"I don't understand, Rachel…" Laura's voice was soft but laced with confusion. "Why would the three of you need to make a promise like that?"
Rachel took a deep breath, trying to steady herself even as tears still streaked down her face. "When you woke up from the coma… you didn't remember anything, Laura. You didn't remember us, or anything from before. Then… your grandmother came to see us."
Laura frowned. "My grandmother?"
Rachel nodded, her voice trembling as she fought to keep it steady. "She made us promise — to keep what happened to you a secret. We didn't want to, Laura, but she… she forced us."
Tears slipped down again. "She said if you ever found out the truth, your life would fall apart."
Laura went still, her heart heavy — like something inside her was pressing down hard. "Fall apart? What does that even mean?"
Rachel bit her lip, lowering her gaze. "We knew what you did was wrong, Laura… what you did to Halen — it was awful. But your grandmother said… it wasn't really you."
Laura's eyes widened, her voice barely a whisper. "Not me?"
Rachel slowly nodded. "Yeah… it wasn't you."
Before Laura could say another word, a voice cut through the silence.
"Laura…"
Laura turned — Cassidy was standing there, slightly out of breath, her face caught between worry and relief.
"Maybe this isn't the right place to talk about it," Cassidy said quietly, glancing toward Rachel.
"Then where, Cass?" Laura asked, still confused by the seriousness in their tone.
Cassidy drew a deep breath. "The usual place."
Laura froze, her brow furrowing as she tried to make sense of it. "The candle house?"
Cassidy nodded slowly — and Rachel's face shifted, disbelief flickering in her teary eyes. Even Sandra, who had been silent all along, looked stunned. The small wooden house behind Cassidy's home — built by her father — had once been their secret hideout, a place heavy with memories.
"It's been forever since we've been there," Laura said with a faint laugh, trying to ease the tension. "God, I miss it… Do you guys still remember how we'd always end up sleeping there—"
Before she could finish, Rachel suddenly leaned in and wrapped her arms around Laura. Cassidy lowered her head slightly, placing a hand on Laura's shoulder, and Sandra stepped closer, joining the embrace from behind.
The hug lingered. The air around them grew still — only the sound of rustling leaves and Rachel's quiet sobs broke the silence. Cassidy was the first to let go, though her hand remained on Laura's shoulder, as if reluctant to release her completely.
Laura smiled faintly, brushing the tears from Rachel's cheek.
"Okay, enough crying, Rach. You look terrible when you cry," she teased softly, though her own voice trembled.
Rachel let out a shaky laugh between tears. "Like you look any better when you do."
Cassidy sat beside them, her expression calm but her eyes heavy with emotion. "We've been holding this in for so long. Maybe it's time we face it — all of it."
"Face it?" Laura looked from one to the other, confusion etched on her face. "You mean—"
Cassidy exhaled. "Everything your grandmother kept from you. Everything we were forced to hide."
Sandra stepped forward, her smile gentle though her eyes shimmered. "Finally… the four of us are together again."
Laura looked at each of them — Cassidy, Rachel, Sandra — the faces that had once been her whole world.
She took a deep breath. "I'm tired of feeling like half of me is missing. But now… I feel lighter. Because you three never stopped loving me."
"We never did, Laura," Rachel whispered.
Laura nodded slightly, a faint smile curving her lips. "So… when do we meet again?"
Cassidy smiled — that kind of smile that carried both hope and sorrow. "After school?"
"Sounds perfect," Laura replied softly.
Rachel took Laura's hand, her fingers still trembling. "The candle house?"
"The candle house," Laura repeated, this time her voice firm, resolute.
Their eyes met — and in that moment, it felt as if time paused.
Something long lost… was ready to come back to life.
-------
The school buzzed again as the lunch break neared its end. Laura, Cassidy, Rachel, and Sandra walked side by side down the hallway, their laughter and playful teasing echoing softly — a sound that no one had expected to hear again.
