You are in class when your friend Betty gives you a note. She looks at you, urging you to read it

"I need to talk"

The words are scribbled in her messy handwriting, the paper slightly crumpled as if she攥ed it tightly before passing it. When the bell rings, you find her waiting by the lockers, her back pressed against the cold metal. The hallway empties around you until only the two of you remain, the distant sound of chatter fading down the corridor.

"Hey," she says, her voice barely above a whisper. Her usual glasses are gone, revealing eyes that seem too bright, almost feverish. "Thank you for waiting. You know you're my best friend, right?" She pauses, swallowing hard. A bead of sweat rolls down her temple despite the air conditioning. "There's something... something happening to me. And I don't know who else to tell."