Hannah Carter had become an expert at being overlooked.
Every morning in Ridgeway High's crowded hallways, students rushed past her like she was just another locker — there, but never worth noticing. She clutched her books to her chest, Bible hidden underneath the others. It was safer that way.
"Look, it's Church Girl," someone snickered as she passed. "Say a prayer for me, sweetheart!"
Laughter followed like an echo.
Hannah didn't flinch. She just kept walking, humming the worship song stuck in her head. She'd learned that silence was sometimes louder than words.
The bell blared. Students darted into classrooms like race cars.
As Hannah slid into her usual seat near the middle, she whispered a tiny promise to herself:
You are not alone. God sees you.
That reminder kept her heart steady.
Class dragged on — notes, worksheets, whispers, rolled eyes whenever Hannah raised her hand. When the final bell rang, she exhaled relief. Another day done.
Her phone buzzed.
Choir practice @ 6. Don't forget your solo! 🎤🤍
A smile — a real one — appeared. Church was where she belonged.
She turned the corner toward the exit...
...and slammed into someone.
Tall. Solid.
Her notebooks tumbled to the floor.
"Watch where you're going," a low voice muttered.
She looked up — and up — straight into the storm-gray eyes of Jake Walker.
The school's definition of trouble.
Rumors followed him like shadows: fights behind the gym, probation visits, a family nobody discussed. Teachers feared him. Students admired him. Parents warned their kids about him.
Hannah's throat tightened. "S-sorry. I didn't see you."
Jake crouched down, gathering her books without a word. When he spotted the Bible, his eyebrow lifted — not mocking, just curious.
He handed the stack back.
"You shouldn't walk with your head down," he said quietly. "People will run you over."
Then he walked away.
Hannah stood frozen.
Jake Walker... just helped her?
For a second — one tiny heartbeat — she didn't feel invisible.
That Night
The church auditorium looked golden under the lights. Hannah stood at the microphone, heart punching her ribs. This was her safe place — yet performing still made her nerves shake.
The choir director nodded.
Hannah inhaled and sang:
"When no one else sees, You see me..."
Her voice filled every corner of the room — warm, clear, strong. Each lyric felt like stitching another piece of her heart back together.
At the very back, leaning against the double doors...
Jake.
Hood up. Hands in pockets. Trying not to look like he cared. But he stayed. He listened. He watched her like she was a secret the world overlooked.
Hannah's eyes drifted toward the back and locked onto his.
Her voice faltered for half a breath.
He didn't look away.
Something shifted — something small, something dangerous, something new.