A few students stopped in their tracks, exchanging bewildered glances.
"Wait… is that Laura with Cass?"
"No way. I thought those two couldn't even stand to look at each other," another whispered.
But the four girls kept walking, oblivious to the stares. Rachel chuckled at something Cassidy said, Sandra nudged her back with a grin, and Laura… just smiled — feeling lighter than she had in years.
From the opposite end of the hallway, Mr. Felix appeared, carrying a stack of folders. He paused mid-step, watching the group with a proud, quiet smile.
"Good," he murmured to himself. "They've finally learned to make peace."
Laura caught his gaze and smiled in return. Mr. Felix gave a small nod — the kind that said I'm proud of you — before continuing down the hall.
A few steps ahead, two boys turned the corner — Justin and Omar Felix. They were chatting casually, but Justin's voice trailed off the moment he saw Laura walking with the others.
A faint smile tugged at his lips. It wasn't mocking — it was relief.
Omar noticed immediately and smirked. "See? Told you. She's finally back to who she used to be."
Justin didn't respond. His eyes stayed on Laura — the way she laughed, the way the light seemed to find her again. There was something in that smile… something he'd missed, though he never dared to say it out loud.
And then Laura glanced up — their eyes met for the briefest moment. Just a second, but it was enough to send a tremor through her chest.
She quickly looked away, pretending to fix her hair while trying to steady her breath.
Cassidy caught it. "What's up, Laura? You look like you just saw a ghost."
Laura let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head. "Nothing. I just… I haven't felt this calm in a really long time."
----------
After lunch, the classroom settled back into its usual rhythm — the squeak of markers on the whiteboard, the rustle of pages turning, and the occasional giggle from students trying to sneak in one last joke before the final period began.
Laura, Sandra, Cassidy, and Rachel sat in their respective seats, acting as though nothing unusual had happened earlier that morning. But every now and then, a quiet smile shared between them was enough to make Jenny and Sarah exchange puzzled looks from across the room.
When the final bell rang around 3:15 p.m., the corridors erupted with noise. Chairs scraped, bags zipped, and students spilled out of the classrooms in waves.
Laura and Sandra were already packing up when Cassidy turned from the right side of the room, calling out over the chatter,
"We'll wait for you there — don't ditch us!"
Laura raised her hand in acknowledgment, while Rachel just smiled faintly beside Cassidy.
A few students — Jenny and Sarah among them — traded glances, their expressions mixed with confusion and a touch of envy at how easily the four girls seemed to have rekindled their friendship.
Moments later, Laura and Sandra stepped out into the hallway, Omar Felix trailing not far behind.
"You notice," Sandra said quietly, "everyone looks kinda shocked seeing us together again?"
Laura smiled softly. "Let them be. What matters is — the four of us are back."
"The four of you, huh?" Omar chimed in from behind, smirking. "So what does that make me?"
Laura shot him a half glance. "If you're brave enough, you can cut yourself in."
Omar tilted his head, his grin widening. "There's not a blade in the world sharp enough to cut that."
Laura crossed her arms. "Want me to test that theory?"
Omar chuckled, backing away playfully. "Maybe test it on Justin first — at least then you'll know what you're working with."
"Omar!" Laura shrieked, half laughing, half furious as she chased him down the corridor.
Omar took off running, his laughter echoing through the hall, while Sandra could only shake her head — smiling as the two disappeared around the corner.
--------
A few minutes later, Laura and Sandra rode Laura's scooter toward Cassidy's house. The late afternoon streets were still busy — students heading home, car horns blending with the hum of engines, and the occasional chirp of birds nesting among the maple trees whose leaves were beginning to turn amber and gold.
When they arrived, Cassidy's mother was already at the front door. The woman's face lit up the moment she saw the two girls hop off the scooter.
"I can't believe the four of you finally found your way back to each other," she said warmly, her smile filled with quiet relief.
