The Girl Everyone Talks About

(Author’s POV)

The sun had barely climbed over the school gates when the whispers began.

They spread fast—like perfume in a crowded hallway, faint at first, then everywhere.

“She’s back?”

“Didn’t she get suspended?”

“I heard she was …”

“No way. She wouldn’t dare.”

Anney Sakamura.

“Yeah, that’s her! I heard they—”

Anney stopped walking for a second, glanced over her shoulder, and smirked.

“Gossip’s bad for your skin,” she said coolly before continuing on her way.

The two girls froze, embarrassed, pretending to scroll through their phones.

Anney adjusted her bag strap and sighed. Same old thing, she thought. Same old stares.

It had been a few months since the rumors exploded — the kind that twisted every look, every word, every late stay at the classroom into something dirty. She didn’t even bother defending herself anymore. People believed what they wanted to believe.

The only thing she cared about now was making it through the year without drama.

(Even though, deep down, she already knew that was impossible.)

When she reached the bulletin board, she pushed through the crowd of students still pointing at their names. Her perfume — subtle but expensive — lingered in the air.

“Let’s see…” she murmured, scanning the paper list with a perfectly manicured finger.

“Class 11–A… 11–C…”

Then she found it.

11–B — Sakamura, Anney.

She blinked. Then frowned.

“11–B?”

The murmurs behind her got louder.

“Wait, she’s in 11–B?”

“Isn’t that the abandoned classroom?”

“Figures. Guess the teachers didn’t want her near anyone else.”

Anney rolled her eyes so hard it could’ve been a reflex.

“Perfect,” she muttered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “The haunted class. My luck’s just amazing.”

Still, she didn’t hesitate. She flipped her hair, squared her shoulders, and walked toward the back of the campus — where the air grew quieter and the buildings older.

Her shoes clicked on the cracked pavement. The vines along the walls swayed in the wind. The abandoned building loomed ahead like a secret waiting to be opened.

When she reached the entrance, she paused for a second. The door was slightly ajar — like someone had already gone in.

She took a deep breath, smirked to herself, and pushed it open.

The hinges groaned.

And from somewhere above — maybe the third floor — she could hear faint voices. Laughter, footsteps, someone shouting, “Stop screaming, you idiot!”

Anney tilted her head, curiosity flickering in her eyes.

“So… I’m not the first one,” she said softly.

She brushed off the dust from her skirt and started climbing the stairs, each step echoing through the quiet halls.

As she walked, the air grew colder, heavier — and for the first time that morning, the confident smirk on her lips faded into something more thoughtful.

Who else got thrown into 11–B?

She didn’t know that waiting upstairs were four other students — each just as unwanted, just as complicated, just as unpredictable as her.

And that the moment she stepped into that dusty room, the story of Class 11–B — the class everyone whispered about — was only just beginning.

Each step creaked like it might give out at any moment, but she didn’t slow down. She’d faced worse than this—whispers, stares, and everything. An abandoned building was nothing.

At the third floor landing, she stopped to catch her breath. The air was colder here, and sunlight leaked weakly through the cracked windows.

Her gaze drifted toward a long hallway ahead — quiet, ghostly. The kind of silence that made you feel like the walls were listening.

At the far end hung a crooked sign that read:

Room 11–B

Anney let out a sigh, half a laugh. “So this is it. My grand new beginning.”

She started walking.

From behind the door came faint voices — muffled, playful, a little chaotic.

“Stop shouting, you’ll wake the ghosts!”

“I swear, if someone jumps again, I’m punching you!”

“Why are you even sitting on the desk it's so dusty! ?”

Anney paused, her hand hovering above the handle.

So I’m not the only one.

She pushed the door open.

The hinges screamed, long and loud. Everyone inside froze.

Four pairs of eyes turned toward her — the chaos cut short in an instant.

Dust floated through the sunlight slicing across the room, painting everything in gold and gray.

At the back, Jude stood near the window,

Beside a desk, Miles, round-faced and grinning, froze mid-laugh, one leg up on a chair like she owned the place.

Leaning against the wall were Kim and Nacey, both caught mid-banter — one elegant and calm, the other loud and smug.

The air thickened with awkward silence.

Anney blinked once, scanning them, her expression unreadable.

“Oh,” she said flatly. “wow what a surprising There are people here.”

Nacey leaned slightly toward Kim, whispering, “Who’s Miss Perfect?”

Kim elbowed her. “Shut up.”

Miles recovered first. “Hi!” she said cheerfully, stepping forward. “You’re new too?”

Anney tilted her head, her tone cool but polite. “Apparently. Sakamura, Anney.”

Jude’s eyes flickered at the name. Recognition. Sakamura? The one from the rumors? She didn’t say anything, but the thought lingered.

Nacey crossed her arms, pretending not to stare. “So you’re part of the ghost squad too, huh? Welcome to the freak club.”

Anney smirked. “That’s… one way to put it.”

The silence returned for a moment — five strangers, thrown together in a room that smelled like dust and history.

A single broken fan squeaked above them. The sunlight shifted.

Kim, ever the composed one, finally broke it.

“Since we’re apparently all in 11–B,” she said, glancing around, “I guess we should make the best of it.”

Miles:"it's already nice here "

“ it's Creepy” Jude muttered. “That’s an understatement.”

Nacey grinned. “You mean haunted.”

Miles gasped. “Don’t say that! What if there’s a—”

Before she could finish, the classroom door slammed shut behind them with a deafening BANG!

All five screamed.

