Chapter 8

Ruby

I offered her a small smile. “Come with us.”

The woman looked startled. “…Why?”

“So you can eat a proper meal,” Ruby answered.

“And after that,” Violet added gently, “you can decide whether you want to tell us your story.”

The woman tightened her grip on the paper bag. “I…” Her stomach growled loudly. Heat rushed to her cheeks.

She looked away in embarrassment.

I pretended not to notice. “I know a café nearby.”

The woman hesitated for several seconds. Then…she gave the smallest nod. “…Okay.”

⸻

Ten minutes later…

The waitress set four steaming plates on the table.

Fresh bread. Eggs. Bacon. Soup. And hot coffee.

The young woman froze. She simply stared.

“Go ahead,” I said. “It’s yours.”

She looked at us uncertainly. “Really?”

Violet smiled. “We didn’t order it to admire it.”

The woman whispered a quiet thank you before picking up a spoon.

She tried to eat slowly. She really did. But after the first bite…hunger won.

Within moments, she was eating as though she hadn’t seen a proper meal in days.

None of us interrupted her.

When she finally finished, she lowered her spoon, suddenly aware that we’d been watching.

“…Sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize for being hungry,” Ruby said.

Silence settled over the table.

After a long moment, Morgan leaned forward. “You said it’s a long story.”

“It is.”

“Then start with your name.”

The young woman took a slow breath.

Her fingers tightened around the warm coffee mug. “My name…”

She looked up and met my eyes for the first time. “…is Ava.”

The three of us remained silent.

Ava swallowed. “I lost everything. And I don’t know how to get it back.”

—-

By the time we returned to the hotel, the town already felt like a place we were leaving behind.

The same streets we had walked that morning now looked different.

Maybe because Morgan had finally gotten the goodbye she needed. Maybe because we weren’t leaving with three people anymore.

Ava walked beside us quietly, holding the small paper bag from the bakery against her chest.

She still looked unsure.

Like at any moment, someone would appear and tell her she didn’t belong with us.

I understood that feeling.

Broken people often struggled to believe kindness was real.

Morgan unlocked the hotel room door and stepped inside.

“We don’t have much to pack,” she said.

Violet placed her handbag on the table. “Good. The faster we leave, the better.”

Ava remained near the doorway.

“You can come in,” I told her gently.

She hesitated.

“You’re part of the group now.”

Her eyes widened slightly. “Part of the group?”

I smiled. “Don’t look so shocked. We’re not exactly known for leaving people behind.”

Morgan glanced at me. “Speak for yourself.”

I looked at her.

She tried to keep a straight face.

She tried hard.

But after a second, a small smile appeared.

That was enough.

A few minutes later, the room was filled with the quiet sounds of packing.

Suitcases opening.

Clothes being folded.

Zippers closing.

Violet moved around the room with her usual efficiency, checking everything twice.

Morgan stood by the window for a moment, staring out at the town.

I knew what she was thinking.

Megan.

The memories.

The years she spent searching for answers.

I walked beside her. “You okay?”

She didn’t answer immediately.

Then she nodded. “Yeah.”

A pause.

“For the first time in a long time…yeah.”

I smiled softly.

That was all I wanted for her.

Not forgetting. Never forgetting. Just finally breathing again.

Behind us, Ava watched quietly.

“You three…” she started.

We looked at her.

She lowered her gaze. “You really are like a family.”

Violet leaned against the table. “We’re not perfect.”

I laughed quietly. “That’s an understatement.”

Morgan shook her head. “But we’re family.”

Ava looked down at her hands.

For a second, I saw something familiar in her expression.

Someone who had spent too long surviving alone.

Someone who didn’t know what it felt like to have people choose her.

Morgan picked up her suitcase. “Ready?”

I looked around the room one final time “Ready.”

Violet grabbed her bag.

Ava stood slowly. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

I smiled.

“You can start by not apologizing every five minutes.”

A tiny smile appeared on her face. “I’ll try.”

“Good.”

We left the hotel together.

The black sedan waited outside.

Morgan took the driver’s seat.

Violet sat beside her.

Ava and I climbed into the back.

As the car pulled away from the town, I watched the buildings disappear through the window.

***

Jacqueline

“You’ve watched too many movies.”

Claire folded her arms. “And you’ve read too many romance novels.”

Before I could argue, the warning bell echoed through the hallway.