Laura returned the smile politely. "We can't believe it either, ma'am. It feels… almost like a dream."
Sandra added with a small grin, "Cassidy and Rachel are out back, right?"
"Yes," her mother replied, pointing toward the backyard. "They've been cleaning the old place since they got home."
Laura and Sandra exchanged a knowing glance. They both understood what "the old place" meant — the small wooden cabin with half-glass walls that stood tucked beneath the birch trees at the far end of the yard.
It wasn't just any place.
It was their place — a quiet little house that held too many memories to ever be forgotten.
-------
Laura and Sandra walked slowly across the backyard. The grass was still damp, as if freshly watered, and the late afternoon sunlight reflected off the glass panels of the small house — the Candle House, as they used to call it.
Half of its walls were made of pale, weathered wood, the other half transparent glass framed with white paint that had started to peel. Inside, Cassidy was sweeping the floor while Rachel busied herself arranging the cushions on the long wooden bench.
"You guys are early," Cassidy said without turning around, her tone casual but with a warmth she couldn't quite hide.
Laura chuckled softly, pushing open the glass door that creaked slightly. "Of course we are, Cass — we couldn't wait."
Rachel turned, a soft smile lighting her face. "I can't believe the scent's still the same… wax, wood, and… memories."
Sandra dropped her backpack to the floor. "Feels like the last time we were all here, we were twelve, right?"
Cassidy stopped sweeping, leaning on the broom handle before nodding slowly. "Yeah. Before everything changed."
Silence filled the room for a moment. A breeze slipped through the half-open window, swaying the thin cream-colored curtains. Laura stood in the center of the space, her gaze traveling over every corner — the small wooden table, the old shelf with their framed photo, and a large candle sitting in the middle of the table, half-melted yet never replaced.
A wistful smile curved her lips. "I missed this place."
Rachel walked over and rested a hand gently on Laura's shoulder. "We all did."
Cassidy set the broom aside against the wall. "So… shall we start again?"
Laura turned to her. "Start what, exactly?"
Cassidy's lips curled into a small smile. "What else — the friendship that was never supposed to end."
Sandra arched a brow, smirking. "That sounds like a movie line."
Rachel laughed quietly. "I like it though."
Laura shook her head slowly, her smile growing. "Alright then. But this time — no more secrets."
Cassidy, Rachel, and Sandra exchanged glances, and for the first time in a long while, the quiet hum of that late afternoon didn't feel like an ending — it felt like a beginning.
------
The four of them sat in a circle inside the little glass house, laughter bouncing softly off the wooden walls. Their conversation was light — stories from elementary school days; melted ice creams before the first lick, a music teacher who was terrifying but somehow funny.
Laura smiled, feeling a strange warmth inside her chest. But her gaze lingered on Cassidy a little too long — and the unspoken question sitting at the edge of her lips could no longer stay there.
"Cass…" her voice was quiet, but it cut through the laughter like glass.
Cassidy turned. "Yeah, Laura?"
Laura drew a slow breath, trying to steady the tremor in her chest. "Did you really mean what you said that night? When you said… you wished I'd died in that fire?"
Cassidy froze. The color drained from her face; the laughter vanished from the room. Sandra and Rachel exchanged worried glances.
"Laura, I…" Cassidy's voice cracked. She looked down, her shoulders trembling. "I didn't mean it. Not really. I was just— angry. So damn angry back then."
Her tears began to fall, slow and unguarded. "We waited six years for you. And when you came back… you weren't the same. I thought you were faking it. I thought you were just running away because you couldn't face what happened."
Laura reached out, gently taking Cassidy's hand. "I never faked it, Cass. I really don't remember. I swear— I'm not lying to you."
Cassidy took a long, shaky breath, eyes fixed on the floor.
"I was tired, Laura… tired of seeing you every day at school like nothing happened. Rachel and I— we weren't like Sandra. We couldn't keep pretending everything was fine."
