Last night sent ripples through the town, unseen but deeply felt. The streets carried an eerie hush, as though holding their breath. School, however, wore a mask of normalcy. Hallways buzzed, lockers slammed, and laughter floated through the air, trying to drown out the lingering tension.
I walked to class, my mind still tangled in the chaos from the night before. It wasn't the best night ,far from it. Pink had stayed over, but she didn't say a word to me. Not even a glance. The silence between us was louder than any argument. When I woke up this morning, she was gone. No note. No goodbye. Just the faint scent of her perfume still lingering in the air.
At school, here I was again, same spot, same routine. I slid into my seat, keeping my head down, arms crossed on my desk like a shield. My thoughts churned. How am I supposed to keep going like this? Why is everything suddenly unraveling?
Lifting my head, my eyes scanned the room. Zack was there sitting with a few other students, his gaze unfocused. A wave of longing washed over me. I wanted to walk over, to talk to him, ask him if he was okay, if we were okay. But something in his demeanor told me it wasn't the right time. Maybe it never would be.
The bell rang, and class began. Moments later, Sam walked in. He moved slowly, cradling one hand awkwardly against his chest. His palm had a deep, angry gash, dried blood flaking off the edges.
"Hey... are you okay?" I asked softly when he sat beside me.
He gave a small nod, but it was stiff. Abrupt. "Why not go to the clinic?" I offered, concern lacing my tone.
"I'm fine, Terra," he snapped. His voice was sharp, defensive, unlike Sam. It stung. I blinked, taken aback. What was that? He had never been rude to me before. Something was definitely off.
After class, I made my way to the cafeteria, and just outside the double doors, I bumped into Summer and Eska. They fell into step beside me, the air between us dense with unspoken tension.
"So," Summer began, her voice low and cautious, "you're really back. I figured Pink was just trying to… drown herself in drama."
I gave a half-hearted smirk. "Yeah, nice to see you too."
Eska folded her arms, narrowing her eyes. "How are you even surviving under the same roof as her?"
"She's been ignoring me," I said flatly. "Didn't even say hello this morning. Why are you guys suddenly concerned?"
"Look," Summer said, glancing down, "we kind of misunderstood everything."
"Jesse confessed," Eska added, "Turns out… he was at fault. Pink should've been calm, but…"
"It made it worse," I sighed.
"Big time," Summer muttered. She leaned in closer. "Jesse told her… that he's in love with you."
"What?" I almost choked on air.
"Yeah," Eska nodded. "Shocked all of us. Pink didn't take it well."
My stomach dropped. No wonder she'd been avoiding me.
"This is bad," I murmured. "This is really, really bad."
We grabbed lunch quickly before the line could build up. My mind was already spinning with what I had to do next.
We sat at our usual spot in the café as silence settled around us.
I stirred my drink with a straw, watching the chocolate drizzle swirl like a storm before finally speaking.
"Did you guys notice anything strange about Sam today?"
Summer blinked. "Erm… who's Sam?"
"The nerdy guy. White, blue eyes, glasses, straight A's," I said, listing. "Ring a bell?"
"The one you always hang out with? And that nerd girl?" Eska added. "Yeah, I remember. What about him?"
"He's acting weird. He's got bruises, not your usual kind of injury, I'd say."
I spotted him in the far corner of the café, sitting alone with one hand placed on his injured arm. I nodded toward him. "There."
"Oh, that guy," Summer said. "He helped me with my physics project last semester."
"What's up with his hands?" Eska asked, squinting. "Not the kind of guy I'd expect to get into a fight."
"I don't know. When I asked about it, he got… hostile. He's always been so nice. What changed?"
"Maybe he got attacked by a wolf last night?" Summer suggested. "That seems logical."
The table went quiet. The clink of a spoon against glass was the only sound.
We all turned to watch him, silently observing his every move. Then Eska leaned forward.
"He seems suspicious."
"You think?" I muttered. "I even suggested he go to the clinic, but he seemed pissed that I… cared?"
Moments later, he got up and left. We just sat there, staring at each other.
...
After lunch, I made my way to the basketball court. My heart pounded as I pushed open the doors with a loud thud, halting their practice. Jesse was mid-drill with Daniel, trying to mimic some half-decent dribble move.