Students immediately began moving toward their classrooms.

Claire grabbed my wrist. “Come on. Mrs. Bennett won’t care that your crush finally acknowledged your existence.”

“My what?”

“Your crush.”

“I don’t have a crush.”

She gave me a look.

“…Okay, I have a tiny crush.”

“Tiny?” She burst out laughing. “If that’s tiny, I’m the Queen of England.”

I nudged her shoulder. “Be quiet.”

We entered our classroom just as the teacher walked in.

“Good morning, class.”

“Good morning, Mrs. Bennett.”

She placed her books on the desk. “Take your seats.”

The room settled into silence.

I had barely opened my notebook when the classroom door opened again.

“I’m sorry I’m late.”

My heart skipped.

That voice…

I looked up.

Ethan stood at the doorway.

Mrs. Bennett glanced at him.

“You’re cutting it close, Mr. Walker.”

“My apologies.”

She nodded toward the empty desks. “Take your seat.”

He scanned the classroom.

My stomach dropped.

The only empty seat…was beside mine.

No, no, no. I won’t be able to concentrate…pleaseeee

He walked straight toward me. Every step felt louder than the last.

Claire slowly turned in her seat, her eyes growing wider with every second.

Ethan stopped beside my desk. “Is this seat taken?”

My brain completely shut down. “…N-No.”

“Thanks.” He pulled out the chair and sat beside me. Close enough that I caught the faint scent of cedar-wood and fresh laundry.

Claire looked at me. Then at Ethan. Then back at me. She bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.

I shook my head almost invisibly. Then immediately lowered my eyes to my desk, pretending to be fascinated by my notebook.

Don’t look at him. Don’t look.

Mrs. Bennett began the lesson. “Open your textbooks to page sixty-three.”

Around me, pages flipped.

I reached into my bag—Chemistry textbook. Notebook. Calculator. Pen case.

My smile slowly disappeared. “…No.”

I searched again. Nothing. No physics textbook.

Right. I still hadn’t found it.

I slowly closed my eyes. “Why me?” I whispered

Mrs. Bennett looked around the classroom. “Everyone has their books?”

I swallowed.

She noticed. “Miss Carter?”

Every head turned toward me. “I…” I searched my bag one last hopeless time. “I think I left mine at home.”

A few students chuckled.

Mrs. Bennett sighed “You’ll have to share with your partner today.”

Partner.

I slowly turned my head.

Ethan was already sliding his textbook to the middle of the desk. “You can use mine.”

I stared at him. “…huh?”

He smiled. “Unless you can memorize the chapter from the board.”

A nervous laugh escaped me.

“We’ll share.” He moved the book slightly closer so both of us could read comfortably.

Our shoulders were only inches apart.

I could barely focus on the words.

Instead…I was painfully aware of every tiny movement.

Every time he turned a page. Every time our arms almost brushed. Every time he leaned in to write a note.

Halfway through the lesson, Mrs. Bennett looked up from the textbook. “Let’s see who’s been paying attention.”

Her eyes swept across the classroom. “Can anyone explain the difference between inertial and non-inertial reference frames.”

Several students avoided eye contact.

Mrs. Bennett looked around the room. “Miss Alma?”

Alma Wilson—the most popular girl in our class—rose gracefully from her seat. She tossed her perfectly curled blonde hair over one shoulder before smoothing down her expensive blazer.

A few girls smiled knowingly.

Alma loved attention, especially when Ethan Walker was in the room.

With a confident smile, she walked to the board as though she were stepping onto a fashion runway.

She answered the question flawlessly before placing the chalk down with a satisfied smile.

Mrs. Bennett nodded. “Excellent.”

Alma smiled even wider. “Thank you, ma’am.”

Alma sat down, making sure to glance at Ethan.

He looked up briefly and gave her a polite smile before returning to his notes.

The smile on Alma’s face faltered for only a second before she faced the front again.

Mrs. Bennett nodded approvingly.

“Good. Now let’s apply that.”

She picked up a piece of chalk and began writing a simple problem on the board.

When she finished, she turned back to the class.

“Miss Carter.”

My heart stopped.

“Would you come and solve this for us?”

Every eye in the classroom turned toward me.

I slowly stood.

Behind me, Claire silently pressed her palms together as if praying for me.

I walked to the board.

Please don’t embarrass yourself. Please…not in front of him.