Laura frowned, her tone low but edged with hurt.
"I'm the one who lost my memory, Cass. But why did you treat Sandra like that too?"
"No, Laura," Sandra cut in quickly, leaning slightly forward. "The truth is… we were all pretending."
Laura blinked, stunned. "Pretending? For six years?"
Rachel finally spoke, her voice trembling — a mix of guilt and relief.
"Only at school, Laura. Outside of it, everything was different. It was all… my idea."
Laura stared at Rachel in disbelief. "Your idea?"
Rachel lowered her gaze, fingers clutching the hem of her shirt. "I thought if we made you angry… if we made you hate us, maybe your memories would come back. Or…" she paused, her voice dropping to almost a whisper, "…you'd stop pretending to have lost them."
Silence filled the small room. Laura's eyes moved from one face to another — Sandra, looking guilty; Rachel, head bowed; and Cassidy, still wiping her tears.
"You think I did this on purpose?" Laura's voice was soft but sharp. "I lost my memory, Cass. I didn't know who I was back then. Everything felt— gone. Like living in a world without color."
Cassidy bit her lip, trying to hold back her tears. "We know… but Laura, every time we saw you walking past us, smiling like nothing ever happened—" her voice cracked. "It felt like we didn't exist. Like all those memories meant nothing to you."
Laura shook her head slowly. "It's not like that. You have to understand… I was scared too. Once my memories started coming back, I was terrified to face them. Terrified of seeing how much I'd broken."
Rachel lifted her head, her voice raw. "You didn't break anything, Laura. We were only hurt because the waiting — the loss — lasted too long."
Sandra chipped in softly, "Maybe it's time we stop judging each other."
A few seconds passed in silence. Only the breeze slipped in through the glass window of the little house.
Laura drew a deep breath, then reached out, placing her hand in the center. "Shall we start over?"
Cassidy looked at her hand for a long moment before finally clasping it. Rachel followed, then Sandra.
Four hands met — tight, honest — as if those six years at last stopped tearing at them.
Cassidy gave a thin smile. "If you fake it again, I'll smack you in front of everyone."
Laura let out a small laugh, though tears still slipped down her cheeks. "If you do, I'll hit back twice as hard."
Rachel chuckled softly, patting her shoulder. "Deal."
"Deal," Laura echoed, leaning back as she stirred the straw in her cup.
"Oh, right—Rachel, tell me about that promise."
Rachel froze for a moment. "Oh… the promise?"
"Yeah," Laura nodded. "You mentioned it before. I just want to know what it really was."
Cassidy shot Rachel a look before answering quietly, "It was just a vow. When you were in a coma, your grandmother came all the way from Paris."
Sandra added, "She asked the three of us to keep everything about that night a secret."
Laura raised a brow. "Everything? What do you mean by that?"
Rachel took a deep breath, trying to smile though she looked uneasy. "The fire. She didn't want you to know what really happened. Said it would make it harder for you to recover."
Laura went silent, her eyes shifting from one friend to another.
"So… that promise was to make sure I never found out anything?"
Cassidy nodded slowly. "Yeah. But not because we wanted to. We just did what your grandmother asked."
"Your grandma isn't some ordinary woman, Laura," Sandra murmured, her tone cautious but clear.
"Yeah," Cassidy agreed. "Your grandmother's kind of… intimidating. Like—someone powerful."
Laura laughed lightly. "My grandma? Please, she's just a simple old lady."
"No, Laura," Rachel interrupted, scratching her chin as she searched for the right comparison. "Try to imagine Queen Elizabeth visiting a small town like this."
Cassidy and Sandra nodded in perfect sync, looking deadly serious.
Laura blinked. "Wait—are you saying Queen Elizabeth is my grandmother?"
All three of them nodded again, completely straight-faced.
"What we're about to tell you, Laura… you can't let your grandmother know," Rachel warned softly.
