Chapter 16
I sat back down before anyone could blink.
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I picked up my pencil that had rolled under the seat in front of me.
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But I saw Ms. Rachna’s face light up for a second. She must have thought I was standing. That I was coming forward.
But when I stayed seated, I saw her shoulders drop slightly.
“Well,” she said into the microphone. “The author may not be ready to reveal themselves today. But their work speaks volumes.”
She looked out over the auditorium.
“Let’s give this talented writer a round of applause. Wherever you are, you deserve recognition.”
Everyone clapped. The sound echoed off the walls. I clapped too, even though my hands were shaking.
Ms. Rachna walked off they in 1997
stage. Principal Elias returned to finish announcements.
I barely heard anything else. My heart was still racing from that moment. From almost standing. From almost being seen.
I will be lying to say I wasn’t tempted but I weighed what laid ahead and couldn’t simply ruin it for this little victory.
The assembly ended. Students filed back to their classrooms. I walked with my English class, avoiding Ms. Rachna’s eyes.
The rest of the morning passed in a fog. Math problems. Science notes. History dates.
Nothing felt real.
At lunch, I grabbed my usual turkey sandwich and apple. I scanned the cafeteria for Ava’s table.
She waved me over from her spot by the windows.
“Look who finally came,” she said as I sat down.
“What do you mean?” I said, not quickly catching on.
“Why did you come to lunch late,Avery?” She said with her usual suagary voice.
My stomach twisted. “Oh. I was just held up”
Tommy leaned forward. “You’ve been acting weird all week.”
“Acting weird how?”
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Chapter 16
“I can’t say “Madison said. “You seem weird”
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Sarah nodded. “And you keep staring at those kids.” She pointed across the cafeteria.
I followed her gaze to Arthur, Lily, and Daniel’s table. They sat in their usual corner. Books spread out between their lunch trays.
“Im not staring at them.”
“Your gaze is lingering though,” Ava said. “Are you trying to be weird again?.”
“No,” I said simply as i unwrapped my sandwich. Took a bite. Tried to look normal.
But my hand kept drifting to my pocket. To the small piece of paper I’d torn from my notebook during history class.
I’d written instructions on it. How to create a ClipTalk account. How to find me once they signed up.
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ClipTalk was new. Most kids didn’t know about it yet. But I remembered from my previous life. In two years, it would explode. Everyone would have accounts.
But right now, it was still underground. Still secret.
Perfect for what I needed.
“Earth to Avery,” Ava said, snapping her fingers.
“Sorry. Just thinking.”
“About what?”
“Nothing important.”
I glanced toward Arthur’s table again. Lily was reading while she ate. Her red hair fell across her face like a curtain.
“You miss them, don’t you?” Madison asked quietly.
The question caught me off guard. “Miss who?”
“Your old friends. The weird kids.”
“They’re not weird.” I said, trying not to sound too concerned.
“Okay, the different kids,” Tommy said. “Whatever you want to call them.”
Ava studied my face. “You do miss them.”
“I just… I feel bad. About how things ended.”
“Things ended because you grew up,” Ava said. “Because you realized you belonged with us.”
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Chapter 16
“Right. But still.”
“Still what?”
I took another bite of sandwich. Chewed slowly. Tried to find the right words.
“I was mean to them. At the end. I should have been nicer.”
“You weren’t mean,” Sarah said. “You just moved on.”
“It felt mean.”
Ava reached across the table and squeezed my hand. “You simply did the right thing Avery. That’s why we love you and that’s why you are the best sister ever”
I felt my stomach churn at her words. The nerve she had…
I watched Arthur flip through a thick fantasy novel. Daniel was sketching something in the margins of his notebook. Lily was explaining something to both of them, using her hands to gesture.
They looked happy. Complete without me.
But I still missed them. Missed the way they talked about books like they were real places. Missed how they never made me feel stupid for asking questions.
Missed feeling like myself.
“I need to use the restroom,” I said, standing up.
“Want company?” Ava asked.
“No, I’m fine.”
I walked away from their table. But instead of heading toward the restrooms, I hung back by the lunch line.
Waiting and watching.
After five minutes, Lily stood up from her table. She said something to Arthur and Daniel, then headed toward the restrooms.
My heart started beating faster.
This was my chance.
“Hey Ava,” I called out, jogging back to the table. “I suddenly have a running stomach. I need a longer bathroom break,”
“Is it serious?”
“Not really. I’ll catch up with you guys later.” I said.
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Chapter 16
I didn’t wait for a response. I turned and walked quickly toward the restrooms.
The hallway was quieter here. Most students stayed in the cafeteria during lunch.
I pushed open the bathroom door. Lily was washing her hands at the sink.
She looked up when I entered. Surprise flashed across her face.
“Oh. Hi.”
“Hi.”
We stared at each other for a moment. I tried to think of what to say.
“How have you been?” she asked finally.
“Okay. You?”
“Good. Fine.”
This was harder than I’d expected. We used to talk for hours. Now we could barely manage small talk.
I walked into one of the stalls. Lily finished washing her hands and went into the stall next to mine.
This was perfect. I could talk to her without having to look at her face.
“Lily?” I said quietly.
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry. About everything. About how I… disappeared.”
There was silence from the next stall.
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“I had family stuff going on,” I continued. “Pressure to fit in with different people. It wasn’t about you guys.”
“It felt like it was about us.”
Her voice was small. Hurt.
“I know. And I’m sorry. I handled it all wrong.”
“Why are you telling me this now?”
I reached into my pocket. Pulled out the folded piece of paper.
“Because I miss you. All of you. And I was wondering… maybe we could be friends again?”
“I don’t know, Avery. You really hurt Arthur. And Danie to.”
“I know. I want to make it up to you guys.”
Chapter 16
I slid the paper under the stall divider.
“What’s this?” Lily asked.
“Instructions for something called ClipTalk. It’s like texting but on the computer. More private.”
I heard her unfolding the paper.
“My username is on there too. If you guys want to talk. Away from school stuff.”
“Why can’t we just talk at school?”
I thought about Ava’s watchful eyes. About my parents‘ warnings about getting too comfortable.
“It’s complicated. But I really want to try. If you’re willing.”
Another long silence.
“I’ll talk to Arthur and Daniel,” she said finally. “See what they think.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m not promising anything. But… I’ll talk to them.”
I heard her stand up. The toilet flushed.
“Lily?”
“Yeah?”
“I really am sorry.”
“I know. I can tell.”
She opened her stall door. I heard her footsteps moving toward the sinks.
Then I heard something that made my blood freeze.
A knock on my stall door.
“Avery?” A familiar voice called out. “Are you in there?”
My heart leaped into my throat.
It was Ava. Shit.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