Anney’s heart jumped into her throat. “What the hell—?!”

“Who did that?!” Nacey shouted, spinning around.

Jude grabbed the handle — twisted — but it wouldn’t budge. Locked.

Miles backed away toward the desk. “O-okay, nope, this isn’t funny anymore!”

For a second, no one spoke. Only the sound of the wind pressing against the windows and the rattling fan filled the silence.

Then, slowly… the door creaked open again — this time, by itself.

A rush of cold air swept through the room.

The five of them froze, eyes wide.

Anney swallowed hard, forcing a small laugh even though her hands trembled slightly.

“...Right. Haunted. Got it.”

Miles whispered, “Told you.”

But before anyone could move, a faint sound echoed from the hallway — like footsteps. Soft, dragging footsteps coming closer.

Jude’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Someone’s out there.”

Nacey grabbed a broom like a weapon. “Well, if it’s a ghost, I’m hitting it anyway.”

Kim stepped closer to the door, eyes sharp. “Or maybe it’s just another student.”

The footsteps stopped.

Complete silence.

Anney exhaled slowly, her expression steady again. “Whoever it is,” she said softly, “I’m gunna run away.”

Her voice carried calm authority — enough that the others instinctively looked at her.

Then

The hallway outside the door was silent now — too silent.

footsteps, wind,

Anney stood frozen with her hand halfway on the doorknob, eyes darting toward the others.

Miles clung to the side of a desk like it was her last line of defense.

Nacey, still gripping the broom, looked ready to swing.

Kim’s brows were furrowed, focused, her gaze locked on the entrance.

Jude had shifted slightly forward, trying to listen.

Then—

Knock.

Just once. Soft, but clear.

They all jumped.

Miles let out a strangled squeak. “NOPE! I’m out!”

Before she could bolt, the door slowly opened again with a long, dragging creak.

A figure stood there — framed by dim light from the hallway.

A girl.

Her uniform was neat, her hair cut just below her shoulders, and she clutched her school bag tightly against her chest. Her eyes were wide and cautious, but there was no ghostly glow, no floating feet — just nerves.

“Uh…” she said quietly. “Is this… Class 11–B?”

Everyone just stared.

Miles blinked. “...You’re not a ghost?”

The girl tilted her head. “I… don’t think so?”

Anney exhaled, pressing a hand to her chest. “."Are you stupid? Can’t you see she’s a person? Why are you still asking?"”

Nacey groaned, lowering the broom. “ My heart’s gonna file a complaint!”

Kim shook her head, a hint of amusement curling at her lips.

The girl stepped inside hesitantly, her shoes tapping lightly against the dusty floor.

She gave a polite little bow before speaking.

“I’m Cj Akamura,” she said softly. “Sorry if I startled you all.”

Miles grinned, wiping fake sweat from her forehead. “Girl, you didn’t startle us — you almost sent us to the afterlife.”

Cj’s eyes widened. “I–I’m sorry!”

Anney smiled slightly, waving her hand dismissively. “Don’t mind her. She’s dramatic by default.”

Cj nodded. “ I got almost lost because the building map said this section was... ‘inactive’?”

“Yeah,” Nacey said, scoffing. “Inactive. Dead. Haunted. Take your pick.”

Kim sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Let’s not jinx it.”

Cj smiled nervously, clearly unsure whether to laugh or back away. “I guess I’m in the right place, then.”

Anney stepped closer, extending her hand politely. “Anney Sakamura.”

Cj hesitated, then shook it. “Nice to meet you.”

Miles jumped in next, dramatically placing a hand on her chest. “Miles Tanaka! .”

Cj blinked, trying not to laugh. “O-okay.”

Nacey spun her broom like a staff. “Nacey Kuro — .”

Kim rolled her eyes. “Ignore her. I’m Kim Hiroshi. and i don’t group with these idiots.”

“HEY!” Miles and Nacey said in unison.

Kim just smiled faintly, the tiniest smirk tugging at her lips.

Finally, Jude spoke, voice calm but slightly aloof. “Jude Takahara. .”

Miles gasped dramatically. “Did we just meet our resident horror movie lead?”

Anney chuckled under her breath. “Definitely.”

Cj looked around, smiling shyly. “So, um… it's really our classroom”

Everyone fell silent for a moment.

The desks were covered in dust, spiderwebs stretched across the corners, and the chalkboard was half-faded — but somehow, it didn’t feel as creepy anymore.

Miles plopped down into the nearest chair. “Step one: claim a seat before a ghost does.”

Nacey followed suit, tossing her bag onto a desk. “Step two: open the windows before we choke on nostalgia dust.”

Anney moved toward the back, her movements elegant but deliberate. “Step three: pretend we’re in a normal classroom until proven otherwise.”

Kim actually cracked a tiny smile at that. “Fair enough.”

Cj hesitated before picking a seat near the middle, close to Jude — who, despite her quiet demeanor, didn’t seem to mind.

Once everyone settled, the mood softened. The tension from earlier began to melt into laughter and nervous chatter.

Nacey leaned back. “are they didn’t know where else to dump us.”

Anney raised an eyebrow. “You make it sound like we’re garbage.”

Kim, without looking up, replied dryly, “Speak for yourself.”

They laughed

Cj watched them quietly, that small warmth blooming in her chest. She’d been nervous all morning — about new people, new faces — but somehow, these weirdos made it easier to breathe.

Outside, the sky turned brighter, sunlight finally breaking through the old windows.

For a moment, everything felt calm — peaceful, even.

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