Laura nodded. "Alright, I promise."
Cassidy exhaled before starting. "After the fire, the whole town went insane. Police, firefighters, the FBI… everyone showed up. Reporters surrounded the place. People wanted answers—how could a ten-year-old building suddenly burn down like that?"
"We got questioned nonstop," Sandra continued. "Sometimes the same question ten times in a row."
"But…" Cassidy glanced at Rachel. "Halen's dad was the one who questioned us the most."
Laura's head dropped slightly. "Halen's dad…" she whispered. "How was Halen then?"
Rachel swallowed hard. "She was in the ICU. Her burns were the worst. We could only watch from outside. Her mom was screaming… and her dad—he looked completely lost. He just wanted the truth."
"And that's when," Sandra said softly, "your grandmother arrived in town."
"My grandmother?"
All three of them nodded.
"When she showed up," Cassidy said, "everything suddenly changed. Within days, the authorities released a statement saying the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit."
Laura frowned. "A short circuit?"
"Yeah," Rachel nodded. "And everyone believed it—except Halen's father. Because the first report from the fire department said the fire started from a flammable liquid."
"Halen's dad fought back," Sandra added, her tone almost a whisper. "He came to us—begged us, even got down on his knees. He just wanted us to tell him the truth. But we…"
Rachel turned away, her voice trembling. "We couldn't, Laura."
"After almost a month… you woke up," Rachel continued softly. "We were so happy, Laura. But when you opened your eyes…" she paused, her expression heavy. "You didn't remember anything. You forgot all of us."
Laura looked down, her fingers fidgeting in her lap. "I… I'm sorry," she whispered.
Sandra took a deep breath. "That's when your grandmother came to find us. She met the three of us—and she begged, Laura. She literally begged us to forget everything that happened."
Cassidy added, "It was like… she knew we knew something. As if she already knew the secret we were keeping."
Laura lifted her gaze, confusion clouding her eyes. "And you all agreed?"
"At first, we hesitated," Rachel said. "We asked her why. And that's when she told us—if you ever learned the truth, your life would fall apart. She said what happened… wasn't your fault."
Laura shook her head slowly, her voice breaking. "Not my fault? But… I was the one who—"
"We don't understand it either, Laura," Cassidy cut in quickly. "We just did it because we cared about you. We just wanted you safe."
Sandra leaned back, her eyes still on Laura. "Maybe it's time you ask your grandmother yourself."
Rachel reached out and gently patted Laura's knee, her face filled with guilt.
"After you woke up…" her voice dropped to a whisper. "Halen's dad came to visit. No one else was in the room, it was just you. I happened to show up right then…"
She stopped, breathing deeply. "And suddenly, everything went crazy. Halen's dad started screaming. The nurses and guards had to drag him out."
Laura's brows furrowed. "Why? What happened?"
Rachel swallowed hard, her eyes dropping to the floor. "When I went into your room, Laura… you were screaming. Like—like you were possessed. You kept shouting Halen's name over and over… then you passed out."
Cassidy covered her mouth in shock, while Sandra gripped Laura's shoulder tightly.
"After that day…" Rachel's voice trembled, barely above a whisper. "Halen was transferred to another hospital. Not long after, his family moved away too. Or maybe… they were forced to. I don't know for sure."
Laura didn't answer. Her eyes glistened, her whole body stiffening as her breaths turned shallow and uneven.
"Laura…" Sandra's voice was gentle, worried.
Then suddenly, Laura clutched her head with both hands.
"Argh… argh!!!" she screamed, her voice cracking with pain.
Cassidy and Rachel jumped to their feet, panic spreading across their faces.
"Laura!"
"Hey! Laura, breathe—look at me! Look at me!"
Laura's body shook violently, her fingers digging into her scalp as if trying to claw the pain out. The air around them grew thick with fear — the same fear that once haunted them six years ago.