Chapter 4: The Locked Door

The note, a small slip of paper tucked behind a book, felt like a jolt of electricity. "The truth is coming." Four simple words, yet they thrummed with a weight that made my stomach clench. I smoothed it out, my fingers trembling slightly. This wasn't just Michel hiding a bad report card or a prank gone wrong. This was something bigger. Something my parents were actively trying to keep from me.

Michel’s entrance was as usual, a casual push of the door that belied the sudden tension in the air. He found me still holding the note, my eyes wide, my brain buzzing. He didn’t even feign surprise. Instead, a weary sigh escaped him, and he crossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe. "You found it."

It wasn’t a question. It was a statement of fact, tinged with a resignation that was more unnerving than any of his usual taunts. "You knew," I accused, my voice rough. "You knew about this, didn't you?"