"Yo, Jesse," Daniel called, nodding in my direction. "Your girl's here."
"Fuck you, Dan," I snapped.
He smirked and jogged off to the bleachers, giving us space.
Jesse jogged toward me, sweat glistening on his brow, his shirt clinging to his chest. His abs lined the fabric like an afterthought, tempting but I wasn't here for that.
"Hey, Terra," he said casually, brushing hair from his face. "What's up?"
"I heard you finally outed yourself."
He gave a slight nod. "Took me long enough, huh?"
"Took me getting suspended for you to finally get the balls?"
He frowned. "Aren't you grateful I cleared the air?"
"Grateful?" I scoffed. "You made everything worse. You told Pink you're in love with me?"
"Yep."
"Dude, you barely even looked at me."
"I'm looking now, aren't I?" he replied, a twisted smirk on his face.
"You trying to ruin me or something? I don't remember ever doing anything to deserve this."
"I'm not trying to ruin you, Terra. I just… I meant what I said."
"Well, this is insane. Whatever string you're pulling, cut it. My life is already a disaster because of you. Go flirt with someone else."
I turned to leave, but he grabbed my wrist.
"Let go," I warned, my voice low.
He hesitated, then slowly released me. I walked away without another word.
As I stepped outside, a chill crawled down my spine. There, across the bleachers, sat Rivon. Smiling.
She waved.
And then vanished.
Sam was heading toward the library after lunch when Eska suddenly grabbed his arm and dragged him into the janitor's closet.
"Hey, Sam," she called out as he tried to shake free.
He flinched before turning to face her. "Eska?"
"Surprised you know my name," she said.
"I should be the surprised one. We've never even talked," he muttered, adjusting his glasses and taking a small step back. "What's up?"
"You tell me. Where'd you get that wound?"
"Skateboard accident," he replied too quickly. His gaze darted to the wall.
"You skateboard?" Her brows lifted. "I thought reading was your only sport."
"I do a lot of things you don't know," he said stiffly.
"You and I both know that wound's too deep for a skateboard fall," Eska pressed, stepping closer. Her voice dropped. "Don't lie to me."
Sam opened his mouth, but nothing came out. His breath hitched. He looked down at his hands like they didn't belong to him, then back at her.
"Why do you care?" he asked, his voice low. "Thought I was invisible to you all."
"Guess that's what caught my attention," Eska said, pointing at his injured hand.
He sighed, adjusting his glasses again with a shaky hand.
"Well, it's my problem," he muttered. "And I suggest you stay out of it, like you always do."
He brushed past her and walked away, leaving Eska standing alone in the shadows of the closet, staring after him in silence.
Back in the hallway, I headed toward my locker, my gaze fixed on the ground until I saw her. Pink. Laughing with Clary and Zack. Her head tilted back, hair catching the light like nothing was wrong in her world. Her eyes met mine for a heartbeat but she didn't flinch. No recognition. No emotion.
Just ice.
Zack was there. Maybe I should walk over. Maybe we needed to talk.
No.
Not now.
I waved slightly. He didn't wave back. Instead, he looked away, expression tight. His sadness was visible, etched into his brow. Pink caught the exchange, and her smile fell. Her eyes darkened. She hissed under her breath and stormed past me without a word.
Inside the locker room, Summer was already changed into her cheer uniform. She looked… different. Her shoulders slumped, her gaze vacant.
"You okay?" I asked, adjusting my bag.
She hesitated, staring at the floor. "I haven't heard from my sister in days."
"Regina?" I asked carefully.
She looked up sharply, her eyes narrowing. "Why do you say her name like that?"
I paused, unsure how to answer.
"She's still my sister," she said, voice trembling. "I don't care how evil she's gotten. She's still flesh and blood."
"I'm sorry," I said quickly. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm sure she's okay. Maybe she and Nemus are just… planning something big."
"That's exactly what worries me." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Regina always texts back. Even when she was doing her worst, she never went silent."
I swallowed. "You think something happened?"
"I feel it," she said firmly. "Something's wrong."
A long silence stretched between us.
"I think something's happening, Terra," she said again, more quietly. "Something big."
I placed a hand gently on her shoulder. I didn't say anything.
Because deep down, I agreed.
Nemus had vanished. No attacks. No threats. Just a calm before the storm.
What are they up to?