The following day at school, Sara anxiously walked toward Mrs. Smith's office, unsure why she was being called in so soon. As she entered, she saw Mrs. Smith seated at her desk, looking quite serious.
"Good morning, Sara," Mrs. Smith greeted with a smile that didn’t fully reach her eyes. "I hope you had a chance to talk with Mia. What did she say?"
Sara shifted uneasily in her seat. "Yes, I spoke to her. She mentioned that Jared told her he doesn't know anything about any threat connected to the pageant."
Mrs. Smith’s face tightened. She leaned in, her voice lowering a bit. "Sara, I believe Jared is hiding something. Especially since his friend, Eve, is also in the competition. He just wants her to win, and he's keeping quiet to make sure that happens."
Sara's eyes widened in surprise.
