but his chest loosened a notch anyway. Homeroom would call them apart soon enough; until then he let the corner stay theirs.