LOGIN~Nicole~I heard my name, like a whisper, almost too close.I shook my head slowly, like I could physically throw the feeling away. Thereâs nothing wrong with me, Itâs just the wind, just the cold.I glanced around, my shoulders tightening as the chill brushed past my neck again. A second ago the place had been loud, laughter, splashing, voices crashing into each other, but now it felt far away, like someone had turned the volume down on the world. My ears rang in the quiet.Then I heard it again.My name.âNiâŚcoleâŚâ This time, hoarse, thin and dragging through the air like it had traveled a long distance just to reach me.My breath caught, so I didnât imagine it the first time?I stared straight ahead, refusing to answer, refusing to turn. If I ignored it, maybe it would disappear.I blinked hard and forced my focus onto the cup in front of me. The red rim, the water line.I picked up the ball, but my fingers felt stiff, like they didnât belong to me.Then something closed aroun
~Nicole~âWeâll be out soon. You guys should wait.âI said it through the door as I pushed Fredrick out of the room, shutting it firmly behind him.Honestly, didnât they know how long it took to get dressed? Especially on a night like this.It was time for the pool party, and somehow we had ended up in the boysâ buildingâŚmore specifically, Enz and Fredrickâs room. The teachers didnât really care where we stayed, as long as we showed up when it mattered. So yeah, me, Lulu, and Sabrina had claimed this space like it was ours. Enzo had wisely escaped and gone to change in Liam and Landonâs room instead.And now, the teachers had finally given me a room, one for Lulu and me, after last nightâs chaos.Just perfect.âHelp me,â Lulu said, lifting her arm slightly.I stepped closer and gently helped guide the thin rope of her swimwear down, fixing it around her lower waist. Her swimsuit was a soft peach color, simple but pretty. Mine was the same style, only red. âDid you guys talk?â I
~Nicole~âIâm sorry for what happened with Lulu and the fire, you both.â Vi began, her hands twisting the sleeves of the hoodie she wore, fingers squeezing the fabric together.I frowned, stepping closer. âNo. You donât have to apologize.ââYes, I do,â she cut in quickly. âThe fight between themâŚwas totally my fault. If I hadnât been so drunk and texted herâŚâ Her voice cracked.âListen,â I said, gripping her shoulders gently.Iâd never seen her like thisâŚso small. âYou didnât do anything wrong.ââYeah,â Enz added. âTheyâre old enough to think about the consequences before acting like that.âI nodded. âExactly. And the fire? It wouldâve happened whether they fought or not. Didnât you hear what the teachers said? The wind caused it, not them.âShe shook her head slowly, like she didnât fully believe us.âItâs okay,â I said softly, forcing a small smile.âWeâre not going to let you take blame for something you didnât cause. Alright?âShe wiped her face with the back of her hand, sniffing.
~Nicole~Today, Iâm alive.Yesterday was⌠a lot. Rain and Lulu? Well, letâs just say theyâre in detention. That means theyâre excluded from todayâs events, only allowed to join tonightâs party.Typical.Right now, weâre in town, far away from the resort. And I finally learned we were actually in another packâthe Silver Moon Pack. Not some isolated island as I thought. The school just chose a spot thatâs far from where most people actually live. Makes sense now why everything feels so⌠just us.Right now we're on day three of the trip, basically an adventure, to the art theatre, the museum, fun park. You name it.And later tonight? A pool party. Now, back to the fire incident. Thankfully, H.P didnât find out we had any hand in it.Mr. Lucian and Mr. Raymond decided to cover it up, saying the fight between Lulu and Rain didnât cause the fire. Honestly⌠I canât help feeling grateful. Because if Mom had found out, it couldâve been worse.School tripâŚbye bye.Iâm also kind of pleas
~Nicole~âHow are you feeling now?â H.P asked. âDid anything else happen? Anything I need to know?âI pressed the phone tighter to my ear as Enz popped a marshmallow into my mouth. I nodded even though she couldnât see me, chewing slowly before swallowing.âIâm much better. Seriously,â I said. âYou can even confirm it with the school nurse.âIt was a lie.A clean one, I mean we already used Enzo to bribe him.There was a pause on the line.âOkay⌠fine,â she sighed at last. âIf you insist.â Her voice dropped a little, softer than before. âYouâre making it sound like Iâm bothering you.âI rubbed my thumb against my temple, already feeling a headache forming. âYou know thatâs not true,â I said. âBut this is the fourth time youâve asked me the same thing during this call.ââThen Iâm sorry for worrying about my daughterâs health,â she said quietly.âArghâŚstop,â I groaned. âDonât guilt-trip me.â I let out a breath. âFine. Iâm sorry.â I even smiled, like she could somehow feel it through
~Lulu~âHiâŚâ I said, my voice barely above a whisper as I walked closer, my legs feeling strangely heavy.âHey⌠there you are,â she replied. Her eyes were glossy, unfocused, like sheâd been staring at something far away for too long.I stopped just a step away from her, suddenly unsure of what to say, or even why Iâd come this fast. My heart was still pounding from the run.âUh⌠I saw your text,â I said. âAre you okay?ââNo,â Vi said quietly, and before I could react, she grabbed my arm and pulled me toward her.My breath caught.Suddenly, I was too close. Her back barely rested against the tent, the fabric crinkling softly behind her. And her face was right there, inches from mine, while her breath brushed my skin, warm and uneven.She had texted that she was injured. That she needed help.And I hadnât thought twice. I just ran.But now that I was here⌠there was no blood, no wound or sign of injury anywhere. Just her shaky breathing.âY-you⌠whereâs the injury?â I asked, my hea







